Boiler awareness Seminar

Corrosion & Water chemistry for

boilers
S.D.Jambekar
DY. Manager (Metallurgy)
R&D,GSFC.
 What is boiler?

• Boiler is an apparatus where thermal energy released by

combustion of fuel is used to make steam at the desired
temperature and pressure.
• There are 2 types of boiler:
A) Fire-tube boiler B) Water tube boiler
 Boiler systems

• A power plant can be divided into 3 stages with respect to corrosion

occurring 1) Pre boiler stage, 2) Boiler circuit 3) post boiler stages
• The pre boiler stage consist of Water treatment plant, deaerator,
economizer and feed water heater where water treatment and
deaerator deal with corrosion prevention.
 Water treatment plant
• Water treatment plant consist of equipments where raw water is
converted to a condition suitable for usage in boiler, the boiler
feed water.
• All natural waters are impure and are associated with a number
of impurities, which are capable of disturbing the normal
operation of the boiler.
• Major constituents of all natural raw waters consist of the salts of
sodium, potassium and calcium together with bicarbonate,
carbonate, sulphate, chloride and nitrate ions.
• Since salts are dissociated to a considerable extent in aqueous
solutions, the following ions are usually encountered in raw
water:
Cations: Na+, Ca2+, Mg2+, NH4+
Anions: Cl, SO42-, nitrite acid ions (NO2-), nitrous acid ions NO3-
• Copper; can cause deposits to settle in high-pressure turbines, decreasing
their efficiency and requiring costly cleaning or equipment change-outs
• Silica; if not removed to low levels, especially in high-pressure boilers,
silica can cause extremely hard scaling
• Calcium; can cause scaling in several forms depending on the chemistry of
the boiler feed water (e.g. calcium silicate, calcium phosphate, etc.)
• Magnesium; if combined with phosphate, magnesium can stick to the
interior of the boiler and coat tubes, attracting more solids and
contributing to scale
• Aluminum; deposits as scale on the boiler interior and can react with silica
to increase the likelihood of scaling
• Hardness; also causes deposits and scale on boiler parts and piping
• Dissolved gasses; chemical reactions due to the presence of dissolved
gases such as oxygen and carbon dioxide can cause severe corrosion on
boiler pipes and parts
 Water treatment

• The presence of calcium and magnesium bicarbonates cause

temporary hardness and on heating they break down
depositing calcium and magesium carbonates.
• Carbonates, sulphates and chlorides of calcium constitute
permanent hardness. Some of these salts are only sparingly
soluble and on evaporation of water, crystallize out as hard
scale.
• Of the inorganic substances present in water, colloidal
dispersion of compounds of iron, silicon and aluminium
hamper proper performance by (i) causing foaming to occur
and (ii) disturbing the performance of anionic exchangers
which is particularly affected by the anions of organic
substances.
 Water treatment

• Ferrous compounds are also encountered in raw waters. Iron

occurs as ferrous bi-carbonate [Fe(HCO3)2] which is unstable
and forms Fe(OH)2. Fe(OH)2 on oxidation gives Fe(OH)3 which
could then be removed from water after its precipitation.
When not removed from boiler feed water, ferrous compounds
get deposited on the heat transfer surfaces as scales.
• Silica interferes with water softening reactions. The
concentration of silicic acid (H2Si03) in natural waters varies
over a wide range (5-90 mg/l). Its concentration is usually
expressed in terms of silica, SiO2
• Its presence in feed waters causes a number of difficulties
because of the formation of silicate scales of low thermal
conductivity. Its presence in steam leads to deposit formation
on superheater surfaces and on blades and nozzles of turbines.
 Water treatment

