SET 1: Answer

API 571 Damage Mechanism

Spheroidization / Softening
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ANSWER-1: B, 2-B, 3-C, 4-D, 5-B

API 571-2003: Damage Mechanism
Damage Mechanism Spheroidization Softening
4.2.2.7 Inspection and Monitoring Spheroidization can only be found through field metallography or removal of
samples for metallographic observation.
4.2.2.2 Affected Materials All commonly used grades of carbon steel and low alloy steels including C-0.5Mo, 1Cr-
0.5Mo,1.25Cr-0.5Mo, 2.25Cr-1Mo, 3Cr -1Mo, 5Cr-0.5Mo, and 9Cr-1Mo steels.
4.2.2.1 Description of Damage Spheroidization is a change in the microstructure of steels after exposure in the
850oF to 1400oF (440oC to 760oC) range,
4.2.2.6 Prevention / Mitigation Spheroidization is difficult to prevent except by minimizing long-term exposure to
elevated temperatures.
4.2.2.3 Critical Factors c) Annealed steels are more resistant to spheroidization than normalized steels. Coarse-
grained steels are more resistant than fine-grained. Fine grained silicon-killed steels are more resistant than
aluminum killed.
Carbide phase => Plate to sphare => Strength↓ Creep Resistance ↓

API 571 API 571 Damage Mechanism

MICROBIOLOGICALLY INDUCED CORROSION (MIC)
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Answer-1: A, 2-C, 3-A, 4-E, 5-E
API 570-2003,
Para No. 4.38.3 a): MIC is usually found in aqueous environments or services where water is always or sometimes
present, especially where stagnant or low-flow conditions allow and/or promote the growth of microorganisms.
Para No. 4.3.8.6: b) Proper application of biocides will control but not eliminate microbes so that continued
treatment is necessary.
Note: biocides such as chlorine, bromine, ozone, ultraviolet light or proprietary compounds
Para No. 4.3.8.1 Description of Damage A form of corrosion caused by living organisms such as bacteria, algae or
fungi. It is often associated with the presence of tubercles or slimy organic substances.
4.3.8.7 Inspection and Monitoring
a) In cooling water systems, effectiveness of treatment is monitored by measuring biocide residual, microbe counts
and visual appearance.
b) Special probes have been designed to monitor for evidence of fouling which may precede or coincide with MIC
damage.
c) An increase in the loss of duty of a heat exchanger may be indicative of fouling and potential MIC damage.
d) Foul smelling water may be a sign of trouble.

API 571 Damage Mechanism

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Answer Keys
1.D; 2.B; 3.B; 4.C; 5.A; 6.C; 7.B; 8.A; 9.B; 10.B; 11.C; 12.C; 13.B; 14.B; 15.A; 16.D; 17.B; 18.C; 19.C 20.A;
 Ans 1: 4.2.9.1 Description of Damage
Thermal fatigue is the result of cyclic stresses caused by variations in temperature. Damage is in the form of
cracking that may occur anywhere in a metallic component where relative movement or differential expansion is
constrained, particularly under repeated thermal cycling.

Ans 2: 5.1.1.5 High Temp H2/H2S Corrosion

5.1.1.5.3 Critical Factors d) Higher corrosion rates are found more in gas oil desulfurizers and hydrocrackers than naphtha
desulfurizers by a factor of almost ‘2’.

Ans 3: 4.2.14 Erosion/Erosion – Corrosion 4.2.14.5 Appearance or Morphology of Damage

a) Erosion and erosion-corrosion are characterized by a localized loss in thickness in the form of pits,
grooves, gullies, waves, rounded holes and valleys. These losses often exhibit a directional pattern.

A4: C/5 = (F-32)/9

Ans 6: 4.5.5 Liquid Metal Embrittlement (LME)

4.5.5.1 Description of Damage
Liquid Metal Embrittlement (LME) is a form of cracking that results when certain molten metals come in contact with
specific alloys. Cracking can be very sudden and brittle in nature.
4.5.5.3 Critical Factors
a) LME occurs in very specific combinations of metals in contact with low melting point metals such as zinc,
mercury, cadmium, lead, copper and tin.

Ans 7: 4.4.3.3 Critical Factors

d) In carbon steels and low alloy steels, carbon reacts to form a hard, brittle structure at the surface that
may crack or spall upon cooling.

Ans 8: 4.2.12 Dissimilar Metal Weld (DMW) Cracking

4.2.12.1 Description of Damage
Cracking of dissimilar metal welds occurs in the ferritic (carbon steel or low alloy steel) side of 4.2.12.7 Inspection and
Monitoring
a) In fired heater tubes, the cracks form primarily from the outside so that visual, MT and PT inspection
methods can be used.

