Heat Recovery Boilers

Gas Turbine,diesel exhaust HRSGs

Hydrogen Plant reformed gas,flue gas boilers
Sulfuric acid plant applications
Sulfur recovery plants_Claus plants
Incineration heat recovery liquids,solids,fumes
Flue gases-cat crackers,fluidized beds,furnaces
Unfired/fired boilers
Bare/finned tube units

Fire tube,water tube,combination,A or D type

boilers,modular units with
superheaters,economizer,condensate
heaters,auxiliaries
NOx,CO reduction equipment

Classification of Waste Heat

Boilers

Waste Gas Analysis

Composition of Typical Waste Gases - % volume
Gas

temp-C

Pres

N2

NO

H2O

O2

SO2 SO3 CO2 CO CH4

H2S H2

NH3 HCL

300-1000

80

10

10

250-500

81

11

250-850

3-10

66

200-1100

300-1100

30-50

200-500

100-600

75

15

175-1000

72

10

12

traces

250-1350

76

10

150-1000

73

20

11

300-1450

1.5

55

23

19

70

18

0.5

37

9
6

5.5

43

200-450 20

60

20

1.Raw sulfur gases 2.SO3 gases after converter 3.Nitrous gases 4.Reformer flue gases
5.Reformed gas 6.Synthesis gas
7.Gas Turbine exhaust 8.MSW incinerator exhaust 9.Chlorinated plastics incineration 10.Fume
or VOC incinerator exhaust 11.Sulfur condenser effluent

Water Tube Boilers

Suitable for high steam pressures and temperatures and
large gas flows
Provision can be made for cleaning within gas stream
Superheater can be located anywhere inside the gas path
Expensive if gas pressure is high. May have to be located
within a shell
Multiple pressure steam generation feasible
Lower holdup inside drum and tubes compared to fire
tube and hence response to gas flow variations is faster
Extended surfaces may be used(if gas is clean) to make
HRSG compact
4

Fire Tube Boilers

Limited to low steam pressures and capacities typically less
than 100,000 lb/h gas flow
Can handle high gas pressures up to 2000-3000 psig with
ease
Due to smaller heat transfer coefficients,large in size.Finned
tubes also cannot be used
Location of superheater either at gas inlet or outlet,not an
optimum location as in water tube boilers
Economizer and superheater can be added if required
Sluggish response to load changes due to large water
holdup

Thickness of Tubes under

Internal vs External
pressure
Tube Thickness vs Pressure ASME sec 1
Tube
thickness, in

External pres,
psig

Internal pres,
psig

0.105
0.120
0.135
0.150
0.180

575
686
800
921
1172

1147
1339
1533
1730
2137

[2 in OD,sa 178a and sa 192 carbon steel tubes at 700 F]

Fire Tube Boiler Designs

size

1.75x
1.521

1.75x
1.521

1.75x
1.521

2x1.77 2x1.77 2x1.77

2.5x2.2
38

2.5x2.2
38

2.5x2.
238

Vel,ft/s

109

141

166

110

140

165

109

140

166

Tubes

1100

850

725

800

630

535

510

395

335

Length,ft 19.0

20.0

21.0

22.5

24.0

25.0

29.5

31.5

33.

