Leakage issue of the overhead air cooler in the aromatic benzene tower
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Recently, there was a leak in the air cooler at the top of the aromatic benzene tower in our facility. The medium involved was 99.9% benzene with trace amounts of water; sulfur was virtually absent. The chloride ion concentration in the water contained within the water pack was relatively high, with a pH value of around 6. The material used for the air cooler is 10# steel. Could this be caused by chlorine corrosion, or is there some other reason?
The air cooling at the top of the meaning tower has leaked. Is it due to chlorine corrosion or some other reason?
Different expansion coefficients and large temperature differences are also a cause. The water vapor content at the gas inlet is very high, the gas flow velocity is high, and the temperature is high, all of which can directly erode the tube bundles. Once the gas is cooled rapidly, the wall temperature at the ends of the air cooler tubes is relatively high; as a result, the cooling water evaporates vigorously in the gaps around those tube ends, and over time this can lead to thinning of the walls and leakage.
There are various reasons for air-cooling leaks: 1. Bolt tightening issues 1) Loosening due to vibration； 2) Poor quality: breaks after long periods of use. 2. Gasket issues: not properly installed initially, resulting in leakage due to erosion ； The poor quality of the gasket ultimately caused leakage at the flange ； 3. Erosion ； 4. Air-cooling operation issues: Rapid heating and cooling rates, as well as uneven thermal expansion, are the causes. Design flaws: The potential for leakage at the air-cooling tube bundles and connections due to thermal expansion was not adequately considered. 5. Medium corrosion: Caused by corrosion of the internal medium or the surrounding environment; various other factors also need to be carefully investigated.
Where is the leak? Different locations lead to varying analysis results
Where did the leak occur? The tube end, the tube box, or the middle of the tube?