8/30/2016

FactorsAffectingInserviceCrackingofWeldZoneinCorrosiveService
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FactorsAffectingInserviceCracking
ofWeldZoneinCorrosiveService
FailureAvoidanceinWelded
Fabrication
FiniteElementAnalysisofPressure
Vessels
FuelAshCorrosion
FuelFiringApparatusNaturalGas
GrainBoundaries

FactorsAffectingInserviceCrackingofWeldZoneinCorrosiveService
HaroldL.Schmeilski
IllinoisDivisionofBoilerandPressureVesselSafety,D.R.Gallup,Superintendent.
January1986
Category:Incidents
Summary:ThefollowingarticleisapartofNationalBoardClassicSeriesandwasreprintedintheJanuary
1986NationalBoardBULLETIN.PermissiontoreprintwasgrantedbytheIllinoisDivisionofBoilerand
PressureVesselSafety,D.R.Gallup,Superintendent.(6printedpages)
Thisarticledescribesthecauseoffailureofamonoethandamine(MEA)absorbervesselthatrupturedinthe
stateofIllinoisin1984,resultingin17fatalitiesandpropertydamageinexcessof$100million.
VESSELDESCRIPTION
TherupturedvesselwasdesignedinaccordancewithTheAmericanSocietyofMechanicalEngineers(ASME)
BoilerandPressureVesselCode,SectionVIIIrules.Thevesselwasconstructedof1inchthickSA516Gr70
steelplatesrolledandweldedwithfullpenetrationsubmergedarcjoints,withoutpostweldheattreatment.The
cylindricalvesselmeasures81/2feetindiameterwithhemisphericalendscomprisinganoverallheightof55
feet.Operatingconditionswere200psiginternalpressurecontaininglargelypropaneandhydrogensulfideat
100F.Aninternalsystemdistributedmonoethanolamine(MEA)throughthevesselforthepurposeofremoving
hydrogensulfidefromthegas.

VESSELOPERATINGHISTORY
Thevesselwentintooperationin1969.Soonafterstartup,hydrogenblisterswereobservedtobeformingin
thebottomtwocoursesofthecylindricalvesselwall.Metallurgicalanalysisshowedlaminationstobepresent
inthesteel.
In1974,duetothelargeblisterareafoundinthesecondcourse,afullcircumferentialring8feethighwas
replacedinfieldbyinsertingapreformedringinthreeequalcircumferentialsegments.Theweldingwas
accomplishedbytheshieldedmetalarcprocess("stickwelding")withoutpreheatingorpostweldheattreating.
TheASMECodedoesnotrequirepreheatingorpostweldheattreatmentforSA516Gr70steel1inchthickor
less.However,thissteelisslightlyairhardenableduringwelding,dependingontheweldingprocess,position
andprocedureemployed.ThismaterialisclassifiedasaP1,Group2materialaccordingtoASMECode
SectionIX.
Thevesselwasoperatedundertheowner/useroptionoftheIllinoisBoilerandPressureVesselSafetyActand
receivedacertificationinspectionapproximatelyeverytwoyears.Continuingcorrosionproblemsinthelower
endofthevesselresultedintheinstallationofaninternalMonellinerin1976coveringthebottomheadand
mostofthefirstring,stoppingshortofthereplacedring.Periodicinternalinspectionsweremainlyvisualwith
wallthicknessdeterminationsmadebyanultrasonicthicknessgauge.
Justpriortotherupture,anoperatornotedahorizontalcrackabout6incheslongspewingaplumeofgas.
Whileattemptingtocloseoffthemaininletvalve,theoperatornotedthecrackhadincreasedinlengthtoabout
2feet.Astheoperatorwasevacuatingtheareaandasthefiremenwerearriving,thevesselrupturedreleasing
alargequantityofflammablegaswhichignitedshortlythereaftercreatingalargefireballandtheensuingof
deathsanddamage.Theseparationoccurredalongthelowergirthweldjointmadeduringthe1974repair.The
upperportionofthevesselwaspropelled3500feetbythethrustoftheescapinggas.

HeatTreatmentWhatIsIt?
HowtoDestroyaBoilerPart1
HowtoDestroyaBoilerPart2
HowtoDestroyaBoilerPart3
IdentifyingPressureVesselNozzle
Problems
Inspection,Repair,andAlterationof
YankeeDryers
Inspection,WhatBetterPlaceto
Begin
LaminationsLedtoIncident
LayupofHeatingBoilers
LiquidPenetrantExamination
LowVoltageShortCircuitingGMAW
LowWaterCutOffTechnology

