Corrosion Prevention in Aerospace and Marine Electrical Systems

Electrical corrosion costs private and public sectors hundreds of billions each year in repaired and replaced electrical, electronic and avionic components. In aerospace and marine operations the cost is not only financial: a corroded connector or switch can take a critical system out of service without warning. Effective corrosion prevention belongs at the centre of any preventative maintenance programme, not at the end of it.

Why Electrical Systems Corrode

Electrical and electronic equipment working in adverse environments is exposed continuously to corrosive gases, salt spray and swings in temperature and humidity. Connectors, switches, contactors, bearings, actuators and high-voltage mating surfaces all deteriorate under that load. The risk is sharpest wherever close-tolerance or dissimilar-metal components are in contact, which is common in plated, anodised and galvanised assemblies, where localised galvanic corrosion can accelerate failure long after finishing is complete. The failure of any of these components presents a potential danger to equipment, crew and passengers.

Corrosion at contact points is also the usual cause of "no fault found" incidents: intermittent failures that disappear once a component is removed and re-seated, only to return in service. Extensive testing has shown that treating contact surfaces significantly reduces these incidents, which are among the most expensive faults in any maintenance operation precisely because they cannot be reproduced on the bench.

A Preventative Approach

Corrosion prevention works best as a combination of measures: selecting resistant materials such as stainless steel or nickel alloys in place of carbon steel, sealing equipment in corrosion-resistant ventilated enclosures, monitoring with early-warning gas detection, considering equipment location at the design stage, and training personnel in what to do if exposure occurs.

The essential first step in electrical corrosion prevention, however, is applying a protective coating. SuperCORR A helps prevent galvanic, fretting, dissimilar-metal, intergranular, hydrogen sulphide, salt and chloride corrosion in electrical and electronic equipment, and is designed for longevity and reliability wherever exposure is a concern.

Specialist Barrier Film Protection

SuperCORR A is a proprietary formulation supplied by EnviroTech Europe, based on approved synthetic materials with long-lasting anti-corrosion inhibitors. It offers a superior lubrication coefficient alongside protection against moisture, wear, general and fretting corrosion, static electricity, corona and other electro-migration problems.

The non-flammable film is just 7 microns (0.007mm) thick, will not harden, and is formulated without sulphates, chlorides, petroleum-based material or halogens, meeting the EU RoHS directive. It is inert, neither increasing nor decreasing electrical conductivity or contact resistance, and it does not attract contaminants. Supplied in aerosol cans, it can be applied by engineering crews in difficult-to-reach locations during routine inspection.

The film forms an airtight seal against fresh and saltwater moisture and against corrosive gases including sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, hydrogen sulphide, ammonia and chlorine-based gases, as well as hydrogen fluoride, the thermal decomposition byproduct of the HFC-227ea used in fire suppression systems.

Aerospace Corrosion Prevention

SuperCORR A was originally developed for the U.S. Air Force to meet military specifications for preventing systems failures caused by corrosion, and became the industry standard for avionic corrosion prevention within MROs and OEMs. It is approved in the US Tri-Service corrosion manuals and by military, civilian and aircraft manufacturers, railway and transport operators worldwide, including MIL-DTL-87177B Type I Grade B, ARMY 1-1500-344-23, NAVY NAVAIR 16-1-540, AIRFORCE T.O. 1-1-689, 691, 700 and 35-1-3, and Boeing Part No. 12-371. It exceeds MIL-C-81309.

In service it has protected the intricate workings of the F-16 fighter and the U.S. Navy P-3 Orion electronic surveillance aircraft. Commercial aircraft manufacturers rely on the same aerospace corrosion prevention measures, using it on electrical and close mechanical applications, particularly on routes involving salt fog exposure or flights over open sea. Its dual function as corrosion inhibitor and dry lubricant makes it equally effective on close-tolerance and dissimilar-metal components, protecting contact surfaces without interfering with tight mechanical tolerances.

Marine Corrosion Prevention

For marine and maritime operators the evidence for marine corrosion prevention is direct. Mild steel panels exposed to sea spray for six months showed severe rust both on an untreated section and on a section protected with a conventional oil-based corrosion prevention compound, while the section treated with SuperCORR A remained visibly protected throughout the trial.

On exterior surfaces directly exposed to sea water environments, SuperCORR A keeps unpainted mild steel from rusting for at least six months, protecting electrical connectors, switches, chains and drive shafts while maintaining lubrication on moving surfaces.

Applications

SuperCORR A was specifically designed to lubricate and protect electrical fittings and connectors; electrical and avionic harness assemblies and connectors; electrical and electronic switches; close-tolerance and dissimilar-metal components; and lighting connectors and sockets. It will not freeze or harden, retains its properties in high-altitude applications, is extremely resistant to air-drying, is self-healing, and has a decomposition temperature of 550 degrees F.

The result is increased reliability, longer maintenance intervals, reduced costs and fewer warranty service calls. Prevention remains simpler and far less costly than repairing or replacing equipment that has already failed.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Please visit https://www.envirotech-europe.com/supercorr-a for information about other uses and applications for SuperCORR A.

For more advice, please telephone us on +44 (0) 20 8942 9177 or use our website contact form. Manufactured in the United Kingdom and available on short delivery times through our dedicated team of distributors worldwide.

EnviroTech Europe Ltd
Steward House, 14 Commercial Way,
Woking, Surrey GU21 6ET,
United Kingdom

Our products are used in the following industries:
Automotive and Motorsport
Avionics and Aerospace
Electronics and Electrical
Farming and Agricultural
General Cleaning
Industrial and Manufacturing
Marine and Maritime
Mechanical Engineering
Medical Device Manufacturing
Military and Defence
Oxygen Cleaning
Power Generation
Railways and Transport

This release was published on openPR.