Q: I’m running a municipal solid waste incinerator and am having trouble with corrosion from a combination of hydrochloric acid and sulfuric acid that is derived from chloride and sulfur containing compounds in the waste fuel stream. I was using Duplex steel bolts for the chloride corrosion but they aren’t holding up with the condensation of HCl.
A: Your biggest problem when dealing with hot chlorine and sulfur compounds is when they cool and combine with moisture to form HCl and H2SO4 acids. These droplets of acid could also get very concentrated as the moisture is evaporated off. I would suggest a high performance nickel alloy fastener like Hastelloy C276. In regards to chloride corrosion, Hastelloy bolts should work very well and are stable at elevated temperatures. You can learn more about Hastelloy C276 fasteners by clicking here.