Corrosion inhibition in an industrial crystallization plant: Optimizing the process with a statistical method

摘要

AbstractAn experimental statistical plan is utilized to solve corrosion problems of a section of an industrial plant for the production of caprolactam, consisting of a multistage flash evaporator entirely constructed in AISI 316L (X2CrNiMo 17 12 2). Preliminary tests show that the nitrates or acidity due to the sulfuric acid do not influence the corrosive phenomena and confirmed the positive, though costly, effect of adding hydroxylamine sulfate (SI) in the evaporator feed. An experimental plan was prepared to diminish the cost and dosage of SI in the system: the experimental statistical approach has allowed us to minimize the number of tests required in order to define the system rapidly and adequately, and to optimize the required amount of SI.The data processed have been obtained in a two‐step experimental plan that allowed us to establish a relationship between the logarithm of critical corrosion current (icr) and the concentrations of some evaporator feeding components. In addition, it has been possible to clarify certain corrosion effects and to reduce the SI addition up to 1.4 g/l, thereby optimizing the chemical system and considerably reducing maintenance costs. A plausible explanation of the related effects of some of the feeding components is also propose