Gerosion provides consultation, material testing and specialized R&D work for entities in the geothermal, energy intensive and petroleum industry. We specialize in material selection, testing and consultation regarding materials problems such as corrosion and scaling. This includes failure analysis and guidance in material selection, and geochemical modelling for harsh and corrosive environments. Moreover, the Gerosion team has a lot of experience in the testing and development of cementitious materials such as cement paste, mortar and concrete, and has a wealth of experience in geopolymer technology. Our mission is to provide customised solutions for each customer, both on-site and with simulated testing. Our team of experts is committed to deliver best solutions and increase the lifetime of materials and devices in the long run.

EQuipment and Tests

We have access to diverse testing equipment that can provide our clients with further insight into material related issues that arise. We offer the possibility of testing material performance in a simulated high temperature geothermal environment with our one of a kind AutoClave. Furthermore, we provide our customers with chemical compositional analysis and mechanical testing of various material samples.

  • AutoClave equipment with a specialized pressure vessel is capable to simulate real conditions and test performance of materials. The equipment enables us to simulate harsh and demanding environments, including the conditions of supercritical geothermal wells, and pre-test materials for specific environments. The customized AutoClave is one of a kind in the world; able to generate very high temperature and pressure, with specific gas injection system, where the chemical composition of the steam and fluid can be varied based on client request. 

  • Gerosion offers SEM/EDS analysis of metal samples to obtain elemental composition evaluate possible corrosion and other damage. The Gerosion team provides sample preparation of both surface and cross-sectional samples suitable for analysis. The sample material is irradiated with electrons resulting in the emission of x-rays characteristic to the elements present. The analysis is not quantitative, but the X-ray intensity is directly proportional to the concentration of the elements in the sample. The high powered Scanning Electron Microscope also enables examination of small sample particles in high resolution, up to x10,000 magnification. This enables assessment of the surface of a sample, individual components of a sample and targeted analysis of the sample to determine the type of corrosion damage of the sample. The high resolution SEM can also help identify corrosion phenomena such as Stress Corrosion Cracking (SSC) where narrow and branched cracks can grow through the thickness of metal specimen.

  • OES analysis is a rapid method for determining the elemental composition of a variety of metals and alloys. An electrical charge is applied to the sample, vaporizing a small amount of material. At the same time a discharge plasma with a distinct chemical signature is created, from which an elemental breakdown of the sample can be determined. OES analysis is the go to testing method at Gerosion when an accurate chemical composition of metals/alloys is needed, especially for carbon content of steels.

  • Gerosion offers tensile testing of metallic samples and rods that provides accurate information about the tensile strength, yield strength, and ductility of the material specimen. Testing mechanical properties of material samples can be important in the design phase of projects where material selection is of high priority. Tensile testing can also give our customers indications whether a material has been weakened/damaged in a corrosive environment by comparing test results with material specifications from a manufacturer.

  • Gerosion offers micro-hardness testing equipped with a Vickers/knoop diamond indenter to measure the materials hardness. The test method is non-destructive and can be applied to estimate the mechanical properties of a component. The top and bottom surfaces of a test sample need to be prepared such that they are parallel and perpendicular to the indenter for accurate results.

  • We offer compression and flexural testing of materials to determine the ultimate compressive strength and bending strength of material samples.

  • Geochemical Modelling

    We carry out geochemical modelling with Phreeqc software based on thermodynamic data. For instance:

    Geochemical modelling for scaling hazard mitigation. Such models calculate saturation indices for minerals and also determine theoretical maximum scaling capacity with respect to volume and mass of individual scales.

    Next scenario are mixing models when two or more fluid/gas streams are mixed to determine the amount of minerals and gasses possible to form based on thermodynamic equilibrium. The model can also identify and quantify present corrosive species.

    Finite Element Modelling

    Our engineers have carried out diverse computational FE-modelling in Ansys APDL/Workbench for several of our research projects. Gerosion has also cooperated with University of Iceland where M.Sc. students have analysed some project specific problems. The team has the know-how of modelling structural, thermal and vibration problems for both static and transient conditions.