Systems and methods for preventing and/or reducing corrosion in various types of tanks, containers and closed systems

Abstract

The present invention relates to systems, devices or methods for preventing and/or reducing the occurrence of corrosion in a variety of articles including, but not limited to, tanks (e.g., storage tanks, septic tanks, fuel tanks, etc.); containers (e.g., shipping containers, storage containers, etc.); semi-closed systems (e.g., fuel systems, septic systems, reservoirs, etc.); and/or closed systems (e.g., waste disposal systems, waste disposal drums or containers, etc.). In another embodiment, the devices and/or methods of the present invention may be utilized to reduce and/or prevent corrosion in a variety of pipelines (e.g., gas/oil pipelines, water pipelines, sewage lines, etc.). More specifically, the present invention relates to systems, devices or methods for preventing and/or reducing the occurrence of corrosion in a variety of articles including, but not limited to, metallic tanks; metallic containers; pipelines; semi-closed systems; and/or closed systems which are constructed partially or totally from metal. (e.g., steel, iron, copper, brass, aluminum, etc.).

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A corrosion inhibiting device comprising: 
 a capsule having at least one sealable enclosure therein;    at least one corrosion inhibitor, wherein the at least one corrosion inhibitor is contained in the sealable enclosure; and    at least one means for delivering the at least one corrosion inhibitor from the at least one sealable enclosure of the capsule to an outside environment,    wherein the capsule is formed from a non-degradable material.    
     
     
         2 . The corrosion inhibiting device of  claim 1 , wherein the non-degradable material is formed from a non-degradable or corrosion resistant metal.  
     
     
         3 . The corrosion inhibiting device of  claim 2 , wherein the metal is selected from aluminum, stainless steel or steel.  
     
     
         4 . The corrosion inhibiting device of  claim 1 , wherein the non-degradable material is formed from a non-degradable or corrosion resistant polymer composition.  
     
     
         5 . The corrosion inhibiting device of  claim 4 , wherein the polymer composition is a polyolefin polymer composition.  
     
     
         6 . The corrosion inhibiting device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one sealable enclosure further contains an inert gas.  
     
     
         7 . The corrosion inhibiting device of  claim 1 , wherein the device further comprises one or more valves.  
     
     
         8 . The corrosion inhibiting device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one means for delivering the at least one corrosion inhibitor from the at least one sealable enclosure of the capsule to an outside environment is selected from a valve, a degradable plug or cap or a degradable layer which contains therein at least one corrosion inhibitor.  
     
     
         9 . The corrosion inhibiting device of  claim 8 , wherein the valve is selected from a diaphragm valve, a one way valve or a two way valve.  
     
     
         10 . The corrosion inhibiting device of  claim 8 , wherein the degradable plug or cap is formed from a degradable polymer composition.  
     
     
         11 . The corrosion inhibiting device of  claim 8 , wherein the degradable plug or cap is formed from a metal selected from zinc, aluminum or magnesium.  
     
     
         12 . The corrosion inhibiting device of  claim 1 , wherein the device of  claim 1  is contained within the cover or cap of a tank.  
     
     
         13 . The corrosion inhibiting device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one corrosion inhibitor is a volatile corrosion inhibitor.  
     
     
         14 . A corrosion inhibiting device comprising: 
 a capsule having at least one sealable enclosure therein, wherein the capsule is formed from a non-degradable material;    at least one degradable layer which contains therein at least one corrosion inhibitor which is formed within the at least one sealable enclosure of the capsule; and    at least one degradable layer which contains no corrosion inhibitor which is formed within the at least one sealable enclosure of the capsule, wherein the at least one degradable layer which contains at least one corrosion inhibitor and the at least one degradable layer which contains no corrosion inhibitor are formed in alternating layers with the proviso that at least one degradable layer which contains no corrosion inhibitor is the outer most layer within the at least one sealable enclosure of the capsule.    
     
     
         15 . The corrosion inhibiting device of  claim 14 , wherein the non-degradable material is formed from a non-degradable or corrosion resistant metal.  
     
     
         16 . The corrosion inhibiting device of  claim 15 , wherein the metal is selected from aluminum, stainless steel or steel.  
     
     
         17 . The corrosion inhibiting device of  claim 14 , wherein the non-degradable material is formed from a non-degradable or corrosion resistant polymer composition.  
     
     
         18 . The corrosion inhibiting device of  claim 17 , wherein the polymer composition is a polyolefin polymer composition.  
     
     
         19 . The corrosion inhibiting device of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one sealable enclosure further contains an inert gas.  
     
