Corrosion resistance of structural materials in high-temperature aqueous sulfuric acids in thermochemical water-splitting iodine-sulfur process

熱化学水素製造法ISプロセスに用いる構造材料の高温液相硫酸環境に対する耐食性

久保 真治  ; 二川 正敏  ; 井岡 郁夫  ; 小貫 薫; 山口 明久*

Kubo, Shinji; Futakawa, Masatoshi; Ioka, Ikuo; Onuki, Kaoru; Yamaguchi, Akihisa*

熱化学法水素製造法ISプロセスに用いる硫酸濃縮器や硫酸蒸発器用の構造材料は高温かつ極めて腐食性の強い環境に曝される。そこで、材料腐食試験により、セラミックス材及び耐酸金属材の耐食性を評価した。腐食環境は、温度320, 380, 460C、圧力2MPa、濃度75, 85, 95wt%の高温液相硫酸環境とした。供試材料の重量変化から、SiC, Si-SiC, SiN)の良好な耐食性("よく耐える"と格付け)を示した。高シリコン鉄(シリコン含有20%)の耐食性は"やや耐える"であったが、断面顕微鏡観察でクラックの生成が認められた。シリコン添加耐酸鋼は激しく腐食し、腐食速度は1gmhであった。これら腐食試験から、硫酸濃縮器や硫酸蒸発器用の構造材料にはシリコンを含有したセラミックス(SiC, Si-SiC, SiN)が適切であることを明らかにした。

Very harsh environments exist in the iodine-sulfur process for hydrogen production. Structural materials for sulfuric acid vaporizers and concentrators are exposed to high-temperature corrosive environments. Immersion tests were carried out to evaluate the corrosion resistance of ceramics and to evaluate corrosion-resistant metals exposed to environments of aqueous sulfuric acids at temperatures of 320, 380, and 460C, and pressure of 2 MPa. The aqueous sulfuric acid concentrations for the temperatures were 75, 85, and 95 wt%, respectively. Ceramic specimens of silicon carbides (SiC), silicon impregnated silicon carbides (Si-SiC), and silicon nitrides (SiN) showed excellent corrosion resistance from weight loss measurements after exposure to 75, 85, and 95 wt% sulfuric acid. High-silicon irons with silicon content of 20 wt% showed a fair measure of corrosion resistance. However, evidence of crack formation was detected via microscopy. Silicon enriched steels severely suffered from uniform corrosion with a corrosion rate in 95 wt% sulfuric acid of approximately 1 gmh. Among the tested materials, the ceramics SiC, Si-SiC, and SiN were found to be suitable candidates for structural materials in direct contact with the considered environments.