ISSN: 1829-9466 2006 Journal of the Indonesian Oil and Gas Community.

Published by Komunitas Migas Indonesia

Failure of Dissimilar-Metal Weld-Joint at the Tube-toTubesheet due to High-Temperature Hydrogen Attack

Farabirazy Albiruni, Wildan Hamdani
Technical Bureau of Inspection. PT Pupuk Kalimantan Timur Tbk. Jl. Ir. James Simanjuntak. Bontang 75313. East Kalimantan. Indonesia Emails: frar@pupukkaltim.com, whamdani@pupukkaltim.com

Abstract - One of heat exchangers operating at PT. Pupuk Kalimantan Timur is methanator effluent / boiler feed water exchanger. It is used to heat up boiler feed water (BFW) from 180 to 304 oC. This heat exchanger utilizes the heat from outlet methanator gas (consists 73 % mole of H2 gas) and decreasing its temperature from 319 to 171 oC. After operating for 17 years, this equipment suffered failure at the tube to tubesheet which is the dissimilar metal weld joints. The tubesheets are made from A 182 F1 overlaid by inconel 600 and tubes from A 209 T1A (C-0.5 Mo Steel). Investigation found that the tube to tubesheet weld joint was cracked on the interface of weld deposit and tube wall (fusion zone). This failure pattern is known as disbonding, which is one of high temperature hydrogen attack (HTHA) failure forms. Inconel 600 has high Cr and Ni content that allow the diffusion of both elements to occur during welding process into the fusion zone of inconel and low alloy steel. An increase of Cr and Ni content raises the tendency of the martensite formation in this zone. Martensite structure is very prone to hydrogen attack. The repair procedure performed was intended for short term solution and based on the removal of this existing martensitic structure. One year after repair time, there was replacement of this heat exchanger with the new one. The design of the new heat exchanger uses the material with better resistance to high temperature hydrogen attack. i.e. 1 Cr-0.5 Mo Steel for both tubesheets and tubes without overlaid with Inconel. Keywords: Dissimilar Metal Weld Joints, High Temperature Hydrogen Attack Failure, Disbonding, C-0.5Mo Steel.

same characteristic. The tube to tubesheet weld joints are the dissimilar weld metals that consists of inconel 600 overlay weld and low alloy steel tubes (C-0.5 Mo). Table 1 gives the technical specification of this heat exchanger.

2. Investigation Results
Failure only occurred on the inlet side of this exchanger where this side has direct contact with the output gas from methanator. Table 2 gives the failure of this equipment chronologically.

2.1 Visual Test

The visual test performed to this exchanger showed there were tubes had broken on inlet tubeends meanwhile on outlet side there were no failure indications. Figure 1 shows the broken tube at its tubeend.

2. 2. Leak Test
Leak test performed after repair of the six tubes in first failure. Re-leak test must be conducted for 11 times because other leaky cracks were found in other locations of the inlet tubesheet. Leak test used both pneumatic with pressure 34 kg/cm2 and hydrostatic with pressure 100 kg/cm2. Table 3 shows the summary of the leak test. In second failure, the same pressure both in pneumatic and hydrostatic had applied and no re-leak tests conducted like in first failure.

1. Introduction
Methanator effluent / boiler feed water exchanger is one of heat exchangers operating at Ammonia Plant of PT. Pupuk Kalimantan Timur. It utilizes heat of outlet methanator gas by passing it through tubes to heat up boiler feed water inside shell from 180 to 304 oC while decreasing the gas temperature from 319 to 171 o C. The first failure of this heat exchanger was a failure at tube to tubesheet weld joints of inlet side which occurred in March 2002 since its initial operation in 1985. Six months later there was second failure occurred with

2. 3. Penetrant Test
The result of the penetrant test through all tube to tubesheet weld joints both inlet and outlet side found crack indications particularly at the inlet side tubesheet. Figure 2 shows the crack location.

2. 4. Mini-microscope Examination
For knowing more about the cracks characteristic minimicroscope examination was performed. The result shows that the cracks initiated on outer surface and was

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ISSN: 1829-9466 2006 Journal of the Indonesian Oil and Gas Community. Published by Komunitas Migas Indonesia

propagating circumferentially at the interface between weld deposit and tube wall. Figure 3 shows schematically the characteristic of the cracks found by mini-microscope examination.

2. 6. Hardness Testing
Macro-hardness testing performed on overlay inconel, weld deposit, and tube cross section of inlet side. For overlay inconel the average hardness value is 200 BHN. The average hardness value for weld deposit is 250 BHN, and for tube cross section is 160 BHN. This result shows that weld deposit has higher hardness than base metal (inconel and C-0.5Mo)

2. 5. Metallography
Microstructure of the tube consists of ferrite and pearlite phases without any grain boundary fissures and methane structures. This is the normal structure of low alloy steel and indicated that the tube base metal did not suffer hydrogen attack. Figure 4 shows the microstructure of the tube.

