Failure analysis of the finned tube economizer boiler

This paper presents the results of the analysis of damage to the economizer tube with fins in a boiler. Failure analysis was carried out by fractography observation, chemical analysis, hardness testing, metallographic analysis, and SEM-EDS. Test results and macro observations show that fatigue corrosion was the main cause of leakage and damage to the tube. The EDS results found that a large number of chemical elements in the form of Natrium (Na), Magnesium (Mg), as well as Copper (Cu), were detected in the inner surface of the tube, this was the cause of damage in the form of corrosion at high temperatures, and galvanic stress due to dynamic load when in operation. The results of this analysis prove that fatigue corrosion occurs due to a combination of corrosion attack and vibration when the tube is operating. Meanwhile, a high-temperature corrosion attack occurs due to deposits in the inner surface of the tube containing elements that can trigger corrosion and local overheating. © 2024 Author(s).