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Some deposits were found on the fuel oil heat exchanger. It was observed that at temperature below 100 C no such deposition occcur, but at temperature >=100 C some deposits were found. Please clarify what type of deposits are these and the reason for such deposition.
 
Answers
02/10/2013 A: Eric Vetters, ProCorr Consulting Services, ewvetters@yahoo.com
It is impossible to know for sure without analyzing the deposits. The temperature threshhold sounds like the deposits are likely water soluble salts. Fuel can contain some water. Any salts that were left in the oil leaving the desalter end up in the fuel oil and those salts can resolubilize in the water. If the fuel oil has been transported by ship or barge it can pick up salt water during shipping. In either case when the oil is heated and the water vaporizes, the dissolved salts can be left behind on the tubes of the heat exchanger.