ANGUS Chemical Company

Technical Bulletin
AMP-95

CORROSION INHIBITOR IN STEAM-CONDENSATE LINES

TB 41
AMP-95 (2-amino-2-methyl-1-propanol containing
5% water) is an effective and efficient
neutralizing amine for use in preventing
corrosion in steam-boiler condensate-return
lines and steam turbines. When used in this
application, AMP-95 provides the following
benefits:
Superior base strength for effective pH control
and excellent corrosion protection.
Favorable distribution ratio for improved
corrosion inhibition in the condensate line.
Thermal stability essential for use in medium
pressure systems.
Superior CO
2
removal from feedwater and
condensate through efficient amine
regeneration in the deaerator.
High boiling point with no amine/water
azeotrope to increase amine loss in deaerator
systems.
Complete solubility and compatibility with
other commonly-used boiler water treatment
chemicals.
Safety advantages in terms of toxicity and
flammability in comparison to other
commonly-used amines.
Maximum efficiency at pressures between 100
psi and 1000 psi.
Typical Properties
The following are typical properties of AMP-95; they are
not to be considered product specifications.
Neutral Equivalent. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93-97
Specific Gravity @ 25/25C. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.942
Weight per Gallon @ 25C . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7.85 lb
Viscosity @ 25C (77F) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147 cp
@ 10C (50F) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 561 cp
Coefficient of Expansion, 20 to 90C . . . . . . . . 0.00096/C
Flash Point, Tag Closed Cup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83C/182F
Pensky-Martens Closed Cup. . . . 87C/188F
Vapor Pressure @ 20C mm Hg/Pascal . . . . . . . 0.08/10.4
Freezing Point . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2C (28F)
Surface Tension, neat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36-38 dynes/cm
in 10% Aqueous Solution. . . . . . . . . . . . . ~58 dynes/cm
pH of 0.1MAqueous Solution @ 20C (68F) . . . . . . . 11.3
pKa @ 25C . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9.72
Refractive Index, n
d
, @ 20C. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.4568
A subsidiary of The Dow Chemical Company
ANGUS Chemical Company
1500 E. Lake Cook Road
Buffalo Grove, IL 60089
Phone: 847-215-8600
Toll Free: 800-447-4369
Fax: 847-215-8626
How Amines Provide Corrosion Protection
Most boiler systems are constructed of steel- and copper-
bearing metals, which are subject to acid corrosion or
erosion. Boiler feedwater contains naturally occurring
carbonates and biocarbonates which thermally
decompose in the boiler, releasing carbon dioxide (CO
2
)
into the systems. When steam condenses to water, this
CO
2
dissolves in the water to form corrosive carbonic acid.
The corrosion which results can lead to damage and
unscheduled shutdown of steam generating systems.
Volatile amines, such as AMP-95, control this corrosion by
neutralizing acidity.
AMPThe Preferred Amine
The following graph illustrates the neutralization of water
containing 32 mg/L (ppm) of CO
2
with four amines
commonly used for boiler water treatment. AMP is the
most efficient of these amines in bringing the pH into the
desired range for corrosion control.
The superiority of AMP to other amines has been shown
for boiler feed-water across the range of CO
2
levels
commonly encountered, as shown in the following table:
Corrosion Inhibition
AMP-95 has demonstrated unmatched performance in
laboratory tests and field surveys of corrosion inhibition
in operating steam generation systems. In a 550 psig
(3.79 kPa) steam generating plant producing approximately
10 million pounds of steam per day (1260 kg/sec),
AMP-95 significantly retarded the corrosion rates of iron
and copper in piping and turbine areas in comparison to
the morpholine treatment used over the previous
12-month period.
