Corrosion of boiler tubes in a palm oil mill

Hock Chye Qua*, Kok Cheong Wong, Jee Hou Ho, Eng Hwa Yap, Ching Seong Tan

*Corresponding author for this work

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Abstract

This article investigates the leaking of tubes in a water tube boiler used in a palm oil mill. Leakages were discovered in the roof tubes and the rear wall tubes of the boiler. Samples of the punctured tubes were removed for examination. Micro- and macro-examinations were conducted to determine the causes of failure. EDX/SEM (energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy/scanning electron miscroscope) was also conducted to examine the composition of the elements of the specimens and a high concentration of sodium was shown. Key outcomes from the investigation are outlined in this article. They indicate that caustic corrosion was the cause of the leakages of the tubes.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1353-1360
Number of pages8
JournalJournal of Oil Palm Research
Volume24
Issue numberAUGUST
Publication statusPublished - Aug 2012
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Boiler tubes
  • Caustic corrosion
  • Leaks
  • Palm oil mill
  • Sodium content

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