2. 7. Scanning Electron Microscope

The SEM revealed the fracture pattern of tube. This pattern had brittle characteristic fracture. Figure 5 show the SEM result of the tube fractured surface.

Table 1. Technical Specification of Heat Exchanger SHELL SIDE Boiler Feed Water (BFW) 132 kg/cm2G 107 kg/cm2G 330oC 160oC A 516 Gr 70 A 182 F1 + Inconel 600 Overlay A 209 T1A (C 0.5 Mo) 1190 mm (ID) x 73 mm (THK) 120 + 8 mm (THK) 19 mm (OD) x 3.8 mm (THK) x 13200 mm (L) x 2037 tubes 1985 H2 : 73.04 N2 : 25.84 C Mn S P Si Cr
0.15-0.25 0.15 0.05 0.3-0.8 1.0 2.5-3.5 0.045 0.015 0.015 0.045 0.03 0.1-0.5 0.5 1.0 max 14.0 -17.0 18- 22

Fluid Design Pressure Operating Pressure Design Temperature Operating Temperature MATERIAL - Shell - Tubesheet - Tube SIZE - Shell - Tubesheet - Tube Start of Operation Gas Composition of Tube Side (% Mole) Chemical Composition of Material (% wt.)
A 209 T1 A Inconel 600 Filler Metal (ER-Inconel 82)

TUBE SIDE Methanator Effluent 31.6 kg/cm2G 28.5 kg/cm2G 455/345oC 330oC

Ni
72.0 67.0 min

Mo
0.44-0.65 -

Table 2. Chronology of Heat Exchanger Failure Time March 2002 (1 Failure) September 2002 (2nd Failure)
st

Chronology of Failure 6 tubes had broken at its inlet tube ends. 163 tubes had leakage on inlet side tube to tubesheet weld joints. 22 tubes had broken at its inlet tube ends. 102 tubes had leakage on inlet side tube to tubesheet weld joints. 569 tubes had crack without leakage on inlet side tube to tubesheet weld joints.

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ISSN: 1829-9466 2006 Journal of the Indonesian Oil and Gas Community. Published by Komunitas Migas Indonesia

Crack Location

Weld Deposit

Tube Weld Deposit

The broken tubeend

Tube

Crack Detail

Figure 3. The Characteristic of the Crack Figure 1. The Broken Tubeend of Inlet Tubesheet

Table 3. Summary of Leak Test Leak Test 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th 11th Fluid Used Air Air Air Air Air Air Air Air Air Water Air Amount of Leakage 57 35 27 14 5 3 1 1 4 13 3

Figure 4. Microstructure of Tube. Light Area: Ferrite. Dark Area: Pearlite. Magnification 500x

Crack

Figure 2. Crack on the Inlet Side Tube to Tubesheet Weld Joint

Figure 5. SEM Result of Fractured Tube

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ISSN: 1829-9466 2006 Journal of the Indonesian Oil and Gas Community. Published by Komunitas Migas Indonesia

3. Discussion
The high concentration of hydrogen gas that passes the internal tubes (see Table 1) reaches 73% by mole. The material selection for this equipment particularly for the side that faces directly against hydrogen gas based on the resistance to hydrogen attack curve known as Nelson Curve. From calculation, the design and operating of the tube material (C-0.5 Mo) is above and below the line of this particular material on Nelson Curve. It means that the tube is safe enough to operate. This can be seen from metallography result that no methane structure was detected in the matrix of the tube. (see Figure 6). The failed tube to tubesheet weld joints are the weld joint between two dissimilar metals, i.e. inconel 600 and A 209 T1A (C-0.5 Mo). The welding filler metal used is inconnel 82. Table 1 also lists the composition (% wt.) of these materials. Since the composition of Ni and Cr in inconel higher than in low alloy steel (A 209 T1A), during welding process particularly in fusion zone, the diffusion of Cr and Ni occur from inconel 600 into low alloy steel at the fusion zone and form the thin film which has high Ni and Cr content. An increase of the Cr and Ni content at fusion zone would raise the tendency for the martensite formation as shown by Schaffler diagram in Figure 7 below.

From Schaffler diagram, the microstructure of high alloyed steel (inconel) on base metal, fusion boundary and bulk weld deposit are such that a stable austenite structure is produced. The situation is, however, very different for the fusion boundary adjacent to the low alloy steel such as C-0.5 Mo. If we plot both the inconel and C-0.5 Mo steel on the Schaeffler Diagram based on their Chrome and Nickel equivalent and draw a straight line connected these two points, we see that across fusion boundary, the compositional gradient between these two points occurs. We see that a local region of martensite will form in the fusion boundary adjacent to C-0.5 Mo steel. Martensite structure has hard and brittle characteristic. It is prone to suffer crack. In high hydrogen partial pressure and high temperature environment, martensite will suffer the crack known as hydrogen cracking. The cracking along dissimilar weld metal interface is most commonly encountered as disbonding. Disbonding is a long term failure occurred in welding of Cr-Mo steel with inconel electrode caused by hydrogen migration even with an applied PWHT. The austenite structure of inconel absorbs 10 to 15 times more hydrogen than Cr-Mo base metal. During shutdown, a large quantity of hydrogen migrates to the interface between the inconel overlay and base metal. This phenomenon is also valid for welding C-0.5 Mo steel with inconel. This high temperature hydrogen attack caused the failure of the tube to tubesheet weld joints.

