Corrosivity of Atmospheres in the Korean Peninsula

The Korean Peninsula is located in the middle latitude of the northern hemisphere and has a clear 4-seasons and shows the typical temperate climate. Because of seasonal winds, it is cold and dry by a northwestern wind in the winter and it is hot and humid by a southeast wind in the summer. Also, temperature difference between the winter and the summer is large and it shows a rainy season from June to July but recently this regular trend may be greatly changed by an unusual weather phenomena. Since the Peninsula is east high west low type, the climate is complicated too. Because these geographical and climate characteristics can affect the properties of corrosion of metals and alloys, a systematic research on atmospheric corrosion in the Peninsula is required to understand and control the corrosion behavior of the industrial facilities. This paper analyzed the atmospheric corrosion factors for several environments in the Korean Peninsula and categorized the corrosivity of atmospheric corrosion of metals and alloys on the base of the related ISO standards. Annual pH values of rain showed the range of 4.5~5.5 in Korean Peninsula from 1999 to 2009 and coastal area showed relatively the low pH's rain. Annual $SO_2$ concentrations is reduced with time and its concentrations of every major cities were below the air quality standard, but $NO_2$concentration revealed a steady state and its concentration of Seoul has been over air quality standard. In 2007, $SO_2$classes of each sites were in $P_0{\sim}P_1$, and chloride classes were in $S_0{\sim}S_1$, and TOW classes were in ${\tau}_3{\sim}{\tau}_4$.That is, $SO_2$ and chloride classes were low but TOW class was high in Korean Peninsula. On the base of these environmental classes, corrosivity of carbon steel, zinc, copper, aluminium can be calculated that carbon steel was in C2-C3 classes and it was classified as low-medium, and zinc, copper, and aluminium showed C3 class and it was classified as medium.