Failure of hydrocracker heat exchanger tubes in an oil refinery by polythionic acid-stress corrosion cracking

Hani M. Tawancy

doi:10.1016/j.engfailanal.2009.02.002

Failure of hydrocracker heat exchanger tubes in an oil refinery by polythionic acid-stress corrosion cracking

Hani M. Tawancy^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

20 Scopus citations

Abstract

Heat exchanger tubes of a hydrocracker unit in an oil refinery developed cracks at the bent sections after about 48 h of operation at 400 °C following a period of downtime. The tubes were fabricated from 321 stainless steel. Detailed analysis by various electron-optical techniques and X-ray diffraction showed that the tubes were cracked by stress corrosion cracking induced by polythionic acid. Due to the presence of H₂S in the environment, the inner surface of the tubes was converted into sulfur-bearing scale during operation. This could promote the formation of polythionic acid by aqueous condensates during downtime leading to cracking in the presence of residual internal stresses.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	2091-2097
Number of pages	7
Journal	Engineering Failure Analysis
Volume	16
Issue number	7
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engfailanal.2009.02.002
State	Published - Oct 2009

Keywords

Oil refinery
Polythionic acid
Stainless steel
Stress corrosion cracking

ASJC Scopus subject areas

General Materials Science
General Engineering

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10.1016/j.engfailanal.2009.02.002

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title = "Failure of hydrocracker heat exchanger tubes in an oil refinery by polythionic acid-stress corrosion cracking",

abstract = "Heat exchanger tubes of a hydrocracker unit in an oil refinery developed cracks at the bent sections after about 48 h of operation at 400 °C following a period of downtime. The tubes were fabricated from 321 stainless steel. Detailed analysis by various electron-optical techniques and X-ray diffraction showed that the tubes were cracked by stress corrosion cracking induced by polythionic acid. Due to the presence of H2S in the environment, the inner surface of the tubes was converted into sulfur-bearing scale during operation. This could promote the formation of polythionic acid by aqueous condensates during downtime leading to cracking in the presence of residual internal stresses.",

keywords = "Oil refinery, Polythionic acid, Stainless steel, Stress corrosion cracking",

author = "Tawancy, \{Hani M.\}",

year = "2009",

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doi = "10.1016/j.engfailanal.2009.02.002",

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AU - Tawancy, Hani M.

PY - 2009/10

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N2 - Heat exchanger tubes of a hydrocracker unit in an oil refinery developed cracks at the bent sections after about 48 h of operation at 400 °C following a period of downtime. The tubes were fabricated from 321 stainless steel. Detailed analysis by various electron-optical techniques and X-ray diffraction showed that the tubes were cracked by stress corrosion cracking induced by polythionic acid. Due to the presence of H2S in the environment, the inner surface of the tubes was converted into sulfur-bearing scale during operation. This could promote the formation of polythionic acid by aqueous condensates during downtime leading to cracking in the presence of residual internal stresses.

AB - Heat exchanger tubes of a hydrocracker unit in an oil refinery developed cracks at the bent sections after about 48 h of operation at 400 °C following a period of downtime. The tubes were fabricated from 321 stainless steel. Detailed analysis by various electron-optical techniques and X-ray diffraction showed that the tubes were cracked by stress corrosion cracking induced by polythionic acid. Due to the presence of H2S in the environment, the inner surface of the tubes was converted into sulfur-bearing scale during operation. This could promote the formation of polythionic acid by aqueous condensates during downtime leading to cracking in the presence of residual internal stresses.

KW - Oil refinery

KW - Polythionic acid

KW - Stainless steel

KW - Stress corrosion cracking

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/67649586349

U2 - 10.1016/j.engfailanal.2009.02.002

DO - 10.1016/j.engfailanal.2009.02.002

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:67649586349

SN - 1350-6307

VL - 16

SP - 2091

EP - 2097

JO - Engineering Failure Analysis

JF - Engineering Failure Analysis

IS - 7

ER -

Failure of hydrocracker heat exchanger tubes in an oil refinery by polythionic acid-stress corrosion cracking

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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