AI against corrosion

The CHAI joint project aims to optimize corrosion management in ports and waterways.

The federal state of Schleswig-Holstein is funding the CHAI research project with a total of 900,000 euros. The project is being led by the Helmholtz Center Hereon. The partners are the Port of Kiel, Christian Albrechts Universität zu Kiel (CAU) and AC Korro-Service GmbH. CHAI stands for “Clever corrosion management for ports and waterways in Schleswig-Holstein using automated infrastructure monitoring”. The aim is to use AI to better detect and predict corrosion damage in maritime areas.

Dr. Daniel Höche and Dr. Christian Feiler from the Hereon Institute for Surface Science are leading the project. They are using sensors to record the environmental conditions in Kiel harbor and at the lock of the Kiel Canal in Brunsbüttel. For example, they collect data on the temperature and composition of the water, solar radiation or the presence of plant and animal substances such as algae or bird droppings. All of these factors promote the chemical degradation, i.e. corrosion, of steel structures and coatings in the port and at the lock. This results, for example, in holes, cracks or rust on the material. Until now, complex and expensive inspections have been necessary to detect and prevent such damage. This is set to change.

AI to predict damage

Höche and Feiler use the collected data to train an AI. Based on the data, this AI is to predict which material will corrode how quickly and severely under certain conditions – and how this can be prevented. The more data the AI has at its disposal, the more reliable its predictions will be. “Our major goal with the CHAI project is to transfer technology from basic research to industry,” says Christian Feiler. “And that the forecasting system will eventually work so well that it can be used by players such as the Port of Kiel or AC Korro-Service GmbH.”

The Minister of Digitalization o Schleswig-Holstein, Dirk Schrödter, also hopes so. “The use of AI technologies can help to make protection systems in our ports, locks and barrages even better and more environmentally friendly at the same time. This minimizes downtimes, reduces maintenance costs and thus strengthens our competitiveness,” he said at the presentation of the grant notifications in the port of Kiel. He personally handed them over to the partners of the CHAI project. The Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon received 400.000 euros, the largest share of the 900.000 euros in funding. The project costs a total of 1.3 million euros. It is scheduled to run until mid of 2027. The data collected will also be stored beyond this date so that it can be used for other projects.

AI Conference in Kiel

Anyone interested in the CHAI project and the use of AI can find out more at this year’s AI conference in Kiel on September 30. The Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon will be represented there with an information stand and will present various research projects. The event starts at 8.30 am in the Audimax of the CAU.

Wissenschaftliche Ansprechpartner:

Dr. Daniel Höche
Scientist
Institute of Surface Science
Head of Department of Interface Modelling
Tel: +49(0) 160-90436158
Mail: daniel.hoeche@hereon.de

https://www.hereon.de/