Reboiler corrosion and leakage issues
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As shown in the figure, it is a vertical thermosyphon reboiler: heat transfer oil flows outside the tubes, while the material inside the tubes is phenol, dimethylphenol, etc. The equipment has been in use for 14 months and has experienced corrosion-related leaks; it was determined that the tubes were corroded. After removing them and measuring their thickness, it was found that both the head and the heat exchange tubes had significantly reduced thickness, and the head, the connections to the head, and the heat exchange tubes all exhibited pitting and uneven surfaces. Since I have no knowledge at all in areas such as material corrosion and equipment, I would like to ask everyone: what type of corrosion is this, and what could be the possible causes of such corrosion?
This post was last edited by Wang Genrong on 2018-2-23 21:29: Crystal corrosion! It’s a chance to exchange ideas!
Okay, not bad, not bad; come down and learn *.
Our company has done similar work for Zhejiang Inte before; we used S30408, and after 2 years it suffered from corrosion just like in the image you showed – we had to change the material to resolve the issue. If you need any assistance, you can add me on WeChat at 13093022738
Hello, may I have your phone number?
Based on the described phenomena and photographs, the medium is causing corrosion of the equipment; cresol is corrosive to metal materials. The occurrence of this phenomenon indicates a problem with the material selection for the equipment, and it should be replaced with an appropriate material
I’ve encountered similar problems as well; corrosion occurred when using 304 material, and in the end I switched to 310S, and it’s been almost 8 years now with no issues. What I work with are carboxylation reactors
Judging from the picture, it seems that the materials used in the equipment are of lower quality; considering an online upgrade of the equipment to use more suitable materials would be a good option. If you have any specific questions, feel free to reach out to me
Cresol is soluble in alcohol, ether, benzene, glycerin, and petroleum ether; it is also soluble in aqueous sodium hydroxide solutions. It is slightly soluble in water, and it is corrosive to carbon steel and low-alloy steel. The corrosion shown in the image is caused by cresol corroding carbon steel and low-alloy steel.
It mainly depends on the type of material used. The photos show that the material chosen is not appropriate; dual-phase steel could be considered as an alternative