2 API RECOMMENDED PRACTICE 571

— Inspection and Monitoring—Guidance for nondestructive examination (NDE) and other methods for
detecting, monitoring, characterizing, sizing, and determining the severity or extent of damage or
deterioration.

— Related Mechanisms—A list of related damage mechanisms.

— References—A list of references cited, relied upon, or that provide background and other pertinent
information.

Generic PFDs are provided in Section 4 to assist the user in determining primary locations where some of the
significant damage mechanisms are commonly found.

2 Terms and Definitions

2.1 Definitions

For the purposes of this document, the following definitions apply.

austenitic
A term that refers to a type of metallurgical structure (austenite) normally found in 300 series stainless steel (SS)
and nickel-based alloys. These materials have a face centered cubic crystallographic structure and are generally
nonmagnetic.

austenitic stainless steels

The 300 series SS, which commonly include Types 304, 304L, 304H, 309, 310, 316, 316L, 316H, 317, 317L,
321, 321H, 347, and 347H. The “L” and “H” suffixes refer to controlled ranges of low and high carbon content,
respectively. These alloys are characterized by an austenitic structure.

carbon steel
An alloy consisting primarily of iron (Fe) with a small amount of carbon (C). Carbon steels do not have alloying
elements intentionally added. However, there may be small amounts of elements permitted by specifications
such as ASTM A516 and ASTM A106, for example, that can affect corrosion-related properties, hardness after
welding, and toughness. Elements that may be found in small quantities include Mn, Cr, Ni, Mo, Cu, S, Si, P, Al,
V, and B.

diethanolamine
DEA
Chemical used in amine treating to remove H2S and CO2 from hydrocarbon streams.

diglycolamine
DGA
Chemical used in amine treating to remove H2S and CO2 from hydrocarbon streams.

duplex stainless steel

A family of stainless steels that contain a mixed austenitic-ferritic structure including Alloys 2205, 2304, and 2507.
The welds of 300 series SS may also exhibit a duplex structure.
 DAMAGE MECHANISMS AFFECTING FIXED EQUIPMENT IN THE REFINING INDUSTRY 3

ferritic
A term that refers to a type of metallurgical structure (ferrite) normally found in carbon and low-alloy steels and
many 400 series SS. These materials have a body centered cubic crystallographic structure and are generally
magnetic.

ferritic stainless steels

A family of stainless steels including Types 405, 409, 410S, 430, 442, and 446.

heat-affected zone
HAZ
The portion of the base metal adjacent to a weld that has not been melted, but in which the metallurgical
microstructure and mechanical properties have been changed by the heat of welding, sometimes with
undesirable effects.

high-strength low-alloy steel

HSLA steel
A family of carbon steels in which higher strength levels are achieved by the addition of moderate amounts of
alloying elements such as titanium, vanadium, or niobium in amounts of less than 0.1 %. They can be more
sensitive to cracking during fabrication from hydrogen embrittlement (HE) (delayed cracking; also known as
underbead cracking).

low-alloy steel
A family of steels containing up to 9 % chromium and other alloying additions for high temperature strength and
creep resistance. The low-alloy steels commonly encountered in refining include C-0.5Mo, Mn-0.5Mo, 1Cr-0.5Mo,
1.25Cr-0.5Mo, 2.25Cr-1.0Mo, 5Cr-0.5Mo, and 9Cr-1Mo. These are considered ferritic steels, although their
microstructures might be an alteration of the ferrite phase found in carbon steel.

martensitic
A term that refers to a type of hard metallurgical structure (martensite) normally found in some 400 series SS.
Heat treatment or welding followed by rapid cooling can sometimes produce this or a similar hard metallurgical
structure in carbon and low-alloy steels. Martensitic and similar hard microstructures typically need to be
tempered by heat treatment to soften them in order to make the material suitable for use in refining applications.

martensitic stainless steel

A family of stainless steels including Types 410, 416, 420, 440A, 440B, and 440C.

methyl diethanolamine
MDEA
Chemical used in amine treating to remove H2S and CO2 from hydrocarbon streams.

monoethanolamine
MEA
Chemical used in amine treating to remove H2S and CO2 from hydrocarbon streams.
4 API RECOMMENDED PRACTICE 571

nickel-based
A family of alloys containing nickel as a major alloying element (>30 % Ni) including Alloys 200, 400, K-500, 800,
800H, 825, 600, 600H, 617, 625, 718, X-750, and C276.

stainless steel
An alloy of iron (Fe) with at least 10.5 % chromium (Cr) plus other alloy additions, depending on the specific
grade. There are four major categories of stainless steels that are characterized by their metallurgical structure
at room temperature: austenitic, ferritic, martensitic, and duplex. These alloys have varying amounts of chromium
and other alloying elements that give them resistance to certain types of degradation depending on the alloy.

