Corrosion of Cu-Base Alloys in Geothermal Condensates
- Key words
- copper, brass, H2S, corrosion, geothermal, condensate, aeration, iron inhibition
- Conference
- World Geothermal Congress
- Year
- 2010
- Session
- 27. Corrosion and Scaling
- Language
- English
- Paper number
- 2743
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Abstract
Copper base alloys have excellent heat transfer properties but have had limited application in geothermal waters because of the risk of H2S corrosion and the risk of copper contamination of ferrous materials.
The results of copper and Al-brass coupon exposure trials in H2S containing geothermal steam condensates completed at the Broadlands-Ohaaki geothermal well BR22 are reported. Corrosion coupons exposed in steam condensate show presence of iron and stable corrosion products indicating impact of corrosion of the carbon steel test chamber - iron injection is known to lower corrosion of copper alloys in cooling waters. Deliberate contamination of one of the test chambers with air resulted in a higher corrosion rate. Thermodynamic models of the damage mechanisms are presented.
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