Stainless Steel SH and RH

Exfoliation & Exfoliation

Mitigation by Shot Peening
Hassan Khan
SGEE
Kevin McMahon
Region 5 Engineering
2009 BRO Forum

QUESTIONS?

Why not Welsh U-2?

Will Welsh U-1 have exfoliation?
Will Flint Creek have exfoliation?
How Long will it last?
Can it be prevented?
Why not other AEP units with SS
components?

Welsh Power Plant

SH and RH Replacements
Replacement Sections Included:
SSH Intermediate Section
SSH Outlet Section
RH Outlet Section
Material choice 304 SS

Replacement and Event

Time Frame
Unit 2 Replacement- Spring 2005
Event November 2008

Unit 3 Replacement - Spring 2006

Event August 2007

Unit 1 Fall 2007

Arrangement of SSH Outlet

Detail of Damage
Unit 2
3 SSH Outlet tubes failed
8 SSH Outlet tubes were 100% Plugged
All other tubes were clean

Unit 3
8 SSH Outlet tubes failed
Over 100 SSH Outlet tubes were plugged
40% or greater.

What is Exfoliation
Duplex scale made up of
Magnetite, Iron oxides, spalling oxide, outer layer
Spinel Layer, Chromium oxides, stable oxide, inner
layer

Scale forms on the steam side at high

temperature service
Magnetite Spalls off after reaching a critical
thickness on cool down, 300F below
In large amounts causes plugged tubes resulting
in failure

Duplex Scale Growth

Scale Micrographs
Stainless Steel 347H example
Magnetite Layer

Spinel Layer

Possible Solutions
Blow Down System
Does not stop exfoliation, more of a cleaning
system

Increase Cr content, 20% or higher

Expensive option

Grain refinement, use fine grain steel

Cold working surface, shot peening

Blow Down System

Control Cool down
Using a valve system
to dry the boiler
Using Valves to
pressurize the
component
Using Valves to purge
the components by
bursts of pressure
release

Blow Down System

Shot Peening Process

Not to be confused with Grit or Sand
Blasting
Surface is not removed, rather
compressed or cold worked
Shot is applied by using compressed air
and retractable hose
Superior Shot Peening Inc. demonstrated
the ability to shot peen tube internals in
the field

Shot Peening
Creates dislocations that act as diffusion paths
for Cr, to form the spinel layer at faster rate
Growth of faster & thicker spinel layer, slows /
stops the magnetite layer from forming
Prevents the magnetite from reaching critical
thickness
If exfoliation occurs, it is 80-90% less in volume

Dislocations Example

Dislocation or Slip band

Precipitates at Dislocation

Flint Creek
Superheater intermediate and outlet have been
shot peened.
On-going learning
Goals
Develop a field or fabrication QC process
Optimize the peening process
Characterize parameters and their effects

Shot size
Travel speed
Pressure
Tool design
Depth of compression/ depth of cold work

Cut-line for Shot Peening

Operation

Shot Peen Air Compressor

Air Dryer
Air Receiver Tank

Shot Peen Pot

Control Box
Shot Catch Bin

Shot Peening Hose

and Return Hose

Shot Peened Tubes

Effects of higher air pressure

Testing at DNV on going

Total of 6 samples

SSPI- different parameters total 3 samples

B&W Vibro-Kinetics
Sanyo Shot blast
Untreated Control Sample

XRD Testing
Tests depth of residual stress in the surface,
correlates to cold work

Micro-hardness testing
Metallography & SEM
Steam Exposure of 1000 hrs, 5000 hrs and
10,000 hrs

Microhardness

Steam Exposure

Future
Steam Exposure Results
Develop a Quality Control process
In-service experience from Welsh and Flint
Creek
Optimization of Process and Procedures
Cardinal Unit 2 Superheater, start after
1000hr steam exposure test