Corrosion Failure Reason of Copper Component of Electric Apparatus for a Hydropower Plant

SEM, EDS and XRD were used to analyze the corrosion products on the surface of copper parts to find out the causes of corrosion failure such as blackening of the surface of copper parts of electrical equipment in hydropower plants. Electrolytic reduction method was used to analyze the corrosion products on the surface of the copper sheet to characterize the degree of corrosion in the core area of No. 1 to 5. The results showed that the black corrosion product on the surface of copper parts was mainly Cu₂S, and the corrosive gas H₂S existed in the service environment of electrical equipment. The environmental corrosion degree of zone 1, zone 3, zone 4 and zone 5 was grade GX, and zone 2 was grade G2. The higher the H₂S content in the environment, the faster the corrosion rate and the heavier the corrosion; the corrosion reaction between copper parts and H₂S in the environment was the main cause of corrosion failure of electrical equipment.