Surf,ft2

8318

6766

6059

8351

7015

6205

8811

7286

6474

Ui

9.74

11.78

13.25

9.6

11.43

12.89

9.15

11.02

1243

P,in wc

2.50

4.4

6.3

2.6

4.4

6.2

2.5

4.3

6.2

Gas flow=110,000 lb/h.inlet gas=1450F.exit=500 F.steam pr=300 psig

steam =28,950 lb/h.boiler duty=29.4 MM Btu/h

Fire Tube and Water Tube Boilers

Gas flow

Small- less than 50,000 lb/h

50,000 to millions of lb/h

Gas inlet temperature

Low to adiabatic combustion

Low to adiabatic combustion

Gas pressure

High-even as high as 2000 psig

Generally less than 2 psig

Firing

Possible

Possible

Type of heating surface

Bare tube

Bare and finned tubes

Superheater location

At inlet or exit of boiler

Anywhere in the gas path using screen

section

Water inventory

High

Low

Heat flux steam side

Generally low

Can be high with finned tubes

Multiple steam pressure

No

Yes

Soot blower location

Inlet or exit of boiler

Anywhere inside boiler surfaces

Multiple modules

No

Yes

Effect of Scale on Boiler Heat

Transfer

Table of k values of
scale

Item

Clean

Fouled

Foul factor

0.001

0.05

(Btu/ft2hF/in)

Overall htc U

9.6

6.52

Analcite

8.8

Heat flux,Btu/ft2h

6086

4133

Calcium phospate

25

Drop- fouled layer,F

207

Calcium sulfate

16

Tube wall temp,F

377

577

Magnesium phospate

15

Duty,MM Btu/h

28.13

24.47

Exit gas temp,F

500

630

Annual loss,$

Basis

-87,800

Steam flow,lb/h

27,710

24,100

Magnetic iron oxide

20

Silicate scale

0.6

Boiler steel

310

Fire brick
7
Insulating brick

Fire tube boiler. Gas flow=100,000 lb/h.

0.7

ffo=k/L. heat flux q=U(tg-ts)

Scale temperature drop =q x ffo .A

0.03 in silicate scale results in
ffo=0.03/0.6=0.05 ft2hF/Btu.

gas inlet=1500 F.exit=500 F(clean). Steam

pres=150 psig sat, feed water=220 F, 5 %
blow down. Tubes:2x1.77,600 tubes,20 ft
long.surface=6280 ft2
9

Elevated Drum Fire Tube

Boiler

This design also has a superheater. Due to its location,the

steam temperature will be low. Locating at the gas inlet leads to
10
corrosion/overheating concerns.

Hcl Corrosion

Hcl also has a low acid dew point in the range of 130-150 F
and one must consider this while designing the economizer.Hcl also is responsible
for high temperature corrosion.

11

Hcl Corrosion-2
Many metals and alloys are susceptible to severe corrosion attack when exposed
to halogen gases at elevated temperatures. Halogen reacts with many metals and
forms metal halides,many of which exhibit high vapor pressures and or low
melting points. In Cl2,Hcl environments,corrosion is dependent on whether the
environment is oxidizing or reducing. In Cl2 ,iron and steel are very susceptible to
chlorination attack. Adding chromium and or nickel improves corrosion
resistance.Thus ferritic and austenitic stainless steels can resist chlorination
attack at higher temperatures than cast iron or carbon steel. Ni and Ni-bearing
alloys are significantly more resistant to chlorination attack than iron,carbon
steel,stainless steel and 800 type steels.
In oxidizing environments containing both Cl2 and O2,MO and W are detrimental
to alloys resistance to chlorination attack. In reducing environments containing
Hcl,Ni and Ni based alloys are better than iron and austenitic stainless steels.
Carbon and stainless steels are susceptible to fluorine attack at 570 F or even
lower.Ni has the best resistance to fluorine attack. HF is less corrosive than F for
most metals.
Hot corrosion proceeds in two stages. An incubation period exhibiting low
corrosion rates(formation of protective oxide layer) followed by accelerated
corrosion attack(breakdown of protective layer)

12

Compound

Melting Point of
Compounds
Use radiant furnace to cool
Melting
point,F

gases

50NaCl-26Na2So424Na2Co3

1134

Double spaced screen to avoid

bridging of molten products

65Na2So4-35Nacl

1153

NaCl

1474

FGR to cool the incoming gases

below melting point

Na2So4

1623

Ca2O

2257

Fe2O3

2664

NaCl-ZnCl2

504

CaCl2-PbCl2

884

Low superheat temperature to

minimize Hcl corrosion
Use of retractable soot blowers
to clean deposits
Low gas velocity to minimize
erosion
13

