Appearance of corrosion on the tube bundle of oil, gas, and water coolers in the petrochemical industry
Thread Content
The image below shows the corroded appearance of the tube bundle in the atmospheric and vacuum oil cooler of a petrochemical company. Usage: Shell side: Medium, oil and gas ； Temperature: less than 100 degrees ； Pressure: 0.3MPa ； Piping: Medium circulating water ； Temperature: 40 degrees ； Pressure ； 0.5MPa。 The tube bundle was not protected against corrosion, and within less than 1 year, the heat exchange tubes in it suffered from corrosion and perforation. Photos taken after acid cleaning via tube extraction show that corrosion exists on both the inner and outer walls of the heat exchange tubes, with the corrosion on the shell side being more severe than that on the tube side.
Within less than a year of use, the tube bundle of the atmospheric and vacuum oil coolers at the petrochemical company suffered severe corrosion and perforations, indicating inadequate anti-corrosion measures in the cooling equipment. Since the medium in the shell side is oil and gas, and operation takes place at relatively high temperatures and pressures, this may accelerate the corrosion process. Furthermore, the photos of tube pickling and acid washing show that corrosion exists on both the inner and outer walls of the heat exchange tubes, with corrosion being more severe on the shell side. In such cases, enhanced anti-corrosion measures are usually required, such as using tube bundles made of corrosion-resistant materials or applying anti-corrosion treatment to existing equipment. In future operations, regular inspections and maintenance should also be carried out to prevent such problems from occurring again. .
It is recommended that Engineer Wang specify the material of the heat exchange tubes.