Corrosion of support materials

Results from a heavily fouled 19 tube C-E model boiler test to investigate the potential for egg crate corrosion in aggressively fouled AVT chemistry are reported. Substantial support plate and egg crate corrosion was produced in this test. Carbon steel drilled support plates exhibited extensive denting which resulted in flow hole ligament cracking. Corrosion of the carbon steel egg crate, through-wall at areas of tube contact, resulted in denting of the Alloy 600 heat transfer tubes. Corrosion performance of the 409 stainless steel egg crate was improved compared to the carbon steel egg crate although localized through-wall corrosion was noted. The results from the above test and previously reported tests were compared based on the following simplifying assumptions: maximum dent size and/or corrosion penetrations utilized, average bulk water chloride concentrations, pilling bedworth ratios, pot and model boilers data are equivalent, heat flux not significantly variable, and plot is semi-quantitative. Conclusions based on plots of maximum corrosion rates as a function of average bulk water chloride concentrations are presented. Finally, the corrosion performance of the various materials of construction for support systems were ranked for each test. Final material selection for future support systems must be based on a balance of thermal/hydraulic, metallurgical, corrosion and design considerations