Galvanic corrosion:

Copper and aluminum have widely different electrochemical potentials, so when they are combined in a
cooling system, galvanic corrosion is likely. Galvanic corrosion (also called dissimilar metal corrosion)
erodes the metal, causing leaks over time.
In a cooling loop, metallic materials in electrochemical contact can form a galvanic cell, or battery (fig.
1). In a galvanic cell, when two metals with different electrical potentials are connected, there is a
potential difference across them. The metal with the higher electrical potential becomes the anode, and the
lower, the cathode. A current will flow from the anode to the cathode. The anode dissolves, or corrodes, to
form ions. These ions drift into the water where they either stay in solution or react with other ions in the
electrolyte. This process is known as galvanic corrosion.

A galvanic cell requires three elements:

Two electrochemically dissimilar metals,

An electrically conductive path between the two metals, and

An electrolyte to allow the flow of metal ions.

In a typical liquid cooling circuit, the plumbing provides the electrically conductive path, and the aqueous
coolant provides the electrolyte. In the copper/aluminum scenario mentioned above, the aluminum is the
anode, the copper is the cathode and the cooling fluid is the electrolyte. Over time, the aluminum corrodes
as it dissolves into the water.
The galvanic corrosion rate depends on the electrical potential between the two metals. The Galvanic
Series (fig. 2) orders metals based on the potential they exhibit in flowing seawater. The most reactive are
at the top of the table, and the least reactive at the bottom.

Figure 2: Galvanic Series

Fig 2. Galvanic Series*

Magnesium

Zinc

Aluminum (most types)

Iron, plain carbon and low alloy steels

Lead, high lead alloys

Tin plate, tin/lead solder

Chromium plated materials, chromium alloys, chromium type-steels

Brass

Copper

Nickel

Stainless steels

Silver

Gold
*adapted from MIL-STD-889
Elevated temperatures, which are likely in cooling loops, accelerate galvanic corrosion. A 10C increase
in temperature can approximately double the corrosion rate. Corrosion inhibitors can be added to the
cooling water. This retards, but does not eliminate, galvanic corrosion. Corrosion inhibitors bind with the
ions in solution to neutralize them. The inhibitors are consumed in this process so they need replacing
regularly. Non-aqueous coolants, such as oils, eliminate galvanic corrosion because they do not support
ions. However, thermal performance is sacrificed, as the thermal conductivities of heat transfer oils are
generally significantly lower than water-based coolants.
To avoid galvanic corrosion, we highly recommend using the same materials, or materials with similar
electrical potential, throughout your cooling loop. You should ensure that the plumbing, connectors and
other components do not introduce a reactive metal into the system.
Using the same materials throughout your circuit does not mean that you have to sacrifice performance.
Lytron offers high performance heat exchangers and cold plates with aluminum, copper and stainless steel
fluid paths.

Erosion-Corrosion in Cooling Systems

Heat exchangers and cold plates are used in cooling applications to remove and transfer heat
from one place to another using a heat transfer fluid such as water, ethylene glycol and water
solution, oil, etc. There are thousands of combinations of fluids and fluid path materials used in
these applications. One of the main criteria for selecting the fluid path materials in these
components should be the materials' ability to resist corrosion. Corrosion comes in many
different forms, including "erosion-corrosion". It is important to know the fluids' properties as
well as the materials' properties in order to minimize erosion-corrosion and optimize system
performance and life.
What is erosion-corrosion?

Erosion-corrosion is the acceleration in the rate of corrosion in metal due to the relative motion
of a fluid and a metal surface. It typically occurs in pipe bends (elbows), tube constrictions, and
other structures that alter flow direction or velocity. The mechanism for this type of corrosion is
the continuous flow of fluid, which removes any protective film or metal oxide from the metal
surface. It can occur both in the presence and in the absence of suspended matter in the flow
stream. In the presence of suspended matter, the effect is very similar to sandblasting, and even
strong films can be removed at relatively low fluid velocities. Once the metal surface is exposed,
it is attacked by the corrosive media and eroded away by the fluid friction. If the passive layer of
metal oxide cannot be regenerated quickly enough, significant damage may occur.
Some materials are more resistant than others to erosion-corrosion under the same fluid
conditions. Erosion-corrosion is most prevalent in soft alloys, such as copper and aluminum.
Although increasing the flow rate of the fluid in your cooling application may increase its
performance, it may also increase erosion-corrosion. Therefore, it is important to determine how
great an impact increasing the flow rate will have on your thermal performance, as you may see
minimal improvement in performance with a significant drop in the longevity of your heat
exchanger or cold plate.
The following graph shows the effects of fluid velocity on performance and erosion on a
3/8" copper tube-fin liquid-to-air heat exchanger. The graph shows that in the turbulent region of
flow (Re > 4000) and at volumetric flow rates of less than 2 gpm, water velocities are within the
recommended values of less than 8 ft/sec (2 gpm) for copper tubing (see Table 1). Given the
same diameter tubing, doubling the flow rate in the turbulent region of flow doesn't result in
double the thermal performance. However, doubling the flow rate in the laminar and transitional
regions can more than double the heat exchangers performance.