Materials & Corrosion

Cr:improves oxidation resistance provided temperature does not exceed 950C for long periods.
Volatility of Cr2O3: 1.Improves sulfidation resistance: 2.High Cr beneficial to oil ash corrosion
and attack by molten glass 3.Decreases carbon ingress-helps carburization resistance
4.Detrimental to fluorine environments at high temperatures 5.Detrimental to nitriding
resistance6.Increases high temperature strength
Si improves oxidation,nitriding,sulfidation and carburizing resistance
MO, W:Improves high temperature strength,good in reducing chlorination resistance.Improves
creep strength,detrimental for oxidation resistance at higher temperatures
Ni:Improves carburization,nitriding and chlorination resistance.Detrimental to sulfidation
resistance
C:improves strength,helps nitriding, carburization resistance.oxidation resistance adversely
affected
Al:improves oxidation,sulfidation resistance. Detrimental to nitriding resistance
Ti:Detrimental to nitriding resistance
Nb:Increases short term creep strength. Detrimental to nitriding resistance
Mn:Slight positive effect on high temperature strength and creep.Detrimental to oxidation
resistance.Increases solubility of nitrogen
Co:reduces rate of sulfur diffusion.helps with sulfidation resistance

Source: VDM Technologies Corp

14

Water temperature determines tube

wall temperature
Acid vapor condenses if the tube wall temperature falls below the acid
vapor dewpoint Tube wall temperature tw=0.5(tf+tg-U(tg-tf)(1/hg -1/hi)
Typically in an economizer,hg=15,hi=1000 and U=14.77
If tg=750 F,ti=250 F,tw=0.5(250+750-14.77(750-250)(0.066-0.001)=260 F
if tg=350 F,ti=250 F,tw=0.5(250+350-14.77(350-250)(0.066-0.001)=252 F
Thus for a difference of 400 F,the tube wall temperature changes by only
8 F. Hence the fluid temperature governs tube wall temperature and not
the gas temperature.

15

Low temperature Corrosion

Industrial experience shows that the
corrosion rate is higher at 20-30 C below
the dew point and hence a few boiler
suppliers lower the feed water
temperature in order to lower the stack
gas temperature. Hot casing is another
method often used to minimize casing
corrosion.
Thick,in Temp,F Name Thick
Temp,
F
0

183

Casing

0.5

550

Min fib

1596

Cbm

199

1556

4
1800
Ks4
4
1800
Amb temp=70 F ,emissivity=0.9,wind
vel=100 fpm
16

Minimizing Corrosion
One approach is to preheat the
incoming cold feed water to near dew
point temperature using water from exit
of economizer.Also startup and shut
down of boilers/turbines fired on oil or
waste heat units firing dirty fuels should
be on clean gas so that acid residues
may not deposit on surfaces. Steam
may also be used to preheat the
water.However the cost of the system is
more due to handling of condensate
and energy wastage.
An inexpensive way to minimize corrosion is to increase the deaerator pressure slightly so
that the feed water temperature increases.At 5 psig,the water temperature is 228 F,while at
15 psig,it is 250 F.
In oil fired gas turbines,under shut down conditions,moisture from air reacts with acid
residues on the tubes,making it dilute and corrosive. This is more so with cyclic
operation.Hence tubes should be maintained above acid dew point conditions. Duplex
steel,which is a hybrid of austenitic and ferritic steel, is sometimes used in condensate
heaters to avid corrosion.This is however very expensive.This may cost 9 times that of
carbon steel. Sometimes,it may be worth building the coil in two parts,one which operates at
17
low tube wall temperatures and then replace it as required.

