The resistance of structural steels against corrosion in CO2-H2O and CO2-H2O-O2
atmospheres at temperatures above 550°C was observed with high magnification methods.
The test atmosphere is the basic composition of an oxyfuel coal combustion atmosphere. The
analytical information base was applied to develop reaction schemes for the oxidation of
steels. It was demonstrated that the formation of phases and the kinetics of oxidation reactions
in this atmospheres is affected by the formation of intermediate iron hydroxide and a high
carbon activity. In the temperature regime above 550°C the thermal equilibrium between H2O,
CO2 and Fe reacted and formed CO. CO triggers the formation of FeO and carbides and
increases the reaction kinetics. Porosity at the interface is established by gaseous phases
such as Fe(OH)2 or H2O. H2 formation is not limited to the steel - oxide interface but can occur
in the whole oxide scale. Examples of the experimental results were compared with a
thermodynamic approach. The objective of the work was to derive qualitative rules of the basic
corrosion reactions.
The most efficient construction materials for boiler water walls and superheaters in
steam power plants are ferritic and martensitic steels. In practical operation tubes are
simultaneously exposed to combustion gas and air/steam on their opposite surfaces. The
corrosion behaviour of ferritic-martensitic steels under such dual atmospheres is nondistinctive
and has therefore been investigated in a special designed test equipment between 500 and
620°C. The power plant conditions were simulated wi th a flowing and pressurised (80 bar)
combustion gas on the inner side of the tube which mainly consists of H2O and/or CO2. On the
outer side, the tube material was exposed to air. It was discovered that under similar
temperatures the oxides formed on the air side under dual atmosphere conditions were
significantly different to the oxide scales formed when the alloy was exposed to air only. It is
assumed that the anomalous corrosion behaviour during the dual atmosphere exposure is due
to the hydrogen transport through the bulk alloy from the combustion gas side to the air side.
The most efficient construction materials for boiler water walls and superheaters in steam power plants are ferritic and martensitic steels. In practical operation, tubes are exposed simultaneously to combustion gas and air/steam on their opposite surfaces. The corrosion behavior of ferritic-martensitic steels under such dual atmospheres is nondistinctive and has been investigated in a specially designed test equipment between 500°C and 620°C. The power plant conditions were simulated with a flowing and pressurized (80 bar) combustion gas on the inner side of the tube, which contains water (H2O) and carbon dioxide (CO2). On the outer side, tube material was exposed to air. Oxides that formed on the air side under dual atmosphere conditions were significantly different from the oxide scales formed when the alloy was exposed to air only. It is assumed that the anomalous corrosion behavior during the dual atmosphere exposure is due to hydrogen and carbon diffusion through the bulk alloy from the combustion gas side to the air side. Both species are produced when the material reacts with the gas phase. Because of its high diffusivity, hydrogen is thought to affect the corrosion process on the air side from the beginning of the corrosion exposure, whereas carbon reaches the opposite side after a considerably longer time period.