Continuous KCl addition in high temperature exposures of 304 L – A way to mimic a boiler environment

Abstract

Alloys exposed in waste-fired boilers tend to exhibit higher corrosion rates and more signs of severe corrosion attack than in laboratory experiments simulating this type of environment. Thus, in order to better mimic the boiler environment, a laboratory setup with continuous deposition of KCl(s) on the samples has been performed. Areas with high amount of deposited KCl(s) reveal an accelerated corrosion attack characterized by thick oxide layers, void formation and steel grain boundary attack. Areas with less deposited KCl(s) exhibited the same morphology as presented earlier for 304 L samples exposed to small amount of KCl(s).