Training Corrosion Engineering
Measures to avoid Corrosion
General
Design and Lay-out
METALogic
25/26 September 2008
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Corrosion prevention and control
• Design
• Suitable materials of construction
• Protective layers
• Metallic coatings
• Inorganic coatings
• Organic coatings
• Changing corrosive environment
• Changing electrode potential
• Cathodic protection
• Anodic protection NTT Consultancy
Corrosion prevention and control
Design
Electrochemical
anodic/cathodic
protection
Material Environment
CORROSION
Replace or Change or
Isolate
modify modify
Protective layers
Alloying Inhibition
-metallic
Heat treatment - Water treatment
- non-metallic
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Design and lay-out
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Design and Construction Codes for Pressure Vessels
Country Document Issued by
USA Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, America Society of
Mechanical
Section VIII Engineers
Great Britain BS 1515 - Fusion Welded Pressure British Standards Institution
Vessel for use in the Chemical,
Petroleum and Allied Industries.
BS 5500 - Unfired Fusion Welded
Pressure Vessels
Germany A.D. Merkblatter Arbeitsgemeinschaft
Druckbehalter
Italy ANCC Code Associazone Nationale Per IL.
Controllo Peula Combustione
Netherlands Regels Voor Toestellen Dienst Voor Stoomwezen
Sweden Tryckkariskommissionen Swedish Pressure Vessl Code
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Relevant parameters with respect to design and lay-out
In a multidisciplinary design approach the following design
rules and points of attention are relevant:
- Lay-out or siting of equipment or plant; prevailing wind
direction with respect to contaminants like chloride and
nitrate.
- Choice between single wall, multi-layer, cladding, lining.
- Construction without crevices; welded connection are
generally to be preferred above riveted or screwed
connections.
- The design should allow for efficient and low-costs
inspection and maintenance.
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Relevant parameters with respect to design and lay-out
(continued 1)
- Equipment and piping should be so designed that they
are easy to empty and clean.
- Components at which corrosion is likely to occur have to
be designed in such a way that replacement is simple.
- Avoid contact between dissimilar metals to avoid
galvanic corrosion.
- To prevent erosion-corrosion: avoid sharp bends and
constrictions in piping; install impingement or sacrificial
plates where necessary.
- Avoid mechanical stresses.
- Avoid strong local heating
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Relevant parameters with respect to design and lay-out
(continued 1)
- Design with focus on accessibility for application of
coating system.
- Wherever possible attempt to avoid contact with
extremely aggressive or hot substances (refractory lining).
- Design for application of perfect insulation (and tracing)
to avoid condensation corrosion.
- Consider application of electric tracing instead of steam
tracing to avoid hot-spots (use spacer for steam tracing).
- Consider application of corrosion allowance.
- Design in such a way that all kinds of heterogeneity will
be avoided: local stress concentrations, temperature
differences, sites where moisture and dirt can accumalate.
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Welding reduces corrosion problems
Poor design Good design Poor design Good design
Metal A
Avoid Weld
crevice by: Avoid dilution
or of Metal B by
Rivet A at weld by:
Tube of metal B Pad of metal B
Wrought
bar
welds
Avoid end
Avoid grain
crevice by attack by
full penetration (overlay)
weld weld
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Proper weld connections to reduce corrosion
crevice
crevice
a. poor b. better c. poor d. better
a. as designed b. as fabricated
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Draining of vessels
poor better poor better
poor better poor better
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Drain in storage vessels and pipelines
liquid
poor better
drain drain
poor better
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Design of profile metals
drain hole
poor better best
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Different types of connections
Al corroded
Cd-plated
away aluminium
Al
steel
a. poor b. poor
weld
weld
weld
c. better d. best
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Insulation avoids galvanic corrosion
Bolt of metal A
Metal B
insulation
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Proper insulation of a flanged joint
Insulating
sleeve
Insulating Nut
washer
Bolt
Pipe Valve
Gasket Threaded flange
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Remedial measures if combination of dissimilar
metals is unavoidable
In the design stage the risk of galvanic corrosion has to
be considered. If a combination of dissimilar metals is
unavoidable, the following remedial measures can be taken:
- Use metals close together in the galvanic series.
- Avoid unfavourable area effect.
- Insulate wherever possible: break the circuit between
the two metals.
- Maintain coatings; be aware the coating of the anodic
material may result in severe local attack in case of
presence of defects in the coating.