Figure 6. Design and Operating Condition of Tube Material on Nelson Curve Dashed Red Line: Design Condition; Solid Blue Line: Operating Condition

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ISSN: 1829-9466 2006 Journal of the Indonesian Oil and Gas Community. Published by Komunitas Migas Indonesia

Figure 7. The Schaeffler Diagram

4. Repair Procedure
Based on the analysis above, the repair was to remove the hydrogen trapped in fusion zone followed by removing the thin layer of martensite that formed in failed fusion zone by made the new groove for tube to tubesheet weld joints. Hydrogen removal performed by heating the inlet side up to 300 o C and holding at this temperature for 2 hours. During weld repair, the temperature of inlet side was maintaining in 100 oC. The new groove for weld repair is shown in Figure 8. For the broken tubeends repaired by plugging the tube using inconel 600 in both sides (inlet and outlet side). This means to convert an active tube becomes inactive tube during operation. The detail of the plugged tube is shown in Figure 9. This repair procedure was intended for short term solution. The short life of first repair to second one is mainly because: (1) only 8 % from 2037 tubes being repaired and (2) the difficulty to assess the condition of other tubes. The second repair is quite successful because no similar failure found until the next replacement of the heat exchanger (six months in service). This is because more tubes were being repaired. For long term solution, it is recommended to use material with better resistance to hydrogen attack without overlaid with inconel. The new heat exchanger uses 1 Cr 0.5 Mo steel for tubes and tubesheet without inconel overlay.

Overlay Tubesheet R3 Tube 19 18 4-5 4-5

Figure 8. Detail of New Groove

Tube Tubesheet

Bore 30 mm

Plug
Figure 9. Plug Attachment

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ISSN: 1829-9466 2006 Journal of the Indonesian Oil and Gas Community. Published by Komunitas Migas Indonesia

5. Conclusions
1. The failure of the tube to tubesheet weld joint caused by high temperature hydrogen attack. This phenomenon known as disbonding. The use of the dissimilar weld metals of inconel 600 and low alloy steel in high hydrogen environment can be harmful due to the formation of martensite thin film during welding process at fusion zone which increases the sensitivity to hydrogen attack. The repair procedure was intended for short term solution. This repair is based on hydrogen and martensitic structure removal. For long term solution, it is recommended to use 1 Cr 0.5 Mo steel for tubes and tubesheet without inconel overlay.

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Wildan Hamdani is a senior inspection engineer at PT. Pupuk Kalimantan Timur, Tbk., Indonesia, one of the largest ammonia and urea producers in the world. He holds B.Eng degree in Mechanical Engineering from Diponegoro University. He also one of the Pupuk Kalimantan Timurs authorized inspectors for plant equipments fabrication in Japan and South Korea. He is currently pursuing his Master Degree at Gadjah Mada University in Maintenance Engineering field.

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6. References
1. Keen, D. J., Hydrogen Assisted Cracking and Disbonding of Hydrocarbon Processing Pressure Vessels. Waste Heat Boiler and Heat Exchanger, Plant Reliability Solutions, Queensland-Australia, 2002. Gooch, T. G., Environmental Cracking of Dissimilar Steel Welded Joints., TWI, UK, Timmins, P. F., Solution to Hydrogen Attack in Steels, ASM International, USA, 1997. Prescott, G. R., Shannon, Brian., Process Equipment Problems Caused by Interaction with Hydrogen., Ammonia Technical Manual, p-p 237252, 2001. Masubuchi, K., Analysis of Welded Structures. 1st Ed., Pergamon Press, UK, 1980. Witherell, C. E., Mechanical Failure Avoidance. Strategies And Techniques., 1st Ed., McGrawHill.Inc, USA, 1994.

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7. Biography
Farabirazy Albiruni obtained his B.Eng. degree from University of Indonesia in Metallurgy and Material Engineering. He is currently working as a Metallurgist and NDT Engineer in PT. Pupuk Kalimantan Timur, Tbk., Indonesia, one of the largest ammonia and urea producers in the world. His job mainly focuses on failure analysis, corrosion and corrosion control, remaining life assessment of components, RBI, and NDT non radiations such as Eddy Current, Remote Field EC, Magnetic Flux Leakage, Ultrasonic Test, and TOFD.

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