Boiler Tube Materials

Material

Composition

Temperature,F

Sa 178a

Carbon steel

950

Sa192

Carbon steel

950

sa210A1

Carbon steel

950

sa210C

Carbon steel

950

sa213T11

1.25Cr-0.5Mo-si

1050

sa213T22

2.25Cr-1Mo

1125

sa213T91

9Cr-1Mo-V

1200

sa213TP304H

18Cr-8Ni

1400

sa213TP347H

18Cr-10Ni-Cb

1400

Sa213-TP321H

18Cr-10Ni-Ti

1400

sb407800H

33Ni-21Cr-42Fe

1500
18

Waste Heat Boiler for MSW

19

D type Waste Heat Boiler

20

A Type Boiler

21

Waste Heat Boiler for FCC

unit

22

Water tube boiler for FCC

unit

23

HRSG for FCC application

24

Bare Tube HRSG

Moderately dirty
gases
Multi-pass bare tube
evaporator and
economizer
Soot blowers used
Suitable for small
gas flows
25

Waste Heat Boiler with

Radiant Furnace

A radiant furnace is used if the gas stream contains

slagging constituents or salts with low-melting points such
26
as compounds of sodium,potassium,non-ferrous metals

Crossflow Waste Heat Boiler

Crossflow
finned tube
boiler
External
downcomers

27

Vertical Fire Tube Boiler

28

Heat recovery in Claus Plants

29

Claus plant waste heat boiler

Sulfur is present in natural gas as H2S. It is removed in an exothermic reaction by

combustion of acid gas with air in a series of exchangers. H2S+ 0.5O2 S +H2O . Many
other complex reactions occur and in each stage some cooling is done using waste heat
boilers. The gas stream contains CO2,H2S,SO2,H2,CH4 and H2O.Reaction furnace
operates at about 1800-2800 F.Hence this boiler design is done considering the high gas
temperature and casing corrosion.Sat steam at 600 psig is typically generated. Gas is
cooled to about 1200 F in first pass and to about 650 F in second pass. Common steam
drum is used as shown.
30

A two-pass Fire Tube

Boiler

31

HRSG for Incineration

Application

Ideal for clean gases. Note the bare tube screen section in parallel with
a finned tube evaporator with buried/shielded superheater

32

Combination Fire and Water

Tube Boilers
Widely used in small hydrogen
plants
Process gas boiler is a fire tube
unit
Flue gas boiler is a bare/finned
tube section
The boilers operate in parallel
with common steam drum

33

Steam Reforming process

34

Heat Recovery System in a Refinery

Heat recovery boiler in a
refinery consisting of a feed
gas heater,evaporator and
economizer. The evaporator
is a natural circulation
coil,connected to a steam
drum located above by
downcomers and risers.

35

Nelsons Chart

The chart gives an idea of the materials to be used based on

partial pressure of hydrogen in the gas stream and temperature
36

Reformed Gas Boiler

Gas bypass system is used to control exit gas temperature at low loads.As gas flow
decreases ,the exit gas temperature decreases,which is not acceptable as
performance of catalysts downstream is affected. So more flow is sent through the
bypass pipe and less through the tubes using bypass dampers. Tube size varies from
1 in to 2 in.T11 or T22 materials are commonly used considering presence of
hydrogen.
Heat flux is quite high,on the order of 100,000 Btu/ft2h due to presence of hydrogen
37
and water vapor at high gas pressure. Tube sheet is protected by refractory and
ferrules. GC 94 refracory,which is a high alumina refractory is used.

Boiler performance at 50 and 100% load

38

Tube Sheet Details

The tube sheet temperature as well as the thermal stresses across it

are significantly reduced by using refractory and ferrules

39

Effect of Gas properties

on Design
Design of Fire Tube Boiler
Item

Reform

Flue gas

Gas flow,lb/h
Gas inlet temp, F
Gas exit temp, F
Gas pressure, psia
Duty, MM Btu/h
Steam, lb/h
Gas pr drop, in wc
Heat flux, Btu/ft2h
Surface area, ft2
No of tubes
Length,ft
heat tr coefficient
Max gas velocity, ft/s
Tube wall temp, F

100,000
1650
650
315
70.00
69,310
9
92,200
1566
350
15
87
68
653

100,000
1650
650
15
28.85
28,570
5
12,300
4266
1300
11
13.4
165
498

40

Elevated Drum Water Tube Boiler

For large capacity units an elevated drum with external downcomers

and risers is used.

