RIASSUNTO
Inaccessible voids are commonly found within a ship's hull. By nature of a ship's construction, these typically cannot be coated traditionally, potentially leaving the steel subject to corrosion. Specifically, inaccessible voids with one or more boundaries exposed to seawater, standing water, or a water-filled tank are prone to temperature gradients that can promote condensation. This corrosion concern increases significantly if a crack develops in a void below the waterline, facilitating ingress of seawater and other contaminants. Voids have typically been "coated" with a petroleum solvent-based compound to prevent corrosion. Other methods such as vapor phase corrosion inhibitors (VCIs) and inert gas purging have also been used. This paper describes the treatment methods currently in practice and compiles application and performance data on each. Shipyard considerations, health and safety factors, and design and production considerations are briefly discussed for each treatment. Effects on reparability and potential impacts to performance when a void floods are also addressed in this paper. The reader is referred to the NSRP project report for a more detailed discussion.