High-temperature corrosion during the thermal treatment of footwear leather wastes

The footwear leather waste (FLW) has shown some distinct features of a conventional biomass, among which high concentrations of sulfur and chromium. The paper presents the obtained experimental results from gasification and combustion of FLW performed in a semi-pilot plant (350 kWth). The corrosion tests were carried out with one low carbon steel and three stainless steels at temperature around 500°C. The obtained corrosion rates for all the tested alloys were significantly lower than those observed on other types of biomass. The presence of chromium oxide and sulfur dioxide in the flue gas was associated with reduction in the corrosion rate.