An efficient and well-designed boiler feed water treatment system

should be able to:
1. Efficiently treat boiler feed water and remove harmful
impurities prior to entering the boiler
2. Promote internal boiler chemistry control
3. Maximize use of steam condensate
4. Control return-line corrosion
5. Avoid plant downtime and boiler failure
6. Prolong equipment service life
The most appropriate boiler feed water treatment system will
help to avoid costly plant downtime, expensive maintenance
fees, and boiler failure as a result of scaling, corrosion, and
fouling of the boiler and downstream equipment.
• A basic boiler feed water treatment system includes
1. Filtration/ultrafiltration
2. Ion exchange/softening Membrane processes such as reverse
osmosis and nanofiltration
3. Deaeration/degasification
4. Coagulation/chemical precipitation
Depending on the impurities present in your water, any combination
of these treatments might
 How does a boiler feed water treatment
system work?
• Makeup water intake- Makeup water, or the water replacing
evaporated or leaked water from the boiler, is first drawn from its
source.
• Coagulation and chemical precipitation- After all the large objects
are removed from the original water source, various chemicals are
added to a reaction tank to remove the bulk suspended solids and
other various contaminants.
This process starts off with an assortment of mixing reactors,
typically one or two reactors that add specific chemicals to take out
all the finer particles in the water by combining them into heavier
particles that settle out.
The most widely used coagulates are aluminum-based such as alum
and polyaluminum chloride.
Sometimes a slight pH adjustment is done to coagulate the particles
 How does a boiler feed water treatment
system work?
• Filtration and ultrafiltration-filtration to remove any suspended
particles such as sediments, turbidity, and certain types of organic
matter.
It is often done early, as the removal of suspended solids upstream can
help protect membranes and ion exchange resins from fouling later on
in the pretreatment process.
Depending on the type of filtration used, suspended particles can be
removed down to under one micron.
• Ion exchange softening- When pretreating boiler feed water, if there’s
high hardness along with bicarbonates, sulphates, chlorides, or nitrates,
a softening resin can be used.
This procedure uses a strong acid cation exchange process, whereby
resin is charged with a sodium ion, and as the hardness comes through,
it has a higher affinity for calcium, magnesium, and iron so it will grab
that molecule and release the sodium molecule into the water.
 How does a boiler feed water treatment
system work?
• Dealkalization- After the softening process, some boiler feed water
treatment systems will utilize dealkalization to reduce alkalinity/pH,
an impurity in boiler feed water that can cause foaming, corrosion,
and embrittlement. It is a partial softening process that is also
economical for adjusting the boiler feed water pH.
• Reverse osmosis (RO) and nanofiltration (NF)- Similar
processes of separation, they both force pressurized water through
semipermeable membranes, trapping contaminants such as
bacteria, salts, organics, silica, and hardness, while allowing
concentrated, purified water through.
Not always required in boiler feed water treatment, these filtration
units are used mostly with high-pressure boilers where
concentration of suspended and dissolved solids needs to be
extremely low
 How does a boiler feed water treatment
system work?
• Deaeration or degasification-Any condensate being returned to the
system will mix with the treated makeup water and enter the
deaeration or degasification process.
Any amount of gasses such as oxygen and carbon dioxide can be
extremely corrosive to boiler equipment and piping when they
attach to them, forming oxides and causing rust. Therefore,
removing these gases to acceptable levels (nearly 100%) can be
imperative to the service life and safety of the boiler system.
There are several types of deaeration devices like tray- or spraytype
deaerator for degasification or oxygen scavengers.
After the boiler feed water has been sufficiently purified according to
the boiler manufacturer’s recommendation and other industry-wide
regulations, the water is fed to the boiler where it is heated and used
to generate steam. The condensate is pumped back to process to meet
up pre treatment break up
 Boiler Feed Water Treatment

• Internal water treatment

• Chemicals added to boiler to prevent scale
• Different chemicals for different water types
• Conditions:
–Feed water is low in hardness salts
–Low pressure, high TDS content is tolerated
–Small water quantities treated
• Internal treatment alone not recommended
 Boiler Feed Water Treatment

• External water treatment:

• Removal of suspended/dissolved solids and dissolved gases
• Pre-treatment: sedimentation and settling
• First treatment stage: removal of salts
• Processes
a) Ion exchange
b) Demineralization
c) De-aeration
d) Reverse osmoses
 External Water Treatment

a) Ion-exchange process (softener plant)

