Carbon Steel Corrosion By Volatile Acids

In the sugar industry, some evaporators discharge vapour into surface condensers.

The sugar process generates volatile acids due to thermal decomposition of sucrose and generation by other uncontrolled reactions. The volatile acidity refers to the steam distillable acids primarily acetic acid but also lactic acid.

The condition of the vacuum vapour environment is as follows:

Pressure 150 mbara
Temperature 54 deg C
pH about 5

How can we minimise the corrosion rate of our carbon steel piping and condenser?

Ahmed Vawda
www.unitedsugar.com