R. M. Hopkins
University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B. C., Canada
Norman Epstein
Department of Chemical Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1W5, Canada
Tests were conducted on the thermal fouling of 8.71 mm i.d. type 304 stainless tubes by flowing suspensions of ferric oxide in water over concentrations of 0-3750 ppm, Reynolds nabers of 10,100-37,600 and heat fluxes of 0-292 kW/m2. Deposits were subjected to microscopic examination and electron microprobe analysis. The results were explained by invoking electrochemical crevice corrosion as the mechanism governing the fouling.