Austenites high-temperature alloys

Figure 5-9. Compositional relationships between various austenitic high-temperature alloys.

Depth-of-Gut Notching. Depth-of-cut notching (DOCN) is a localized wear process common when machining materials such as austenitic stainless steels or high temperature alloys. Notching is attributed to the chemical reaction of the tool material and the atmosphere, or to abrasion by the hard, sawtooth outer edge of the chip. DOCN may lead to tool fracture. 

The elements manganese, nickel, and cobalt have a pronounced tendency to decrease the rate of transformation of y iron to a iron on cooling, and if present in sufficient quantity may enable fee iron to be stable at room temperature. Examples of alloy steels that have an austenitic (fee) matrix at room temperature are Hadfield s steel which contains 12 wt % manganese and 18-8 stainless steel which contains 18 wt % chromium and 8 wt % nickel. Other austenitic materials are the high temperature alloys that are used in aircraft gas turbines. 

The present chapter describes the service conditions at the flame tube of an intermittent operating recirculation burner measured in a burner rig (maximum temperature experienced by the material 1000°C). Three different austenitic high temperature Ni-base alloys are being tested in the rig in an ongoing experiment. The effect of the parameters material temperature, duration of the air ventilation after burner shutdown and sulphur content of fuel on the structure and growth of the oxide scale on the alloys after 50 h exposure time have been investigated. 

A good summary of the behavior of steels in high temperature steam is available (45). Calculated scale thickness for 10 years of exposure of ferritic steels in 593°C and 13.8 MPa (2000 psi) superheated steam is about 0.64 mm for 5 Cr—0.5 Mo steels, and 1 mm for 2.25 Cr—1 Mo steels. Steam pressure does not seem to have much influence. The steels form duplex layer scales of a uniform thickness. Scales on austenitic steels in the same test also form two layers but were irregular. Generally, the higher the alloy content, the thinner the oxide scale. Excessively thick oxide scale can exfoHate and be prone to under-the-scale concentration of corrodents and corrosion. ExfoHated scale can cause soHd particle erosion of the downstream equipment and clogging. Thick scale on boiler tubes impairs heat transfer and causes an increase in metal temperature. 

Use fully killed or fine grain steel, controlled rolling temperatures high Mn/C ratios eliminate sharp corners in design, remove defects from steel heat treat steel. For cryogenic operations use high nickel alloy steels or austenitic stainless steels, depending on temperature. 

Above temperatures of 900°F, the austenitic stainless steel and other high alloy materials demonstrate inereas-ingly superior creep and stress-rupture properties over the chromium-molybdenum steels. For furnace hangers, tube supports, and other hardware exposed to firebox temperatures, cast alloys of 25 Cr-20 Ni and 25 Cr-12 Ni are frequently used. These materials are also generally needed because of their resistanee to oxidation and other high temperature corrodents. 

Furnace tubes, piping, and exchanger tubing with metal temperatures above 800°F now tend to be an austenitic stainless steel, e.g., Type 304, 321, and 347, although the chromium-molybdenum steels are still used extensively. The stainless steels are favored beeause not only are their creep and stress-rupture properties superior at temperatures over 900°F, but more importantly because of their vastly superior resistance to high-temperature sulfide corrosion and oxidation. Where corrosion is not a significant factor, e.g., steam generation, the low alloys, and in some applications, carbon steel may be used. 

The ferritic chromium steels (chromium is the principal alloying element) are the most economical for very lightly loaded high-temperature situations. However, they are inadequate when creep must be accounted for. Austenitic steels are often recommended for such conditions. The 17% chromium alloys (Type 430) resist scaling up to 800°C and 25% alloy (Type 446) up to llOO C [21]. 

The selection of materials for high-temperature applications is discussed by Day (1979). At low temperatures, less than 10°C, metals that are normally ductile can fail in a brittle manner. Serious disasters have occurred through the failure of welded carbon steel vessels at low temperatures. The phenomenon of brittle failure is associated with the crystalline structure of metals. Metals with a body-centred-cubic (bcc) lattice are more liable to brittle failure than those with a face-centred-cubic (fee) or hexagonal lattice. For low-temperature equipment, such as cryogenic plant and liquefied-gas storages, austenitic stainless steel (fee) or aluminium alloys (hex) should be specified see Wigley (1978). 

Alloys other than those shown in Figure 1 are also suitable for resisting high temperature hydrogen attack. These include modifled carbon steels and low alloy steels to which carbide stabilizing elements (molybdenum, chromium, vanadium, titanium, or niobium) have been added. European alloys and heat-treating practices have been summarized by Class.11 Austenitic stainless steels are resistant to decarburization even at temperatures above 1000°F (538°C).12... 

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