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Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Pine Beach, NJ

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Is mild steel suitable for handling ethanol solvent?

We are going to install certain pipe line especially for processing ethanol n methanol...In order to save the cost, we suggest to use mild steel for pipe line (from process area to storage tank) instead of using stainless steel...Will it work? Can somebody provide some opinion?

Mea Wong
solvent recovery company - Perak, Malaysia
2006

Interesting question. Initially, I thought it would be no. On second thought, possibly IF: the liquid was pure alcohol and never went empty.Any acid in the alcohol could cause an attack on the steel. Periodically open to moisture laden air could promote rust. rust requires moisture and oxygen.

James Watts
- Navarre, Florida
2006

There is no such thing as "pure" alcohol. EtOH and MeOH are both miscible with water. The area at the surface of the liquid will be in contact with the oxygen in the air. This is a perfect environment for corrosion.

Ron McKenzie CEF
- Huntington Beach, California
2006

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