Indian Journal of Engineering & Materials Sciences

Vol. 14, February 2007, pp. 19-23

A study on damages in alloyed super heater tubes of thermal power station

M Azad Sohaila* & A Ismail Mustafab
a
Central Chemical Research Laboratory, Ghorasal Thermal Power Station, BPDB, Narsingdi 1610, Bangladesh
b
Department of Applied Chemistry and Chemical Technology, University of Dhaka, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh
Received 7 November 2005; accepted 31 October 2006

In this paper, an investigation on the damages in alloyed super heater and reheater tubes materials for natural
circulation water wall tubes (NCWWTs) high-pressure drum boiler units TGME-COB-206 (Russia) of Ghorasal Thermal
Power Station (GTPS), Bangladesh, have been carried out at different schedule maintenances. Extensive analyses of
different chemical parameters of boiler water chemical regime (BWCR), and generated steam (live) quality at rated
operating steam temperature and pressure, revealed carryover of SiO2 20 (±5) mgL-1 in steam (live) during cold startup and
abrupt increase in thermal load of boiler unit. The micro and macro structural examinations of super heater tube materials,
scale composition; scale thickness and composition of super heater tubes materials have been monitored very carefully.
Silica is found to be the major component for the super heater scaling which has strong affinity to the chromium containing
steel reheater tubes materials.

IPC Code: C21D 1/00

In the long run, world-wide fossil fuel (coal, gas and
furnace oil) based thermal power station (TPS) will
continue to be installed due to the rapid
industrialization as well as rapid increasing demand of
electricity. Most of the fossil fuel high-pressure boiler
of TPS in Bangladesh is operated with steam
temperature 540°C (live steam) at super heater outlet
and 545°C at reheat outlet. Damages in super heater
tube due to scaling, corrosion, high rated heat fluxes,
thermal stresses and erosion micro structural changes,
spalling and exfoliation of magnetite on internal
surfaces are usual problems in many TPS. Mayer1
shown that the gain in the thermal efficiency of a
power station with steam temperature of 630°C is
more than 8% as compared with traditional power
station with a steam temperature of 540°C. But in
such a case super heater tube quality must be
improved.
Therefore, prevention of scaling, improvement of
super heater and reheater tube materials applying
different alloyed steel, with respect to increase in the
steam temperature, pressure are now a significant
research for power plant researchers. The scaling on
the steam side also increases at increased steam
temperatures and is influenced by the alloying
additions of the tube materials employed, with the
resistance being essentially determined by the
_______________
*For coprrespondence (E-mail: masohail2004@yahoo.com)
chromium content2. In the case of the austenites, a
small grain size has an additional favourable effect on
the scaling resistance. Masuyama has expressed the
relation of high-temperature corrosion behaviours of
austenitic super heaters tubes using a bell curve3.
At GTPS, the operating temperature maintained
surrounding the super heater tubes of high pressure
boiler (158 kGf cm-2) unit No. 4 and unit No. 2 (100
kGf cm-2) are 800°C and 780°C respectively. And
while reheater tubes temperature recorded for unit No.
4 was 760°C. In this study scaling behaviour and
damages in alloyed super heater tubes materials with
different length of time has been investigated to
evaluate the actual facts of cause defects in super
heater tubes.
Experimental Procedure
The micro and macro-structural examinations of
boiler super heater tube materials were carried out by
using an Optical Microscope (Japan). During analysis
of microstructure hydrochloric acid, nitric acid with
water were employed for etching of sample materials.
Analyses of tube materials, steam quality as well as
operational chemical parameters were carried out by
using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS),
model: AA6650, Shimadzu (Japan) and photo electric
colorimeter, model: KFK-2 (Russia). Oven Modal N-
08. 76, (Russia) and Furnace, Model Mn-2YM,
(Russia) were used during this work.
20 INDIAN J ENG. MATER. SCI., FEBRUARY 2007

