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De-nickelification of 70/30 Cupronickel Tubing in a Cooling Heat Exchanger

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Abstract

A cupronickel heat exchanger failed after 10 years of service. The cooling heat exchanger was in service in a marine environment, with water flowing along shellside and natural gas along tubeside. Many tubes showed leakages during a regular maintenance test. A comprehensive failure analysis of the heat exchanger revealed the de-nickelification process on the external side of the damaged tubes (shellside). The de-nickelification originated from a large deposit of sea water scale, over tube lengths, which completely covered the area just outside the internal portion of the tubesheet, and occurred because of a failure of the regular cleaning operation. Stagnant water and possible hot spot formations on the tubes probably caused the phenomenon.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. LF Engineering, Via Mantegna 6, 20060, Bussero, MI, Italy

    Silvia Cincera

  2. Dipartimento di Meccanica, Politecnico di Milano, Via la Masa 1, 20156, Milan, Italy

    Silvia Barella & Mattia Bellogini

  3. Exova, Via Della Pierina 9/11, 26013, Crema, CR, Italy

    Elena Bresciani

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  1. Silvia Cincera
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  2. Silvia Barella
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  3. Mattia Bellogini
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  4. Elena Bresciani
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Correspondence to Silvia Cincera.

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Cincera, S., Barella, S., Bellogini, M. et al. De-nickelification of 70/30 Cupronickel Tubing in a Cooling Heat Exchanger. J Fail. Anal. and Preven. 12, 300–304 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11668-012-9565-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11668-012-9565-1

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