The corrosiveness of methanol
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Let’s discuss just how severe the corrosiveness of methanol is and how to prevent it
Cleaning in a timely manner, replacing components promptly, using pressure protection to prevent air from entering – these are the common methods used
Methanol is corrosive; its corrosive nature can be seen from leaks in the many heat exchangers used in distillation. This corrosiveness is even greater in acidic crude methanol. Therefore, some methanol pipelines are made of stainless steel to prevent corrosion. To mitigate corrosion, it is recommended to carry out alkaline treatment during the synthesis of crude methanol. However, few people consider its corrosivity to be very high. Ways to reduce corrosion include thorough flushing and nitrogen purging for protection.
Methanol itself has very low corrosivity; its corrosiveness increases when impurities are present, but it is not very severe. Leaks in the methanol distillation reboiler are mainly related to high temperatures, while methanol purifiers generally do not leak.
Generally, there is no leakage, but in fact there is still leakage. The corrosiveness of chemical products, just like their pollution, is an inherent characteristic of them; that’s why the natural environment does not provide a suitable habitat for them. It is humans who create these substances as well as the pollution they cause. Everything has two sides, and we often overlook the other side.
Methanol has a certain dissolving effect on organic substances, which means it can corrode materials such as rubber; therefore, methanol-based gasoline requires that car engines have their rubber components replaced. Methanol has little corrosive effect on the pipes themselves; it is sufficient to control the pH value of the medium.