• Water passes through bed of natural zeolite of synthetic resin to
remove hardness
• Base exchange: calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) replaced with
sodium (Na) ions
• Does not reduce TDS, blow down quantity and alkalinity
b) Demineralization
• Complete removal of salts
• Cations in raw water replaced with hydrogen ions
c) De-aeration- Two types:Mechanical de-aeration: used prior to
addition of chemical oxygen scavangers. Chemical de-aeration:
removes trace oxygen
 External Water Treatment

Mechanical de-aeration
• O2 and CO2 removed by heating feed water
• Economical treatment process
• Vacuum type can reduce O2 to 0.02 mg/l
• Pressure type can reduce O2 to 0.005 mg/l
Vent
Spray
Boiler Feed
Nozzles
Water
Stea
Scrubber m
Section
(Trays)

Storage
Section

De-aerated
Boiler Feed
Water
d) Reverse osmosis
Osmosis
 Solutions of differing concentrations
 Separated by a semi-permeable membrane
 Water moves to the higher concentration
Reversed osmosis
 Higher concentrated liquid pressurized
 Water moves in reversed direction
 d) Reverse osmosis

• Pressu
re

• Feed • Fresh Water

Water
• More
Concentrated
Solution
• Concentra • Water Flow
te Flow

• Semi Permeable Membrane

• Chemical de-aeration
• Removal of trace oxygen with scavenger
• Sodium sulphite:
–Reacts with oxygen: sodium sulphate
–Increases TDS: increased blow down
• Hydrazine
–Reacts with oxygen: nitrogen + water
–Does not increase TDS: used in high pressure boilers
• Requirements of Boiler feed water
1. It should have zero hardness.
2. It must be free from dissolved gases like O2, CO2, etc.
3. It should be free from suspended impurities.
4. It should be free from dissolved salts and alkalinity.
5. It should be free from turbidity and oil.
6. It should be free from hardness causing and scale forming
constituents like Ca and Mg salts.
 Reliable water guidelines
Specifications of feed water quality
Total dissolved solids < 0.5 ppm
Hardness Nil
pH 8-9
Conductivity 0.2 m/cm max
Silica 0.2 ppm max
Fe 0.2 ppm max
Cu 0.003 ppm max
Oxygen 0.007 ppm

Impurities Problems
Dissolved gases O2/CO2 Corrosion
Hardness Scaling- Ca/Mg salts, carbonates, phosphates, silicates.
High TDS, SS, Alkalinity & Foaming
Organic matter
High OH-Alkalinity Caustic embrittlement/grooving
 Common boiler feed water treatment
issues
• Increase in sludge- If a boiler is seeing higher-than-normal
amounts of sludge, there could be an issue with filtration,
softening method, solids removal upstream or the collected
precipitants from poor water treatment.
• Solids that settle in the low-flow areas of internal piping can
cause an insulation layer to form, causing excessive heating of
the tubes causing localized overheating and eventual blowout.
• Sludge can be reduced by using sludge conditioner which
disperses the sludge so that it can be removed in blowdown.
• New filtration technologies such as micro filtration & ultra
filtration also help in reducing the sludge content.
 Common boiler feed water treatment
issues
• Scale build up- Scaling is a deposit formed on the inside of
piping and heat transfer surfaces when the water is heated
and impurities precipitate or settle out leaving behind
extremely hard deposits.
• Higher-pressure boilers require a higher quality of water with
less contaminants than some lower-pressure boilers.
• For high-pressure boilers, advanced technologies such as
reverse osmosis, electrodeionization, or deionization will be
required.
 S. No. Sludge Scale
1. A loose, slimy and non-adherent A hard and adherent coating
precipitate
2. MgCO3, MgCl2, MgSO4 and Ca(HCO3)2, CaSO4, Mg(OH)2
CaCl2
3. Poor conductors of heat and Decreases the efficiency of
decreases the efficiency of boiler boiler, crack developed leads to
explosion
4. Prevention:
Using softened water Using HCl, H2SO4
By blow-down operation Internal and external
treatment, by applying thermal
shocks, scrapers, wire brush,
etc.
 Common boiler feed water treatment
issues
• Foaming and priming- Foaming and priming in a boiler occurs
when there are high amounts of dissolved solids present at
the water surface.
• When the steam is generated, these impurities bubble up
(foaming) and evaporate with the steam (priming), latching on
to superheaters and turbines, decreasing their efficiency.
• The best way to avoid foaming and priming is to maintain a
low level of dissolved solids and control alkalinity in your
boiler.
• Membrane filtration, ion exchange, and softening can be
helpful, as well as making sure pH remains between 8.5 and
9.5.
 Common boiler feed water treatment
issues