41

Fire Tube Boilers with common

steam drum

Steam is generated by two different gas streams or in two

different passes and connected to the same steam drum
system

42

Fired Waste Heat Boiler

Handles waste flue gases and also uses a burner to augment

steam generation. Performance to be evaluated in different modes
43

Heat Recovery systems

44

Typical Steam Drum Internals

Steam purity of 50 ppb or less can be attained

depending on boiler water solids and proper
selection of drum internals.

45

Flow Accelerated Corrosion

FAC is a process whereby normally protective magnetite (Fe3O4) layer on
carbon or low alloy steel dissolves into a stream of flowing water or
water/steam mixture. Both the PH and temperature and level of dissolved
oxygen in the stream influence the stability and solubility of magnetite oxide
layer.
Past industry water chemistry practices believe that all of dissolved oxygen
must be eliminated from feed water to control corrosion. To deoxygenate the
feed water,oxygen was mechanically removed by the condensaer/deaerator
with supplemental additions of an oxygen scavenger.(eg hydrazine) being
applied to maintain a 40-100 ppb hydrazine residual. Maintaining an oxygen
scavenger residual causes the feed water to become more and more reducing
and has for all ferrous systems produced the opposite desired effect of
producing a protective oxide film to one where erosion-corrosion of iron based
materials is increased. This mechanism is active in condenser shells,feed
water and wet steam piping,feed water heaters,economizers.FAC occurs in
many materials but more in carbon steel piping in 212-482 F range.
In VGB,maximum O2 in feed water has been increased from 0.02 to 0.1
mg/kg.Flow velocity also has to be lower to reduce erosion of protective
magnetite layer.

46

Flow accelerated corrosion-2

While dissolved oxygen in water can induce serious corrosion especially during shut
down,the complete removal of oxygen during normal operation can be very
problematic and has led to FAC,which develops at elbows,flow disturbances,reducers
in strongly reducing atmospheres.Magnetite is a mixture of Feo(ferrous) and
Fe2O3(ferric).The ferrous ions are those that are susceptible to FAC and these ions
migrate out of the magnetite matrix and weakens the tube.Many once through systems
now use oxygenated treatment programs in which oxygen is injected into the
condensate and feed water to produce ferric oxide hydrate.
A dissolved oxygen of 30-50 ppb is common in US.Lowers corrosion rate. Copper
carryover to the turbine is an issue if feed water heaters are present.ORP(oxygen
reduction potential) monitoring system, which checks the electrochemical potential and
adjusts it by injecting hydrazine to maintain a low electrochenical potential(-100mv).
HRSGs have sharp bends in economizers,evaporators and prone to FAC. Combined
cycle plants do not have feed water heaters and hence no copper. Oxygenated
systems with ORP monitioring are done in a few plants.Bends of evaporators,
economizers,sometimes made with chromium alloys to minimize FAC.

47

Flow accelerated corrosion-3

FAC occurs when water or steam water is in contact with the

pipe.The rate of FAC depends on temperature,water
chemistry,pipe geometry and materials.The bends are prone to
failure as the local turbulence is higher. Gas bypassing also
increased the gas temperature at the ends and affected the oxide
growth formation.

