Abs. 717, 206th Meeting, © 2004 The Electrochemical Society, Inc.

Acid Dew Corrosion Behavior lower metal temperature/ lower acid concentration
of Cu-Sb bearing Low Alloy Steel environments, and (2) sulfuric acid dew corrosion
environments involving chlorides.
Akira Usami
Steel Research Labs., Nippon Steel Corporation Effect of micro alloying elements such as Cu, Sb, Cr were
20-1 Shintomi Futtsu Chiba 293-8511 Japan also investigated electrochemically and discussed in terms
of anodic dissolution and hydrogen evolution reactions.
Corrosion behavior of low alloyed steels in acid dew
corrosion environments were studied by filed exposure 1) J.F Barkley et.al.: Bureau of Mines Rept. of
tests and laboratory corrosion or electrochemical Investigation, No.4996 (1953)
measurements. Tested steels were mild steel (JIS SS400), 2) A.Teramae et.al.: Fuji Steel Tech. Rept.,17,103(1968)
weathering steel (0.3%Cu-0.6%Cr-0.3%Ni bearing high 3) A.Usami et.al.: Nippon Steel Tech. Rep, in press(2004)
tensile steel, COR-TEN1), Nippon Steel), and sulfuric 4) H.D. Taylor, Trans. Faraday Soc., 47, 1114(1951)
acid dew corrosion resistant low alloy steel2,3) (0.3%Cu- 5) A.Usami et.al.:13thAPCCC,Osaka, JSCE, G-13 (2003)
0.1%Sb bearing high tensile steel, S-TEN1, Nippon Steel).
In some experiments, Type304 and Type316L stainless 1 1 1
Temperature (℃)
1 1 2 2 2
2x10 4x10 6x10 7x10 8x10 10 1.2x10 1.4x10
steel were also tested for comparison. Field tests were 10
4

*for 70%,75% and 80% conditions;

mild steel
conducted at various exhaust gas facilities at fossil fuel 300g/L of acitivated carbon powder
S-TEN1
was added to test solutions.
fired power stations or commercial plants. 10
3 Type 316L S.S.

Corrosion rate (g/m /h)

2
In sulfuric acid dew corrosion, concentration of 10
2

condensed acid is determined only with the metal surface

temperature4). By using this relationship, immersion tests 10
1

in various sets of acid concentration and temperature were

conducted in order to compare corrosion rates of steels. (<0.01)
1
Fig.1 shows effect of acid concentration / temperature on 10% 20% 40% 50% 60% 70% 75% 80%

corrosion rates of steels. This result suggests that Fig.1 Effect of acid Cconcentration
oncentration of H SO (mass%)
and temperature on 2 4

comparing to carbon steel, S-TEN1 would show lower corrosion rate of steels in sulfuric acid solution.
corrosion rate in acid dew corrosion condition, where 4.0
Relative corrosion rate after 5000h

metal temperature and acid concentration are relatively

max.
lower as reported before2). A typical result of long term 3.0
average
exposure tests in sulfuric acid dew corrosion conditions is
shown in Fig.2. Test coupons were placed on the inlet 2.0

duct surface to the steel stack in a high sulfur heavy oil

fired power station. S-TEN1 showed clearly lower 1.0

corrosion rate than COR-TEN or mild steel. As S-TEN1

does not contain chromium (<0.02%), this result 0.0
mild steel COR-TEN S-TEN1
demonstrates chromium is not an essential chemical
element for acid resistant low alloyed steel. Fig.2 Corrosion rates at a inlet flue to stacks
in a high sulfur heavy oil fired power station.
It is often encountered in the exhaust gas treatment
80℃ 10.5mass% HCl solution for 6h
facilities that fly ash contains high amounts of chlorides 900
Corrosion rate (g/m /h)
2

or flue gas contains several hundred ppms of hydrochloric 600

acid. In these cases, sulfuric acid dew corrosion behavior
300
of steels may be affected with chlorides and hydrochloric
acid atmosphere can develop at the steel/ rust interface5). 0
Mild steel Type304SS Type316LSS COR-TEN S-TEN1

300 80℃ 1mass% HCl solution for 6h

Fig.3 shows corrosion rates of steels in hydrochloric acid
Corrosion rate (g/m /h)

250
2

solutions (10.5mass% and 1.0mass%) at 80 deg.C. In 75

10.5mass% HCl solution, corrosion rate of S-TEN1 is 50

substantially lower than even that of type 316L. In more 25

dilute 1%HCl solution, S-TEN1 still showed comparable 0

Mild steel Type304SS Type316LSS COR-TEN S-TEN1

low corrosion rate to type 316L steel, otherwise COR-

TEN showed higher corrosion rate in both concentrations.
This results suggest that S-TEN1 would show lower
corrosion rate in applications in which hydrochloric acid
atmosphere could develop.
Fig.3 Corrosion rates in dilute hydrochloric acid
solutions (upper; 10.5%, lower; 1%HCl)
mild seel

Fig.4 showed a result of field test in which several mass Location: duct panels for dust collecter
in a coke oven plant
percent of chloride containing ash involved in sulfuric Thermal insulator: none
Furnace operation: intermittent
acid dew corrosion. Steels were actually applied as duct S-TEN1
Estimated temp: 50-400 °C
Gas:exhaust gas + COG + coal powder

panels without external heat insulator. As predicted from SO3: 20ppm

Fly ash: contains chlorides
Test duration; 6 months
Fig.3, S-TEN1 showed substantially lower corrosion rate
0.00 0.05 0.10 0.15 0.20
compared to mild steel. Corrosion rate (mm / year)

Fig.4 Corrosion rates from a field test

This study clarified and confirmed that a low alloyed
steel containing Cu-Sb without Cr shows better corrosion
resistance than Cu-Cr-Ni bearing steel in (1) relatively