Corrosion condition of the heat exchange tubes after acid cleaning and photography of the heat exchanger tube bundle
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The image below shows some of the heat exchange tubes in the tube bundle of the gasoline cooler at the top of a vacuum distillation tower in a petrochemical refinery, taken after corrosion was induced by acid. Used for 1.5 years under conditions of circulating water inside the tube at a temperature of 25~35 degrees. Oil and vapor outside the pipe, temperature 80~120 degrees.
After 1.5 years of use, the heat exchanger tube bundle suffered from corrosion, likely due to the corrosive effect of the circulating water inside the tubes as well as temperature changes of the oil and vapor outside the tubes. .
It’s already corroded and perforated; does the oil and gas contain a high amount of sulfur and water? After corrosion and perforation, these substances enter the tube bundle, affecting the circulating water and causing internal corrosion
Is the material of the heat exchange tube austenitic stainless steel? Is the chloride level in the circulating water excessive?
Corrosion condition of the heat exchange tubes after acid cleaning and photography of the heat exchanger tube bundle
I think it’s still chloride corrosion; when I used stainless steel pipes to transport ammonium chloride solutions in the past, I saw the same kind of damage, but it was even more severe than this