Copper Loss by Corrosion
Average Over With 30 mg/L
Location Previous 12 Months (ppm) AMP-95
Feedwater 0.225 mg/L 0.01 mg/L
550 psig
Steam header 0.460 0.01-0.04
150 psig
Steam header 0.465 0.03
50 psig
Steam header 0.475 0.02-0.03
Iron Loss by Corrosion
Average Over With 30 mg/L
Location Previous 12 Months (ppm) AMP-95
Feedwater 0.065 mg/L 0.033
550 psig
Steam header 0.176 0.010
150 psig
Steam header 0.077 0.033
50 psig
Steam header 0.079 0.065
2
Level of Amine (ppm) Required To Reach Operating
Noncorrosive Conditions in Condensate Water
CO
2
Level in Steam 18 mg/L (ppm) 32 mg/L (ppm) 58 mg/L (ppm)
Desired pH 7.5 8.0 7.5 8.0 7.5 8.0
AMP 27 29 62 67 119 127
Morpholine 37 50 77 125 140 >140
Cyclohexylamine 38 41 67 69 124 131
Diethylaminoethanol (DEAE) 35 39 72 76 130 135
The ultimate criterion for neutralizing amines in corrosion
inhibition is the pH of the steam condensate at different
sampling points throughout the steam-distribution
and condensate-return systems. A concentration in
the feedwater of approximately 30 mg/L (ppm) AMP
produced the following pH values at system equilibrium
in the field survey.
Location pH
Feedwater 9.53
550 psig Steam header 7.70
150 psig Steam header 8.11
50 psig Steam header 7.56
550 psig Steam line 1500 feet away 7.57
550 psig Steam line 2 miles away 6.98
Corrosion potential increases as the pH value drops. The
pH is easily regulated at the desired level by varying the
amount of AMP-95 used. With steam generated at 550
psig and at a concentration of 25-30 ppm AMP in the
feedwater, approximately 1 mg/L (ppm) of AMP was
carried to outlying areas (1-2 miles).
In a 1500 psig (10.342 kPa) high pressure boiler, AMP-95
and morpholine were compared for pH control and
condensate system protection. Both amines were fed into
the boiler at equivalent rates. The following data report
the comparative pH values averaged for nine different
sampling points and average corrosion values determined
from iron coupons exposed to the condensate as the
boiler was operating (ASTM D2688-70).
Iron Coupon Corrosion
Average Penetration
mils/yr mm/yr
AMP-95 5.8 0.147
Morpholine 6.3 0.160
Distribution Ratio
An important measure of the suitability of a neutralizing
amine is its distribution ratio, i.e., the concentration of
amine in the vapor phase divided by the concentration of
amine in the liquid phase. Without sufficient volatility, no
amine will be present in the steam to neutralize the
dissolved carbon dioxide in the condensate. The amine
instead will concentrate in the boiler water, causing
excessive losses through blowdown. Conversely, an
amine with high volatility readily leaves the boiler water
and affords little, if any, corrosion protection in the first
condensate region of the system.
The amount of AMP-95 which volatilizes with the steam
is a function of both AMP concentration and pressure in
the boiler. As pressure and/or amine concentration is
increased, AMP will more preferentially partition itself into
the steam phase. The table below (entitled Variation of
Distribution Ratio) presents experimentally determined
distribution ratios for various amines at 100-1500 psig
(0.689-10.342 kPa) steam and 164-314C (327-597F) in
a stainless steel research boiler utilizing characteristic
boiler water of 15 cycles concentration.
The intermediate distribution ratio of AMP-95
(approximately 50/50 distribution between steam and
condensate) lends itself well to superior protection of
condensate lines throughout the system. Industrial steam
piping with very long runs may require a blend of AMP-95
with another more volatile amine to insure adequate
protection.
