Engineering Failure Analysis 28 (2013) 208214

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Engineering Failure Analysis

journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/engfailanal

Failure analysis of spiral nned tube on the economizer

ZhiYuan Liang, QinXin Zhao
Key Laboratory of Thermal Fluid Science and Engineering of MOE, School of Energy and Power Engineering, Xi an Jiaotong University, Shaanxi Xi an 710049, China

a r t i c l e

i n f o

Article history:
Received 20 August 2012
Received in revised form 1 October 2012
Accepted 2 October 2012
Available online 7 November 2012
Keywords:
Economizer
Piral nned tube
Wear mechanism
Dew point corrosion

a b s t r a c t
This article describes the results of an investigation about the failure of spiral nned tube
on a newly designed and retrotted low pressure economizer in a 300 MW pulverizedcoal-red power plant. In order to nd out the failure causes and to suggest preventive
measures, phase compositions and macrostructure of the tube metal surface were investigated by X-Ray Diffraction and Scanning Electron Microscope equipped with energy dispersive X-Ray spectroscopy micro-analysis. The results show that the failure was
principally owing to comprehensive multiphase erosion, an interaction of the y ash wearing, ue gas washing and sulfurous acid corrosion. Recommendations are given to minimize such failures.
2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

1. Introduction
Recently gas deep cooling system is used to cool the ue gas and to utilize the considerable waste heat, which will somehow damage the economizer because of very low temperature. The gas deep cooling system is consist of a economizer tube
bundles and a condensate water circulating loop from lower temperature to be heated to a higher temperature. The low
pressure economizer was newly designed and retrotted closely in front of the ue gas enter of the FGD (ue gas desulfurization) tower in a 300 MW pulverized-coal-red power plant, the water inlet and outlet temperature is 83.8 C and 118 C,
the ue gas inlet and outlet temperature is 152 C and 115 C. The spiral nned economizer tube bundles under investigation
was built with ND steel, a low alloy which has the composition of Cr-0.8%, Cu-0.36%, Sb-0.06% for resisting acid dew point
corrosion, after 3 months, the local spiral nned tube was found eroded seriously. And the failed position is at windward side
in tube. At the same time, there existed similar instance in other power plant [1,4]. To prevent further erosion, the failure
mechanism occurred on the economizer should be studied in detail. Table 1 shows the original and present size of spiral
nned tube, and we can see that erosion is quite serious.

2. Visual examination
Fig. 1 shows photographs of the sample from spiral nned tube in the economizer. The samples were visually examined.
Fig. 1b shows that the n at leeward side in the tube is relatively complete. Tubes are covered by a thick deposit of y ashes
and the ashes show excellent adhesion. However, the n at windward side in tube disappears entirely, as showed in Fig. 1a.
Tubes are covered by thin deposits that the surface is white while the inner is reddish brown1. Even welds between the tube
and the n can be seen easily. Fig. 1c shows that the n at ank in tube nearly disappears and copious deposit of y ashes
accumulates throughout the gas owing.
Corresponding author. Tel.: +86 15209279061.
1

E-mail address: zhaoqx@mail.xjtu.edu.cn (Q. Zhao).

For interpretation of color in Fig. 1, the reader is referred to the web version of this article.

1350-6307/$ - see front matter 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.engfailanal.2012.10.010

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Z. Liang, Q. Zhao / Engineering Failure Analysis 28 (2013) 208214

Table 1
Original and present size of spiral nned tube.
Name

Fins height (mm)

Tube thickness (mm)

Spiral distance (mm)

Fins thickness (mm)

Original numerical
Present numerical

19
0.518.5

3
3

8
8.18

1.2
1.0

Fig. 1. The morphology of spiral nned tube: (a) windward side, (b) leeward side, (c) ank, and (d) part of 1(b).

3. Materials and methods

After visual inspection of the spiral nned tube, three samples were prepared for microstructural analysis. The rst is the
surface of the n (A). The second is the surface of the spiral nned tube at the windward side (B) and the third was taken
from the section of spiral nned tube (C) as showed in Fig. 2. After polish by SiC papers, the third sample was evidenced
by nital etching 5% nitric acid in 100 mL ethanol. The samples were analyzed by the scanning electron microscope equipped
with energy dispersive X-Ray spectroscopy micro-analysis (JED 2200), both in secondary electrons and back scattering mode.
Four samples of the outer and inner deposit were analyzed by X-Ray Diffraction.
4. Results
4.1. Analysis of ash deposits on spiral nned tube
In order to nd out the main composition of the deposits, X-Ray Diffraction was used to gure out the difference the
deposits. The X-Ray Diffraction of ash deposits on spiral nned tubes leeward side shows that main components of ash
deposits are FeSO4, CaSO4 and SiO2. Moreover, sulfates, nitrates, and non-soluble oxide are the main composition, as showed
in Figs. 3 and 4. It is worth noting that the ash contains nitrate particles which are derived from nitrogen oxide produced in

Fig. 2. Photograph of the failed spiral nned tube. A, B, and C denote the areas from where samples have been taken for microstructural analysis.

