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10187 Corrosion of the 304L Stainless Steel Trays in an Amine Unit

Product Number: 51300-10187-SG
ISBN: 10187 2010 CP
Author: Jeffrey Xie, Vasily Simanzhenkov, Bill Santos, Katherine Ikeda
Publication Date: 2010
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$20.00
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Some stainless steel trays were found corroded in an amine unit during a turnaround in one of the plants. Corrosion products and corrosion features were characterized on three tray samples through various techniques: XRD, SEM/EDX, TGA-FTIR, ICP-MS, head-space GS-MS. Only part of the steel trays was visually corroded, with black, grey, or rusty brown colored corrosion products. The uncorroded steel surface no longer showed original shiny grey surface, rather a slightly greenish discoloration.

Evidence of intergranular corrosion, however, was found in the visually un-corroded and discolored steel surface, which was mainly covered by FeCO3. The corrosion products on the visually corroded surface were identified as mainly FeCO3 and FeS; in addition, some organics and foreign elements were also discovered in the corrosion products.

Based on the fact part of the steel trays was corroded and the splashed S-rich deposits were still present on the visually uncorroded surface without being washed away, it was reasonably stated that these amine trays of concern were not always or completely wetted by the amine solution during process condition. Condensation or deposits, therefore, could adhere to the surface, resulting in the formation of intergranular corrosion across the steel surface. Splashing, caused by foaming and freefall impact from the amine solution, wetted some of intergranularly corroded surface with S-containing solution with/without small particulates. The steel at these areas started to crack. The attacked grainboundaries opened up, resulting in the disintegration of the grains. Circular pits were subsequently formed. With the expansion and coalescence of the pits, large amounts of materials were wasted, leading to severe corrosion of the amine trays. Key Words: amine, corrosion, intergranular corrosion, pits, contaminants, S-containing compounds
Some stainless steel trays were found corroded in an amine unit during a turnaround in one of the plants. Corrosion products and corrosion features were characterized on three tray samples through various techniques: XRD, SEM/EDX, TGA-FTIR, ICP-MS, head-space GS-MS. Only part of the steel trays was visually corroded, with black, grey, or rusty brown colored corrosion products. The uncorroded steel surface no longer showed original shiny grey surface, rather a slightly greenish discoloration.

Evidence of intergranular corrosion, however, was found in the visually un-corroded and discolored steel surface, which was mainly covered by FeCO3. The corrosion products on the visually corroded surface were identified as mainly FeCO3 and FeS; in addition, some organics and foreign elements were also discovered in the corrosion products.

Based on the fact part of the steel trays was corroded and the splashed S-rich deposits were still present on the visually uncorroded surface without being washed away, it was reasonably stated that these amine trays of concern were not always or completely wetted by the amine solution during process condition. Condensation or deposits, therefore, could adhere to the surface, resulting in the formation of intergranular corrosion across the steel surface. Splashing, caused by foaming and freefall impact from the amine solution, wetted some of intergranularly corroded surface with S-containing solution with/without small particulates. The steel at these areas started to crack. The attacked grainboundaries opened up, resulting in the disintegration of the grains. Circular pits were subsequently formed. With the expansion and coalescence of the pits, large amounts of materials were wasted, leading to severe corrosion of the amine trays. Key Words: amine, corrosion, intergranular corrosion, pits, contaminants, S-containing compounds
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