• Corrosion- There are several types of corrosion that can occur

in a boiler, and the type you might encounter can depend on
the proper pH, level of oxygen, amount of solids, and overall
design of the boiler.
• The most common reason is the presence of dissolved oxygen
and carbon dioxide, which eat away at areas of the boiler
causing system stress and cracking.
• The higher the boiler pressures, the more severe the
corrosion.
• When chlorides are present at an unacceptable level, chloride
stress cracking can also occur.
• Maintaining water chemistry, controlling dissolved oxygen &
gases
 BOILER
CORROSION
 What is corrosion?

• The loss of materials(metal and alloys) or its useful properties,

by chemical or electrochemical interaction with its environment
is called corrosion. e.g. Rusting of iron, formation of green layer
on copper surface.
• Corrosion of steel is an “electrochemical process,” involving the
transfer of electrons from atoms in the metal to hydrogen ions
or oxygen in water.
• The corrosion reaction of iron with acid is described by the
equation
Fe + 2H+ →Fe++ + H2
• Another common cathodic process is the reduction of oxygen,
which is written as O2 +4H+ + 4e - = 2H2O.
 Boiler corrosion

• Corrosion is degradation of boiler material. It normally

occurs when oxygen that is dissolved in the water inside the
boiler reacts with the metal. It leads to reduced boiler
performance and life
Causes of Boiler Corrosion
1. Improper and unscheduled maintenance.
2. Exposure of boiler metal to dissolved gases present in BFW
3. Oxygen & Carbon Dioxide present in boiler water
4. Unbalanced pH of boiler water
 Boiler corrosion

• Around 20% of the boiler failures occur due to corrosion.

• Of the corrosion failures, the breakdown by cause:

Boiler feed water 37.2%

Hydrogen damage 20.0%
Ash 19.2%
Oxygen pitting 10.8%
Stress corrosion crack 8.1%
Caustic attack 4.5%
Others 4.0%
 Caustic Corrosion/Caustic gouging

• Caustic corrosion is found in water-cooled tubes in regions of

high heat flux, slanted or horizontal tubes, locations beneath
heavy deposits, and at devices which disrupt flow.
• It refers to the corrosive interaction of sufficiently concentrated
sodium hydroxide with a metal to produce distinct
hemispherical or elliptical depressions. The depressions are
seldom filled with corrosion products.
 Caustic Corrosion

• Caustic soda is sometimes added to the boiler feedwater to

prevent scaling problems
• Concentration of caustic (NaOH) can occur as a result of steam
blanketing (which allow salts to concentrate on boiler metal
surface) or by localized boiling beneath porous deposits on tube
surface.
• Caustic corrosion occurs when caustic is concentrated and
dissolves the protective magnetite (Fe3O4) layer, causing a loss
of base metal and eventual failure.
• Three major causes which lead to caustic corrosion are 1)
susceptible material 2) given chemical species 3) Tensile stress
• .
 Caustic corrosion

Some precautionary measures to control caustic corrosion include:

• Controlling the pH values of boiler feedwater.
• Monitoring the caustic soda (sodium hydroxide) and phosphate
levels.
• If equipment is found with large deposits, it needs to be
operated in a controlled temperature and pH environment with
subsequent removal of the deposits.
• Stress levels on the equipment should be controlled.
• Use of softening reagents such as sodium sulfates, lignin and
tannin should be adopted and sodium carbonates should be
stopped. These reagents soften the hard and brittle portions on
the inner metal surface, block hairline cracks and prevent
infiltration of sodium hydroxide into the areas.
 Acidic/Low-pH Corrosion in service

