Irfan Ullah
, Muhammad Yousuf
Heat exchanger tubes generally deteriorate or corrode as a result of their susceptibility to a wide range of tube and shell mediums under varying working conditions. The current study aimed to conduct a failure analysis of heat exchangers in the Petrochemical Industries under various operating conditions. According to kinetic and thermal analysis, heat exchanger tubes corroded primarily as a result of the carbon dioxide (CO2) solute in crude oil passing through the tubes, causing electrochemical corrosion. Polarized tests were carried out to analyze the outer surface cavities produced on the tubes. Tests revealed that CO2 had no substantial association with cavities on the surface of the tube. Additionally, microstructural analysis of corroded heat exchanger’s tubes demonstrated that solid suspended particles of high hardness present in crude oil or methanol detached from previous phase catalysis causing electrochemical as well as the erosion-corrosion mechanism inside and outside heat exchanger tubes. Appropriate methods for prevention or mitigation of tubes corrosion were proposed based on the corrosion cause.
Irfan Ullah Muhammad Yousuf “Failure Analysis of Heat Exchanger Tubes at Different Operational Conditions” International Journal of Engineering Works Vol. 8 Issue 12 PP. 315-319 December 2021 https://doi.org/10.34259/ijew.21.8012315319.
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