Academic Paper from the year 2018 in the subject Engineering - Metal Engineering, Metal Processing, Metal Structure, grade: B+, Robert Gordon University Aberdeen, course: Oil and Gas Engineering, language: English, abstract: As a Corrosion Expert, this report centred around the failure investigation of a shell and tube heat exchanger due to corrosion mechanisms. The different types of corrosion, its effect resulting to the failure and possible solutions and recommendations were submitted to the client for further action. The report also sheds light on the alloys used for the design and better alternatives to be used to prevent future degradation of the shell and tube heat exchangers.

Technical Report from the year 2013 in the subject Materials Science, grade: B, Robert Gordon University Aberdeen, course: MSc Oil and Gas Engineering, language: English, abstract: A high pressure gas cooler located in an offshore platform have been operating for more than 10 years. Throughout that period the gas cooler have been subjected to several tube failures, the failures have caused gas leak from the tube side. Several materials upgrades have been used to contain the tube failure. The last choice was to use a more corrosion resistant material Hastelloy C22. Crevice corrosion has been reported as the primary failure mechanism. The tube and tube plate joined surfaces have been exposed to high temperature which is relatively higher than the critical crevice temperature of Hastelloy C22. There was a poor heat transfer between the shell side fluid and tube side due to a small heat transfer area and low fluid velocity in the affected zone. Stress corrosion and fatigue corrosion accounted for the secondary failure mechanism which ultimately caused a crack in the tubes. Other possible reason identified to cause crevice corrosion was the mechanical rolling expansion technique. Oftentimes it creates rear crevices on the tubes with enough geometry to develop crevice chemistry. Mitigation methods such as hydraulic expansion technique, heat treatment for residual stresses and baffle design enhancements have been proposed in this report. Key words: shell and tube heat exchanger failure; Hastelloy C22 material; tube failure; localized corrosion; crevice corrosion; internal pitting corrosion

Documentation Book of Furnace Heat Exchanger Failure.

"This comprehensive reference covers all the important aspects of heat exchangers (HEs)--their design and modes of operation--and practical, large-scale applications in process, power, petroleum, transport, air conditioning, refrigeration, cryogenics, heat recovery, energy, and other industries. Reflecting the author's extensive practical experienc

This Second Edition of the well-received work on design, construction, and operation of heat exchangers. Demonstrates how to apply theories of fluid mechanics and heat transfer to practical problems posed by design, testing, and installation of heat exchangers. Tables and data have been brought up to date, and there is new material on problems of vibration and fouling, and on optimization of energy use in the chemical process and manufacturing industries. Covers all basic principles of heat exchanger design, and addresses many specialized situations encountered in engineering applications.

The PS1 heat exchanger is one of three prototype heat exchangers built by Atomic Welders before Meyer was given the contract to build the Satellite Refrigerator Heat Exchanger components. This heat exchanger was first put into operation in July 1983. In November 1991, this heat exchanger experienced a failure in the shell of heat exchanger 1 causing nitrogen to contaminate the helium in the refrigerator. The resulting contamination plugged heat exchanger 3. The break occurred at a weld that connects a 0.25 inch thick ring to heat exchanger 1. The failure appears to be a fatigue of the shell due to temperature oscillations. The flow rate through the break was measured to be 1.0 scfm for a pressure drop over the crack of 50 psi. An ANSYS analysis of the failure area indicates that the stress would be 83,000 psi if the metal did not yield. This is based on cooling down the shell to 80K from 300K with the shell side helium on the outside of the shell at 300K. This is the largest change in temperature that occurs during operation. During normal operations, the temperature swings are not nearly this large, however temperatures down to 80K are not unusual (LN2 overflowing pot). The highest temperatures are typically 260K. The analysis makes no attempt to estimate the stress concentration factor at this weld but there is no doubt that it is greater than 1. No estimate as to the number of cycles to cause failure was calculated nor any estimate as to the actual number of cycles was made.