Failure analysis of cooling water pipes used in the condensation system of a gas turbine

The copper–zinc alloy pipes used in the condensed water system of a power plant failed within a period of 5 to 6 years. Because the service life of such a system was expected to be on the order of 20 years, an investigation was carried out to determine the possible causes for early failure of the pipes. Visual inspection revealed that the damage was generally in the form of holes. Further examination revealed that the pipes damaged over this relatively short period of time were constructed of copper–zinc alloys that are not resistant to dezincification corrosion.