Results and Discussion
The causes of super heater tubes failure in
NCWWTs high pressure boiler unit No. 2 (90 kGfcm-2,
55 MW unit) and super heater and tubes in the
NCWWTs high pressure boiler unit No. 4 (140 kGfcm-
2
, 210 MW unit) of Ghorasal Thermal Power Station
(GTPS), Bangladesh, has been investigated at different
schedule maintenance period and sudden unscheduled
shut down of unit due to technical problems or
damages in super heater tubes.
The super heater tubes materials of GTPS boiler unit
No.2 is consists of carbon steel, i.e., steel-20 (Russia)
and while the super heater and reheater tubes of boiler
unit No. 4 are consists low alloy steel (st. 12XIMφ
Russia) and of medium alloy steel (st. 12X18 H12T,
Russia) respectively. The natural gas fired the boiler
units are operated at maintaining the chemical
parameters as shown in Table1.
The laboratory test results of super heater and
reheater tubes materials for both the GTPS units (No.
2 and No. 4) are given in Table 2.
The unit No. 2 of GTPS is operated at rated super
heater steam temperature (live steam) 540°C and
while the unit No. 4 is operated with super heater
steam (live) temperature 540°C and maintained
reheater outlet temperature 545°C. Unit No.2 have no
reheater. The scaling behavior is demonstrated by
means of investigations of tubes, which have been
taken form the super heater and reheater regions after
different operating periods, i.e., during schedule
maintenance, or sudden shutdown of units for long
instant. In such a type of fossil fuel TPS super heater
and reheater tubes (steam temperature 545°C) in the
martenstic steel X20CrMoV12-1 usually thick scale
layers were observed after only some 1000 h
operation7. Literature shows, in operation with good
experienced personnel8 (600°C), steam side scale
layer with maximum thickness of 250 µm have been
measured in the case of X8CrNiNb 16-13 after
150000 operating hours. The equivalent good result
being a maximum thickness of 100 µm after 170000 h
of operating hours in the case of X8CrNiMoNb 16-16.

Table 1⎯Supplied (Russian) parameters for the NCWWTs high-pressure drum boiler unit (140 kGcm-2 and 90 kGcm-2)
TGME-206-COB (Russia) of GTPS, Bangladesh
Alk.
Parameters pH E.C.* Hd. SiO2 N2H4 NH3 Cl- Cu Fe DO Na P043-
p/m
00
DemiWater 6.5-6.8 0.3-1.5 ∠0.05 0.02-0.05 - - 0.002 - - - - -
0.35-0.40
0.50-1.0
Feedwater 9.1±0.1 0.8-4.0 ∠0.05 0.02-0.04 0.02-0.06 0.5-1.0 0.004 ∠0.005 0.02 0.010 - -
2.0-3.0
0.50-1.0
Condensate 9.1±0.1 0.8-4.0 ∠0.05 0.02-0.04 Trace 0.5-1.0 0.004 ∠0.005 0.02 0.020 ≤0.005 -
2.0-3.5
Boilerdrum 1.5-2.0
clean 9.3 4.0-8.0 ∠0.05 0.50-1.50 - - - - 0.040 - - 3.0-6.0
(evaporation) 4.5-6.0
Salt section 1.5-2.5
9.5 upto 40 0.1-0.2 2.0-6.0 - - - - 0.60 -- - upto30
(blow down) 30.0-45.0
0.50-1.0
Steam 9.1±0.1 - - ≤0.015 - - - - - - -
2.0-3.0 0.010
EC*-µ Scm-1, Other units – mgL-1
Table 2⎯Chemical composition of different super heater and reheaters tubes used in GTPS, Bangladesh
Sl. Sample Chemical composition (%)
No Description
Carbon Silicon Manganese Sulphur Phosphorous Nickel Chromium Molybdenum Titanium
1 ∅28X4 Carbon Steel
0.18 0.23 0.44 0.02 0.01 - - - -
super heater (unit No. 2)
2 ∅36X6 Alloy Steel HPSH-
ii (High- pressure supper
0.12 0.18 0.48 0.01 0.02 0.32 1.2 0.61 -
heater 2nd stage) (unit
No. 4)
3 ∅32X4 Alloy steel high
pressure reheater (unit 0.14 0.20 0.30 0.01 0.02 11.2 17.3 0.3 0.5
No. 4)
 SOHAIL & MUSTAFA: DAMAGES IN ALLOYED SUPER HEATER TUBES 21