2.2 Acronyms and Abbreviations

For the purposes of this document, the following acronyms and abbreviations apply.

ABSA angle beam spectral analysis

ACFM alternating current field measurement

ACSCC alkaline carbonate stress corrosion cracking

AET acoustic emission testing

AGO atmospheric gas oil

Al aluminum

ARH acid relief header

ARN acid relief neutralizer

ASCC alkaline stress corrosion cracking

AUBT automated ultrasonic backscatter testing

AUT automated ultrasonic testing

B boron

BFW boiler feedwater

C carbon

C3 chemical symbol referring to propane or propylene

C4 chemical symbol referring to butane or butylene

Cat catalyst or catalytic

CCR continuous catalytic reforming

CH4 methane

Cl− SCC chloride stress corrosion cracking

CO carbon monoxide

CO2 carbon dioxide

 DAMAGE MECHANISMS AFFECTING FIXED EQUIPMENT IN THE REFINING INDUSTRY 5

Cr chromium

Cu copper

CuF cuprous fluoride

CuF2 cupric fluoride

CUI corrosion under insulation

CVN Charpy V-notch

CW cooling water

DEA diethanolamine

DGA diglycolamine

DIPA diisopropylamine

DMW dissimilar metal weld

DNB departure from nucleate boiling

ECT eddy current testing

EMAT electromagnetic acoustic transducer

FAC flow accelerated corrosion (in boiler water and steam condensate)

FCC fluid catalytic cracker

Fe iron

Fe3O4 magnetite

FeS iron sulfide

FFS Fitness-For-Service

FGE fuel grade ethanol

FMR field metallographic replication

FRP fiber-reinforced plastic

GWT guided wave testing

H2 diatomic hydrogen gas

HAZ heat-affected zone

HB Brinell hardness number

HCGO heavy coker gas oil

HCl hydrochloric (acid)

HCN hydrogen cyanide

H2CO3 carbonic acid

6 API RECOMMENDED PRACTICE 571

HE hydrogen embrittlement

HF hydrofluoric (acid)

Hg mercury

HHPS hot high-pressure separator

HIC hydrogen-induced cracking

HP high pressure

HPS high-pressure separator

HRC Rockwell hardness number (based on Rockwell C scale)

HRSG heat-recovery steam generator

H2S hydrogen sulfide

HSAS heat stable amine salts

HSLA high-strength low-alloy

H2SO4 sulfuric acid

HCO heavy cycle oil

HTHA high-temperature hydrogen attack

HVGO heavy vacuum gas oil

ID inside diameter

IOW integrity operating window

IRIS internal rotating inspection system

K.O. or KO knock out, as in K.O. drum

KOH potassium hydroxide

LCGO light coker gas oil

LCO light cycle oil

LP low pressure

LPS low-pressure separator

LVGO light vacuum gas oil

MAWP maximum allowable working pressure

MDEA methyl diethanolamine

MDMT minimum design metal temperature

MEA monoethanolamine

MFL magnetic flux leakage

 DAMAGE MECHANISMS AFFECTING FIXED EQUIPMENT IN THE REFINING INDUSTRY 7

MIC microbiologically influenced corrosion

Mn manganese

Mo molybdenum

MPT minimum pressurization temperature

mpy mils per year

MT magnetic particle testing

MVP materials verification program

Na sodium

NAC naphthenic acid corrosion

NaOH sodium hydroxide

Nb niobium

NDE nondestructive examination

NFT near-field testing

NH3 ammonia

NH4HS ammonium bisulfide

Ni nickel

NO2 nitrogen dioxide

NPSH net positive suction head

O2 oxygen

OD outside diameter

P phosphorus

PAUT phased array ultrasonic testing

PEC pulsed eddy current

PFD process flow diagram

PMI positive materials identification

POX partial oxidation

PREN pitting resistance equivalent number

PT liquid penetrant testing

PTA SCC polythionic acid stress corrosion cracking

PTFE polytetrafluoroethylene

PVC polyvinyl chloride

8 API RECOMMENDED PRACTICE 571

PWHT postweld heat treatment

RE residual element

RFT remote field testing

RT radiographic testing

S sulfur

SAW submerged-arc welding

SCC stress corrosion cracking

SEM scanning electron microscope

Si silicon

SLOFEC saturated low-frequency eddy current

SO2 sulfur dioxide

SOHIC stress-oriented hydrogen-induced cracking

SRB sulfate-reducing bacteria

SRC stress relaxation cracking

SRU sulfur recovery unit

SS stainless steel

SSC sulfide stress cracking

SW sour water

SWS sour water stripper

SWUT shear wave ultrasonic testing

TAN total acid number

Ti titanium

TOFD time of flight diffraction

UT ultrasonic testing

UTS ultimate tensile strength

V vanadium

VT visual inspection (visual testing)

WFMT wet fluorescent magnetic particle testing

Zn zinc