How to Prevent Turbine Corrosion During Storage and Transport with Vapor phase Corrosion Inhibitors
June 2, 2026
Turbine corrosion during shipping, storage, and layup has far reaching consequences. Cortec® Corporation shares how Vapor phase Corrosion Inhibitors (VCI/VpCI®) offer simple, effective turbine preservation strategies that can save significant time, money, and labor for manufacturers, power companies, and other industries connected to these high-value assets.
Turbine Corrosion Risks During Shipping and Storage
Corrosion can attack new steam, gas, or wind turbines when traveling thousands of miles through changing climates over land or sea. It can prematurely age turbines waiting for installation and commissioning at a new facility. It can even degrade spare turbines stored for emergency replacement. Risks are greatest in the presence of coastal conditions, tropical climates, fluctuating temperatures, and other harsh environments.
Advantages of Vapor phase Corrosion Inhibitors
While some facilities opt for simple tarps or complicated canisters of pressurized nitrogen to preserve turbines, Vapor phase Corrosion Inhibitors make corrosion prevention efficient and effective. Corrosion inhibiting vapors diffuse throughout enclosed spaces to reach and adsorb on metal surfaces, forming a protective corrosion inhibiting molecular layer. This layer begins to leave the surface when the VpCI® material is removed, typically eliminating the cleaning and degreasing associated with traditional rust preventatives. At the same time, a brief opening of the space will not compromise VpCI® protection so long as enough VpCI® source material remains to replenish the protective layer.
Turbine Preservation Methods: VpCI® Film + Internal Emitters
The two main components of VpCI® turbine preservation are external and internal protection. VpCI®-containing films such as VpCI®-126 HP UV Shrink Film (outdoor conditions) and MilCorr® VpCI® Shrink Film (heavy-duty outdoor, long-term conditions) create an external shell that plays three roles:
- Barrier to wind, rain, sun, salt, etc.
- Enclosure to keep Vapor phase Corrosion Inhibitors inside the package
- Source of Vapor phase Corrosion Inhibitors
For larger items like turbines, an additional source of VpCI® is recommended within the enclosure to meet volume and duration needs. This can be applied by placing emitting materials such as VpCI®-308 Pouches around the turbine shell prior to shrink-wrapping in VpCI® film. Another option is to fog the turbine flow path with CorroLogic® Fogging Fluid VpCI®-339 after the turbine has been wrapped but just prior to heat-sealing the final opening.
Turbine Preservation Examples
- Many turbines have been preserved with these simple methods In England, three multi-million dollar power plant turbines were beginning to show rust in outdoor storage with only a tarpaulin. Protection was upgraded to VpCI®-132 Foam and VpCI®-126 HP UV Shrink Film, providing a low-cost storage option for several years.1
- In Kazakhstan, a gas turbine engine was protected with EcoPouches placed around the asset before it was wrapped and heat shrunk in VpCI®-126 HP UV Shrink Film, preparing the asset for a month-long, 5,000+ mile (9,000 km) journey by truck.2
- In Indonesia, five steam-turbine / generator sets were installed onsite at a refinery development project that would not be commissioned for two years. They were shielded against the extreme weather by shrink wrapping with either VpCI®-126 HP UV Shrink Film or MilCorr® VpCI® Shrink Film, with Desicorr® VpCI® Pouches placed inside the enclosures.3
Turbines are critical to many industries. Preserving them with VpCI® requires a small investment with potentially significant returns, given the value and complexity of these critical assets. For more guidance on preserving turbines of all types during shipping, pre-commissioning, or layup, contact Cortec®: https://www.cortecvci.com/contact-us/.
1 See Cortec® Case History #491 (login required): https://www.corteccasehistories.com/
2 See Cortec® Case History #836 (login required): https://www.corteccasehistories.com/
3 See Cortec® Case History #799 (login required): https://www.corteccasehistories.com/
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