• When the boiler water pH drops below about 8.5, a corrosion

called acid attack can occur.
• The effect exhibits rough pitted surfaces. The presence of iron
oxide deposits on boiler surfaces can encourage this kind of
corrosion.
 Acid/Low-pH Corrosion during Service

• A low boiler water pH is usually caused by contamination of

the boiler feed water, from sources such as hydrochloric or
sulfuric acid from leaks in demineralizers and condenser of
cooling tower water.
• Contamination can also occur from process leaks of acid or
acid-forming materials into the return condensate system.
• Also, places where deposits or crevices are present, a
concentration of acid-producing salts may induce hydrolysis to
produce localized low-pH conditions, while the bulk water
remains alkaline.
 Acidic/Low-pH Corrosion in service

Steps to prevent acidic corrosion:

• Prevent inadvertent release of acidic regeneration chemicals
from makeup water demineralizers.
• Prevent in-leakage of acid-producing salts, such as calcium
chloride and magnesium chloride, into condensers
• Prevent contamination of steam and condensate by process
streams.
• Prevent nucleate bubbling.
• Prevent excessive water-side deposition.
• Prevent the creation of waterlines in tubes.
 Low-pH Corrosion during Acid Cleaning

• Corrosion of the internal surfaces of a boiler that results from

low-pH exposure may occur during acid cleaning if proper
procedures are not followed.
• Heat-transfer surfaces and weldments may experience
vigorous attack.
• The surface usually has a rough or jagged appearance.
• To stifle this corrosion process, inhibitors are added to acid-
cleaning solutions
• used in boilers.
 Low-pH Corrosion during Acid Cleaning

• Attack generally can first be observed at tube ends in mud and

steam drums, at ends of sheet or plate steel, and at ends of bolts.
• All areas of the boiler may not be affected to the same degree.
Stressed metal, welded joints, crevices, and other shielded
regions may suffer more intense damage.
This can be prevented by:
a) Deposit-weight measurements will aid in determination of
proper acid strength, exposure time, and quantity of acid
required.
b) Deposit analyses will help in determination of appropriate
cleaning agents.
c) Solution temperature and the metal temperature should be
safely below the thermal breakdown point of the inhibitor.
 Oxygen Corrosion
• Oxygen attack is a kind of corrosion on a metal surface caused by
dissolved oxygen in water. oxygen attack is a problem frequently
found in idle boilers.
• Three critical factors govern the onset and progress of oxygen
attack or corrosion: a) Presence of moisture or water b) Presence
of dissolved oxygen c) Unprotected metal surface.
• It can be identified by simple visual examination is sufficient if
affected surfaces are accessible.
• Oxygen pits can act as stress-concentration sites, and lead to
development of corrosion-fatigue cracks, caustic cracks
 Oxygen Corrosion

• Locations of Oxygen corrosion include Carbon steel heat

exchangers, water boxes, screen pumps, service water piping,
standing pipes, fire protection system: All non-SS Systems.
• Possible causes of excessive levels of dissolved oxygen are, for
example, a malfunctioning deaerator, improper feed of oxygen-
scavenging chemicals, or air in-leakage.
• An idle boiler during wet lay-up requires use of sufficiently high
levels of oxygen-scavenging chemicals, and maintenance of
properly adjusted pH levels and periodic water circulation.
• Idle boiler during dry lay-up depends upon elimination of
moisture/ oxygen which is done by use of desiccants, nitrogen
blankets, or the continuous circulation of dry, dehumidified air.
• Protection of a boiler following acid cleaning is achieved by
developing a protective iron oxide coating on the metal surface
 Fire-Side Corrosion

• There are various types of fire side corrosion like

1. Oil ash corrosion
2. Coal ash corrosion
3. Water wall fire side corrosion
4. Cold end corrosion during service
5. Dewpoint corrosion during idle periods
• In a combustion device, the flue-gas temperature ranges from
1650 o C in the flame to 121oC or less at the exhaust stack.
• As combustion products cool on their way to the exhaust
stack, gaseous products may condense to liquids, and liquids
may freeze to solids.
• The presence of these liquid substances may be responsible
for difficulties with fire-side corrosion.
 Oil/coal AshCorrosion

