Module: Subject:

CHMT 7050 Weldability of alloy steels and stainless steels.

Evaluate and report on the following material/ material combinations in terms of the weldability for a new project. 1. SANS 50025-6 grade S690QL1.
Material Characteristics SANS 50025-6 Grade S690QL1 High Yield Structural Steel Heat Treated by Quench and Temper Good welding and Bending Process Microstructure is tempered Martensite Designation: S = Structural Steel 690 = minimum yield strength (MPa) Q = Quenching & Tempering L = Low notch toughness testing temperature Chemical Composition Grade C Si Mn P S N B Cr Cu Mo Nb Ni Ti V Zr S690QL 0.20 0.80 1.70 0.025 0.015 0.015 0.0050 1.50 0.50 0.70 0.06 2.0 0.05 0.12 0.15

Weldability Problems/Issues
HICC (Hydrogen Induced Cracking) caused by hydrogen from welding processes, a susceptible microstructure, and tensile stresses loaded onto the weld joints. The hydrogen diffuses into the highly stressed and hardened part of the weld joint. Solidification Cracking caused by thermal shrinkage in the weld pool before solidification as a result of thermal stresses due to welding. This is also caused by over-restraint during welding and occurs in the weld metal mostly as a centerline crack. This is also caused by an imbalance in current and travel speed. Lamellar Tearing caused by high localized stress in the base material. Rolled plate with low ductility is particularly susceptible to lamellar tearing.

Mitigation of Various Weldability Issues

HICC (Hydrogen Induced Cracking) - Preheat Material before welding using the IIW Formula for Carbon Equivalent CE = C + Mn + Cr + Mo + V + Ni + Cu
6 5 15

0.20 + 1.70 + (1.50+0.70+0.12)+ (2.0+0.50) 6 5 15 CE = 1.1%

PH = 450 1.1-0.42 PH = 371C

-

Pre-Heat Temperature

Do not restrain the weld joint too much Use Low Hydrogen Welding processes if possible Use Low Hydrogen Filler Consumable such as E 7018 (ensure to follow the manufacturers handling and storage procedures) Control of preheat ensures that unwanted brittle phases of martensite are not formed during cooling All welding to be performed in adherence to a WPS Post Weld Heat Treatment following recommended time frames specified by Code of Manufacture Post weld heat treatment is performed to ensure that the stresses in the weldment are reduced, lower the hardness and to increase the toughness.

Solidification Cracking - Balance the ratios between current, heat input and travel speed - Preheat the joint as above - Choose a filler that has Nb, Ph, S and Mn as alloying elements to increase the solidification rate - Ensure a consistent root gap by clamping and restraining - Do not over-restrain joint - Post Weld Heat Treat as per Code guidelines - Multipass welding may also cause REHEAT CRACKING which is similar to Solidification Cracking, as a result of long soak times Find a good balance between preheat and interpass temperature Lamellar Tearing Review and consider better joint design Preheat thick sections of plate Use smaller and thinner weld beads Even out the sizes of weld beads Use stringer beads instead of weaving UT to check for inherent plate defects

2. P92 to X20CrMoNiV11
Material Characteristics X20CrMoNiV11 Creep Resistant Steels/Materials X20 is usually for service temperatures around 530C In addition to high creep strength, other material properties like hardenability, corrosion resistance, and weldability are also evident These steels are heat treated to produce a martensitic structure and tempered to improve the impact strength at low temperatures and to improve the ductility

Molybdenum in solid solution reduces the creep rate of steel very effectively. It slows the coagulation and coarsening (Ostwald ripening) of carbides during high-temperature service. The best results in terms of elevated-temperature strength are obtained by quenching and tempering to produce a microstructure consisting of upper bainite. P92 P92 Steel is based on adding about 1.8% Mo W elements and reduces trace elements and adds elements such as B developed a new 9% Cr martensitic steel, welded steel with similar performance and P91

Chemical Composition Grade C Si Mn P S N B Cr Cu Mo Nb Ni Ti V Zr X20CrMoNiV11 0.20 0.80 1.70 0.025 0.015 0.015 0.0050 12.5 0.50 1.0 0.06 0.8 0.05 0.30 0.15 0.07- 0.50 0.30- Max Max 0.03- 0.001- 8.50- 0.50 0.30- 0.04- Max Max 0.15- 0.15 P92
0.13 Max 0.80 0.60 70 0.010 0.010 0.015 0.07 0.006 9.50 0.60 0.09 0.40 0.01 0.25

These steels are also susceptible to HICC and need to be mitigated in a similar fashion as presented in the example above. - Work out CE and PH temperature as per IIW Formulae - Preheat Temperature should be around 400-550C - Restrict the Maximum interpass temperature to 289C - PWHT According to guidelines in Code of Construction/Manufacture - The steel must be cooled below 100 C to allow formation of martensitic transformations and then post weld heat treat to temperatures between 760C and 780C. These steels suffer from Reheat Cracking mainly during PWHT. Due to the fact that the PWHT and Preheat temperatures in the two steels, a transition piece should be inserted, so that the one steel could be heat treated separately. Liquation Cracking is also a problem due to the stresses that formed as the weld cools. It is also beneficial to refine the grain size in the heat affected zone; addition of manganese reduces the risk of cracking by promoting the formation of manganese sulphide.

