Neural network based corrosion modeling of Stainless Steel 316L elbow using electric field mapping data.

Stainless steel (SS) is widely employed in industrial applications that demand superior corrosion resistance. Modeling its corrosion behavior in common structural and various operational scenarios is beneficial to provide wall-thickness (WT) information, thus leading to a predictive asset integrity regime. In this spirit, an approach to model the corrosion behavior of SS 316L using artificial neural networks (ANNs) is developed, whereby saline water at different concentrations is flown through an elbow structure at different flow rates and salt concentrations. Voltage, current, and temperature data are recorded hourly using electric field mapping (EFM) pins installed on the elbow surface, which serve as training data for the ANNs. The performance of corrosion modeling is verified by comparing the predicted WT with actual measurements obtained from experimental tests. The results show the exceptional performance of the proposed single ANN model to predict WT. The error is calculated by comparing the estimated WT and actual measurement recorded, where the maximum error for each setting is range from 0.5363 to [Formula: see text]. RMSE and MAE values of each pin in every setting are also computed such that the maximum values of RMSE and MAE are 0.0271 and 0.0266, respectively. Moreover, a concise account of the observed scale formation is also reported. This comprehensive study contributes to a better understanding of SS 316L corrosion and offers valuable insights for developing efficient strategies to prevent corrosion in industrial environments. By accurately predicting WT loss using ANNs, this approach enables proactive maintenance planning, minimizing the risk of structural failures and ensuring the extended sustainability of industrial assets.

Wind and wind power characteristics of the eastern and southern coastal and northern inland regions, South Africa.

The objective of this work is to understand the fluctuating nature of wind speed characteristics on different time scales and to find the long-term annual trends of wind speed at different locations in South Africa. The hourly average mean wind speed values over a period of 20 years are used to achieve the set objective. Wind speed frequency, directional availability of maximum mean wind speed, total energy, annual energy yield and plant capacity factors are determined for seven locations situated both inland and along the coast of South Africa. The highest mean wind speed (6.01 m/s) is obtained in Port Elizabeth and the lowest mean wind speed (3.86 m/s) is obtained in Bloemfontein. Wind speed increased with increasing latitudes at coastal sites (Cape Town, Durban, East London and Port Elizabeth), while the reverse trend was observed at inland locations (Bloemfontein, Johannesburg and Pretoria). Noticeable annual changes and relative wind speed values are found at coastal locations compared to inland sites. The energy pattern factor, also known as the cube factor, varied between a minimum of 1.489 in Pretoria and a maximum of 1.858 in Cape Town. Higher energy pattern factor (EPF) values correspond to sites with fair to good wind power potential. Finally, Cape Town, East London and Port Elizabeth are found to be good sites for wind power deployments based on the wind speed and power characteristics presented in this study.