Ammonium Sulfate Corrosion Problem

[pmureiko]

The bottoms stream from a hydrocarbon solvent distillation columns contains 5% water and dissolved ammonium sulfate salts. We are experiencing corrosion of our carbon steel piping near the column where the stream is hot (230 oF), but the piping in the tank farm where the stream has cooled off does not have the corrosion problems. I plan to replace the piping near the column with 316 SS, but I can't find corrosion data to support this. My questions are:

1) Will 316 SS resist corrosion from ammonium sulfate?
2) If I just replace the piping in hot service, will I just make the problem worse downstream?
3) Or can I install a bottoms cooler that will reduce the temperature so that carbon steel have a low corrosion rate?

 

[EdStainless]

http://www.outokumpu.com/applications/corrosion/view_details.asp?name=AM19

Looks like a reasonable choice to me. What is the pH? any chlorides?

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[rustbuster]

You could try teflon lined pipe, excellent resistance to 248F. May be cheaper than a bottoms cooler or Stainless.
I'm not sure how 316L would stand up, likely not if chlorides present.