Caustic Corrosion

Typical Locations
Water-cooled Tubes:
At flow disruptions Horiz / inclined tube High Heat flux zone Flame impingement zone

Corrective Action
Control Boiler Water Chemistry Reduce corrosion product ingress Chemical cleaning Reweld irregular welds Use T11 type steel or rifled tube

Probable Root Cause

Concentration of NaOH from boiler water chemicals Feed water system corrosion deposits Condenser leakage Temp. increase due to internal deposits

Dr V T Sathyanathan, M.E., Ph.D.

Caustic Corrosion Gauging

Dr V T Sathyanathan, M.E., Ph.D.

CAUSTIC GOUGING STRATIFICATION CAUSTIC GOUGING

Dr V T Sathyanathan, M.E., Ph.D.

Hydrogen Damage
Typical Locations
Water-cooled Tubes:
At flow disruptions Horiz / inclined tube High Heat flux zone Flame impingement zone

Corrective Action
Control Boiler Water Chemistry Check corrosion product ingress Chemical cleaning Replace affected tubes

Probable Root Cause

Concentration of acidic salts and low pH water chemistry Condenser leakage and ingress of corrosion products Feed water system corrosion deposits Chemical cleaning contamination

Dr V T Sathyanathan, M.E., Ph.D.

Dr V T Sathyanathan, M.E., Ph.D.

HYDROGEN EMBRITTLEMENT

Dr V T Sathyanathan, M.E., Ph.D.

FLATTENING TEST FAILURE HYDROGEN EMBRITTLEMENT GRAIN BOUNDARY CRACKS - HYDROGEN EMBRITTLEMENT ROUNDED DISSOLVED GAS PITTING CORROSION

Dr V T Sathyanathan, M.E., Ph.D.

Dr V T Sathyanathan, M.E., Ph.D.

Internal Pitting (Localised Corrosion)

Typical Locations
Anywhere in Eco, SH, RH, Non-heated portion of WW Eco Inlet Horizontal Tubes

Corrective Action
Control Feed water oxygen levels to <10ppb Nitrogen blankets for steam circuits for short outages (<4 days) Fill tubes with condensate with Hydrazine and ammonia for long shut downs

Probable Root Cause

Exposure of tube to water with high conc. of oxygen. High Feed water oxygen at start-ups and low loads Condensation in bends at shut downs

Dr V T Sathyanathan, M.E., Ph.D.

Pitting Damage

Dr V T Sathyanathan, M.E., Ph.D.

Stress Corrosion Cracking

Typical Locations
SH, RH-at regions of :
conc. of chlorides, sulphates or hydroxide stressed in fabrication, service etc. like bends,

Corrective Action
Replacement Surveillance for carryover Heat Treatment of bends Care during chemical cleaning Use of 347H tube

attachment welds

Probable Root Cause

Corrosive conc. From drum carry-over or attemperator spray SS Tube material sensitized Stresses

Dr V T Sathyanathan, M.E., Ph.D.

Dr V T Sathyanathan, M.E., Ph.D.

STRESS CORROSION CRACK IN SS 304H

Dr V T Sathyanathan, M.E., Ph.D.

STRESS CORROSION CRACK IN COLD BENT TUBE TRANSGRANULAR STRESS CORROSION CRACKS INTERGRANULAR STRESS CORROSION CRACKS CORROSION FATIGUE CRACKS

Dr V T Sathyanathan, M.E., Ph.D.

Vibration Fatigue
Typical Locations
welded tie type spacers between vertical WW and steam cooled screen tubes Welded or fixed attachments on horiz. steam cooled tubes

Corrective Action
Install vibration snubbers between or across tubes Evaluate against boiler flow conditions

Probable Root Cause

Gas flow induced vibration

Dr V T Sathyanathan, M.E., Ph.D.

Dr V T Sathyanathan, M.E., Ph.D.

Dr V T Sathyanathan, M.E., Ph.D.

Thermal Fatigue
Typical Locations
Water splashed bottom ash hopper region Soot blower spray region with condensate Regions like Ecoinlet and Pry SH with rapid fluid temperature changes

Corrective Action
Tube Replacement Checking soot blower, ash hopper systems Control of Feed water temperature (once thro type)

Probable Root Cause

Multiple cycles of sudden cooling of tube metal by water quenching

Dr V T Sathyanathan, M.E., Ph.D.

Thermal Fatigue

Dr V T Sathyanathan, M.E., Ph.D.

FATIGUE CRACK FATIGUE CRACK THERMAL FATIGUE

Dr V T Sathyanathan, M.E., Ph.D.

Corrosion Fatigue
Typical Locations
Regions with differences in thermal expansion rates and directions (cracks originating externally) Corrosion and cyclic stresses (cracks originating internally at weld attachments)

Corrective Action
Redesign of attachments to reduce restraints to thermal expansion Chemical cleaning Restrictions on cyclic operation Heat Treatment and contouring of welds Flexible connection

Probable Root Cause

Thermal expansion stress cycles Stress concentration regions like pits, notches etc. Dissolved oxygen or acidic conditions

Dr V T Sathyanathan, M.E., Ph.D.

Dr V T Sathyanathan, M.E., Ph.D.

Dr V T Sathyanathan, M.E., Ph.D.

Corrosion Fatigue

Dr V T Sathyanathan, M.E., Ph.D.

CORROSION FATIGUE CRACKS CORROSION FATIGUE CRACKS

Dr V T Sathyanathan, M.E., Ph.D.

FATIGUE CRACK ATTACHMENT WELD CORROSION FATIGUE CRACK IN COLD BEND CORROSION FATIGUE CRACKS CORROSION FATIGUE CRACKS

Dr V T Sathyanathan, M.E., Ph.D.

Fly Ash Erosion

Typical Locations
Gaps between tube banks and duct walls. Gas by-pass channels Protrusions of rows. Areas close to large ash accumulation.

Corrective Action
Changing operating conditions like reduced load, low excess air etc. Protections like shields, baffles etc. Flow Model study

Probable Root Cause

Non-uniform, excessive gas flow with fly ash particles. High ash coal with -quartz. Tube misalignment.

Dr V T Sathyanathan, M.E., Ph.D.

Fly Ash Erosion

Dr V T Sathyanathan, M.E., Ph.D.

Dr V T Sathyanathan, M.E., Ph.D.

Dr V T Sathyanathan, M.E., Ph.D.

Dr V T Sathyanathan, M.E., Ph.D.

Falling Slag Erosion

Typical Locations
Lower furnace sloping wall near bottom opening

Corrective Action
Change in fuel Wear bars Increase tube wall thickness

Probable Root Cause

Slagging of coal and massive clinker fall Coal properties and boiler design

Dr V T Sathyanathan, M.E., Ph.D.

Cont to Tube Fai3

Dr V T Sathyanathan, M.E., Ph.D.