Nitrogen blanketing has long been a standard method for equipment preservation in idle industrial tanks, process vessels and piping runs. However, setting up pressurised gas lines is expensive, requires constant monitoring and creates a serious suffocation risk for workers entering the area. Cortec Corporation developed the environmentally friendly VpCI-337 inhibitor as a direct, ready-to-use, complete replacement for nitrogen blankets and dry air systems.
Instead of maintaining inert gas pressures, maintenance crews mist the waterborne fluid directly into enclosed void spaces. The vapour-phase inhibitors diffuse through the air inside the enclosure, forming a protective molecular barrier on all exposed metal surfaces, including internal crevices, tube banks and pipe bends that liquid coatings cannot reach.
Beyond improving safety and cutting operational costs, VpCI-337 delivers a strong environmental advantage over traditional equipment preservation methods. Formulated as a waterborne, low-VOC liquid, it eliminates reliance on heavy, solvent-based rust preventatives that release harmful volatile organic compounds into the atmosphere.
The fluid is biodegradable, ensuring that facilities can manage chemical inventories responsibly without introducing persistent environmental contaminants. Because it leaves only a thin, self-replenishing protective layer rather than a thick oily residue, plants do not need to perform chemical stripping or solvent degreasing before restarting equipment. This eliminates the generation of hazardous wash-water run-off, saving labour while supporting strict plant environmental standards.
Equipment preservation in the energy sector
Field applications across the global energy sector highlight the practical reliability of this approach to equipment preservation. At a major liquefied natural gas (LNG) project in Malaysia, an oil and gas operator sought a safer alternative to nitrogen blanketing for internal pipe preservation. By fogging VpCI-337 into pipe sections and inlet header boxes, the facility achieved 24 months of complete corrosion protection without the high maintenance costs or safety hazards of pressurised gas.
A similar success occurred at the South Humber Bank Power Station in the UK during a cold-weather shutdown. Applicators fogged VpCI-337 inside two heat recovery steam generators (HRSGs) to protect internal tube banks. Plant engineers noted that the technique successfully prevented internal corrosion and completely eliminated corrosion dust upon unit start-up, simplifying the commissioning process while maintaining safe working conditions. This provided a complete replacement for nitrogen blanketing, which is expensive to install and maintain and poses health hazards to personnel entering equipment interiors.
Solar-powered EU manufacturing hub supports global distribution
To ensure supply security across European and international markets, VpCI-337 is produced locally at CorteCros, Cortec’s European manufacturing and logistics hub. Located in the harbour near Split, Croatia, the seaside production facility and QC laboratory serve as a primary supply point for Europe, the Middle East and Southeast Asia.
CorteCros provides technical, logistical and production support across the region, manufacturing and supplying advanced, REACH-compliant and sustainable corrosion solutions across three major continents. Following renewable energy upgrades, the Split facility operates on 100% solar power, reducing the environmental footprint of product manufacturing and distribution.
The treatment works across multiple metals, including steel, aluminium, cast iron, copper and brass, making it suitable for equipment preservation in power generation assets, LNG piping runs, export shipping packaging and double-wall void spaces. For cold climates, Cortec also produces VpCI-337 Winterized, which handles application and storage down to -40°C (-40°F).
By replacing nitrogen blanketing with waterborne VpCI technology for equipment preservation, industrial facilities can significantly reduce operational risks without compromising on corrosion protection. Thanks to its application flexibility and global availability, VpCI-337 offers a practical, safe and cost-effective alternative to traditional equipment preservation methods.
Contact Cortec for detailed advice on your specific corrosion and coating application needs: Cortec contact page.
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