Ans 9: 5.1.2.4 Hydrogen Stress Cracking - HF

5.1.2.4.1 Description of Damage
Hydrogen Stress Cracking is a form of environmental cracking that can initiate on the surface of high strength
low alloy steels and carbon steels with highly localized zones of high hardness in the weld metal and HAZ as
a result of exposure to aqueous HF acid environments.
5.1.2.4.8 Related Mechanisms
This is the same mechanism that is responsible for sulfide stress corrosion cracking in wet H2S environments
except that HF acid is generating the hydrogen.
Ans 10: 4.2.17 Vibration-Induced Fatigue
4.2.17.1 Description of Damage
A form of mechanical fatigue in which cracks are produced as the result of dynamic loading due to vibration,
water hammer, or unstable fluid flow.
Creep: => Constant Load=> Deformation
Fatigue =>Cyclic Load =>Damage /Failure
4.2.8 Creep and Stress Rupture
4.2.8.1 Description of Damage
a) At high temperatures, metal components can slowly and continuously deform under load below the yield
stress. This time dependent deformation of stressed components is known as creep.
b) Deformation leads to damage that may eventually lead to a rupture.
4.2.9 Thermal Fatigue
4.2.9.1 Description of Damage
Thermal fatigue is the result of cyclic stresses caused by variations in temperature. Damage is in the form of
cracking that may occur anywhere in a metallic component where relative movement or differential expansion is
constrained, particularly under repeated thermal cycling.

Ans 11: 4.4.2 Sulfidation

4.4.2.1 Description of Damage
Corrosion of carbon steel and other alloys resulting from their reaction with sulfur compounds in high temperature
environments. The presence of hydrogen accelerates corrosion.

Ans 12:

Ans 13: 4.2.14 Erosion/Erosion – Corrosion

4.2.14.1 Description of Damage
a) Erosion is the accelerated mechanical removal of surface material as a result of relative movement between, or
impact from solids, liquids, vapor or any combination thereof.
Ans 14: 4.2.9 Thermal Fatigue
4.2.9.1 Description of Damage
Thermal fatigue is the result of cyclic stresses caused by variations in temperature. Damage is in the form of cracking
that may occur anywhere in a metallic component where relative movement or differential expansion is constrained,
particularly under repeated thermal cycling.
Ans 15: see A 11:

Ans 16: 5.1.1.10.3 Critical Factors

a) H2S content, pH, temperature, velocity and oxygen concentration are all critical factors.
b) The H2S concentration in the sour water is dependent on the H2S partial pressure in the gas phase as
well as temperature and pH.
c) At a given pressure, the H2S concentration in the sour water decreases as temperature increases.

Ans 17: 5.1.2.3 Wet H2S Damage (Blistering/HIC/SOHIC/SSC)

5.1.2.3.1 Description of Damage
This section describes four types of damage that result in blistering and/or cracking of carbon steel and low
alloy steels in wet H2S environments.
b) Hydrogen Induced Cracking (HIC) Hydrogen blisters can form at many different depths from the surface of the steel, in
the middle of the plate or near a weld. In some cases, neighboring or adjacent blisters that are at slightly different depths
(planes) may develop cracks that link them together. Interconnecting cracks between the blisters often have a stair step
appearance, and so HIC is sometimes referred to as “stepwise cracking” (Figure 5-23, Figure 5-24 and Figure 5-25).

Ans 18: 4.3.3 Corrosion Under Insulation (CUI)

4.3.3.7 Prevention / Mitigation
a) Since the majority of construction materials used in plants are susceptible to CUI degradation, mitigation
is best achieved by using appropriate paints/coatings and maintaining the insulation/sealing/vapor barriers to prevent
moisture ingress.

Ans 19: 4.4.2 Sulfidation

4.4.2.1 Description of Damage
Corrosion of carbon steel and other alloys resulting from their reaction with sulfur compounds in high temperature
environments. The presence of hydrogen accelerates corrosion.
4.4.2.3 Critical Factors
a) Major factors affecting sulfidation are alloy composition, temperature and concentration of corrosive
sulfur compounds.

Ans 20: 4.4.3.5 Appearance or Morphology of Damage

a) The depth of carburization can be confirmed by metallography.
b) Carburization can be confirmed by substantial increases in hardness and loss in ductility.

API 571 Damage Mechanism

5.1.1.1 Amine Corrosion

Answer: 1.B, 2. A, 3.A,

5.1.1.1.3 Critical Factors
a) Corrosion depends on design and operating practices, the type of amine, amine concentration, Contaminants,
temperature and velocity.
5.1.1.1.3 Critical Factors d) Lean amine solutions are generally not corrosive because they have either low conductivity
and or high pH. However, an excessive accumulation of heat stable amine salts (HSAS) above about 2%, depending on
the amine, can significantly increase corrosion rates.
5.1.2.2.1 Description of Damage
a) Amine cracking is a common term applied to the cracking of steels under the combined action of tensile stress and
corrosion in aqueous alkanolamine systems used to remove/absorb H2S and/or CO2 and their mixtures from various gas
and liquid hydrocarbon streams.
All alkali (dissolved in water) can be termed as bases