Title
Failure Analysis of Carbon Steel Tubes in a Reformed Gas Boiler Feed Water Preheater
Date Issued
15 June 2019
Access level
metadata only access
Resource Type
journal article
Publisher(s)
Springer New York LLC
Abstract
This study involves the failure analysis of carbon steel tubes in a reformed gas boiler feed water preheater unit operating at an ammonia plant. It was determined that the incipient failure mechanism in the carbon steel tubes was pitting corrosion at the inner surface of the failed tube transporting boiler feed water. The spectroscopic and microscopic analysis revealed the presence of iron oxides, including magnetite (Fe3O4), on the surface of a hole inside a pit formed in the inner surface. A significant thickness reduction in the internal wall due to subsequent erosion–corrosion led to the formation of the hole. No voids/cracks were present in the grain boundaries in the (ferritic and pearlitic) microstructure of the carbon steel tube (A214). Due to the recurrent nature of the failure of the carbon steel tubes in the preheater unit, SS304L tubes are recommended to be used throughout the waterside of the preheater.
Start page
592
End page
597
Volume
19
Issue
3
Language
English
OCDE Knowledge area
Ingeniería mecánica Ingeniería de materiales
Scopus EID
2-s2.0-85064354511
Source
Journal of Failure Analysis and Prevention
ISSN of the container
15477029
Sources of information: Directorio de Producción Científica Scopus