ANALISIS KERUSAKAN PIPA BAFFLE PADA SISTEM HEAT EXCHANGER SUATU PROSES TRANSFER PANAS[Failure Analysis of Baffle Tube on Heat Exchanger System in Heat Transfer Process]

FAILURE ANALYSIS OF BAFFLE TUBE ON HEAT EXCHANGER SYSTEM IN HEAT TRANSFER PROCESS. This paper discussed about combination between erosion attack and corrosion process as a factor cause of baffle tube leaking in heat exchanger system and given some solution to prevent similar case in future. Heat exchangers transfer heat from a hot fluid to a colder fluid through the combined mechanisms of conduction and forced convection. When the heat exchanger fail, all of the processing system could be affected. In this research the failed baffle tubes of heat exchanger were investigated by failure analysis methods to find the caused of the failure. Several examinations were carried out to the baffle tubes to obtain detailed data for analysis. Examinations are carried out such as visual and fractography, microstructure, hardness testing, chemical composition analysis of baffle tube material, SEM and EDS. Visual examination shows wall thinning which caused by erosion attack and corrosion product at outside surfaces of baffle tube. Additional data obtained from EDS analysis confirm aggresive / corrosive ion such as Sulphur ion (ion S 2) which spreaded around pipe surface investigated. Erosion attack is caused by steam burst from another pipe which have experienced leaking at steam drum. So, it can be concluded that the cause of failure are combination between erosion attack and corrosion process on the outside surfaces of baffle tube.