Repair of HP Mod Alloy
Repair of HP Mod Alloy
Repair of HP Mod Alloy
IX-2266-08
Abstract
A lot of trial and error is involved when it comes to repair
welding of service exposed cast material like HP40-Nb.
Depending on the source a lot of different weld repair
strategies are proposed and applied. With this research
project, the Belgian Welding Institute wanted to make a
scientific bench mark when weld repair is needed. An
assessment of the mechanical properties at room and service
temperature is made. Recommendations are formulated to
make safe and reliable repair welds in the future.
Background
Steam Cracking furnaces manufacture ethylene and related
products by the pyrolytic conversion of a feedstock mixture
of hydrocarbons and steam. The feedstock is passed at low
pressure (0,2-0,5 MPa) and process temperatures of 788843C [1]. The radiant section of some of these cracking
furnaces operate at end-of-run tube metal temperatures up to
1150C (outlet tubes). This is the practical upper limit for
most of the fabricable, heat resistant alloys. During
operation, a coke layer builds up inside the hotter sections of
the coils and this coke has to be burned away during a decoke operation at intervals of 20 to 50 days [1]. The result is
that steam cracking is one of the most aggressive
environments to which alloys can be exposed, and coils
become damaged. This has repercussions on the weldability
of the alloy.
Mechanisms which are detrimental for the weldability of
service exposed centrifugal casted tubes are:
oxidation;
ageing;
carburization;
nitriding.
Oxidation
Furnace gases or process gases may cause the formation of a
thick oxide scale on the surface. Oxide films interfere with
welding by reducing the wettability of the base material by
the molten weld metal. When not removed completely, they
can contribute to incomplete fusion, slag and porosity
Carburization
Carburization means carbon enrichment and carbide
formation from the inner diameter of the radiant tube
(process gas side) The coil metal becomes carburized by
contact with the coke and the feedstock.
Carbon pick up increases the metal volume resulting in
internally induced stresses due to the difference between the
expansion coefficient of the matrix and the carburized layer.
Any appreciable increase in base metal carbon content due
to carburization destroys the weldability of these steels. The
material will crack when touched with the electric arc or
with the heat of the torch.
Doc. IX-2266-08
In the carburised zone the thicker M23C6 carbides will
transform to M7C3 carbides with the release of metal noted
as small spots in the carbides. The room temperature
ductility is further reduced and will become very low.
M23C6
M7C3
Figure 2: Transformation of carbides
Diffusion of carbon in heat resistant steels can be noted
during metallographic examination as a wave front, which
runs concentrically to the inner surface. This line is used as
reference for the carburization depth.
Doc. IX-2266-08
Buttering
Buttering the face of a bevel on a low ductility casting
reduces the chance of cracking in the heat affected zone,
particularly when a nickel alloy filler can be used. The weld
metal has higher ductility and is deposited under minimum
restraint conditions. After buttering the bevel is remachined.
The buttered weld layer is better able to absorb deformation
when the butt weld solidifies. Closing layers should not be
deposited on the base material and stay on the buttered weld
metal. Buttering can be done at room or high temperature
and is followed by room temperature welding,
Shot peening
Solution annealing and buttering are sometimes applied in
combination with shot peening. This mechanical treatment
can help where a large grain size exists. This is especially
true for static casting fittings. Shot peening can be applied
over bevels and adjacent areas to reduce the grain size
(recrystallization). It can also be a powerful aid in reducing
weld stresses. When performed it must be done after each
bead while the bead is still hot. Only fill passes should be
peened, never the root. The major problem with peening is
that it is difficult to specify the amount of peening. A guide
to an adequate force is that needed to give the weld bead a
shot blast appearance [3].
High temperature welding
The last method to increase the ductility is welding at higher
preheat temperatures, which also reduces the stresses during
welding, by reducing the thermal shock caused by welding.
This method was evaluated within this project for repair
welding of HP40-Nb (GX40NiCrSiNb35-25) tubes. Hot
tensile tests revealed that preheating above 600C is
necessary to restore the ductility in order to attempt crackfree repair welding [6].
Si
Mn
Cr
Mo
Ni
Nb
Ti
Min.
Max.
0,30
0,50
1,00
2,50
2,00
24,0
27,0
0,50
33,0
36,0
0,80
1,80
X1(X2)
0,35
1,77
0,98
23,3
0,22
34,6
1,09
0,12
XT
0,60
1,70
1,23
24,8
0,15
33,2
1,00
0,08
XB
0,39
1,53
1,23
23,8
0,03
33,7
0,96
0,13
Doc. IX-2266-08
It must be noted that carburized metal no longer makes a
significant contribution to the tube strength. The tubes X1
and X2 were not carburized.
DELIVERED TUBES
Tube
No.
Damage level
Rm
(MPa)
A5
(%)
KV50/5
(J)
Min. 440
Min. 8
633
588
2,9
3,0
1,8/1,6/1,8
625
585
3,9
3,6
2,0/2,4/2,0
430
429
0,9
1,5
1,6/1,7/1,8
Non carburized
X2
XT
Locally carburized
Thick oxide layer
XB
Heavily carburized
Rupture in
screw thread
Tube No.
