PANAMETRICS - NDT

Internal Oxide
Scale
Theory

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Internal Oxide Application

• The very high temperatures found inside steam boilers (in excess of 1000 0 F
or 5000 C) can cause the formation of a brittle iron oxide called magnetite on
the inside and outside surfaces of steel boiler tubing.

Steam side:

• Water vapor will react with the Iron in the steel to form magnetite and
hydrogen according to the formula:

3 Fe + 4 H20 = Fe3O4 + 4 H2

Fire Side:

• Flue gases react with the Iron in steel to form Magnetite and Sulfides
(External Scale)

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Internal Oxide Applications

• Oxygen diffuses into the steel and Iron diffuses out of the steel to and
combine to form magnetite

Flue Steel
Gases Fe3 Boiler Tube
e O4
H
3
F Fe
3O
O2 4

Fe 3
O2
E

O4
A O2 Fe3 O2 Steam
External Scale
T O2 O2
Internal Scale
Fe3O4
Fe
3
O4

Flue Fe3
Gases Fe3
Fe 3O
4

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Internal Oxide Applications
• Thin layers of this oxide scale forms a protective coating that can help protect
the steel from corrosion.

• At a constant temperature the rate at which oxide grows normally decreases

over time

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Internal Oxide Applications
As the internal oxide scale builds above .013“(0.33mm) it impedes the heat
transfer between the tube metal and the steam

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Internal Oxide Applications
•This increases the tube operating temperature and
accelerates the internal oxide scale growth and decreases
the life of the tubes

Wall= 0.400in.

Wall=0.350in.

13

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Internal Oxide Applications (Exfoliation)
• Steam side oxide (magnetite) under certain operational conditions usually
during start up or shut down can dis-bond and spall off

• Mostly due to differences in the coefficients of expansion between oxide and

metal

• Magnetite particles are carried to the turbine causing erosion of turbine

blades.

Bare
Steel
Oxide

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Internal Oxide Applications (Exfoliation)
• This is more prevalent in cycling boilers or in boilers that have been
operating for long periods of time

• Blistering can also cause exfoliation if two atoms of hydrogen combine at the
interface between oxide and steel

• These hydrogen molecule are too large and can not diffused and produce a
gas pocket between the oxide and the steel.

Broken Blister Adhered

Bare Steel Oxide

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