3
pH Control
Deaerator 50 psig 550 psig
In Feedwater Blowdown Condensate Condensate
AMP-95 8.31 8.46 10.08 8.60 8.59
Morpholine 7.88 7.98 9.61 8.26 8.24
Variation of Distribution Ratio with Pressure for Various Amines
Pressure, psig 0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 900 1100 1300 1450
AMP-95 0.1 0.47 0.95 0.84 0.85 0.85 0.85 0.82 0.91 0.90 0.93 0.92
Morpholine 0.4 0.98 1.6 1.4 1.2 1.2 1.3 1.2 1.3 1.3 1.3 1.2
DEAE 1.0 3.4 4.5 4.4 3.9 3.8 3.9 3.5 3.3 2.6 2.9 2.7
Cyclohexylamine 2.0 9.3 23.3 19.5 8.0 6.7 6.6 6.1 5.3 4.7 4.4 4.1
CO
2
Absorption and Carbonate Dissociation
Effective treatment of condensate water requires
neutralization of carbonic acid in the water phase and
later dissociation to release CO
2
. AMP-95 demonstrates
excellent affinity for CO
2
, but it is easily regenerated
without excessive losses through volatility or azeotrope
with water.
In comparison with other commonly-utilized amines,
AMP-95 has a high base strength. This advantage is
shown by differences in CO
2
absorption in 25% solutions
of the volatile amines at 28C.
Amine Weight % CO
2
, Absorbed
AMP 10.43
Cyclohexylamine 8.27
Morpholine 7.75
In addition to its superior ability to absorb CO
2
and
neutralize carbonic acid, AMP-95 also demonstrates the
ability to release CO
2
in the deaerator with minimal volatile
amine loss. The amine carbonate dissociates in the
deaerator allowing AMP to return to the boiler with the
condensate.
Solutions prepared with 100 mg/L (ppm) amine and 50
mg/L (ppm) CO
2
at an approximate pH of 7.0 were heated
to 100C and monitored for their level of CO
2
for
comparison. The data shown in the following figure
demonstrate the excellent desorption ability of AMP-95.
Deaerator Losses
One of the major areas of amine loss in a system can be
in the deaerating-heater section. Deaerator temperatures
above 220F are commonplace. Neutralizing amines may
accompany the gases vented from the deaerator,
particularly those amines which form azeotropes with
water. AMP boils at 329F and does not form an
azeotrope with water. The following table ranks potential
for amine loss from the amine most easily lost to that
best retained.
Ratio in Boiling Point
Amine System Azeotrope at 1 atm
Cyclohexylamine/
Water 44/56 205F
Diethylamine-
ethanol/Water 26/74 210
Morpholine/Water nonazeotrope 262
AMP/Water nonazeotrope 329
In a laboratory test designed to simulate deaerator
conditions, it was found that AMP was lost at the rate of
0.5% by wt. per minute. Under the same conditions, the
loss for other commonly-used amines was: morpholine,
1.0% per minute; cyclohexylamine, 1.7% per minute
and diethylaminoethanol, 3.0% per minute. The ability of
AMP-95 to rapidly dissociate from CO
2
in the deaerator
without significant amine loss, coupled with its superior
ability to absorb carbon dioxide in the feedwater/
condensate, make it the amine of choice for corrosion
control of condensate lines and steam turbines.
Thermal Stability
The stability of volatile amines is of considerable concern
because the most common breakdown product, ammonia,
can be highly corrosive to condensate systems and steam
turbines. Field experience in several boiler systems at
pressures up to 1500 psig (10.342 kPa) has revealed no
detrimental effects from the use of AMP-95.
Laboratory experiments were conducted to determine if
ammonia was produced from AMP under conditions of
use. High levels of amine were used to exaggerate
possible decomposition. Deionized water containing 500
mg/L (ppm) of AMP was held at 600 psig (225C) for 24
hours. Additionally, deionized water containing 1000 mg/L
(ppm) of AMP was held at 600 psig (4.137 kPa) for 48
hours. No ammonia was present in samples analyzed at
the conclusion of these test runs.
4
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2
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.
Time, minutes
AMP-95 is classified as a combustible material. However,
because of its high flash point, AMP-95 has a higher
margin of safety than do other amines commonly used, as
is shown by the flash point data in the following table:
Flash Point
Amine (TCC)
AMP-95 182F
Cyclohexylamine 83
Morpholine 95
Diethylaminoethanol 120
Shipping and Packaging
AMP-95 is classified, according to Title 49 (the U.S.
