Silicon-containing steel composition with improved heat exchanger corrosion and fouling resistance

A heat transfer component for adjusting the temperature of a process stream, comprising:

• a heat exchange surface formed from a silicon containing steel composition including an alloy and an exposed non-metallic film directly formed on the surface of the alloy, wherein the process stream comes directly in contact with the exposed non-metallic film of the heat exchange surface,
• wherein the alloy is formed from the composition η, θ, and τ, in which η is a metal selected from the group consisting of Fe, Ni, Co, and mixtures thereof, θ is Si, wherein θ comprises at least 1.0 wt % to about 3.0 wt % of the alloy, and τ is at least one alloying element selected from the group consisting of Cr, Al, Mn, Ti, Zr, Hf, V, Nb, Ta, Mo, W, Sc, La, Y, Ce, Ru, Rh, Ir, Pd, Pt, Cu, Ag, Au, Ga, Ge, As, In, Sn, Sb, Pb, B, C, N, P, O, S and mixtures thereof, wherein the alloying element τ comprises at least about 0.01 wt % to about 3.0 wt % Al of the alloy, and
• wherein the non-metallic film comprises at least a 1 nm thick Si-partitioned non-metallic film containing at least one of sulfide, oxysulfide, and mixtures thereof, wherein the non-metallic film is formed from the alloy and consists of at least 10 atomic percent Si based on the concentration of the non-metallic film, wherein the non-metallic film reduces sulfidation corrosion and depositional fouling associated with the process stream contacting the heat transfer component.