Material selection for condensing moist CO2

[nbuff15]

Hi All,

I'm working on a few applications in which I need to cool either say moist CO2 or an exhaust gas mixture which has N2, O2, CO2 and H2O as well as some other components. I'm considering using a finned tubed cross flow heat exchanger with gas on the fin side. After talking to a few colleagues about the application, their concern is that an Aluminum 1100 fin would be corroded by the formation of Carbonic acid during condensing. However, after reading some of the posts here and a few corrosion resistance references online (Corrosion Resistance of Aluminium and Aluminium Alloys, Handbook of Corrosion Data) I'm a little confused on whether or not the Aluminum would be effected at all. I was wondering if anyone could give any advise on this.

Thanks in advance.

 

[EdStainless]

If this is exhaust gas it will contain nitric and sulfuric acids, along with the carbonic, and whatever impurities were in the intake air (near the shore that would be Cl). Al fins would not last long.

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P.E. Metallurgy, Plymouth Tube