Compatibility of Carbon Steel and liquid CO2

[maxh]

Hello

Can anyone give some advice or guidance on the compatibility of carbon steel with carbon dioxide in its liquid form.

We have been asked to provide a pressure vessel constructed in carbon steel, SA516-70, to contain CO2 liquid at 16 deg C and 57 BarG. Our experience with liquid CO2 and pressure vessels so far has only been with 300 series stainless steels and duplex steels such as UNS S31803.

We have some chemical compatibility charts which give information on dry CO2 which is not helpful and some information on wet CO2 which conflicts and so is unconclusive.

Our customer is none to helpful and just says stainless steel is OK provided that it costs no more than the carbon steel option.

We would like to supply in carbon steel but are not sure it is safe.

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[tomhyde]

maxh,

Virtually all the commercial bulk liquid CO2 storage tanks in the world are carbon steel, and that includes beverage grade CO2. The only applications for stainless I have seen are for high purity systems in the semiconductor and pharmaceutical industries. A proper code-designed carbon steel tank will have no problems.

Tom

 

[maxh]

tomhyde

Thanks for the advice

max

 

[MOB1]

Our company had an experience some years ago of carbon steel carbon dioxide storage cylinders in a fire fighting system on a ship. A number of the cylinders contained stress corrosion cracks which were identified on hydro testing. The SCC was attributed to carbon dioxide and moisture and possible elevated temperature in the ship's hull operating in the tropics.

 

[SimonJolley]

Max, Moist CO2 will form Carbonic Acid and attack common steels.
I would advise 316,309,310 SS, Monel, Hastelloy A,B,C or Monel for use with industrial CO2. Sorry, but steel will be corroded and fail eventually
Simon