Failure Investigation of a Steel Pipe

This paper presents an investigation of a steel pipe failure. The pipe was
retrieved from a car cooling system. The failure involved some pin holes that cause
leakage of liquid coolant of radiator. The corrosion attacks the internal wall of the
pipe to the outsideand causedthe pin hole.
The objectivesof this project are to find to cause of radiator pipe failure, to
apply the knowledge as a mechanical engineering student as well as to recommend
the way to improve the pipe service in radiator.
In tliis paper, the pipe failure is investigated by examination the failed steel
pipe using several methods such as, visual inspection, microscopy inspection,
scanning electron microscopy inspection and energy dispersive spectrograplric
inspection. A series of failure analyses and nondestructive examination were
performed to identify the possible causesofthe failures.
From the examination, it shows that the sample experienced internal
corrosion before the major failure happened. Thorough failure investigation is
essential for the effective of radiator system and reliability of the engine. The pin
holes are highly probable occurred from internal part of the pipe due to corrosive
level ofradiator liquid coolant