Effect of marine microbiofouling and countermeasures on corrosion of some aluminum alloys under OTEC heat exchanger conditions

Conference · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1987

OSTI ID:6959488

Larsen-Basse, J; Jain, S

Aluminum alloys 5052, 3004 and Alclad (7072) 3003 and 3004 have been exposed to warm Hawaiian surface sea water and cold, deep ocean water under simulated OTEC heat exchanger conditions for over three years. Flow velocity has been maintained at 1.85 m/s ( 6 fps) through loops of tubular samples which also contained heat transfer monitors. Development of heat transfer resistance due to biofouling was monitored and biofouling and corrosion rates were determined. Loops were operated under the following conditions: cold water - no countermeasures; warm water - free fouling for 25-40 days, then brushing clean; chlorinated on an intermittent schedule to maintain zero heat transfer resistance; and mechanically cleaned with sponge rubber balls on a daily schedule. It was found that the corrosion film does provide some protection of biofouling which becomes embedded in it, but that neither biofilm, nor chlorination, nor intermittent brushing had any effects on the corrosion rate. Daily mechanical cleaning, on the other hand, caused severe erosion-corrosion of all alloys tested, except alloy 5052.

• OSTI ID: 6959488
• Report Number(s): CONF-870314-
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
140800* -- Solar Energy-- Ocean Energy Systems
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360105 -- Metals & Alloys-- Corrosion & Erosion
ALLOYS
ALUMINIUM ALLOYS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
BIOLOGICAL FOULING
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CLEANING
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
CORROSION
CORROSION PROTECTION
CORROSIVE EFFECTS
FOULING
HEAT EXCHANGERS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
MATERIALS TESTING
MONITORING
OCEAN THERMAL POWER PLANTS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PACIFIC OCEAN
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
POWER PLANTS
SEAS
SEAWATER
SOLAR POWER PLANTS
SURFACE WATERS
TESTING
THERMAL POWER PLANTS
THERMODYNAMIC PROPERTIES
WATER