Corrosion Failure of 304 Stainless Steel Hooks in a Brick Kiln

Failure analysis was carried out on the stainless steel hooks in a brick kiln to confirm its failure mechanism. The collected evidence indicated that chemical composition of the stainless steel hook was consistent with the standard requirements for 304 stainless steel. The metallographic test showed that the microstructure of the stainless steel hook in the non-damaged areas was normal. However, serious chromium segregation which might be caused by secondary phase formation at the high temperature was found in the damaged material. This dramatically reduced the corrosion resistance of the material. The corrosion elements such as oxygen and sulfur were found playing a major role in the corrosion process. Thus, the failure of the stainless steel hook was induced by corrosion due to the chromium segregation and the existence of corrosive elements including oxygen and sulfur.     

Alloy 430 ferritic stainless steel welds fail due to stress-corrosion cracking in heat-recovery steam generator

Alloy 430 stainless steel tube-to-header welds failed in a heat recovery steam generator (HRSG) within one year of commissioning. The HRSG was in a combined cycle, gas-fired, combustion turbine electric power plant. Alloy 430, a 17% chromium (Cr) ferritic stainless steel, was selected because of its resistance to chloride and sulfuric acid dewpoint corrosion under conditions potentially present in the HRSG low-pressure feedwater economizer. Intergranular corrosion and cracking were found in the weld metal and heat-affected zones (HAZs). The hardness in these regions was up to 35 HRC, and the weld had received a postweld heat treatment (PWHT). Metallographic examination revealed that the corroded areas contained undertempered martensite. Fully tempered weld areas with a hardness of 93 HRB were not attacked. No evidence of corrosion fatigue was found. Uneven temperature control during PWHT was the most likely cause of failure.     

金属波纹管补偿器的应力腐蚀开裂分析

采用宏观及微观断口分析、金相检验与化学成分检测等方法,对某铬一镍奥氏体不锈钢波纹管补偿器的腐蚀开裂失效原因进行了分析。结果表明：由于该铬一镍奥氏体不锈钢波纹管在氯离子含量超标的环境中服役,并承受来自于波纹管自身加工变形过程中形成的残余应力、工作应力以及装配应力,最终导致波纹管补偿器发生了由表及里的应力腐蚀开裂。     

乙二醇不锈钢蒸发器开裂原因分析

采用金相分析、断口微观分析以及腐蚀产物能谱分析等方法，对某石化公司乙二醇不锈钢蒸发器开裂原因进行了分析和研究。结果表明，由于材料在焊接过程中，焊接热影响区的组织受到敏化，铬的碳化物沿晶界呈网状析出，造成该区域贫铬，从而在应力与腐蚀介质的共同作用下，导致设备发生了晶问应力腐蚀开裂。     

1Cr18Ni9Ti不锈钢输油管道开裂原因分析

通过化学成分分析、宏观检验、金相检验和断口分析等方法对1Cr18Ni9Ti不锈钢液压油输送管道开裂原因进行了分析。结果表明:不锈钢管开裂为应力腐蚀开裂,裂纹起源于管道外壁并逐渐向内壁扩展;产生开裂的主要原因是工业水中氯、硫和氧等腐蚀性物质不断在钢管外壁沉积,在管道压力和腐蚀介质共同作用下,不锈钢管发生应力腐蚀开裂。     

Stress-Corrosion Cracking and Galvanic Corrosion of Internal Bolts from a Multistage Water Injection Pump

Nineteen out of 26 bolts (studs) used for assembly of multistage water pump showed severe corrosion and cracking after brief service in a severe working environment that contained saline water, CO₂, and H₂S. The failed bolts and intact nuts were supposed to be made out of a special type of austenitic stainless steel as per ASTM A 193 B8S and ASTM A 194, respectively. However, the investigation showed that bolts and nuts are made from two different alloys: an austenitic stainless steel and a nickel-base alloy. The difference in the corrosion resistance of these two alloys led to severe galvanic corrosion. The galvanic coupling between bolts and nuts in addition to the severe working environment played major role in the premature failure of bolts. The mechanisms of bolt failure were galvanic corrosion for bolts that were in direct contact with the environment and stress-corrosion cracking in the bolts remote from the severe environment. The stress-corrosion cracking was influenced by a bad fit between the bolts and nuts threads. This resulted in a crevice and the development of an aggressive chemistry between the engaged bolt/nut threads. All factors required to cause stress-corrosion cracking were available, namely, stressed bolts (bolts under tensile stress), temperatures above 60 °C, and chloride ions.     

