Cold end corrosion causes and cures

Journal Article · Sun Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1989 · Hydrocarbon Process.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6320304

Ganapathy, V

Calculating dew points of various acid gases and options for reducing cold end corrosion of heat recovery exchangers are presented. Whenever fossil fuels containing sulfur are fired in heater or boilers, sulfur dioxide, and to a small extent sulfur trioxide, are formed in addition to CO/sub 2/ and water vapor. The SO/sub 3/ combines with water vapor in the flue gas to form sulfuric acid and condenses on heat transfer surfaces, which could lead to corrosion and destruction of the surfaces. This condensation occurs on surfaces that are at or below the dew point of the acid gas. Also, when cooled below the water vapor dew point, CO/sub 2/ can combine with water vapor to form carbonic acid, which though weak, can attack mild steel. While thermal efficiency of the equipment is increased with reduction in exit gas temperature (or enthalpy), lower temperatures than the acid gas dew point are not advisable for metallic surfaces in contact with the gas. In municipal solid waste fired plants, in addition to sulfuric acid, one has to deal with hydrochloric and hydrobromic acid formation. This article deals with methods for solving cold, or back end corrosion as it is called, with the most commonly used heat recovery equipment, namely economizers or water heaters. These are used to preheat feed water entering the system and operate at low metal temperatures, thereby increasing their susceptibility to corrosion by sulfuric, hydrochloric, hydrobromic and carbonic acid.

• Research Organization: ABCO Industries, Abilene, TX (US)
• OSTI ID: 6320304
• Journal Information: Hydrocarbon Process.; (United States), Journal Name: Hydrocarbon Process.; (United States) Vol. 68:1; ISSN HYPRA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS
200103 -- Fossil-Fueled Power Plants-- Waste-Fueled Systems
32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
320304* -- Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization-- Industrial & Agricultural Processes-- Waste Heat Recovery & Utilization
320604 -- Energy Conservation
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& Utilization-- Municipalities & Community Systems-- Municipal Waste Management-- (1980-)
ALLOYS
BOILERS
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON DIOXIDE
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTION KINETICS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHEMICAL REACTORS
CONVERSION
CORROSION
ECONOMIZERS
EMISSION
ENERGY CONVERSION
ENERGY RECOVERY
ENTHALPY
FLUE GAS
FLUIDS
FOSSIL-FUEL POWER PLANTS
GASEOUS WASTES
GASES
HEAT RECOVERY
IRON ALLOYS
IRON BASE ALLOYS
KINETICS
MINIMIZATION
MUNICIPAL WASTES
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
POWER PLANTS
REACTION KINETICS
RECOVERY
REFUSE-FUELED BOILERS
STEELS
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SULFUR CONTENT
SULFUR DIOXIDE
SULFUR OXIDES
THERMAL POWER PLANTS
THERMODYNAMIC PROPERTIES
VAPORS
WASTE HEAT UTILIZATION
WASTE PRODUCT UTILIZATION
WASTES
WATER VAPOR