High-temperature corrosion

High-temperature corrosion denotes the reaction of metallic materials with hot gases, frequently also termed as high-temperature oxidation. The reaction with the components of the hot gas can either be a direct one, or an indirect one via the formation of a flow phase (oxide deposition). High-temperature oxidation occurs in consequence of high process and ambient temperatures in combustion chambers, pipes, heat exchangers and other component parts of power generation and conversion plant, for instance in the combustion chamber of conventional coal-fired power stations and steam boilers, in coal gasification plants, solar power plants, hot-gas turbines and jet engines, but also in petrochemical plants such as pyrolysis pipes of crack plants. The high-temperature oxidation processes, which cause the formation of thick reaction layers, and resulting damage are often termed as scaling, the corrosion products as scale. (orig./HP)