Fireside corrosion of stainless and low alloyed steels in a waste-fired CFB boiler; The effect of adding sulphur to the fuel

Journal article, 2008

Corrosion field tests have been carried out in the superheater region of a commercial waste-fired 75MW CFBC boiler using air cooled probes. Exposure time was 24 and 1000 hours. The effect of adding sulphur to the fuel on the corrosion of two high alloyed steels and a low alloyed steel was studied. The fuel consisted of 50% household waste and 50% industrial waste. The exposed samples were analyzed by ESEM/EDX and XRD. Metal loss was determined after 1000 hours. Both materials suffered significant corrosion in the absence of sulphur addition and the addition of sulphur to the fuel reduced corrosion significantly. The rapid corrosion of the high alloyed steel in the absence of sulphur addition is caused by the destruction of the chromium-containing protective oxide by formation of calcium chromate. Adding sulphur to the fuel inhibited chromate formation and increased the sulphate/chloride ratio in the deposit. Iron(II) chloride formed on the low alloyed steel regardless of whether sulphur was added or not.