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Z. Liang, Q. Zhao / Engineering Failure Analysis 28 (2013) 208214

(a)

(b)
8000

Intensity

1:FeSO4 4H 2O

1:KNO3

1+2

3:CaSO4 2H2O

2:SiO2

2:SiO2

Intensity

7000

6000

31

5000

3: Al4.75Si1.25O9.63

6000

4:NaNO3

5:CaSO4 .2H2O

3
4

33

4000

4000
2000
5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85

5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85

Fig. 3. The XRD of ash deposits on spiral nned tube at leeward side. (a) Inner layer, (b) outer layer.

8000

3+4

2:CaSO4 .2H2O

3:KNO3

Intensity

4:SiO2

5000

4000

6000

Intensity

1 1
2
1

1:Al4.75Si1.25O9.63

1
2

1: Al4.75Si1.25O9.63

6000

3:CaSO4 2H2O
2:SiO2

3
3
1

3
11

4000

2000

5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85

5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85

Fig. 4. The XRD of ash deposits on spiral nned tubes windward side and ank.

the combustion process under high temperature. As a result, we can initially gure out that the failure was relevant to acid
corrosion.
4.2. SEM and EDS Analyses
In this section, we focus on the morphology and the deposits of the n. SEM morphology of n (Fig. 5) shows that the
uneven surface of the n was corroded severely so that we would see obvious cracks. The corrosion products morphologies
can be divided in two categories: one is tabular mixed with little laments; the other is spherical (particles diameter ranges
from 1 to 3 lm), as showed in Fig. 5d. Therefore, EDS (Fig. 5d) analyses were used to determine the elemental compositions
of the n and the deposits/scales on the boiler economizer tubes. The EDS prole shows Fe, Si, Al and O in high concentrations with a low content of K and Na. Therefore, we suppose that the products at the surface of the n are Na2(K)CO3, SiO2
and a mixture of Fe3O4 and Fe2O3. Also, the source of the K and Na compounds is from the y ash in ue gas.
In second section, we focus on the question why spiral nned tube at wind-ward side erodes so serious. Deriving from
Fig. 6, the surface of spiral nned tube is smooth and has slightly grainy bumps. It comes to our attention that there are many
black areas in Fig. 6b. After partial enlargement we can see cellular which the edge is black in Fig. 6c; under larger magnication the structure of cellular is spinel structure which is the mixture of Fe2O3 and Fe3O4 by preliminary analysis.
In order to determine the chemical composition of the black area, EDS analysis was performed. The EDS prole shows Fe
and O in high concentrations with low amounts S and C. Black areas contain sulfates and have good moisture absorption as a
consequence of the presence of SiO2 granular particles; moisture is conrmed by the high O content detected.

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211

Fig. 5. The SEM morphology of n. Magnication: (a) 100, (b) 500, (c) and (d) 2000.

Fig. 6. The SEM morphology of spiral nned tube at windward side. Magnication: (a) 30, (b) 100, (c) 500, and (d) 2000.

Fig. 7 shows that n tip is sleek. After removing the ash, the surface appears seriously corroded. The most prominent corrosion mechanism is pitting as showed in the black zones in Fig. 7. EDS analysis of corroded areas is shown in Fig. 8. And the
formation of shallow pits is typical for dew point corrosion on steel.

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Fig. 7. The SEM morphology of the section of spiral nned tube and ntip.

Fig. 8. The EDS energy spectrum of the section of spiral nned tube.

In conclusion, a proportion of condensed sulfuric acid neutralizes alkaline ash, and the remaining acid reacts with the
metal through ash layer. In addition, nned tubes also undergo redox corrosion because oxygen can inltrate the ash layer.