LowWaterCutoff:AMaintenance
Must

METALLURGICALEXAMINATION
Thefracturesurfacesexhibitedthepresenceoffourmajorprerupturecracksintheheataffectedzone(HAZ)of
thelowergirthfieldrepairweld.Thecracksoriginatedontheinsidesurfaceandhadprogressednearlythrough
thewalloveraperiodoftime.Thelargestprecrackwaslocatedinthesameareaasthepreruptureleak
reportedbytheoperator.Intotal,thefourcracksencompassedacircumferentiallengthofabout9feet(33.7%
ofcircumference).Theremainderofthefractureexhibitedafastrunningbrittleseparation.
Microscopicexaminationofvariouscrosssectionsthroughthefailedweldjointareashowedthecracking

originatedinahardmicrostructureintheHAZandprogressedinamannercharacteristicofhydrogenrelated
damageinhardsteels(seefiguresabove).TheHAZexhibitedhardnessofupto45HRC(HardnessRockwell
"C")(450Brinell),equivalenttoatensilestrengthofover200,000psiintheregionofweldcracking.By
comparison,thebasemetalhadahardnessvalueoflessthan20HRC(229BHN[BrinellHardnessNumber],
110,000psitensilestrength).Thefollowingsectionsdiscusstechnicalfactorscontributingtoinservice
crackingofweldjointsundersuchconditions.
WELDINGFACTORS
WeldingproceduresadoptedmusttakeintoaccountnotonlytheminimumrequirementsofASMECode
SectionIXandtheappropriatedesignsection,butmustalsobesuitableforthespecificserviceconditions
likelytobeencountered.Stresscorrosioncracking,hydrogenembrittlementandcorrosionfatiguearetypicalof
material/environmentinteractionsthatarenotfullyaccountedforintheASMECodedesignrules.Appreciation
ofsuchpotentialproblemsislefttotheprocessdesigner,vesseldesigner,owner,contractororinspector.
RelianceononlytheASMECoderulesisnotenoughtoassuresafetyofvesselsoperatinginmanycorrosive

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8/30/2016
Must
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MaintainingProperBoilerInspections
ThroughProperRelationships
MicrostructuralDegradation
MiracleFluid?
OrganizingAVessel,Tank,and
PipingInspectionProgram
PaperMachineFailureInvestigation:
InspectionRequirementsShouldBe
ChangedForDryerCan
PipeSupportPerformanceasIt
AppliestoPowerPlantSafetyand
Reliability
PolymerUseforBoilersand
PressureVessels
PressureVesselFatigue
PressureVessels:AnalyzingChange
PreventingCorrosionUnder
Insulation
PreventingSteam/Condensate
SystemAccidents
ProperBoilerCareMakesGood
BusinessSense:SafetyPrecautions
forDrycleaningBusinesses
PuttingaStoptoSteamKettleFailure
QuickActuatingClosures
QuickActuatingDoorFailures
RealTimeRadioscopicExamination
RecommendationsForASafeBoiler
Room
RecoveringBoilerSystemsAfterA
Flood
RenderingPlantsRequireSafety
RepairorAlterationofPressure
Vessels
ResidentialWaterHeaterSafety
SchoolBoilerMaintenancePrograms:
HowSafeAreTheChildren?
SecondaryLowWaterFuelCutoff
Probe:IsItasSafeasYouThink?
ShortTermHighTemperature
Failures
SpecificationofRuptureDiskBurst
Pressure
SteamTrapsAffectBoilerPlant
Efficiency
StepstoSafety:GuideforRestarting
BoilersafterSummerLayUp
StressCorrosionCrackingofSteelin
LiquefiedAmmoniaServiceA
Recapitulation
SuggestedDailyBoilerLogProgram
SuggestedMaintenanceLog
Program
SystemDesign,Specifications,
Operation,andInspectionof
Deaerators
TackWelding
TemperatureAndPressureRelief
ValvesOftenOverlooked