Sensitization induced stress corrosion failure of AISI 347 stainless steel fractionator furnace tubes

Austenitic stainless steel tubes are used as furnace tubes in petrochemical industries mainly because of their corrosion resistance and mechanical strength. AISI 347 grade stainless steel is used as furnace heater tubes in the fractionator of hydrocracker unit. Even though this stainless steel is stabilized with the addition of niobium thus preventing sensitization related corrosion failures, operational and maintenance errors may result in premature failures if conditions prevail. The present work reports the premature failure of AISI 347 grade fractionator furnace tubes after nearly 8 years of service. The failure occurred after shutdown. Carbonaceous deposits were found on the inner walls of the tube and circumferential cracks were found beneath the deposit. The service exposed 347 SS alloy tube was in the sensitized condition as confirmed by microstructure and double loop electrochemical potentiodynamic reactivation test. The tube material got sensitized possibly by localized overheating at the carbon layer deposited site. During shutdown of hydrocracker unit polythionic acid formation occurred possibly due to errors in shutdown procedures. Sensitized alloy 347 tube undergone polythionic acid induced intergranular stress corrosion cracking (PASCC).     

Marine Atmospheric SCC of Unsensitized Stainless Steel Rock Climbing Protection

A failure investigation into the root cause of fixed austenitic stainless steel climbing anchor hardware in tropical marine climates has been presented. The incident 316L climbing anchor was fixed in a seaside limestone cliff in southern Thailand and underwent transgranular chloride stress corrosion cracking (TGSCC) after 10 years of service. Since stainless steel does not normally undergo stress corrosion cracking (SCC) at ambient temperatures, the conditions known to promote ambient temperature TGSCC of austenitic stainless steel are reviewed. A mechanism that may give rise to TGSCC in limestone climbing anchors in warm marine environments is postulated.     

Mitigation of chloride driven stress corrosion cracking susceptibility of 316L austenitic stainless steel using plasma sprayed TiO2 coating

The present study proposes a protective TiO₂ coating against chloride driven stress corrosion cracking problem of 316L austenitic stainless steel. To test the performance of the proposed coating, the severe chloride-based boiling magnesium chloride solution at 155 °C was chosen. For experimentation, the constant strain-based U-bend specimens were coated with TiO₂ using atmospheric plasma spray method. The results indicated higher resistance by TiO₂ coated specimens against stress corrosion cracking problem, while the bare specimens experienced severe damage in the boiling magnesium chloride solution under various strain loading configurations. The coating-electrolyte system of TiO₂ coated sample demonstrated over seven times higher resistance, eventually led to reduction in corrosion rate over fifteen times compared to the bare 316L stainless steel in the boiling magnesium chloride solution. This improved performance of the coated 316L stainless steel is attributed to inhibition of outward diffusion of iron-chromium-nickel in the corrosive environment and the high chemical stability of TiO₂.     

The abrasive corrosion behavior of plasma-nitrided alloy steels in chloride environments

Both corrosion and abrasive corrosion behavior of plama-nitrided type 304 and 410 stainless steels and 4140 low alloy steel were investigated in 3% NaCl solution (pH = 6.8) by electrochemical corrosion measurements. Surface morphology and alloying elements after corrosion and abrasion corrosion tests were examined by scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive analysis of X-rays. The results indicated that the plasma-nitrided SAE 4140 steel containing -(Fe,Cr)_{2 – 3}N and -(Fe,Cr)₄N surface nitrides which produce a thick and dense protective layer exhibited a significant decrease of corrosion currents by inhibition of the anodic dissolution of iron, whereas the plasma-nitrided type 304 and 410 stainless steels containing the segregation of chromium nitride CrN exhibited a extensive pitting corrosion by acceleration of the anodic dissolution of iron. It is concluded that the susceptibility to pitting is consistent with the degree of chromium segregation, and decreases as follows: 304 stainless steel > 410 stainless steel > 4140 steel. Also, the results of abrasive corrosion testing for the plasma-nitrided alloys are strongly related to the subtleties of the nitrided microstructures resulting in a pitting and spalling type of abrasive corrosion of type 304 and 410 stainless steels, and excellent abrasive corrosion resistance for SAE 4140 steel.     

