Jacksons have recently extend their facilities to accommodate pickling and passivation in the North East of Scotland, to service fabricators working in the oil/gas sector. Treatment is available for any size of material, pipe spools and vessels are our speciality. 

Pickling:

Stainless steel properties are obtained by a unique composition of the alloy in which chromium plays the leading role. Chromium combines with oxygen to produce an extremely fine impenetrable film of chromium oxide, which protects the underlying material. When this film of chromium oxide is present the stainless steel is corrosion resistant in which case we call the metal passive.

During welding, heat treatment and grinding the passive layer may become damaged. In those places in which the oxide layer is damaged, other forms of contamination prevent the passive film from reforming naturally, then corrosion can take place i.e. pipe spools.

Pickling after the welding phase will restore the corrosion resistance to the same level as of the basic material. This is achieved by stripping the contaminated oxide layer via etching and allowing a new layer to form under controlled conditions, passivation.

Any sized object can be pickled, items which are impractical to transport can be treated on-site by pasting and all chemical waste carefully disposed of.

Passivation:

After pickling and complete removal of oxide scale/contamination, stainless steel will passivate spontaneously when exposed to air. Stainless steel will, after rinsing be completely passivated in 24 hours. This process leaves the stainless steel with a white matt appearance.