Several leaks were observed in wall tubes located in the convection section of a
package boiler after being in service for about 22 years. The design capacity of the boiler
is 137 tons per hour (124.3 Megagrams per hour) at a maximum pressure of 15.6 barg (16
kg/cmz) and design temperature of 397OF (203OC). The failures occurred on the internal
surfaces facing the hot gas at localized pits with hemispherical bottoms. Large tubercles,
0.43-inches (I 1 mm) in height and 0.24 to 0.47-inches (6 to 12 mm) in diameter, formed
above the observed pits. The results of metallographic, SEMIEDS and XRD analyses are
presented and discussed in this paper. A schematic model of a developed tubercle
showing the individual layers and the distribution of detected elements in these layers is
also presented. It was concluded that the tubes failed due to the presence of chlorides
from sea water that contaminated the boiler feed water. Seawater contamination was
caused by the severe corrosion damage of cupro-nickel tubes in the evaporator by shell
side steam.