Compatibility of ferritic and duplex stainless steels as implant materials: in vitro corrosion performance

The pitting corrosion, crevice corrosion and accelerated leaching of iron, chromium and nickel of super-ferritic and duplex stainless steels, and for effective comparison the presently used 316L stainless steel, have been studied in an artificial physiological solution (Hank's solution) by the potentiodynamic anodic polarization method. The results of the above studies have shown the new super-ferritic stainless steel to be immune to pitting and crevice corrosion attack. The pitting and crevice corrosion resistances of duplex stainless steel were found to be superior to those of the commonly used type 316L stainless steel implant materials. The accelerated leaching study conducted for the above alloys showed very little tendency for the leaching of metal ions when compared with 316L stainless steel. Thus the present study indicated that super-ferritic and duplex stainless steels can be adopted as implant materials due to their higher pitting and crevice corrosion resistance.     

奥氏体不锈钢在石油精炼环境中应力腐蚀破裂

通过恒变形和恒载荷试验研究了敏化18—8型奥氏体不锈钢在连多硫酸介质中的应力腐蚀行为。研究表明,介质浓度在2.0～6.0％,PH 值在0.8～1.8范围是材料出现应力腐蚀破裂的敏感介质。断口分析表明,在该体系中破裂属晶间型。钢中晶界贫铬区的存在是产生晶间型应力腐蚀破裂的主要原因。     

The effect of TiN inclusions and deformation-induced martensite on the corrosion properties of AISI 321 stainless steel

Stainless steel of type 321 is commonly used for the production of exhaust systems because of its temperature resistance and welding properties, which are better than those of AISI 304 or similar steels. AISI 321 is a titanium stabilized austenitic stainless steel, where this element is added to form carbides in order to avoid chromium impoverishment due to chromium carbide formation. Cold shaping can, in the case of austenitic stainless steel, cause the formation of deformation induced martensite, which can improve its mechanical properties, but unfortunately can also spoil its good resistance to corrosion. Titanium nitride inclusions are cathodic with respect to steels, and therefore cause their anodic dissolution. Martensite is, however, more susceptible to the corrosion than austenite in steels. The main aim of this study was to analyze the pitting corrosion and stress corrosion cracking which is initiated on prototype cold-formed outer exhaust sleeves during the testing of different cleaning procedures before chromium plating. Various microscopic methods were used to identify the initiation of corrosion and its propagation.     

Failure of stainless digester shafts in a paper production plant

The stainless steel connecting shafts of digester discharge screws of a paper production plant failed within a relatively short period after the production start of the plant. To investigate the reasons for these failures, stress analysis and material characterization of the broken shafts were performed. The test program included tensile, impact and hardness tests and metallographical and fractographical investigations. Fractographical examination verified that crack growth due to fatigue would have not been a contributing damage mechanism. Existence of chromium carbides together with a martensitic structure in the welded regions between the shaft body and its blades had provided potential zones for crack initiation. Stress corrosion cracking (SCC) was judged as the main damage mechanism in the failure of the shafts. The high temperature steam containing aggressive chemical species caused SCC. Thus, the material selected for the DDS shaft is not proper with respect to resistance to the corrosive atmosphere in the digester housing.     

Failure investigation of 321 stainless steel pipe to flange weld joint

Failure investigation was conducted on a refinery pipe-to-flange weld joint that suffered cracking. Both the pipe and flange are made of AISI 321 stainless steel. The flange was circumferentially welded to the pipe which is seam welded. The investigation revealed that both the circumferential and seam welds were in sound conditions, namely no evidences of sensitization, lack of weld penetration, and voids or porosities. Thus, welding practices were not suspected to be the cause of failure. The failure of the weld joint was found to have started at the δ-ferrite phase in the flange material and propagated through the circumferential and seam welds. The failure mode was concluded to be chloride stress corrosion cracking synergized by the presence of H₂S. The presence of corrosive compounds in the refinery stream and the residual stresses at the weld joint triggered active anodic dissolution of the δ-ferrite precipitates, resulting in cracking of the material.     

