Mill Scale Corrosion and Prevention in Carbon Steel Heat Exchanger

The cause of material degradation of an ASTM A-124 grade carbon steel tube belonging to a heat exchanger has been investigated. Visual examination, followed by an in-depth microstructural characterization using optical microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray, and scanning electron microscopy, was carried out for understanding the primary cause of material degradation. Based on the results of an extensive examination as well as the background information provided on the heat exchanger, it was determined that the steel tubes were predominantly damaged by the mechanism of crevice corrosion facilitated by the presence of mill scale. It is concluded that the heat exchanger tubes were not properly investigated for defects after their fabrication. Based on the situation, the proper cleaning method was selected for preventing further corrosion in the system. A chemical cleaning process was designed using acid pickling along with an inhibitor and a surfactant.