Air cooler tube failure

[tarojm]

I would like to give my thanks to you by the excellent site you have and also by such detailed information.
Leakage from after cooler of air compressor in our power plant led us to shut down the compressor for several times .Visual inspection revealed severe corrosion of copper alloy tubes (SB-111). Corrosion was as a deep pitting from inside of the tubes in the area near the outlet tube sheet.Air is in the tube side and water in the shell side.The suction of the compressor are near the place that atmosphere is contaminated by ammonia gas.Is it possible that ammonia gas comming with air into commpressor be the cause of this failure.If yes how it can make this type of corrosion.
masoud
Any comments would be highly appreciated

 

[rnd2]

Masoud,
Hope this will asist you.

The Hendrix Group - corrosion of copper in oil and gas wells
... solutions and are highly resistant to ammonia SCC and ... Copper and the copper alloys
are normally the ... Coppers can preferentially corrode when in contact with the ...

http://www.hghouston.com/coppers/copperog.htm

- 43k - Cached - Similar pages

Fixitnow.com: Gas Refrigerator Basics
... In gas refrigerator cooling units, the worst corrosion always occurs on the ... is eating
away at the cooling unit steel (ammonia doesn't corrode the steel ...
fixitnow.com/appliantology/gasfridgebasics.htm - 22k - Cached - Similar pages

RegO® Field Topics - Anhydrous Ammonia ( NH3)
... the potential to rapidly corrode copper, zinc, silver ... of compressed Gases,Compressed
Gas Association, Inc ... and Handling of Anhydrous Ammonia, American National ...

http://www.regoproducts.com/ftopics300.htm

- 18k - Cached - Similar pages

 

[EdStainless]

The other thing that is happening at the outlet end of the aftercooler is that you may be getting cool enough to get some condensation. This may be why you are seeing pitting instead of general corrosion.

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Corrosion never sleeps, but it can be managed.

http://www.trenttube.com/Trent/tech_form.htm