How can heat stable salts (HSS) cause/promote erosion to the tubes?

[Abdulla Alishaq]

Hi all,

I have a problem where erosion is happening opposite to the inlet nozzle of the shell side in a lean solvent cooler and the fluid is MDEA there.

I have checked the flow rate, it didn't exceed the design value. The temperature didn't exceed the design value.

The only thing is that the heat stable salt is beyond the safe limit.

Does it cause erosion?

 

[georgeverghese]

Check the rho-v2 upper limit quoted in TEMA for inlet nozzles to HX to see if there should have been a sacrificial impact plate at the inlet nozzle. HSS alone would not be the cause for this erosion.