48

Metal Dusting
Metal dusting is the term used to describe the catastrophic degradation of
metals in carbanaceous gases at elevated temperatures,450 to 900
C.The surface becomes pitted and metal wastage is seen.The term is
derived from the appearance of pits which often contains of loose
powdery magnetic corrosion product of graphic,metal carbides and
oxides.
Rapid saturation and supersaturation of carbon in the metal matrix,
cementite formation at the surface and at grain boundaries where
nucleation is facilitated.
Cementite is stable at high carbon activities and can decompose at outer
surfaces leading to formation of carbon and metal particles,which act as
catalyst for further coke deposition
Volume change associated with these transformations generate high
internal streeses and results in disintegration of surface into a loose
powder
This process of Fe3C formation and decomposition continues till the49

Metal Dusting-2
Carburization and metal dusting can proceed when environment has
CH4,CO,CO2, H2.
CO+H2 = C+H2O 2CO=C+CO2 CH4=C+2H2
The metal dusting process is valid for low alloy ferritic steels because surface
oxide film does not retard the metal dusting process. Alloying with Cr and Si
such that (% CR +2%Si)>24 helps.Alumina has proven to resist carbon
diffusion into metal matrix. Cr diffusion rates are higher in ferrite than in
austemitic and thus protective films are likely to heal at low temperatures. This
is reason for success of high Cr 446 ferritic stainless steel in overcoming metal
dusting.Many also feel that high Ni based alloys resist metal dusting because of
the slower diffusion of carbon in nickel based austentitic matrix. However the
same mechanism will also inhibit healing of ruptured surface films by retarding
diffusion of Cr at hih Ni contents.
Alloy 800 has a high degree of resistance to metal dusting,while Alloy 600 is
subject to MD.

50

HRSG Problems
Design basis for cycling: 300 cold starts,1300 warm starts and 9000 hot starts(25 years
life).Each startup causes low cycle fatigue.ASME-sec 1 does not give reference to low cycle
fatigue..in TRD fatigue caused by thermal and pressure induced stresses is considered at
the inner edge of openings in shells. Tubes operate at a different temperature than headers
and hence thermal stresses.
During warm,hot starts,condensate forms in the superheater/reheater as tubes cool faster
than evaporator.Drains have to be installed. In a forced circulation unit,the build up of steam
pushes the condensate in the direction of steam as well as gravity is pulling it out. In the
natural circulation unit,gravity and steam flow are in opposite directions and water remains in
the tubes for a longer time,causing higher temperature differences from one tube to another.
In horizontal units,due to the steep inlet duct,the purge air does not touch the upper section
of the HRSG where combustible mixtures can be formed as their density is lower than cold
air. In vertical gas flow unit,the light gases flow out easily.

Carbon steel tubes operate in the elastic range

where allowable stresses are based on yield
stresses while alloy tubes operate in the creep
rupture range where allowable stresses are based
on rupture strength.

51

Corrosion mechanisms
Corrosion fatigue: Corrosion ,fatigue can work together or one can enhance the
others effect.Alternating stresses can cause cracks,which allows a path for corroding
agent to damage the surface .Or the uneven attack of a corrosive agent would create
notches and pits that can become stress enhancers and increase the potential for
fatigue cracks. CFC is a form of deterioration that can occur without concentration of a
corrosive substance. CCFC refers to cracks propagating through a metal as a result of
cyclic stresses operating in a corrosive environment. Even the protective magnetite
layer is sufficient to cause this kind of cracking in the presence of sufficient cyclic
stresses.The cracks can occur longitudinally and most always propagate in a diretcion
perpendicular to the direction of principal stress. They are straight, unbranched and
transgranular.
If the principal cyclic stress is a result of pressure fluctuations,then the cracks will be
longitudinal. If the principal cyclic stress is bending(thermal expn/contraction) then the
cracks will be transverse. Cracks seen at physical restraints.
Stress Corrosion Cracking:deterioration that occurs with concentration of a corrosive
substance(carbon steel- NaOH; stainless steel-NaOH,Chlorides) and sufficient tensile
stress(residual or applied).Occurs generally inside tubes.Cracks can be
intergranular,continuous or transgranular. Cracks can branch and spread resulting in
brittle fracture.SCC below 300F is rare.
52

