Development of a forecasting model for refinery crude column overhead corrosion control

Corrosion at the top of a distillation column is a common problem in refineries and chemical plants. In particular, severe damage has been inflicted in refineries by corrosive materials such as hydrogen sulfide and chlorine. Therefore, the mechanism of the corrosion occurring at the top of a distillation column has been analyzed, and a model for forecasting the corrosion rate has been developed. Four major materials were selected for modeling: H2S, CO ₂, H⁺ and Cl^-. These were selected by taking into consideration their effect on the corrosion rate. Studies on the transport phenomenon and reaction engineering for this model were carried out, and the reliability of the model was verified on the basis of the data measured at a real refinery.