Material selection for compressor room coolers?
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For the existing HCL compressors, the material of the inter-cooler is 304; HCL contains trace amounts of moisture (50 ppm). Is it possible for the inter-cooler to corrode and leak? Are there any better materials suitable for heat exchangers? Or choose an air-cooled heat exchanger? Could someone give me some advice?
This post was last edited by RichardChan on 2012-3-27 at 15:18. For HCl solutions, austenitic stainless steel definitely cannot be used in chloride-containing media; fiberglass, graphite, or Monel materials can be considered. When selecting a material, attention must also be paid to the temperature of the medium. For HCl gas, stainless steel can generally be used – a concentration of 50 ppm is not high, so it should be feasible to use it as well. Please have an expert with experience in HCL compressors answer this.
HCL compressor coolers containing trace amounts of moisture (50 ppm) are available in both carbon steel and 304 stainless steel versions. The key is to promptly purge the compressor system with nitrogen once the compressor stops operating, in order to remove the HCL gas and the water molecules present, thereby preventing condensation droplets from causing corrosion to the cooler and pipes.
Maintenance after shutdown is very important; the longer HCL equipment remains shut down, the more likely it is to corrode, leading to leaks and other problems. :)