SEM: Deposits in systems of industrial facilities

Because of electrochemical processes, mineralized waters, temperature or pressure variations in industrial facilities, corrosive processes can be initiated. These lead to the formation of minerals in the medium. The analysis of those new mineral formations contributes to the diagnosis of this processes and helps prevent acute malfunctioning in the operating procedure.

Often, coatings are formed at units of the system. Later on, these coatings break partially and migrate through the system until they get caught on filters or plug narrow place. The analysis of these shelled particles may help to detect the affected system component.

In most cases, spherical particles emerge the medium itself due to pressure and temperature differences. Further, open systems can be contaminated by impurities as well, which act abrasive or corrosive.

Even in ventilation systems or extraction units the transported media may act corrosive. As example, salts (chloride, fluoride and sulfates) were analyzed from a filter of a ventilation system of a transformer station. These salts contain as cations all metals of the incorporated ventilation system components. As a result, the corrosive impact of the sucked off gases (HCl, HF and SO2) could be proven beyond doubt.