Aluminium Alloys and Mercury
David Konneker
I am interested in the reaction that would make aircraft aluminum
unuseable after exposure to spilled mercury in the cargo compartment of
an airliner.
I don't know where to start except that aircraft aluminum is typically
T5054.
Someone tried to explain to me why a 747 was scrapped because of a
mercury spill and didn't have a real grasp as to why.
Any help?
Please email me at david.p....@lmco.com
Thanks,
Dave Konneker
GlennShiv
> I am interested in the reaction that would
> make aircraft aluminum unuseable after
> exposure to spilled mercury in the cargo
> compartment of an airliner.
>
> I don't know where to start except that
> aircraft aluminum is typically T5054.
>
> Someone tried to explain to me why a 747
> was scrapped because of a mercury spill
> and didn't have a real grasp as to why.
I do not have a specific literature reference, however, these is a similar
problem in the natural gas processing industry. Air-cooled aluminum heat
exchangers have experienced severe corrosion problems due to mercury borne by
natural gas. There are a number of natural gas wells which have high
concentrations of mercury vapor (North Sea, and some wells located in the
northwest). Some natural gas pipelines have mercury from old pressure gauges
which leaked mercury. Recent years has seen the development of natural gas
processes to remove mercury vapors from natural gas.
Best wishes,
Glenn Shiveler
dniemeyer
David Konneker wrote in message <36703C7A...@lmco.com>...
>Hello,
>
>I am interested in the reaction that would make aircraft aluminum
>unuseable after exposure to spilled mercury in the cargo compartment of
>an airliner.
>
>I don't know where to start except that aircraft aluminum is typically
>T5054.
>
>Someone tried to explain to me why a 747 was scrapped because of a
>mercury spill and didn't have a real grasp as to why.
>
Paul Stockwell
supply Hg detection systems used for the determination of Hg in Natural Gas
and Liquid hydrocarbons.
There is a paper called
Thermodynamics of corrosion reactions by CJ Cameron which was presented at
the 72nd Annual GPA Convention in 1994.
Which discusses how the reaction works
I can fax you a copy of this if you would like.
Paul Stockwell
P S Analytical Ltd.
Arthur House
Crayfields Industrial Estate
Main Road
Orpington
Kent BR5 3HP
TEL 44 (0) 1689-891-211
FAX 44 (0) 1689-896-009
Email p...@psanalytical.demon.co.uk
WEB www.psanalytical.demon.co.uk
Paul Stockwell
Mercury removal from wet natural gas
Paul
Barry L. Ornitz
>unuseable after exposure to spilled mercury in the cargo compartment of
>an airliner.
I thought surely someone would answer this quickly.
Aluminum is a very reactive metal but its surface is normally protected by
a thin oxide layer that prevents further oxidation.
Mercury can amalgamate with aluminum if it can penetrate below the oxide
surface.
When an amalgamated aluminum surface is exposed to the oxygen in air, the
aluminum oxidizes leaving the mercury behind to further amalgamate with the
fresh aluminum surface below. The oxide produced is very light and porous
(often called feathers which will be obvious if you perform the
experiment). This oxide layer will build up and eventually flake off. In
the mean while, the aluminum amalgam keeps being oxidized until it is all
used up (or until all of the mercury is lost to the "feathers").
To demonstrate this, take a small test tube and add a drop of mercury.
Then add a few CC of dilute hydrochloric acid. Take a long aluminum wire
and dip it in the test tube. Leave the end in the acid several seconds
until the oxide layer is dissolved before pushing it into the mercury.
Withdraw the wire and wash it in water. Leave the wire hanging in a place
with very still air. Within minutes, long "feathers" will begin growing on
the end coated with mercury. These can grow to several feet in length if
the air is very still. The "feathers" are aluminum oxide. After a period
of time, note that the wire diameter that was coated in mercury will be
smaller from the amount of aluminum lost to oxidation.
But let me add a note of warning here. Some mercury will be carried over
into the "feathers" so handling them is _quite_ dangerous. Since these
"feathers" are so friable, it is easy to get mercury vapor in the air.
Remember the extreme toxicity of mercury vapor if you perform this
experiment.
I would expect a few drops of mercury to not be too harmful to an aircraft.
Remember the mercury will not amalgamate with the oxide-coated aluminum.
But a scratch or such might provide a place to start. Once started, the
process continues for quite a while.
Dr.Barry L. Ornitz orn...@dpnet.net
mike crimmins
interface so that the reaction of Al and water to form hydrogen and aluminum
oxide keeps going until there is no more aluminum left. check out Fiesers
"reagents for organic synthesis " vol 1 under aluminum amalgam
mike
David Konneker wrote:
> Hello,
>
> I am interested in the reaction that would make aircraft aluminum
> unuseable after exposure to spilled mercury in the cargo compartment of
> an airliner.
>
> I don't know where to start except that aircraft aluminum is typically
> T5054.
>
> Someone tried to explain to me why a 747 was scrapped because of a
> mercury spill and didn't have a real grasp as to why.
>
> Any help?
>
> Please email me at david.p....@lmco.com
>
> Thanks,
>
> Dave Konneker
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> David Konneker <david.p....@lmco.com>
> Engineering Test Pilot
> LMAS
>
> David Konneker
> Engineering Test Pilot <david.p....@lmco.com>
> LMAS
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> Netscape Conference DLS Server
> Additional Information:
> Last Name Konneker
> First Name David
> Version 2.1