Evaluation of salt particle collection devices for coastal metal storage facilities with natural ventilation

Abstract Stress corrosion cracking (SCC) is a potential threat to metal containers stored in coastal facilities utilizing natural ventilation due to sea salt particles in the airflow. This study investigates the applicability of low-pressure salt particle collection devices developed by the Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry (CRIEPI) in Japan (reports N08050 and N11044) to natural ventilation systems in Taiwanese coastal storage facilities. We evaluate the capture efficiency and pressure drop of these devices compared to conventional stainless steel filters. The pressure loss of the collection devices was assessed using the CRIEPI model and compared with a handbook model, demonstrating high agreement. Capture efficiency analysis revealed a reduction rate of approximately 78% for the salt particle collection device. However, peak analysis indicated this reduction was primarily effective for particles exceeding 10.2 μm in diameter. Compared to stainless steel filters, the collection devices offer lower reduction efficiency but with a stable pressure drop and potentially lower maintenance costs. This study also emphasizes the need for optimizing salt particle reduction methods by considering the trade-off between capture efficiency and pressure drop.