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Inhibiting Nucleation Corrosion in Liquid Hydrocarbons

Dewpoint corrosion is a well-known phenomenon in flue gas stacks and refinery overheads, where fine water droplets condense from the vapor upon cooling, and the acid gases in the vapors diffuse into water droplets to form a highly corrosive low pH liquid. We have identified a similar mechanism in hydrocarbon liquids, which we call as “nucleation corrosion” (C2023-19463). Liquid hydrocarbons often have dissolved water (DW), which does not promote corrosion even in the presence of corrosive species (e.g., organic acids, H2S). Upon cooling, the DW nucleates as nanometer-sized water droplets and acids present in the liquid partition into the water droplets decreasing pH to cause aggressive nucleation corrosion. In this study the methods to mitigate nucleation corrosion are investigated with an emphasis on studying the impact of different types of chemical inhibitors on this newly discovered mechanism. An interesting example of the impact of the test method on inhibitor selection is shown. Finally, a case study highlighting nucleation corrosion in a refinery distillation overhead reflux line is presented.
Product Number: 51324-21232-SG
Author: Moshood Adewale; Hitesh Bagaria; Nimeshkumar Patel; Tatiana Barbosa; Osvaldo Antonio Heredia Cancino
Publication Date: 2024
$40.00
$40.00
$40.00