Dimensions
Layers
Current
(A)
Voltage
(V)
Heat Input
(kJ/cm)
96-103
11,9-12,2
14,6-14,7
OD118 x wt 8 mm
Up to 4
98-133
12,4 - 13,1
10,0 - 13,8
1,6/2,4/2,5
X2
42,0-42,3
22,8-23,2
OD118 x wt 8 mm
Up to 5-6
46,1-53,1
21,8-22,7
4,0-6,6
XT
40,0-51,0
21,0-23,0
OD118 x wt 10 mm
Up to 6
56,0-73,0
21,0-25,0
XB
35,0-50,0
21,0-24,0
OD114 x wt 7 mm
Up to 3
55,0-57,0
21,0-24,0
5,0-7,5
Non-destructive examination
TABLE 3: CHEMICAL COMPOSITION UTP FILLER METALS
ACCORDING DATASHEETS
C
Si
Mn
Cr
Ni
Nb
Ti
Zr
Fe
1,0
1,7
25,5
35,5
1,2
balance
balance
1,0
1,5
25
35
1,2
0,1
Two girth welds were realized in each tube and all tubes
were welded in the PC position to have a joint
corresponding to usual practice with similar properties in the
whole girth weld. The bevel was a V-joint with an angle
of 355.
The TIG joints were preheated at 300C with gas burner,
Girth welds welded with covered electrodes where preheated
at min. 600 C with thermal mats. Although put in practice
by some constructors, TIG welding at this high preheat was
not performed. The workload for the welders is very hard at
this high preheat temperature. Disadvantages for the SMA
welding process are the slag at the inside which can not be
removed, and must be removed between the layers, and the
Doc. IX-2266-08
Macrographs of the heavily carburized tube XB show that
the carburization depth (indicated by white arrow) of a tube
can be very local, which is caused by local failure of the
protective oxide scale at the inside of the tube. No welding
defects were found in macro No.1.
BM
HAZ
WM
Figure 9: Creep cavities in the heat affected zone
Tube
No.
Rm
(MPa)
Fracture
location
KV50/5
(J)
X1
454
411
BM
BM
WM:
HAZ:
X2
456
518
BM
BM
WM:
HAZ:
XT
280
265
BM
BM
WM:
FL:
HAZ:
6,2 / 6,9/5,8
2,8/4,2/2,8
1,0/1,2/1,2
XB
354
314
BM
HAZ
WM
FL:
HAZ:
3,8/4,8/6,0
1,8/1,6/2,2
1,6/2,2/1,2
Doc. IX-2266-08
Mechanical properties at high temperature
100
Stress (MPa)
10
HP40-Nb micro-alloyed, virgin material
HP40-Nb service exposed, no carburization
SMAW crossweld, non carburized tube
HP40-Nb service exposed, locally carburised
SMAW crossweld, locally carburized tube
GTAW crossweld, non carburized tube
1
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
m
0,8*m
0,6*m
36
37
38
LMP=T(22,96+log t).10-3
Si
Mn
Cr
Mo
Ni
Nb
Ti
0,41
1,59
1,31
23,2
1,13
35,2
0,028
Temp.
(C)
Rm
(MPa)
Fracture
Location
Temp.
(C)
Rm
(MPa)
Fracture
Location
RT
421
Outside
weld metal
800
234
Outside
weld metal
Doc. IX-2266-08
982 C
Stress (MPa)
1
10
100
1000
Rupture time (h)
10000
100000
* crossweld
** creeptest on weld metal (INCONEL)
It must be remarked that accelerated creep testing of exservice material is not suited to determine the remnant life of
pyrolysis coils, because the relevant failure mechanisms can
not be taken into account by a simple creep test. The two
main failure mechanisms for radiant tubes [11] are the
combined action of carburization and creep ductility
exhaustion, and brittle failures during furnace trips. The first
mechanism results in bulging, bending, ovalization of the
tubes and a short longitudinal crack. The second mechanism
results in large longitudinal cracks, which ends in a forklike appearance.
Cracked tubes are damaged beyond repair. Severe creep
deformation, causing alignment problems, may make repair
welding impossible and repair is no longer recommended.
A fully carburized tube can have a remnant life of 1-2 years
(if no furnace trip occurs) [11]. Repair welding is not
recommended when the carburization depth extends over
50% from the wall thickness or the carbon level in the inside
diameter of the tube is above 1,5% [4].
Doc. IX-2266-08
Conclusions:
Repair welding of aged, casted HP40-Nb material can often
add years of life if proper procedures are followed.
References
[1]
[2]
[3]
[5]
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank the IWT for their financial
support of this collective research project. Also the industrial
partners are gratefully acknowledged: TOTAL, BASF,
ROB, SOUDOKAY (UTP, Bhler-Thyssen), ESAB,
VINCOTTE, LABORELEC, STORK MEC, CMI, VCL,
and SIRRIS .
[4]
[6]
[7]
[8]
[9]
[10]
[11]