FactorsAffectingInserviceCrackingofWeldZoneinCorrosiveService
RelianceononlytheASMECoderulesisnotenoughtoassuresafetyofvesselsoperatinginmanycorrosive
environments.
TheweldHAZcontainspotentiallycracksusceptiblemetallurgicalstructure,hardnessvariationsandresidual
stressesthatcanpromotevarioustypesofunexpectedserviceinducedcrackingdependingonthechemical
environmentandoperatingtemperature.Industryexperiencehasshownthatsteelhavingahardnessof22
HRCmaximumisresistanttocrackingevenundersevereexposureconditionswherehydrogencanbe
absorbedbythesteel.Athardnesslevelsabove22HRC,steelbecomeslessresistanttohydrogeninduced
crackingandotherenvironmentaleffects.Athighhardness(aboveabout40HRC),steelbecomesquite
susceptibletocrackinginthepresenceofhydrogen.
Inpotentiallycriticalenvironments,theweldjointpropertiesmustbecarefullycontrolled.WeldHAZhardness
isafunctionofthecoolingrateafterwelding.Preheatingtoatleastseveralhundreddegreesandmaintaining
aninterpasstemperatureduringweldingcanwarmthejointareasufficientlytopreventrapidcoolingafter
welding.Carboncontentandalloycompositionwilldictatetheappropriatetemperature.Rapidcoolingofeven
mildsteelcanresultinunacceptablyhighHAZhardnessforserviceinaggressivechemicalenvironments.
Postweldheattreating(PWHT)isoftennecessaryincriticalweldjointstotemper(soften)orstressrelieve
weldjointsinruggeddutyoraggressivechemicalenvironments.Highercarbonsteelsandmorealloyedsteels
arenearlyalwaysgivenPWHT.EvenwhennotspecificallycalledforinASMECodeSectionIX,preheatingor
PWHTmaybenecessary.Inhydrogenenvironments,avoidingformationofahardHAZiscrucial.Other
corrosiveenvironmentspresentsimilarconcerns.
Thespecificweldprocedureemployedmustbedevelopedbyindividualswithpertinentknowledgeofthe
ASMECode(whichshouldbeviewedastheminimumguideline)aswellasmaterialbehaviorexpertisein
aggressiveenvironments.
CORROSIONFACTORS
Therearemanyspecificwaysthatcorrosionmaycontributetounexpectedfailures.Often,corrosionproblems
arehandledsimplybymakingthecomponentthicker(acorrosionallowance).Thisisappropriatesolongas
thecorrosiveconditionsareknown,thevesselisperiodicallyinspectedandifthecorrosionisnothighly
localized.Corrosionfatigue,pitting,stresscorrosionandhydrogenattackareexamplesofmetal/environment
problemsthatcannotbeadequatelyhandledbyacorrosionallowanceandsuperficialinspectionmethods
alone.
Hydrogenassistedcrackingandstresscorrosioncrackingwillnotalwaysbereadilyapparent.Carefully
preparingthesurfaceforvisualexamination,alongwithothertechniquessuchasdyepenetrant,magnetic
particle,orshearwaveultrasonicinspectionmethods,mayberequiredtodetectsuchdefects.Corrosion
enhanceddamageisoftenassociatedwithwelds,nozzles,orareasofunstableenvironmentalconditions
placeswhereeithertheenvironment,stress,ormetallurgicalconditionmayabruptlychange.
Highpressurehydrogenoracidicenvironmentscanintroducedamaginglevelsofhydrogenintosteel,
particularlyhardsteelsorhardHAZs.Themechanismofhydrogenevolutionandpenetrationisillustrated
above.Theabsorbedhydrogenatomsareattractedtohighstressregionsinthestructure,suchascracklike
defects.Thecombinationofhardsteelandabsorbedhydrogenleadstothedevelopmentofcracks.Once
insidethesteel,thesehydrogenatomsalsomigratetoinclusionsorlaminationsandcreatehydrogenfissures
andblisters.
Hydrogensulfide,cyanideandarsenic,evenintracedeposits,areexamplesofmaterialsthatgreatlyincrease
theamountofhydrogenthatbecomesabsorbedbysteel.Therefore,underacidiccorrosiveconditions,
particularlythoseenvironmentsthatalsocontainhydrogensulfide,cyanideorarsenic,hydrogendamagecan
besevere.WeldHAZhardnessmustbecarefullycontrolledunderthesecircumstances,regardlessofwhether
ornottheASMECodeortheNationalBoardInspectionCodespecificallyaddressthesubject.
Weldingprocedures,repairmethods,andinspectionproceduresmustincludecarefulconsiderationofpotential
failuremodesincorrosiveenvironments.Ifpressurevesselsoralliedcomponentsareoperatinginan
aggressiveenvironment,specialstepsshouldbetakentoassurethatindividualswithpertinentexpertiseare
involvedintheplanningandreviewstagesofdesign,inspectionsandrepairs.Whendistresssignalsare
present,takethetimetoevaluatethecauseanddeterminewhatspecialprecautionsarenecessary.
SUMMARY
Theproblemsofinservicecrackingofweldzonescanbeminimizedbyattentiontotheimportantfactors
summarizedbelow.
PreheatorpostweldheattreatweldjointsthatmaydevelopahardHAZwhencorrosiveconditionsare
met.
InspectweldHAZsforcracksbyasuitableNDEmethodifhardHAZsaresuspected.
FieldrepairweldsarelikelytohavehardHAZsunlessproperpreheatorPWHTisapplied.
Smallweldsonthickmembersandarcstrikesareexamplesofconditionsresultinginrapidheatingand
coolingandarelikelyareasfortrouble.
ShopweldsmadeaccordingtotheASMECodemayalsocrackinserviceunderseverelycorrosive
conditions.
Preheatingfieldweldjointswillhelpdriveoffthedissolvedhydrogenthathasbeenpickedupbythe
steelinservice.
Beparticularlycautiouswheninspectingcriticalcomponentsinunfamiliarcorrosiveservice,especially
whenpriorhistoryrevealsproblemsandwhenfieldrepairshavebeenmade.
Editor'snote:SomeASMEBoilerandPressureVesselCoderequirementsmayhavechangedbecauseof
advancesinmaterialtechnologyand/oractualexperience.Thereaderiscautionedtorefertothelatestedition
andaddendaoftheASMEBoilerandPressureVesselCodeforcurrentrequirements.

TemperatureConsiderationsfor
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8/30/2016

FactorsAffectingInserviceCrackingofWeldZoneinCorrosiveService

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