Insight into the corrosion in non-ferrous alloy heat exchangers

Selected issues relating to the corrosion of non-ferrous heat exchanger components in their operating environment have been presented. With the increasing demand for such equipment, the number of reported corrosion-related failures is steadily increasing, resulting in rising operating costs. This paper introduces the different types of corrosion and defines selected corrosion problems affecting aluminium heat exchanger components. Macroscopic images are shown and the mechanism of corrosion caused by the presence of organic decomposition products on the surface of copper elements is discussed. In relation to copper, an example of corrosion caused by sulphate ions is also presented. The study also includes an example related to the hydrogenation of a titanium heat exchanger plate. The analyses presented in this paper are related to engineering practice and are relevant to the design of thermal energy exchange devices. The possibility of early detection of existing corrosion hazards will also help to prevent potential mechanical failures in heat exchangers.