- Put a third metal in contact with both of the metals in
question. The third metal is chosen to be active to both
other metals of the structure so that it corrodes and not
the structure
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Liquid supply in vessel
location of
erosion-
corrosion
poor better
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Location of orifice in pipeline
area prone to
erosion-corrosion
poor
minimum 10 x Ø orifice
better
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Prevention of erosion corrosion by avoiding
local excessive turbulence
erosion corrosion
poor better
a. constriction in tube
erosion
corrosion
poor better
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Bends and T-joints
area with
erosion –
corrosion
R 3d
poor better
area with d
erosion –
d
corrosion
R 3d
poor R 3d
better
better
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Positioning of acid inlet
concentrated
acid
concentrated dilute
acid solution
poor better
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H2SO4 Mixing device in process pipeline
Inlet 96% H2SO4
Process stream
No gasket No gasket
Carbon steel internally
lined with PTFE
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H2SO4 Mixing Device
PTFE
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Sulphuric acid tank (original design)
Inlet
H2SO4
pump
discharge manway
- 98% sulphuric acid (hygroscopic)
- atmospheric temperature overflow
- carbon-steel line
- 2 mm corrosion allowance to sewer
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Sulphuric acid storage tank (erosion-) corrosion problems
corrosion due to
Inlet
ingress of
pump H2SO4
moisture
discharge manway corrosion due
to ingress of
moisture
- 98% sulphuric acid (hygroscopic)
- atmospheric temperature overflow line
- carbon steel to sewer
- 2 mm corrosion allowance
erosion - erosion -
corrosion corrosion
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Sulphuric acid storage tank
Change in design to minimize (erosion-) corrosion problems
Inlet
pump H2SO4
discharge manway
- 98% sulphuric acid (hygroscopic)
- atmospheric temperature Overflow line
- carbon steel to sewer
- 2mm corrosion allowance sacrifical
sacrifical
plate plate
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Correct design and incorrect fabrication
poor hot gases better
condensation insulation
and
corrosion
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Case:
Proper design and lay-out keeps
stainless steel in place in NH3
combustion section of HPO /
Caprolactam plant
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NH3 combustion section in HPO / Caprolactam plant
(original design / lay-out)
<330°C to NOx remover R6802
NH3 combustion HPO
Old situation 50°C to NOx Absorber
C6701
270°C
E6612
R6601
cooler /condenser
E6608
steam V6602
E6602
to absorption
column C6701
HNO3 pump vessel
420°C 25°C
NH3 converter tail gas heaters tail gas from NOx
Absorber C6701
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Condensation corrosion in 304L nozzle pipe for
thermo-well
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Corrosion in 304L tube of tail gas heater E6602
above tubesheet area
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Condensation corrosion at 304L tube out of tail
gas heater E6612
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Deposits due to condensation corrosion at lower
ends of tubes in tail gas heater E6612
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Cooler-condenser
NOx gas from
Tail gas heater
cooling water
nitric acid from
HNO3 pump
vessel
to HNO3 pump
vessel to NOx absorber
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Condensation corrosion in 304L shell of
cooler-condenser
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Beneficial alterations in design of cooler-condenser
- Fitting a sacrificial element with a spray-nozzle in the
gas supply moves the wet-dry zone as far as possible
towards this sacrificial element.
The severe condensation corrosion will specifically
occur in the sacrificial element.
- The platinum particles can be trapped by installing Au
gauzes in the NH3 converter. This reduces platinum
losses and reduces the trans-passive corrosion of the
stainless steel.
- The inlet temperature of the nitrous gases can be
reduced by installing an economizer in the gas supply.
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Cooler-condenser
NOx gas from
Tail gas heater
cooling water
nitric acid from
HNO3 pump
vessel
to HNO3 pump
vessel to NOx absorber
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Condensation corrosion in wet-dry zone of
sacrificial element at gas entry of cooler-condenser
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Beneficial alterations in design of cooler–condenser
(continued 1)
- The installation can be designed to facilitate the
reversal of the cooler condenser after several years
operation. In this way, the as yet uncorroded section
of the shell can be positioned in the corrosive wet-dry
zone.
- The installation of a ‘chinese hat’ in the gas supply
gives a more homogeneous gas flow with less
turbulence. This has a positive influence on corrosion.
Another positive influence can also be realized by
keeping the shell space above the tubes as small as
possible.
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Beneficial alterations in design of cooler - condenser
- Design the cooler condenser with external
cooling of the shell near the gas inlet. For this
purpose cooling water low in chloride or condensate
has to be used.
- Design a cooler condenser with nitrous gases
through the tubes and cooling water at shell side.
Also in this design a cooling water with low chloride
content is a prerequisite.
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Cooler-condenser
N8
N7
Full cone sprayer; capacity: 5 m3/h;
spray angle 90
Approx. 35
800 Min.
Perforated plate (“chinese
“
hat”) ,
I.D. hole dia 10; pitch 20
N2
Perforated baffles
I.D
Approx. 715
minus 10
Gap max. 2
Tube bundle supports
Min.
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Cooler-condensor E6608
NOx from
economizer
cooling water
HNO3 from
pump vessel
cooling water
to drain or
pump vessel
HNO3 to
pump vessel
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External cooling of cooler-condenser shell
DN 25 DN 25 DN 25
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External cooling of cooler-condensor shell
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NH3 combustion HPO new situation
<330ºC
to NOx remover R6802
50ºC
to absorption
E6612
170ºC
column C6701
R6601
cooler
condenser
290ºC
E6613
E6608
V6602
130ºC
to absorption
column C6701
NH3 converter economizer HNO3 pump vessel
E6602
420ºC steam
tail gas from
mist separator S6801
tail gas heaters
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