Department of Transportation or DOT regulations) as a
combustible liquid, but it is only subject to these
regulations when shipped in bulk in tank cars, tank trucks
and intermediate bulk containers (tote tanks). It is not
subject to any of the requirements of DOT regulations
when shipped in non-bulk packaging (capacity less than
450 liters or 119 gallons). The bill of lading descriptions
used by ANGUS for bulk and packaged shipments of this
product are:
Bulk Shipments:
COMBUSTIBLE LIQUID NOS (2-AMINO-2-METHYL-1-
PROPANOL), NA1993,III. IN CASE OF EMERGENCY
USE DOT GUIDE 128 ATTACHED.
TRADE NAME = AMP-95
Shipments in non-bulk packaging:
CHEMICALS NOI (2-AMINO-2-METHYL-1-PROPANOL)
NO HAZARD CLASS LABELS OR PLACARDS
REQUIRED.
TRADE NAME = AMP-95
AMP-95 does not meet any of the defined criteria for
dangerous goods contained in the international
transportation regulations for air (ICAO Technical
Instructions) or for ocean transport (IMDG Code).
Shipping Containers Net Wt. Gross Wt.
5-gallon unlined steel drums 35 lb 40 lb
55-gallon unlined steel drums 420 lb 460 lb
The shipping containers listed above meet UN 1A1
packaging specifications. AMP-95 is also available for
shipment within the U.S. in 350-gallon stainless steel
intermediate bulk containers. They have a net weight of
2740 lb and a gross shipping weight of 3215 lb.
Further confirmation of the stability of AMP was
demonstrated in an evaluation of amines for thermal
stability by modified differential thermal analysis. AMP
proved to be quite stable in this test. Listed in the table
below are the temperatures at which decomposition was
first noted in the undiluted amines.
Decomposition
Amine Temperature
DEAE >400C >750F
AMP 360 680
Morpholine 340 644
Cyclohexylamine 330 626
Toxicity
AMP-95 causes eye burns. Wear protective goggles for
any operation in which splashing is likely to occur. In case
of eye contact, immediately flush eyes with plenty of water
for at least 15 minutes; see a physician.
Prolonged or frequently repeated exposure of the skin to
AMP-95 may result in skin irritation. When such exposure
is unavoidable, use of protective clothing is advised. In
case of skin contact, wash the exposed area thoroughly
with water. Remove contaminated clothing and wash
before reuse. Discard contaminated shoes.
The vapor pressure of AMP-95 is quite low. Hence there
will be only a small concentration of vapors at ordinary
temperatures of use. Avoid repeated inhalation exposure
to vapors or mists from heated material as the effects of
inhalation have not been fully evaluated.
The acute oral LD
50
for AMP is 2.9 g/kg when tested in
rats. Intraperitoneal administration to mice gave an LD
50
of
0.32 g/kg. Thus, AMP-95 would be considered as only
slightly toxic by either route of administration.
AMP-95 when neutralized with fatty acids, as in the use for
emulsification, has much less potential for irritation of skin
or eyes. In several decades of use, there have been no
reports of dermatitis resulting from exposure to its fatty acid
soaps. Oral ingestion by rats of solutions containing 3 g/kg
of the stearate soap of AMP produced no acute toxic symp-
toms or death.
Safety in Handling
AMP-95 is a colorless, mobile liquid with low odor. It has
a relatively low viscosity of 560 cp at 50F. AMP-95 is
easily poured or pumped into mixing systems, where
it is miscible in all ratios with water. AMP-95 is also
compatible with other components, both organic and
inorganic, commonly used with neutralizing amines in
water treatment.
5
AMP-95 is a Registered Trademark
of ANGUS Chemical Company.
GJT/JCR Form No. 319-00036
2000 by ANGUS Chemical Company.
All Rights Reserved. Printed in U.S.A.
The information and data contained herein are believed to be correct. However, we do not warrant
either expressly or by implication the accuracy thereof. In presenting uses for this product, no
attempt has been made to investigate or discuss any patent situations which may be involved.
A subsidiary of The Dow Chemical Company