• Fireside corrosion in the superheaters and reheaters of coal-

fired units is known as coal ash corrosion, in oil-fired units as oil
ash corrosion, and in refuse-fired boilers as ash corrosion.
• Oil/coal Ash corrosion is a high-temperature, liquid-phase
corrosion phenomenon generally occurring in furnace where
metal temperatures are in the range of 593 to 816oC.
• The mechanism in each case is similar, but the low-melting
species in each is different. In coal ash corrosion, the low-
melting species would be sodium or potassium iron
trisulphates (Na3Fe(SO4)3 or K3Fe(SO4)3);
• In oil ash corrosion they would be V2O5-Na2O or V2O5-Na2SO4;
and in refuse-fired boilers it would be chlorides of iron and zinc
along with other possibilities
 Oil/coal Ash Corrosion

Oil ash corrosion

• The corrosion rate in coal ash corrosion, between 600oC and
675oC, is very high. In this temperature range, Na2SO4
/K2SO4 reacts with surface oxides in the presence of SO3 to
form complex liquid sulfates (Na3Fe(SO4)3 or K3Fe(SO4)3) that
result in rapid corrosion.
• Above 1,250F the corrosion rate is decreased significantly due
to decomposition of these complex liquid trisulfates.
 Oil/coal Ash Corrosion

• The corrosion constituents in oil ash corrosion are vanadium,

sodium, potassium, and sulfur. The combustion of fuel oil may
produce low-melting species V2O5-Na2O, V2O5-K2O, V2O5-Na2SO4,
and V2O5-K2SO4.
• The melting points of these compounds range between 540oC
and 850oC, depending on composition.
• In refuse-fired boilers, chloride and sulfate species lead to the
formation of low-melting- point liquids on the tube surface that
may contain iron, zinc, lead, and sodium.
• These species dissolve the protective iron oxide and expose the
bare steel to the corrosive environment, resulting in thickness
loss.
 Oil/coal Ash Corrosion
• Reducing conditions inside the furnace may lead to the
formation of iron sulfide instead of iron oxide.
• Hydrogen chloride can more easily attack iron sulfides, rather
than oxides, to form iron chloride as a corrosion product.
• This iron chloride has a relatively low boiling point, and therefore
vaporizes in the superheater/reheater temperature range
leading to loss of iron.
 Prevention:
• ultrasonic thickness measurement is done to assess the extent
and severity of the attack
• Eliminate the corrosive constituents present in the fuel. If
elimination is not possible, additives are added to prevent low
melting eutectic formation.
• Temperatures should not exceed593oC (superheater & reheater).
 Waterwall - Fire-Side Corrosion

• Waterwall-fire-side corrosion may develop when incomplete

fuel combustion occurs (reducing conditions).
• Incomplete combustion causes release of volatile sulfur
compounds like Sodium and potassium pyrosulfates having
melting points of 427oC or less.
• These molten slags may flux the protective magnetite on tube
surfaces, causing accelerated metal deterioration along the
crown of the tube.
• Insufficient oxygen, poor combustion condition and steady or
intermittent flame contact with furnace wall in the burner
zone are factors in development of waterwall corrosion.
• Coals that are capable of forming an ash with a low fusion
temperature, produce a hot, fuel-rich corrosion environment.
 Waterwall - Fire-Side Corrosion
• Waterwall-fire-side corrosion is frequently characterized by
metal loss along the crown of the tube.
• Corroded regions may be covered by abnormally thick layers of
iron oxide and iron sulfide corrosion products.
• Irregular combustion, malfunctioning burners, long flames, and
high carbon content of the ash (3% or more), indicate that
waterwall corrosion may be occurring.
• Ultrasonic thickness measurement may determine extent of
corrosion
 Waterwall - Fire-Side Corrosion

