Premature water-slide corrosion of furnace wall tubes in a high-pressure boiler

This article describes the results of an investigation into the premature water-side corrosion of furnance wall tubes of a high-pressure boiler. After similar to 13,869 h of operation, an unscheduled inspection of the internal condition of the furnace wall tubes revealed considerable corrosion, which was quite significant in view of the short service life of the boiler. The cause of corrosion was determined by on-site visual inspection of the boiler and detailed macro- and micro-examinations of inner scales on the tubes. To prevent serious metal loss from corrosion, corrective measures were recommended.