     
         20 . The corrosion inhibiting device of  claim 14 , wherein the degradable material degrades or corrodes in the presence of one or more of water, oil, oxygen, nitric oxide, sulfur dioxide, hydrogen chloride, hydrogen sulfide or chlorine ions.  
     
     
         21 . The corrosion inhibiting device of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one corrosion inhibitor is a volatile corrosion inhibitor.  
     
     
         22 . A corrosion inhibiting device comprising: 
 a capsule having at least two discrete degradable polymer layers, wherein at least one degradable layer contains therein at least one corrosion inhibitor and at least one degradable layer contains therein no corrosion inhibitor,    wherein the at least one degradable layer which contains therein at least one corrosion inhibitor and the at least one degradable layer which contains therein no corrosion inhibitor are formed in an alternating manner.    
     
     
         23 . The corrosion inhibiting device of  claim 22 , wherein the outer most layer is a degradable layer which contains therein at least one corrosion inhibitor.  
     
     
         24 . The corrosion inhibiting device of  claim 22 , wherein the outer most layer is a degradable layer which contains therein no corrosion inhibitor.  
     
     
         25 . The corrosion inhibiting device of  claim 22 , further comprising at least two degradable layers which contain therein at least one corrosion inhibitor.  
     
     
         26 . The corrosion inhibiting device of  claim 25 , wherein the volume of each of the at least two degradable layers which contain therein at least one corrosion inhibitor have equal volumes.  
     
     
         27 . A method for protecting a tank, container, pipeline, semi-closed system or closed system comprising the steps of: 
 (A) placing a corrosion inhibiting device into the interior of a tank, container, pipeline, semi-closed system or closed system, wherein the corrosion inhibiting device comprises: 
 a capsule having at least one sealable enclosure therein;  
 at least one corrosion inhibitor, wherein the at least one corrosion inhibitor is contained in the sealable enclosure; and  
 at least one means for delivering the at least one corrosion inhibitor from the at least one sealable enclosure of the capsule to an outside environment,  
   wherein the capsule is formed from a non-degradable material; and    (B) closing or sealing the tank, container, pipeline, semi-closed system or closed system.    
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the non-degradable material is formed from a non-degradable or corrosion resistant metal.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the metal is selected from aluminum, stainless steel or steel.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the non-degradable material is formed from a non-degradable or corrosion resistant polymer composition.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the polymer composition is a polyolefin polymer composition.  
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the at least one sealable enclosure further contains an inert gas.  
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the device further comprises one or more valves.  
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the at least one means for delivering the at least one corrosion inhibitor from the at least one sealable enclosure of the capsule to an outside environment is selected from a valve, a degradable plug or cap, or a degradable layer which contains therein at least one corrosion inhibitor.  
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the valve is selected from a one way valve or a two way valve.  
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the degradable plug or cap is formed from a degradable polymer composition.  
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the degradable plug or cap is formed from a metal selected from zinc, aluminum or magnesium.  
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the device of  claim 1  is contained within the cover or cap of a tank.  
     
     
         39 . A method for protecting a tank, container, pipeline, semi-closed system or closed system comprising the steps of: 
 (A) placing a corrosion inhibiting device into the interior of a tank, container, pipeline, semi-closed system or closed system, wherein the corrosion inhibiting device comprises: 
 a capsule having at least one sealable enclosure therein, wherein the capsule is formed from a non-degradable material;  
 at least one degradable layer which contains therein at least one corrosion inhibitor which is formed within the at least one sealable enclosure of the capsule; and  
 at least one degradable layer which contains no corrosion inhibitor which is formed within the at least one sealable enclosure of the capsule,  
   wherein the at least one degradable layer which contains at least one corrosion inhibitor and the at least one degradable layer which contains no corrosion inhibitor are formed in alternating layers with the proviso that at least one degradable layer which contains no corrosion inhibitor is the outer most layer within the at least one sealable enclosure of the capsule; and    (B) closing or sealing the tank, container, pipeline, semi-closed system or closed system.    
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the non-degradable material is formed from a non-degradable or corrosion resistant metal.  
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the metal is selected from aluminum, stainless steel or steel.  
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the non-degradable material is formed from a non-degradable or corrosion resistant polymer composition.  
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the polymer composition is a polyolefin polymer composition.  
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the device of  claim 1  is contained within the cover or cap of a tank.  
     
     
         45 . A corrosion inhibiting device comprising: 
 a shell; and    a VCI-containing foam which is contained within the shell,    wherein the VCI-containing foam has formed therein at least one hole so as to increase the surface area of the VCI-containing foam.