Heat Exchanger Failure Analysis

A heat exchanger failure can cause the shut down of a manufacturing line. The repair of the failed heat exchange tube may be a short term solution. The failed tubes are removed and submitted to a metallurgical laboratory for a heat exchanger failure investigation.

Heat exchangers transfer heat from steam, gas, water and other liquid media that can be corrosive to the tube material. The evaluation of any corrosion deposits near the tube failure requires corrosion analysis experience (see Corrosion Failure Analysis). The metallurgical determination whether the tube failed from the inner diameter or outer diameter is significant to determining the root cause and for any recommendations for future repair. The evaluation can involve:


• Welding Defects
• Design
• Water Treatment
• Material Selection
• Pitting
• Corrosion
• Erosion


The corrosion evaluation of any residue is critical to the heat exchanger failure analysis and requires scanning electron microscope and energy dispersive spectroscopy analysis by an experienced corrosion expert.

The SEM/EDS analysis is a critical part of the heat exchanger failure analysis. Required to solving the failure analysis:

• Actual Failed Tube Samples ……….. (MOST IMPORTANT)
• Background Information – Operating History
• Intact Tubes Samples From the Same Heat Exchanger (if available)

Heat, corrosive media and cyclic operating conditions are common environments for a variety of failure and corrosion mechanism. Experience with the following mechanisms are required to solving heat exchanger failures:

• Pitting Corrosion
• Corrosion Fatigue
• Crevice Corrosion
• Stress Corrosion Cracking
• Cyclic Stress
• Erosion
• Tubercular Corrosion Growth

Solving heat exchanger failures requires a vast array of metallurgical experience. Mr. Metal has the knowledge and the experience to help you with all of your heat exchanger problems.