 Prevention
• improving burning efficiency by grinding coal to a finer, more
uniform size
• balancing fuel supply to individual burners
• adjusting burners to prevent flame impingement and
increasing and redistributing secondary air.
• A furnace modification may be required for significant change
in burning efficiency.
• If damage is minor, patch welding of affected areas may be
satisfactory.
• If damage is severe, installation of thicker tubes or tubes of
corrosion-resistant alloy, thermal spray coatings, cladding can
be explored.
 Cold-End Corrosion during Service

• The sulfur content in the fuel is the major cause of the cold end
corrosion.
• When the sulfur burns in the boiler, it forms sulfur dioxide
which is relatively harmless. However, the SO2 is further
oxidized to from SO3 as a result of the catalytic effects of
vanadium pentoxide(V2O5) or iron oxide(Fe2O3) in the fuel itself.
• presence of even a very small quantities of SO3 reacts with the
steam or water in the flue gas to form sulphuric acid.
• If the sulfuric acid vapor contacts a relatively cool surface, it
may condense as liquid sulfuric acid.
 Cold-End Corrosion during Service

• The temperature at which sulfuric acid first condenses varies

from 116 to 166 ° C.
• It is termed cold end corrosion because it affects cooler
regions in system.
• It is identified by general, smooth, featureless metal loss.
Rough, rust-colored surfaces also may be observed
 Cold-End Corrosion during Service

 Prevention
• Reducing the excess air flow- Minimizing the excess air supply
to the combustion chamber will drastically reduce the
formation of sulfur trioxide.
• Reducing the fuel sulfur content- It is always preferred to use
less sulfur fuel
• Reducing Moisture Content in the Fuel gas- fuel moisture will be
reduced by various methods for proper storage and preheating
of coal.
• Reducing the steam leakage rate – Steam leakage adds to the
moisture.
• Fuel & fluegas additives- They control catalytic reaction for
formation of sulphur trioxide.
 Dew-Point Corrosion during Idle
Periods
• Dew-point corrosion during idle periods can occur in the
economizer, and also anywhere in the boiler where external
surfaces can be covered with acid-forming, sulfurous deposits.
• As the boiler cools, the temperature of its external surface
may drop below the dew point, allowing moisture to form on
tube surfaces.
• Moisture, in combination with sulfurous deposits, may form a
low-pH electrolyte that is capable of generating corrosion
rates of 500 mil/y (12.7 mm/y).
• Typically metal attack is confined to surfaces that were
covered with the sulfurous ash deposits.
 Dew-Point Corrosion during Idle
Periods
 Prevention-
• Specify fuels with lower sulfur content.
• Remove fire-side deposition from metal surfaces immediately
after boiler shutdown by using high-pressure water sprays. This
should be followed by a lime wash to neutralize remaining
acidic substances. Allow the metal surfaces to air-dry.
• Fire-side metal can be protected from rust by coating metal
surfaces with a light oil.
• .
 Hydrogen Damage

• Hydrogen damage may occur where corrosion reactions result

in the production of atomic hydrogen.
• Damage may result from a high-pH corrosion reaction or from a
low-pH corrosion reaction.
• It generally occurs in water-cooled tubes. Damage usually
occurs in regions of high heat flux; beneath heavy deposits; in
slanted or horizontal tubes and in heat-transfer regions at or
adjacent to backing rings at welds, or near other devices that
disrupt flow.
• Atomic hydrogen may be liberated during corrosion resulting
from local low-pH conditions. This atomic hydrogen is capable
of diffusing into the metal and reacting to form molecular
hydrogen or methane.
 Hydrogen Damage

• Since neither molecular hydrogen nor methane is capable of

diffusing through the steel, these gases accumulate, primarily
at grain boundaries.
• Eventually, gas pressures will cause separation of the metal at
its grain boundaries, producing discontinuous intergranular
microcracks.
 Hydrogen damage

 Prevention
• Reduce free Sodium Hydroxide
• Prevent inadvertent release of regeneration chemicals from
makeup-water demineralizers.
• Prevent condenser in-leakage
• Prevent contamination of steam and condensate by process
streams
• Prevent excessive water-side depositions
• Prevent waterline formation