Damage

Description

Reduction in toughness
as a result of long term
exposure in temp range
4.2.3 Temper Embrittlement 650 - 1100 F (343 - 593
C). Susceptible to brittle
fracture during start-up
and shut down.

4.2.7 Brittle Fracture

Sudden rapid fracture

under stress (residual or
applied) where the matl.
exhibits little or no
evidence of ductility or
plastic deformation

4.2.9 Thermal Fatigue

Result of cyclic stresses

caused by variations in
temperature

4.2.14 Erosion / Erosioncorrosion

Erosion is mechanical
removal of material by
impact
Corrosion contributes to
erosion by removing
protective films, scales,

Affected
Materials

Critical Factors

2 1/4Cr-1Mo low
alloy steels, 3Cr1Mo & high
strength low alloy
Cr-Mo-V rotor
steels.

Alloy composition, thermal

history, metal temp. &
exposure time.
Mn, Si, P, Sn, Sb, As.
Sometimes due to
fabrication heat
treatments

Carbon and low

alloy steels,
particularly older,
400 series SS.

Critical combination of 3
factors are reached Fracture toughness, size,
shape & stress con effect
of a flaw, amount of
residual and applied
stress on the flaw. Occurs
only at temp below charpy
impact transition temp.

All materials

All metals, alloys,

refractories

Magnitude of the
temperature swing and
frequency
At start up and shut down
> 200 F

Velocity and concentration

of impacting medium.

Affected Units / Eqpt.

Appearance or
morphology

Hydroprocessing units viz.

reactors, hot feed / effluent
exchanger components, hot
HP seperators, catalytic
reforming units, FCC
reactors, coker and viz
breaking units.
Welds in these alloys are
more susceptible than base
metals.

Not readily apparent

and can be
confirmed thro
impact testing
(upward shift in
ductile to brittle
transition temp.

Eqpt manufactured to ASME

VIII Div 1 prior to 1987 add.
Startup and S/D for high
temp service.
During auto refrigeration in
olefin units and polymer
plants.
Can occur at ambient temp
hydrotesting.

Straight non
branching cracks
without plastic
deformation.
Microscopically
composed largely of
cleveage with
limited intergranular
cracking.

De super heating eqpt.,

Skirts of coke drums,
superheater tubes
penetrating cooler water
walls.

Single or multiple
cracks usually
initiate on the
surface, often filled
with oxides. At
stress raisers.

Prevention / Mitigation

Inspection /
Monitoring

Cannot be prevented if
impurities present.
Pressurization sequence
followed during startup and
S/D (MPT- Min Pr. Temp)
For new matls., impurities
can be controlled. PWHT.
Minimise J factor for base
matls & X factor for weld
metal.

Install blocks of
same heat in
reactor and
impacted
tested.
Monito process
conditions to
ensure
pressurization
sequence.

Reduce stress
concentrators, controlled
Visual, MT, PT
rates of heating and cooling,
or SWUT.
accommodate differential
expansion.