Aluminium Platefin Mercury Corrosion
Aluminium Platefin Mercury Corrosion
In what circumstances, such corrosion is likely to happen and what sort of preventive inspection & maintenance must be performed to avoid that?
Re: Aluminium Platefin Mercury Corrosion
Mercury attack is most likely when:
The natural gas or condensate contains elemental mercury, even at very low concentrations (typically in the µg/Nm3 range).
An aluminium plate-fin heat exchanger is installed downstream of the gas stream.
Mercury removal units (MRUs) are absent, bypassed, saturated, or not performing effectively.
Mercury condenses or accumulates in cryogenic sections due to low temperatures.
Aluminium is subjected to tensile stress (residual welding stress or operating stress), making it susceptible to liquid metal embrittlement.
The natural gas or condensate contains elemental mercury, even at very low concentrations (typically in the µg/Nm3 range).
An aluminium plate-fin heat exchanger is installed downstream of the gas stream.
Mercury removal units (MRUs) are absent, bypassed, saturated, or not performing effectively.
Mercury condenses or accumulates in cryogenic sections due to low temperatures.
Aluminium is subjected to tensile stress (residual welding stress or operating stress), making it susceptible to liquid metal embrittlement.
Re: Aluminium Platefin Mercury Corrosion
Do you confirm downstream of gas stream you have any Al plate fin exchanger installed?
And at the same time, presence of mercury is confirmed in gas stream?
As far as I know this damage is preventable as per design itself.
And at the same time, presence of mercury is confirmed in gas stream?
As far as I know this damage is preventable as per design itself.
Re: Aluminium Platefin Mercury Corrosion
Yes some the old facilities have them with no mercury over the years of operation.
However, things have changed recently where we might be expecting a feed with carryover of mercury.
However, things have changed recently where we might be expecting a feed with carryover of mercury.