Corrosion behavior of iron and nickel base alloys under solid oxide fuel cell exposure conditions

Topography and phase composition of the scales formed on commercial ferritic stainless steels and experimental low CTE nickel-based alloys were studied in atmospheres simulating solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) environments. The materials were studied under dual environment conditions with air on one side of the sample and carbon monoxide on the other side at 750°C. Surface characterization techniques, such as scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction analysis were used in this study

Oxidation of advanced steam turbine alloys

Advanced or ultra supercritical (USC) steam power plants offer the promise of higher efficiencies and lower emissions. Current goals of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Power Systems Initiatives include coal generation at 60% efficiency, which would require steam temperatures of up to 760°C. This research examines the steamside oxidation of advanced alloys for use in USC systems, with emphasis placed on alloys for high- and intermediate-pressure turbine sections

Corrosion behavior of experimental and commercial nickel-base alloys in HCl and HCl containing Fe3+

The effects of ferric ions on the corrosion resistance and electrochemical behavior of a series of Ni-based alloys in 20% HCl at 30ºC were investigated. The alloys studied were those prepared by the Albany Research Center (ARC), alloys J5, J12, J13, and those sold commercially, alloys 22, 242, 276, and 2000. Tests included mass loss, potentiodynamic polarization, and linear polarization

Determining the Cause of a Header Failure in a Natural Gas Production Facility

An investigation was made into the premature failure of a gas-header at the Rocky Mountain Oilfield Testing Center (RMOTC) natural gas production facility. A wide variety of possible failure mechanisms were considered: design of the header, deviation from normal pipe alloy composition, physical orientation of the header, gas composition and flow rate, type of corrosion, protectiveness of the interior oxide film, time of wetness, and erosion-corrosion. The failed header was examined using metallographic techniques, scanning electron microscopy, and microanalysis. A comparison of the failure site and an analogous site that had not failed, but exhibited similar metal thinning was also performed. From these studies it was concluded that failure resulted from erosion-corrosion, and that design elements of the header and orientation with respect to gas flow contributed to the mass loss at the failure point

Fireside corrosion probes--an update

The ability to monitor the corrosion degradation of key metallic components in fossil fuel power plants will become increasingly important for FutureGen and ultra-supercritical power plants. A number of factors (ash deposition, coal composition changes, thermal gradients, and low NOx conditions, among others) which occur in the high temperature sections of energy production facilities, will contribute to fireside corrosion. Several years of research have shown that high temperature corrosion rate probes need to be better understood before corrosion rate can be used as a process variable by power plant operators. Our recent research has shown that electrochemical corrosion probes typically measure lower corrosion rates than those measured by standard mass loss techniques. While still useful for monitoring changes in corrosion rates, absolute probe corrosion rates will need a calibration factor to be useful. Continuing research is targeted to help resolve these issues

High temperature electrochemical corrosion rate probes

Corrosion occurs in the high temperature sections of energy production plants due to a number of factors: ash deposition, coal composition, thermal gradients, and low NOx conditions, among others. Electrochemical corrosion rate (ECR) probes have been shown to operate in high temperature gaseous environments that are similar to those found in fossil fuel combustors. ECR probes are rarely used in energy production plants at the present time, but if they were more fully understood, corrosion could become a process variable at the control of plant operators. Research is being conducted to understand the nature of these probes. Factors being considered are values selected for the Stern-Geary constant, the effect of internal corrosion, and the presence of conductive corrosion scales and ash deposits. The nature of ECR probes will be explored in a number of different atmospheres and with different electrolytes (ash and corrosion product). Corrosion rates measured using an electrochemical multi-technique capabilities instrument will be compared to those measured using the linear polarization resistance (LPR) technique. In future experiments, electrochemical corrosion rates will be compared to penetration corrosion rates determined using optical profilometry measurements

Corrosion probes for fireside monitoring in coal-fired boilers

Corrosion probes are being developed and combined with an existing measurement technology to provide a tool for assessing the extent of corrosion of metallic materials on the fireside in coal-fired boilers. The successful development of this technology will provide power plant operators the ability to (1) accurately monitor metal loss in critical regions of the boiler, such as waterwalls, superheaters, and reheaters; and (2) use corrosion rates as process variables. In the former, corrosion data could be used to schedule maintenance periods and in the later, processes can be altered to decrease corrosion rates. The research approach involves laboratory research in simulated environments that will lead to field tests of corrosion probes in coal-fired boilers. Laboratory research has already shown that electrochemically-measured corrosion rates for ash-covered metals are similar to actual mass loss corrosion rates. Electrochemical tests conducted using a potentiostat show the corrosion reaction of ash-covered probes at 500?C to be electrochemical in nature. Corrosion rates measured are similar to those from an automated corrosion monitoring system. Tests of corrosion probes made with mild steel, 304L stainless steel (SS), and 316L SS sensors showed that corrosion of the sensors in a very aggressive incinerator ash was controlled by the ash and not by the alloy content. Corrosion rates in nitrogen atmospheres tended to decrease slowly with time. The addition of oxygen-containing gases, oxygen and carbon dioxide to nitrogen caused a more rapid decrease in corrosion rate, while the addition of water vapor increased the corrosion rate

Oxidation of alloys targeted for advanced steam turbines

Ultra supercritical (USC) power plants offer the promise of higher efficiencies and lower emissions. Current goals of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Power Systems Initiatives include coal generation at 60% efficiency, which would require steam temperatures of up to 760°C. This research examines the steamside oxidation of alloys for use in USC systems, with emphasis placed on applications in high- and intermediate-pressure turbines

Fireside corrosion probes for fossil fuel combustion

Electrochemical corrosion rate probes have been constructed and tested along with mass loss coupons in environments consisting of N2/O2/CO2/SO2 plus water vapor. Temperatures ranged from 450° to 700°C. Results show that electrochemical corrosion rates for ash-covered mild steel are a function of time, temperature, and gaseous environment. Correlation between the electrochemical and mass loss corrosion rates was poor