on site corrosion inspection

[PaulLag]

Hello there

I will be sent from my company to verify some chillers where the customer claims to have corrosion.

I have thought that some factors need to be observed, as

proximity to sea
proximity to traffic or chemnies
humidity level
frequency of rain
maintanance procedure

frame condition

Of course I will have to verify if the fins are brittle or not.



Please, are there other elements you would recommend me to observe ?

Thanks in advance !

 

[CoCoE]

Mr. PaulLag,

I would like to add the below points. (if it is a chiller unit)

Condition and type of insulation
Check for presence of condensation
Shutdown frequency
verify MDMT of the construction materials with the actual.
Check the lowest temperature, the components of the chiller units went through

 

[PaulLag]

Many thanks !

please, may I ask you two clarifications ?

1 - please what do you mean for MDMT ? Minimum design metal temperature ?
If so, it is not clear to me how this is related to corrosion

2 - I shall check lowest temperature since there there may be condensation and therefore potential corrosion ?

One further clarification: what if I notice the fins are corroded ?

Many thanks

 

[EdStainless]

for equipment that is out doors google earth is invaluable. You can print satellite views of the site beforehand and use them to make notes about the surrounding area.
I visited a site that was a few miles from the beach, but a seawater canal ran right behind an adjacent tree line.

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P.E. Metallurgy, Plymouth Tube

 

[CoCoE]

Sory for the late reply. MDMT is exactly what you said. We use to cross check the MDMT and the lowest temp the components have passed through during the operation cycles to assess the probability of brittle fracture. No any condensation is related to this.

Regards

Krishn4

 

[PaulLag]

Many thanks

To Mr. EdStainless

many thanks
indeed I followed your piece of advice.
One question: do you think that a chiller set near a parking and a motorway can be subjected to potential corrosion because of pollution due to engines ?

Many thanks

 

[EdStainless]

It could, I see two possibilities.
1. Do they salt the roads in winter to clear ice? (this would lead to chloride contamination)
2. In this in a country with little or no pollution control on cars? (this would greatly increase exposure to acid gases, both sulfurous and nitric)
If either of these are true then it could be a major factor.

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P.E. Metallurgy, Plymouth Tube