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High temp bromine induced cracking/corrosion of Austenetic SS

  • 1.  High temp bromine induced cracking/corrosion of Austenetic SS

    Posted 02-10-2020 10:56 AM
    I am interested in anyone's experience with Bromine induced cracking/pitting of 304L in temperatures in the 350-450 F range.

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    Dana Baham
    Engineering advisor
    Becht Engineering Co., Inc.
    Lake Charles LA
    337 4997037
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  • 2.  RE: High temp bromine induced cracking/corrosion of Austenetic SS

    Posted 02-11-2020 10:46 AM
    Dana,
    Are you looking for susceptibility of 304L to pitting/SCC in wet bromine, hydrobromic acid or something else?

    I saw couple of manuscripts online (google search) on localized corrosion study of austenitic stainless steels in sodium bromide solution but at a much lower temperature (T < 100C). You can also plan to check "ASM Specialty Handbook: Nickel, Cobalt and Their Alloys" (Ed. J.R. Davis). There is a chapter on SCC and HE of Nickel-Alloys. In this chapter, there is a section on SCC in Bromides, Iodides and Fluorides which may be of interest to you. 

    In general, the pitting corrosion resistance and SCC resistance of 304L is not high and bromide (being halide) can be detrimental to such an alloy.
    Thanks
    Ajit

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    Ajit Mishra
    Materials Engineering Consultant
    Corteva
    Midland MI
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  • 3.  RE: High temp bromine induced cracking/corrosion of Austenetic SS

    Posted 02-11-2020 12:35 PM

    Thank you Ajit, I am looking for pitting/SCC in wet bromine, hydrobromic acid. I would expect it to act like chlorine. Thank you for the reference, I will search for it.

    Sincerely

    Dana

     






  • 4.  RE: High temp bromine induced cracking/corrosion of Austenetic SS

    Posted 02-11-2020 10:51 PM
    Edited by Dheeraj Narang 02-11-2020 11:05 PM
    Hi Dana,

    You are correct. Bromine will act like chlorine since they fall in the column of Halogens in periodic table. Bromine would cause corrosion whereas bromide ions will cause cracking/pitting (if O2 is present). I see you are looking for a particular service such as wet bromine.

    Industry has more or less discontinued the use of pesticides made of bromine-or related compounds due to the concern for ozone depletion.

    May i ask what industry or service application we are looking at ? is it hydrocarbon or fertilizer ?

    I am asking because temperature you mentioned is high for salt (bromide or chloride) driven stress corrosion cracking.

    ------------------------------
    Dheeraj Narang
    L&T Hydrocarbon Engineering
    9819731211
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  • 5.  RE: High temp bromine induced cracking/corrosion of Austenetic SS

    Posted 02-12-2020 08:00 AM

    Hello Sir,

    The question arises from the Petrochemical industry, where bromine is an additive. The investigation is around the failure of a 304L liner in a carbon steel vessel (SA 516-70). The liner deteriorated in one area, probably one of high flow that affected the removal of the passive film. Interesting item is that no oxygen (air) is added to the process, although water is present.

    Kindest Regards,

    Dana

     

    Dana Baham

    Refining and Petrochemical Engineer and Chief Inspector

    Becht Engineering Inc., Co.

    Pono Division

    337 499-7037

     






  • 6.  RE: High temp bromine induced cracking/corrosion of Austenetic SS

    Posted 02-13-2020 02:34 AM
    Hi Dana,

    Can you elaborate more on deterioration of liner ? is it uniform or local loss of thickness or crack ?

    Also, if it is alright to share. i would like to know process constituents (% Mol or Wt.) handled by the vessel. This is just to have a comprehensive picture of the issue and understanding more. 

    Dheeraj

    ------------------------------
    Dheeraj Narang
    L&T Hydrocarbon Engineering
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  • 7.  RE: High temp bromine induced cracking/corrosion of Austenetic SS

    Posted 02-13-2020 12:27 PM

    Intergranular cracking in a local area. I am sorry I can not share the limited process data I know about, other than bromine is there with organics and water.

    dana

     






  • 8.  RE: High temp bromine induced cracking/corrosion of Austenetic SS

    Posted 02-13-2020 09:28 AM

    Are other oxidizers present? Digby McDonald 's group did a lot of work on halides and corrosion at Penn State when I was there, late 90s.  I think his focus was pitting corrosion, but they may have also addressed cracking.

     

    Another thought, if its aligned along the welds, I've seen PWC that looks like cracking on lined vessels. This was acetic acid service and due to tramp halides including iodide and chloride. The source of iodide was degraded catalyst.

     

    Krista

     

    Phillips 66

    Krista L. Heidersbach

    Sr Engineer, Corrosion, Asset Integrity

    O: (+1) 832-765-4423 | M: (+1) 832-454-8460

    HQ-08-S850-04 | 2331 CityWest Blvd | Houston, TX 77042-2862

     

     






  • 9.  RE: High temp bromine induced cracking/corrosion of Austenetic SS

    Posted 02-13-2020 12:28 PM

    Krista

    I am not aware of any oxidizers in the process

    dana

     






  • 10.  RE: High temp bromine induced cracking/corrosion of Austenetic SS

    Posted 02-12-2020 09:23 AM
    ​In what I presume is a gas stream, if there is any condensation, there will be severe general corrosion of the 304LSS.  Pitting and SCC will be the lesser concerns due to the very high corrosion rates.  While bromine and chlorine have some similarities with regards to corrosion behavior, bromine becomes much more aggressive to most metals at lesser water contents.  For example, even at 30ppm max water, commercial bromine is generally shipped in lead-lined containers, not CS like chlorine.

    ------------------------------
    Hardin Wells
    Fellow - Mechanical Tech Service
    Albemarle Corporation
    Baton Rouge LA
    225-388-7919
    ------------------------------



  • 11.  RE: High temp bromine induced cracking/corrosion of Austenetic SS

    Posted 02-12-2020 10:16 AM

    Good information , Thank You sir

    dana

     






  • 12.  RE: High temp bromine induced cracking/corrosion of Austenetic SS

    Posted 02-12-2020 09:14 AM

    There is some information on bromide SCC in the MTI publication "Environmental Cracking", on p. 94-95. This cites a study by M. Kudama of Yamaguchi University, who studied U-bends of various alloys with various concentrations of bromides, chlorides and oxygen. His conclusions were that to prevent Bromide SCC of austenitic stainless steels, dissolved oxygen must be kept below 0.1 ppm. Pitting and transgranular SCC were observed on 304 and 316 SS's if bromide concentration exceeded 50 ppm. Chlorides were much more aggressive than bromides at all test conditions. Under the most severe conditions, Hastelloy C-275 was found to be the most resistant material tested.

     






  • 13.  RE: High temp bromine induced cracking/corrosion of Austenetic SS

    Posted 02-12-2020 10:17 AM

    Thank you Dale, all good information

    Regards.

    dana