Preventing Corrosion in Cooling Systems

Water and water/glycol solutions are common heat transfer fluids used in cooling
systems and recirculating chillers. Although the fluids are the lifeblood for your heat transfer applications,
they can also cause corrosion within your systems. This corrosion can result in a reduction in system

thermal performance due to scaling on the heat transfer surface, decreased flow due to reduced pipe
diameters from corrosion deposits, and ultimately the need for system component replacement due to
corrosion damage.

Corrosion of Stainless Steel

Corrosion is the chemical or electrochemical reaction between materials, usually a metal and its
environment, which results in the deterioration of the metal and its properties. This article will cover
chemical corrosion. (For more information on electrochemical or galvanic corrosion, please see our
application note "Avoiding Galvanic Corrosion.") Corrosion of metallic components is an inherent problem
for water and water/glycol cooling systems because many metals naturally tend to oxidize in the presence
of water. The dissolved oxygen in water accelerates most corrosion processes. In closed loop systems,
the dissolved oxygen is consumed over time and no longer poses a corrosion risk. For open loop
systems, however, the continued exposure to air allows oxygen to dissolve into the coolant. Therefore,
open loop systems often suffer more corrosion problems compared to closed units.
Corrosion is usually classified as either general or localized. General corrosion is the loss of metal
uniformly distributed over an entire surface. It typically does not lead to rapid system failure because the
rate of metal loss can be discovered before the metal ruptures. Localized corrosion, on the other hand, is
not as predictable. It usually shows up in the form of pitting, which can penetrate into the metal very
quickly, forming cavities or holes. Another common form of localized corrosion is cavitation, which occurs
when pockets of vapor form in a liquid. This process occurs when the local pressure near the metal
surface falls below the vapor pressure of the liquid. When these vapor bubbles collapse or implode, they
generate large amounts of energy. This causes severe pitting to system components (such as pumps),
generates a great deal of noise, and results in a decrease in pump efficiency.
Potential corrosion problems
Corrosion can lead to many problems, the most significant being perforation that may result in coolant
leakage. Other problems may include reduced heat transfer caused by surface scaling, which occurs
when the metal reacts with oxygen, chloride, and/or inhibitors in the coolant and precipitates back to the
metal surface, creating a layer that acts as a heat transfer barrier. Additionally, concerns include the
clogging of particulate filters and damage to mechanical seals.
When copper corrodes, it is more often degraded by general corrosion than by pitting. General corrosion
will often attack copper exposed to ammonia, oxygen, or fluids with high sulfur content. Another source of
corrosion affecting copper is dissolved salts in the fluid, such as chlorides, sulfates, and bicarbonates.

For aluminum, pitting is the most common form of corrosion. Pitting is usually produced by the presence
of halide ions, of which chloride (Cl-) is the most frequently encountered in liquid cooling loops. Pitting of
aluminum in halide solutions open to the air occurs because, in the presence of oxygen, the metal is
readily polarized to its pitting potential and the naturally occurring protective oxide layer or film is
penetrated. This film is stable in aqueous solutions when the pH is between about 4.0 and 8.5. The film is
naturally self-renewing and accidental abrasion or other mechanical damage of the surface oxide film is
rapidly repaired. Lytron strongly recommends an inhibitor when using water with aluminum to maintain a
clean heat transfer surface.
Stainless steel is typically used in corrosive environments but, as with aluminum, it is sensitive to high
concentrations of chlorides (>100 ppm) in an oxidizing environment. Pitting remains among the most
common and damaging forms of corrosion in stainless steel alloys, but it can be prevented by ensuring
that the material is exposed to oxygen and protected from chloride wherever possible. Stainless steels
high in chromium, and particularly molybdenum and nitrogen, are more resistant to pitting corrosion.
Corrosion caused by uninhibited ethylene glycol
Studies1 show that uninhibited ethylene glycol will degrade into five organic acids - glycolic, glyoxylic,
formic, carbonic, and oxalic - in the presence of heat, oxygen, and common cooling system metals such
as copper and aluminum. Copper and aluminum act as a catalyst in the presence of uninhibited ethylene
glycol. These organic acids will then chemically attack copper and aluminum in as little as three weeks
under extreme conditions (212F and oxygen bubbling into the uninhibited ethylene glycol solution) to
form metal organic compounds in the fluid, which can lead to clogging of pipes, pumps, valves, etc.
Literature2 references often state that copper and aluminum are compatible with uninhibited ethylene
glycol, but usually those recommendations are based on a two-week chemical compatibility study of
various metals at different temperatures. The study above indicates that uninhibited ethylene glycol
typically does not begin to degrade until after three weeks under those extreme conditions. In conclusion,
the reported data is based on ethylene glycol's ability to dissolve the metal and ignores the concern of
degraded, acidic uninhibited ethylene glycol and its effects on metals. The latter is much more corrosive
towards metals.
Protecting against corrosion
In general, corrosion can be reduced through pH control and corrosion inhibitor use. The inhibitors attach
to the metal surfaces to passivate them and prevent corrosion. It is also important to maintain a stable
water flow to avoid stagnant zones inside the cooling system, which can cause corrosion.
Quality of water also needs to be considered when trying to prevent corrosion. The corrosive effect of
natural water can vary considerably depending on its chemical composition. As mentioned earlier in this
article, chloride is corrosive and use of tap water should be minimized or avoided if it contains more than
100 ppm of chloride. Hardness of water also needs to be considered because it introduces calcium and
magnesium, which form scale on the metal surfaces. Deionized water, demineralized water, or water that
has been passed through a reverse osmosis process to remove harmful minerals and salts is highly