Low Cycle Thermal Stress Fatigue

Thermal stress is most intense at the surface since it is caused by the difference
between surface temperature and average metal section temperature and caused by
transients such as. 1.cold start 2.hot statr 3.daily load change 4.shutdown
COLD START: drum inner surface temperature follows HP evap steam temperature
closely and increases rapidly. Drum outer shell lags behind, producing an appreciable
temperature difference between outer and inner surface or thermal stresses. These
stresses are in the internal drum surface causing it to expand as its temperature
increases. It is restrained from expanding by the external surface, which is cold.If
startup is aggressive, inner surface yields in compression ,so that residual tensile
stresses results when steady load is reached. This residual tensile stress will then
release or creep out depending on the operating time and temperature to the next shut
down or load change. Repeated yielding will exhaust material cyclic life.
HOT START:drum shell outside temperature is higher than inside shell temperature so
that the outside shell temperature first decreases rapidly and then as the inside shell
temperature increases, the outside shell temperature increases to approximately the
inside shell temperature. This reversal in temperature change causes a reversal in
thermal stress thus decreasing the pressure part life.
SHUTDOWNS:more serious. Magnitude of thermal stress depends on: extent and
range of temperature change, surface htc. Thickness. thermal properties. stress
53
concentration factors

HRSG Maintenance
Superheater and reheater header joints,feed water heaters,drum to downcomer joints,tube to
header joints are prone to failure due to stresses in quick startup and cycling. Low cycle thermal
stress fatigue may not have immediate effect.During cold startup,drum inner temperature
increases faster than outer.the difference causes thermal stresses.Outer surface prevents inner
from expanding causing residual tensile stresses. During hot start,the outer surface is higher now
also causing stresses.Magnitude of thermal stress in any location of pressure part is proportional
to the difference between the temperature at the location and pressure part average temperature.
If there is a soaking or hold,the stresses will relax. Shut downs are more detrimental. Whenever
yield strength is exceeded during startups load changes and shut downs,life is expended,which
can initiate a crack.For larger sized components,the stresses are more.
Casing damage [warping of liners]
Low cycle fatigue,creep and corrosion fatigue at hot end[poor drainage,venting]
Fatigue,FAC,acid dew point corrosion,stress corrosion cracking at colder end
Fouling due to ammonium salts[ dry ice cleaning,ammonia slip]
Suggestions: maintain eco flow during startups using blow down,bypass lines or recirc lines
Split eco headers and not simply baffling them.
Miminimzie oxygen ingress during startup
Proper design of tube to headers[avoid multiple tubes,combining drains,full penetration welds
etc]
54

HRSG Tube failures

There are three types of failures in eco inlet header tubes. These are due to thermal corrosion
fatigue (due to cycling ), flexibility induced cracking and erosion-corrosion (FAC). Damage caused
by the first two will manifest as cracks and the third as wastage and give an orange peel
appearance. Erosion-corrosion and thermal fatigue are ID initiated while flexibility cracking is OD
initiated. Damage due to corrosion fatigue initiated at stress concentrations associated with bore
holes and tube attachments. Pin hole leaks are common. Thermal fatigue will be oriented
longitudinally parallel to stub axis,while flexibility cracking is circumferential around toe of the weld.
Tube leaks caused by flexibility are generally at header ends,where thermal stresses are higher.
Location on header

Near feed water inlet

At ends of header

Near feed water inlet

Nature of damage

Longitudinal crack

Cracks at weld only

Orange peel wastage

on tube ID surface

Initiation site

ID

OD

ID

Orientation

Longitudinal parallel
to tube axis

Circumferential
In the tube
around toe of weld on connection
OD

morphology

Straight cracks filled

with oxide

Straight cracks
starting form OD

No protective
magnetite on ID
surface

type

Corrosion fatigue

Flexibility cracking

Erosion-corrosion

55

Typical Controls Scheme

56