Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Effect of mechanical cleaning on seawater corrosion of candidate OTEC heat exchanger materials. Part 1. Tests with M. A. N. brushes

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6728251· OSTI ID:6728251
Corrosion evaluations were conducted on 3003 Alclad, 5052 aluminum, C7 0600 copper-nickel, AL-6X stainless steel, and commercially-pure titanium in natural seawater under simulated OTEC heat exchanger conditions to investigate the erosion-corrosion effects of mechanical tube cleaning. Test conditions of M.A.N. brush cleaning and M.A.N. brush cleaning + chlorination were compared with no mechanical cleaning over a seven month period. M.A.N. brushing significantly accelerated corrosion of 5052 aluminum and C7 0600 copper-nickel. Chlorination significantly accelerated erosion-corrosion of 3003 Alclad and 5052 aluminium. Chlorination somewhat decreased erosion-corrosion of C7 0600 copper-nickel. There was no detectable effect of M.A.N. brushing or chlorination on AL-6X stainless steel or titanium, although AL-6X exhibited crevice corrosion at tubing connections. 3003 Alclad and 5052 aluminum exhibited piting corrosion in all 3 test environments.
Research Organization:
LaQue Center for Corrosion Technology, Inc., Wrightsville Beach, NC (USA)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
DOE Contract Number:
W-31109-ENG-38
OSTI ID:
6728251
Report Number(s):
ANL/OTEC-BCM-013
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English