Practical experience and experimental results heater and reheaters were covered with light gray
depicts that both the super heater tubes materials st. scale layer. In the case of super heater tube sample for
20 (Russia) for unit No. 2 and (st., 12 XIMφ Russia) both unit No. 2 and unit No. 4 after 96000 h, in
for unit No. 4 produces good performance with less contrast microscopic irregularities were observed on
scale layers up to 40000 h of operation. Damages in the scale surface and huge pits were also observed as
super heater tubes took place after 70000 h of Figs 2, 3, 4 and 5 respectively. Microstructure of
operation. In case of reheater tube materials very
different scale layer thickness (200µm) with local
exfoliation were observed at 96000 h of operation.
The practically observed behaviour of steam side low
alloyed super heaters (unit No. 2 and unit No. 4) or
medium alloyed reheater (unit No. 4) scaling with
respect to operating hours at GTPS boiler are shown
in Fig. 1.
Physical investigation revealed that up to an
operating period of 20000 h the steam side super

Fig. 3—Microstructure of (∅28X4 Carbon steel super heater, St.

20) unit No. 2 showing ferrite and pearlite, ×600, (after 96000 h)

Fig. 1—Scaling behaviour of super heater and reheater tube Fig. 4—Macrostructure of (∅28X4 Carbon steel super heater)
materials
unit No. 2 showing etch pits X60 in the transverse section (after
96000 h)