5. Discussion
According to the coal element analysis, the sulfuric acid dew point which can be calculated by empirical equation is about
106 C, and the lowest tube metal wall temperature is 85 C, a little more higher than water inlet temperature 83.8 C, under
this circumstances, the dry SO3 would be changed into wet SO3 with water vapor, and continually into H2SO4 gas, and it
would condensate on the tube metal wall surface [14], based on the relation between metal wall temperature and sulfuric
acid concentration, we deduce that the sulfuric acid concentration is greater than 60% and the metal corrosion rate would be
controlled in very low limited level, then what makes the severe failure?
Besides, nitrates were also found in the ash deposits, this means nitrogen oxide and vapor have combined and condensed
on the tube surface, but as we all know that nitric acid dew point is under 60 C, so it is unreasonable to form nitrates condensate on 85 C tube metal wall temperature, then what is causes to form nitrates?
With the above two questions, we investigated the location of spiral nned tube and found that there was much liquid
from the ue gas enter of the FGD splashing on the ceiling plate which was designed to safeguard the spiral nned tube bundles, but the liquid from FGD is completely dilute sulfurous acid such as H2SO3, H2SO4 and HNO3, it corrode severely and
penetrate into through the ceiling plate to the spiral nned tube bundles just below the leakage holes, so we deduce that
the splashing dilute H2SO3, H2SO4 and HNO3 from the enter of FGD cause sulfurous acid corrosion [58], which interacted
with the y ash wearing and ue gas washing, lead to comprehensive multiphase erosion damage, in reality, the local uneven
ue gas ow are also an important cause which aggravate erosion.
FeSO4, CaSO4 and SiO2 were found in the ash deposits. Also, S was found in the section of spiral nned tube (3.22%) and on
the surface of the spiral nned tube at the windward side. Therefore, the failure was mainly owing to sulfurous (H2SO3 and
H2SO4) dew point corrosion. And when fuel containing sulfur or sulfur compounds are subjected to combustion, the sulfur

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213

Fig. 9. The impact of gas/ash ow.

present in the fuel oxidizes to form SO2 and a small amount of SO3 [4]. Since the metal wall temperature of spiral nned tube
is lower than sulfuric acid dew point temperature, sulfuric acid would condense on the tube wall which reacts with alkaline
ash to form sulfate. The reaction equations are as follows (R represents Na, Ca, Mg).

SO3 H2 O H2 SO4

H2 SO4 Fe FeSO4 H2

RO H2 SO4 RSO4 H2 O

Fe2 O3 3H2 SO4 3H2 O Fe2 SO4 3

Moreover, when the gas temperature is as much as 152 C, the reaction between H2SO4 and oxides can occur.
And nitrate and silica in ashes are partly depositing on the surface of the spiral nned tube with ue gas owing. At the
same time, other y ash impacts surface of economizer tube bundles heavily. Because y ash carried by ue gas has high
hardness and kinetic energy, it will produce shock and cutting action on metal surface by consuming its kinetic energy,
as showed in Fig. 9.
As a result, the mechanism of erosion and its failure causes would be very complicated and be deduced as follows:
(1) The failure mechanism of spiral nned tube is comprehensive multiphase erosion.
(2) The failure cause of spiral nned tube is owing to the interactive effect of the sulfuric acid dew point corrosion, the
splashing dilute H2SO3, H2SO4 and HNO3 corrosion, y ash wearing and ue gas washing.
In addition, some recommendations are provide as following to protect the economizer:
 Despite the spiral nned tube can be run at metal wall temperature under the sulfuric acid dew point, we hope the spiral
nned tube metal wall temperature must be maintain high enough to obtain higher sulfuric acid concentration more than
60% and this would control sulfuric acid dew point corrosion in very low limited level.
 The splashing of dilute H2SO3, H2SO4 and HNO3 From FGD is detrimental denitely for the spiral nned tube bundles in
retrotted low pressure economizer program.
 Local Uneven ue gas ow should be avoided aggravating erosion heavily.
 On-line detection system should be used to predict the spiral nned tube leakage because once the water in the tube leak
out, water would dilute H2SO3, H2SO4 and HNO3 which would lead to erosion seriously.
6. Conclusions
 Sulfates, nitrates, non-soluble oxide and a small amount of Fe oxides and sulfates are the main compositions of the deposits ash on the spiral nned tube.
 The mechanism why spiral nned tube corroded seriously is principally owing to comprehensive multiphase erosion, the
cause is an interaction of the y ash wearing, the ue gas washing, the sulfuric acid dew point corrosion and the splashing
dilute H2SO3, H2SO4 and HNO3 corrosion.
 Dilute H2SO3, H2SO4 and HNO3 and Local Uneven ue gas ow should be avoided to aggravating erosion heavily and a
tube detection system should be used to predict water leakage.

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Acknowledgements
This work is supported by the Program for the 12th Five-year the National Key Technology Program of P.R. China
(2011BAK06B04) and National Natural Science Foundation of China (51276133). We would like to thank anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments and suggestions in improving the paper.
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