SAF 2205

Material Characteristics SAF 2205 is a duplex (austenitic-ferritic) stainless steel characterized by: High resistance to stress corrosion cracking (SCC) in chloride-bearing environments High resistance to stress corrosion cracking (SCC) in environments containing hydrogen sulphide High resistance to general corrosion, pitting, and crevice corrosion High resistance to erosion corrosion and corrosion fatigue High mechanical strength - roughly twice the proof strength of austenitic stainless steel Physical properties that offer design advantages Good weldability Chemical Composition Grade C

Si

Mn

Cr

Mo

Ni

SAF2205

0.30 Max

1.0 Max

2.0 Max

0.030 Max

0.015 Max

0.18

22

3.2

Known Welding Issues The phase balance is highly controlled during heat treatment in fabrication of the material, cooling during welding can cause problems with the 50/50 balance between ferrite and austenite. This is due to the fact that the cooling after welding is more rapid and there is little time for austenite to form. Thus, the filler metals are over alloyed with nickel which stabilizes the austenite. Another stabilizer is Nitrogen which can also be added to the Shielding Gas in the GMAW or GTAW welding processes. Brittle intermetallic phases can be produced as a result of welding and heat treatment of duplex stainless steels in certain temperature ranges for prolonged periods and that result in significant reduction in both the corrosion resistance and toughness. The unfavourable phases that are detrimental are sigma, chi phase and embrittlement. Sigma and chi phases form at temperatures between 550 and 1000. Formation of sigma and chi phases can take place within seconds while embrittlement occurs between 350C and 550C normally known as 475C embrittlement. Maximum heat input must be controlled, a heat input temperature between 0.2 to 1,5kJ/mm and a maximum interpass temperature of 150C are recommended. Hydrogen induced cracking can be controlled by limiting the ferrite content and by controlling the welding parameters. It is of utmost importance to avoid the temperature range between 300C to 1100C. Welding SAF 2205 Weaving is not advisable in Flat positions A torch angle of 10-15 degrees increases penetration A root gap of 4 6mm gives a good root penetration Due to the thermal coefficient that is only slightly higher than carbon steels, distortion is somewhat less than in austenitics. SAF 2205 can be welded with a higher heat input can be handled by the material Duplex should not be welded with too much of a low heat input as this could make the cooling rate very high which might result in a ferrite content higher than 70%. Preheat is also not required or recommended for duplex stainless steels

LDX2101 to X8Ni9:

These materials are lean duplex stainless steel welded to 9% nickel steel. This 9% nickel steel for cryogenic service displays improved toughness and provides fracture toughness for service down to 200C. It is available in quench and tempered or double normalized and tempered condition. The resultant microstructure is fine grained ferrite enriched with nickel and small amounts of austenite. The stable austenite is formed upon tempering after quenching the steel and is beneficial to the impact toughness at very low temperatures. The microstructure of LDX2101 consisted of balanced phases of austenite and ferrite. Welding associated problems are as follows; LDX2101Embrittlement, loss of corrosion resistance, hydrogen induced cracking and phase balance. X8Ni9- Embrittlement and hydrogen induced cracking.

Use filler material with high nickel, avoid high dilution, control heat input and avoid temperatures between 300 and 1100, low hydrogen processes and consumables, preheat if required. A nickel based filler material will be selected for welding these two materials. The use of alternating current during welding was found to be success in mitigating this problem. It is also advisable to demagnetize the steel before welding.Optimum toughness is obtained in 9% steel by tempering in the temperature range between 550C and 605C for a sufficient time to produce stable austenite. Heating this steels to temperatures below 540 results in reduced fracture toughness due to temper embrittlement. 9% nickel steels are strongly magnetized and that makes it difficult to weld with arc welding processes. 5 310 to SANS 50025-3 grade S460NL

Material Characteristics SANS 50025-3 grade S460NL is a normalized rolled weldable fine grained structural steel, which consists of a mixture of pearlite and ferrite. 310 is an austenitic stainless steel which consists of an austenitic microstructure. The filler material will be selected by matching the corrosion resistance of the electrode to match the austenitic material. The filler material must retain small amount of delta ferrite in the weld metal with a minimum of 4FN is recommended. Typical welding problems that are associated with these materials during welding are as follows; S460NL- Solidification cracking, reheat cracking, lamellar tearing, hydrogen cracking and embrittlement. 310- Solidification cracking, liquation cracking, reheat cracking, sensitization, stress corrosion cracking and embrittlement. For stainless steels it is of utmost importance to match the metal corrosion properties, select filler metal that gives 4FN minimum, if there is no ferrite possible then weld ugly, no preheat and post weld heat treatment required and controlled heat input. S460NL- It is important to ensure that low hydrogen consumables and processes are used, pre heat is required and controlled heat input. Cracking of the austenitic stainless steels can be avoided by ensuring that some ferrite is retained in the microstructure. The formation of ferrite is important during solidification and ferrite must be the first phase to solidify in order to get maximum hot cracking resistance. The WRC-92 is used to predict the amount of ferrite in the weld metal as well as the microstructure. The reduction of ferrite in the weld metal due to multipass welding occurs as a result of dissolution of ferrite at temperatures below the austenite regions and makes it susceptible to reheat cracking. Delta ferrite transforms to intermetallic phases, sigma phase, faster that austenite during high temperature exposure. It is important to limit the ferrite below 10FN. Sensitization occurs in austenitic stainless steels when they are exposed in the temperature range of 450C to 950C. This occurs due to the precipitation of chromium carbides at the grain boundaries. Sensitization results in a drop in chromium concentration in the areas adjacent to the grain boundaries and subsequent corrosion resistance. Sensitization can be prevented by performing solution annealing after welding to dissolve the carbides.