Fig. 2—Microstructure of (∅36X6 Low alloy steel high pressure Fig. 5—Macrostructure of (∅36X6 Low alloy steel high pressure
super heater 2nd stage) unit No. 4 showing ferrite and super heater 2nd stage) unit No. 4 showing etch pits X60 in the
pearlite×600, (after 96000 h) transverse section (after 96000 h)
22 INDIAN J ENG. MATER. SCI., FEBRUARY 2007
super heater tube materials for unit No. 2 and unit No.
4 after 96000 h of operation (Figs 2 and 3) shows that
there are large discontinuity in ferrite (white) and
pearlite (dark) uniformity and distribution. These
changes took place due to long-term high rate of heat
flow through the steam generatative super heater
tubes.
The macrostructures of inside super heater tubes of
unit No. 2 and unit No. 4 after 96000 h showing the
flow lines in the longitudinal direction, in Figs 6 and 7
respectively. For both the units the sharp lines
indicates the loss of super heater tube materials.
That’s might be due to erosion consequence of wet
steam contaminants and high rate of steam flow
through the steam generating tubes surfaces. In the
case of reheater tubes similar pits and flow lines were
observed after 96000 h operation.
Physical observation also revealed finally spaced,
wave like, parallel undulations on eroded five side
Fig. 6—Macrostructure of (∅28X4 Carbon steel super heater)
unit No. 2 showing flow lines in the longitudinal directions ×60
(after 96000 h)
Fig. 7⎯Macrostructure of (∅36X6 Low alloy steel high pressure
super heater 2nd stage) unit No. 4, showing flow lines in the
longitudinal directions ×60 (after 96000 h).
external surface of super heater tubes of unit No. 2.
after 96000 h of operation.
In the case of unit No. 4, after 70000 h of operation
damages in super heater tubes were occur with little
or no wall thinning, but in most cases some metal
wastage were occurred that is due to by large pit or
gauge on the inside surface of the tubes (Fig. 7). The
internal surfaces are found smooth and covered with
very thin tenacious, dark oxide layers. No significant
deposits were present anywhere on the received
section. There are few numbers of pits were observe
on the internal surfaces and while external lose of
tube materials were also identified. Defective welding
was also found to be is one of the major causes of
super heated tubes failure. In many cases fracture near
the welding side due to scaling were also identified.
The final failures were observed with fish mouth
opening with brittle appearance (Fig. 8).
The failure of two adjacent platen super heater
tubes of unit No. 4, GTPS has been observed after
90000 h of operation. The tubes st. 12XIMφ (Russia)
Fig. 8⎯Failure in super heater tube with fish mouth opening with
external loss of materials.
Fig. 9⎯Rupture in super heater tube st. 20, (Russia) U-band after
960000 h of operation.
 SOHAIL & MUSTAFA: DAMAGES IN ALLOYED SUPER HEATER TUBES
was found to be made of Cr (1.2%)- Mo (0.61%) steel.
One tube fractured with a fish mouth opening and
another thinned down considerably. A significant
amount of reddish-brown oxide layer (with fracture)
was observed on the outer surface (out side) of the
failed tube of unit No. 2. That may be due to change in
internal microstructure of tube by long term high rate
of heat flow. In the other tube, inner oxide layer was
thin (200 µm) and the tube was thinned down due to
fireside corrosion.
The bulge and rupture in two super heater U– bands,
were observed (Fig. 9) in super heater tubes (st. 20) of
boiler unit No.2 after 96000 h of operation of the unit
at GTPS. In both cases internal surfaces were observed
to be free of significant deposits, while external
surfaces were covered with a tenacious fragmented
oxide layer. The wall strength might have decreased at
elevated temperature (~800°C) and tubes were thinned
and weakened by thermal oxidation and turned bulged
and then ruptured. In such a case chain graphitization
could also occur after long term over heating. The
damage began when iron carbide particle (normally
present in plain carbon or low alloy steel) decompose
into graphite nodules after prolonged9 overheating
above (427°C). The graphitization nodules, if
distributed in the steel, rarely caused failure. However
nodules sometimes chain together, forming plains of
cavities field with graphite. The nodules usually form
at microstructure defects in plain where there are
change in chemical properties, and prolong stress lies.
Carryover of silica in steam with other impurities are
most objectionable for such a type of NCWWTs high-
pressure boiler super heaters and turbines. Therefore
control of silica and other trouble some elements in
boiler drum clean section should be administrate
strictly. The danger of stress corrosion creaking is also
reduced by substantial improvements to the water
treatment installations and therefore, the feed water
quality should also be maintained strictly. Extensive
analyses of steam (live) revealed that a considerable
quantity of 20 (±5) µgL-1 of silica content is carry over
into the steam during start up of a boiler unit as well as
abrupt increase of thermal load into the boiler steam
water system. Therefore, excess number cold start of
boiler unit also responsible for the super heater tube
scaling. However, super heater contained very hard and
thin layer of scaling in the interior surfaces.
The composition of deposit of super heater tubes
for both the units No. 2 and No. 4 were analyzed after
different period of plant operation. The analyses
23
showed approximately the same results for both units.
The average composition of super heater contains
maximum quantity of SiO2 (78.3%) followed by
Fe2O3 (12.2%), CuO (5.4%) and other (4.1%)
respectively.
But, in case of reheater of unit No. 4 deposit
contain also maximum quantity of SiO2 (84.1%)
followed by Fe2O3 (6.7%), Cr2O3 (3.9%), CuO (2.1%)
and other (3.2%) respectively.
Conclusions
Super heater tubes of carbon steel st. 20 (Russia)
and the steel (st.12XIMφ, Russia) have fulfilled the
expectations placed on them with respect to scaling in
steam. Silica carryover takes places during cold
startup and abrupt load changes. Silica is found to be
the major component for the super heater scaling
which has strong affinity to the chromium containing
steel reheater st. 12X18H12T (Russia) tubes
materials. Carryover of impurities in steam must be
controlled by using polishing demineralization plant
filtration method10
Acknowledgement
The authors are indebted to Bangladesh Power
Development Board (BPDB) for providing scope to
carryout this work at the Ghorasal Thermal Power
Station, Bangladesh.
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