Abstract
A technique for testing materials in sea water under velocity conditions has been developed which utilizes fluid dynamics to evaluate the corrosion test results. The data obtained from this technique may then be applied to other hydrodynamic systems where the fluid dynamics equations are known. This allows high velocity corrosion data to be applied in a scientific and accurate manner. The copper-base alloys are shown to be susceptible to a critical surface shear stress in sea water where film breakdown begins and accelerated attack is initiated. When the critical shear stress is exceeded in a hydrodynamic system, the corrosion product film of a copper-base alloy degrades and is physically removed. At this point, the shear stress is greater than the binding force of the corrosion product film. This allows localized corrosion and/or accelerated general corrosion to occur. The critical surface shear stress value for a specific alloy includes in its determination the variables of sea water temperatur...

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