Failure of hydrocracker heat exchanger tubes in an oil refinery by polythionic acid-stress corrosion cracking

Heat exchanger tubes of a hydrocracker unit in an oil refinery developed cracks at the bent sections after about 48 h of operation at 400 °C following a period of downtime. The tubes were fabricated from 321 stainless steel. Detailed analysis by various electron-optical techniques and X-ray diffraction showed that the tubes were cracked by stress corrosion cracking induced by polythionic acid. Due to the presence of H2S in the environment, the inner surface of the tubes was converted into sulfur-bearing scale during operation. This could promote the formation of polythionic acid by aqueous condensates during downtime leading to cracking in the presence of residual internal stresses.