Efecto del cloro en las tuberías domiciliarias de cobre expuestas al agua potable

Abstract

Drinking water distribution networks have copper pipes commonly used in the branches of the main network to the users homes (home connections). When it are exposed to the aggressive characteristics of the water they transport; the water tend to cause wear due to the corrosive processes that originate inside the pipes. The objective of this work was to establish a relationship between the variation of the corrosion rate that occurs inside the copper pipes with the concentration of residual chlorine present in the drinking water of the distribution network. Copper corrosion coupons were installed in three locations with different concentrations of residual chlorine. In this way, the weight loss of each coupon was evaluated to establish corrosion rates in different periods of exposure. By linear regression it was observed that as the concentration of chlorine in the water increases, the variation of the corrosion rate and the release of dissolved copper from the coupons increases. Thus, equations of the corrosion rate for different periods of exposure were obtained, this allowed to evaluate the corrosive process that occurs in a distribution network knowing the concentration of residual chlorine present in the drinking water distribution. Also, was determined the areas most prone to failures in the piping systems of the residential connections, as well as their useful life.