Patent ID: 7005011

Claim:
A method for treating a gas-liquid separation device comprising an internal titanium component to control accumulation of deposits of solid iron oxide on a surface of the titanium component comprising the steps of (a) introducing to the separation device an organic acid comprising an alkyl monocarboxylic acid having 2 to 6 carbon atoms, benzoic acid or mixture thereof at a first temperature in the range of about 30 to about 125° C. and passing the organic acid through the separation device in the absence of molecular oxygen levels forming a flammable mixture; (b) adding to the organic acid in the absence of molecular oxygen levels forming a flammable mixture an aqueous hydrohalide acid at a temperature which is lower than the first temperature to obtain an aqueous solvent composition at a second temperature which is lower than the first temperature; and (c) contacting the titanium component with the solvent composition in the separation device in the absence of molecular oxygen levels forming a flammable mixture.