Application of OpenModelica® in the mathematical modeling and simulation of general copper pipe corrosion

Abstract

The application of mathematical modeling and simulation-based tools in chemical science helps to link scientific theories to real-time complex dynamic chemical processes. In this work, Modelica programming language is applied to model the general corrosion of copper pipes during stagnation of water in the pipes. The corrosion process was simulated in OpenModelica simulation environment. The simulation package is based on three general corrosion sub-processes: copper oxidation by dissolved oxygen present in water; precipitation of malachite on the pipe surface; dissolution of malachite from the pipe surface. These sub-processes also affect the physico-chemical quality of water, i.e., pH, alkalinity, ionic strength, chemical complex formation, etc. In the model setup, the chemical reactions describing the processes were first expressed as rate equations. The rate equations and other equations describing the system were then transferred to the OpenModelica software environment.The simulation package was validated by simulating two different laboratory corrosion experiments and comparing the simulation results with the results of the experiments. The developed simulation package effectively simulated generalized copper pipe corrosion during water stagnation in pipes.