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Durability of aluminum cooling system in electric power plants
Author(s) -
Deflorian F.,
Rossi S.,
Fedel M.
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
surface and interface analysis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.52
H-Index - 90
eISSN - 1096-9918
pISSN - 0142-2421
DOI - 10.1002/sia.3142
Subject(s) - corrosion , aluminium , water cooling , heat exchanger , materials science , electric power , metallurgy , nuclear engineering , mechanical engineering , power (physics) , thermodynamics , engineering , physics
Abstract The final step in gas turbine electric power production plants is the cooling of water after the turbine expansion. In some thermal plants, the temperature reduction of the recycling fluid is partially obtained by heat exchanging with the atmosphere by passing the fluid through huge aluminum heat exchangers. From the corrosion point of view, most critical is the starting step of the power plant, when the aluminum cooling system comes in contact with water for the first time and reaches a surface condition in dynamic equilibrium with the liquid. This paper describes a systematic study of aluminum surface evolution in the cooling system of an electric power plant during the first weeks of operation. Some aluminum samples were placed inside the cooling system in significant locations and removed after scheduled times. The surface conditions of the samples were characterized using surface analyses, electrochemical techniques and microscopic observations. At the same time, the chemical conditions of the recycling fluids were monitored. The obtained results describe the corrosion resistance of the aluminum surface as a function of the conditioning time, proving the growth of a partially protective layer able to produce corrosion decrease during the service time of the energy production plant. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.