Hydrogen Bake-out during in-service

pressure vessel welding

May 4, 2016
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We already know the presence of atomic hydrogen in

weld pool will lead to cracking problems during and
after welding. The chance of cracking increases if the
base metal already contains hydrogen. It can happen if
the vessel is exposed to high temperature high
pressure hydrogen service or as result of aqueous
corrosion (like wet H2S corrosion or Hydrogen
embrittlement). In such cases a hydrogen bake-out
(out-gassing) of base metal is always advisable.
In simple words, Hydrogen Bake-Out is heating the
steel to higher temperature, holding it for some time so
that all the hydrogen defuses out of base metal leaving
it hydrogen free.
The following steps can be followed to develop an
effective hydrogen bake-out procedure during in-

service welding of pressure vessels exposed to

hydrogen service..
Step 1 : Metallurgical Review
As an initial step of hydrogen bake-out, it is advisable
to conduct a metallurgical review to assess whether the
procedure is acceptable. This will also give us an idea
about the effectiveness of Hydrogen Bake-out.
For example, if there is lining on pressure vessel there
are chances that hydrogen concentration is more on
lining than base metal. In such cases during bake-out
hydrogen may diffuse from high concentration region to
low concentration region from lining to base metalmaking hydrogen bake-out ineffective. So its advisable
to remove the lining-at least for 6 inches on each side
of weld- before carrying out hydrogen bake-out.
Step 2 : When to carry out Hydrogen Bake-out
Its always most effective to carry out hydrogen bakeout after weld joint preparation. But if metal removal is
aggressive or if hydrogen content is more, cracks can
be appeared during joint preparation. In that case bakeout is advisable before weld preparation.

Step 3 : Temperature and duration of Hydrogen

Bake-out
When developing a WPS for weld repair of in-service
pressure vessel exposed to hydrogen, hydrogen bake
out is an essential variable (PCC-2 article 4.1.18). The
minimum soaking temperature and time of Hydrogen
Bake-out shall be specified in WPS.
There are many factors which affects the duration and
temperature of hydrogen bake out. Procedure usually
followed is heating to a temperature of 300 deg C (API
571-2011 Art 4.5.6.6 says 200 deg C or higher) and
holding for 4 hours. If it is not effective, a second stage
heating to metals PWHT temperature and holding for 1
hour or less will be effective.
Step 4 : Temperature monitoring during Bake-out
procedure
The rules given in API 510 for local PWHT and CDW for
local heating can be applied for hydrogen bake-out too.
Temperature shall be monitored by a suitable number
of thermocouples -at least two (API 510-2014 Art
8.1.7.4.2).

The preheat temperature shall be checked to assure

that 4 in. (100 mm) of the material or four times the
material thickness (whichever is greater) on each side
of the weld joint will be maintained at the minimum
temperature during welding. When the weld does not
penetrate through the full thickness of the material, the
minimum preheat temperature need only be
maintained at a distance of 4 in. (100 mm) or four
times the depth of the repair weld, whichever is greater
on each side of the joint (API 510-2014 Art 8.1.7.4.3.3
f.5).
However it is advisable to ensure the bake-out
temperature on each side of weld joint for a length of 6
inch.
Step 5 : Checking the effectiveness of Hydrogen
Bake-out
Most of the time this last step may not be practical due
to time constraint. But if time if available or the weld
joint is very critical its always advisable to follow step 5
after carrying out Hydrogen bake-out.

Effectiveness of hydrogen bake-out can be checked by

welding a single weld bead sing the specified WPS for a
length not less than 6 inch. Wait for 6 hours minimum
(24 hours is most preferable). After that inspect the
weld using suitable NDE (eg : WFMT) to check for
delayed cracking. If there is no cracking its an
indication that the bake-out procedure is effective.
A number of equipment is enlisted below where
hydrogen bake-out is advisable prior to in-service
welding. This list is made from my experience and from
the references given in API 571-2011.
1.

Hydrogen reformer piping and pressure vessels

(especially reformer heater tubes)

2.

Rectors and connected pressure vessels in KHDS

and DHDS units.

3.

Cr-Mo reactors, drums and exchanger shells on

hydro-processing units and catalytic reforming
(especially if hardness is above 235 BHS)

4.

Equipment susceptible to Hydrogen Embrittlement

(API 571-2011 Art 4.5.6.4).

5.

Equipment with cathodic protection (especially

with ICCP)

6.

Storage spheres made with high strength steels.

7.

Equipment susceptible to Wet H2S corrosion (API

571-2011 Art 5.1.2.3)

8.
1.

Equipment in HF acid/ wet H2S/ H2 service with

Wet H2S concentration above 50ppm and
temperature above 150 deg C

2.

CS with hardness more than 200 BHN

3.

Low alloy steel with hardness above 235 BHN

4.

Steels more than 90 ksi strength

It is also mentioned in a literature (Ref: A primer on
hydrogen bake-out published by inspectioneering) that
ASTM A-106 piping less than 12 inch (12.7mm) thick is
unlikely to be recommended for bake-out, even if it is in
wet H2S service, because it rarely accumulates enough
hydrogen to become a problem. But for welded piping
made from plate such as SA-516 material, a bake-out is
recommended.

Usually time is the major constrain during in-service

pressure vessel welding since most of the repairs will
be carried out during plant shutdowns. So in olden
times hydrogen bake-out was often
undervalued/ignored while developing WPS for inservice welding. But presently hydrogen bake-out is
viewed as one of the major factor in reducing the
problems associated with delayed cracking during the
welding of in-service pressure vessels exposed to
hydrogen service.
PS : Thank you for reading this article. Comments are
always welcome. Also if you know any equipment which
is susceptible to delayed cracking during in-service
welding kindly mention so that the list I have given
above can be expanded.

Written by

Arun
K Soman
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