AMINES BOILERS COPPER CORROSION EPRI IRON MAGNETITE OXYGEN RESEARCH POWER STEAM

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Abstract

This article is a progress report about research at a power station to test alternative methods for treating boiler water with filming amines. It follows on from an article published in February 2016. In part, it examines these power industry trends:

1. Traditionally base-loaded plants have continued to cycle more frequently.

2. No industry-wide changes or guidance have come out regarding how plants should handle outages of intermediate duration.

3. Environmental, operational and financial pressures have continued to drive the search for ways to reduce wear-and-tear on older units to keep them viable in today’s power market.

These industry trends have forced utilities to address old problems in new ways. Oxygen corrosion is common in cycling units. As components cool, they draw a vacuum, introducing air into the system. Even if components are drained, they still present a perfect environment for oxygen corrosion. The result:  degradation of the components and the presence of corrosion products in the steam cycle.

The easiest solution would be to simply base load all the power plants. That’s also the least practical solution. The trend toward more cyclical operation shows no indication of slowing down; the need to protect power plants operating cyclically will continue. This article discusses a chemical corrosion inhibition approach that has shown promise in mitigating the effects of cyclical boiler system operation.

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