Influence of carbon diffusion on microstructure and wear behaviour of duplex stainless steel surface layers on lamellar grey cast iron

Surface welding with duplex stainless steel was performed to enhance the wear and corrosion properties of grey cast iron, which is used as material for applications as pump components in maritime and chemical environments. The method used for surface welding and the corresponding process parameters determine the chemical composition and microstructure, which both determine the corrosion and wear properties of the surface layer. High heat input leads to high chemical dilution and thus, reduced corrosion resistance. Slow cooling rates, which are recommended for welding of grey cast iron components, facilitate the formation of carbides in the fusion zone of the chromium‐rich duplex stainless steel surface layer. On the one hand, carbides lead to increased hardness and thus, improved wear resistance of the surface layers. On the other hand, carbides and high chemical dilution rates reduce the corrosion resistance and therefore should be avoided. Under high cooling rates, the risk of cracking in the heat affected zone of the grey cast iron increases due to martensitic phase transformations. The paper describes the correlation of process parameters, microstructure and chemical composition with a focus on carbon diffusion and carbide formation, ever considering the effect on the wear behaviour in an oscillation tribometer and under erosion‐corrosion conditions.     

Failure cases related to material issues in wet-process phosphoric acid plant

The present paper describes three failure cases of metallic components handling wet-process phosphoric acid at ambient temperatures in a phosphate fertilizer plant. All the three cases of failure were related not directly to the corrosive environment rather to wrong selection or inferior quality of materials. In the first case, pipeline of stainless steel 316L failed due to inferior quality of material used in the elbow region. The elbow material was not a low carbon grade stainless steel and was also in heavily sensitized condition which led to intergranular corrosion and intergranular cracking. The other two cases were related to failures of pump sleeves made up of cast alloys equivalent to stainless steel 316 and Hastelloy C-276 respectively. SS 316 showed through-wall pitting and cracking while Hastelloy C-276 had undergone extensive corrosion along the interdendritic boundaries. Both the materials contained high carbon content which led to heavy precipitation of carbides (Cr-rich carbides in SS 316 and Mo-rich carbides in C-276) along inter-dendritic boundaries during solidification of the casting reducing their corrosion resistance. Recommendations to avoid such failures are also suggested.     

Corrosion fatigue cracking of AISI 316L stainless steel screen mesh

This paper describes the failure of stainless steel screen mesh grade AISI 316L after being in service for only 8 months. The characterization methods included visual examination, optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and metallography. The results showed that the screen mesh failed by pitting corrosion and subsequent corrosion fatigue cracking. Pitting was initiated by the attack of chlorides from PVC powder and service environment as well as the action of excessive wear. Subsequent corrosion fatigue cracking arose from the presence of chlorides along with the residual and cyclic stress concentration at the pits. Failure prevention can be achieved by annealing after wire drawing, periodic surface cleaning, and proper material selection.     

316L不锈钢表面纳米化后腐蚀性能研究

对表面纳米化和未经表面纳米化处理的316L不锈钢的样品分别进行点蚀实验和应力腐蚀对比实验,在3.5%(质量分数)NaCl水溶液中分别测出它们的极化曲线.结果表明,316L不锈钢表面纳米化后抗点蚀性能下降,抗应力腐蚀性能提高.对应力腐蚀断口的SEM 分析发现,316L不锈钢应力腐蚀断口有明显分区现象,断裂形式为韧性断裂,开裂通道既有穿晶型也有沿晶型.     

原子力显微镜评价奥氏体不锈钢晶间腐蚀敏感性的研究

由13Cr可焊马氏体不锈钢(WMSGSS)制造的油气管线由于价格便宜,相对于昂贵的耐腐蚀合金来说是一个很有竞争力的选择。但是实验室试验和现场经历表明,13Cr马氏体不锈钢焊接接头热影响区发生了沿晶应力腐蚀开裂(IGSCC)。对于低等级的马氏体不锈钢来说,沿晶应力腐蚀开裂机理被认为是在晶界的碳化物附近存在贫铬区。对于中等级和高等级马氏体不锈钢来说,只在实验室试验发现有应力腐蚀开裂。它们的应力腐蚀开裂机理还没有明确,虽然最可能的应力腐蚀开裂机理也被认为和低等级马氏体不锈钢的应力腐蚀开裂机理类似。原子力显微镜(AFM)已开始广泛用于材料显微组织和环境敏感断裂的研究中。高等级马氏体不锈钢焊接接头对晶间腐蚀/应力腐蚀开裂敏感性很有希望由原子力显微镜检测到。在原子力显微镜技术应用于这项研究之前,用由304不锈钢准备的不同敏化度的试样来确定它的适用性是十分有益的。本文用原子力显微镜研究了不同敏化程度的304不锈钢的晶间腐蚀敏感性并和SEM和EDS结果进行了对比。