recommended in order to avoid chloride and scale buildup. A suitable corrosion inhibitor must be used
with deionized or demineralized water.
There are different inhibitors for use with different metals, each with its advantages and disadvantages.

Phosphate is an effective corrosion inhibitor for iron, steel, lead/tin solder, and most aluminum
components. It is also a very good buffer for pH control. One disadvantage of phosphate is precipitation
with calcium in hard water, which is one reason that deionized water is used for diluting a glycol/water
coolant.

Tolyltriazole is a common and highly effective corrosion inhibitor for copper and brass.

Mercaptobenzothiazole also works for copper and brass, but it is not as stable as tolyltriazole.

Nitrite is an excellent corrosion inhibitor for iron. At high concentrations, this inhibitor is corrosive
to lead/tin solder.

Silicate is an effective inhibitor for most metals but it tends to form thick deposits in cooling
systems. The rust inhibitors in the automotive anti-freeze may cause premature failure of the pump
seals.

Chromate and soluble oils have been used in the past, but their use has greatly diminished due to
their toxicity. Modern inhibitors have replaced them.
Summary
Although we can't stop corrosion all together, there are ways to significantly limit it. By selecting the
proper fluid path materials, monitoring solution chemistry (specifically pH levels and water quality), and
choosing the appropriate inhibitors, you can minimize the cost impact due to corrosion and ensure the
effective operation of your liquid cooling loop for years.
1

"Heading off Corrosion". Process Cooling & Equipment. @July/August 2002.

"Technical Insights into Uninhibited Ethylene Glycol". Process Cooling & Equipment. @July/August 2002.

Table 1 - Maximum Recommended Water Velocities for Specific Materials

Water
Low carbon steel

10 ft/sec

Stainless steel

15 ft/sec

Aluminum

6 ft/sec

Copper

8 ft/sec

90-10 Cupronickel
70-30 Cupronickel

10 ft/sec
15 ft/sec

Controlling erosion-corrosion

Some methods for minimizing erosion-corrosion include improving the flow lines within the
pipe by deburring (i.e. - smoothing out irregularities), allowing bends to have larger angles, and
changing pipe diameters gradually rather than abruptly. Other methods include slowing the flow
rate (minimizing turbulence), reducing the amount of dissolved oxygen, changing the pH, and
switching the pipe material to a different metal or alloy.
In addition to the fluid path material used, it is also important to consider your fluid's
temperature. At higher temperatures, flow rates should be lowered to minimize erosioncorrosion. For example, as a general rule, water flow velocities should not exceed 8ft/sec for cold
water and 5 ft/sec for hot water (up to approximately 140 F). In systems where water

temperatures routinely exceed 140 F, flow velocities should not exceed 3 ft/sec. For maximum
recommended water velocities in other typical tube materials, refer to Table 1. For other fluids,
the maximum allowable fluid velocity can be calculated from:
Allowable velocity for given fluid] = [Allowable velocity for water] x [Density of water/density
of given liquid] 1/2
There will always be a trade-off between thermal performance and reliability/longevity in any
cooling system. Increasing fluid flow will give you more cooling or performance only up to a
point. After that, the increased fluid velocities may rapidly begin to erode and corrode the inside
metal surface of the tubing. Designers should consider many different factors, such as the ones
discussed above, in order to determine the best solution for their application.