CORROSION EFFECTS ON HEAT EXCHANGER USING MILD STEEL COUPON IN WATER AND ETHANOLAMINE ACID (MEA)

This study investigates the corrosion behavior of carbon steel coupons exposed to two different media—water and Monoethanolamine (MEA)—at varying temperatures (35°C, 45°C, 55°C, and 65°C) over a five-day period. The results show that carbon steel corrodes more significantly in water than in MEA, with corrosion rates increasing with both time and temperature. The weight loss of the carbon steel coupons in water progressively increased as the temperature rose, indicating that higher temperatures exacerbate the corrosion process. In contrast, corrosion in MEA was minimal across all temperature conditions, suggesting that MEA acts as a corrosion inhibitor under the tested conditions. The corrosion rate constants for carbon steel in water were negative and increased with temperature, confirming the aggressive corrosive nature of water, whereas the corrosion rate in MEA remained almost constant. The coefficient of determination (R²) values for the corrosion models were higher for water (ranging from 0.771 to 0.995), indicating a stronger correlation between the experimental data and the corrosion rate models, whereas MEA exhibited lower and less consistent R² values. These findings highlight the importance of temperature in accelerating corrosion and suggest the potential of MEA as a corrosion inhibitor in industrial applications, particularly in heat exchangers where water is commonly used as a coolant. The study underscores the need for material selection, temperature control, and regular monitoring to mitigate corrosion in high-temperature environments.