Mass transfer controlled corrosion of baffles in agitated vessels

Abstract

The diffusion controlled corrosion of baffles in agitated vessels is studied by means of a model employing the diffusion controlled dissolution of copper in a solution of acidified dichromate. For this study, the impeller is a radial flow turbine with four blades, producing a radial flow pattern in the vessel. The variables studied were the baffle width, the impeller speed of rotation and the physical properties of the solution. It was found that the mass transfer coefficient of the diffusion controlled corrosion decreases as the baffle width increases, and that the baffles suffer less corrosion than the wall and the impeller of the agitated vessels. A general equation relating the variables studied to the rate of corrosion from the baffles was found in terms Sherwood, Schmidt and Reynolds numbers.