Corrosion Control in the Rio Colorado-Tijuana Aqueduct

摘要

Aqueducts are essential structures in modern engineering used to convey water from its sources to its main distribution areas. The Aqueduct Rio Colorado - Tijuana (ARCT) supplies water for urban and agricultural use in the State of Baja California, Mexico. The aqueduct comprises a vast network of pipelines, valves and pumping stations, with a total pipeline length of 214 km. Two central corrosion control technologies are applied in the aqueduct's varied components: paints, coatings and linings, called herein by the generic term of coatings; and cathodic protection. Several cases of corrosion failures in pipelines and valves are depicted, their factors and mechanisms are analysed and procedures to prevent and/or to minimise their effects in the Aqueduct operation are presented.