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n OUTLINE
Modified 9Cr-1Mo ferritic steel has been selected to fabricate the steam generator of Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR), under construction at Kalpakkam. Many concerns have been reported on the poor performance of the fusion welds especially in the thick components of the steel in the conventional fossilfuel fired power plants due to cracking in and around the weld joint. So detailed investigations have been carried out to understand the creep properties of the modified 9Cr-1Mo steel weld joint. Fusion weld joint of the tempered martensitic modified 9Cr1Mo steel has a very complex heterogeneous microstructure across it, consisting of base metal, deposited weld metal and the HAZ in base metal adjacent to weld metal. Heat input during weld thermal cycle produces a complex microstructure across the HAZ. Both the base metal and weld metal has tempered martensitic structures, with weld metal having columnar grain. The HAZ is comprised of coarse prioraustenitic grain martensite, fine prior-austenitic grain martensite and intercritical structure in an order away from the weld fusion interface towards the unaffected base metal. The intercritical HAZ has a lowest hardness in the weld joint of the steel (Fig.1). Creep rupture tests were carried out on the modified 9Cr-1Mo steel base metal and cross weld joint specimens. The specimens were fabricated out of a weld pad subjected to post weld heat treatment (PWHT) at 1033 K for 1 hour. At relatively lower stresses the cross weld joint of the steel possesses lower creep rupture life than the base steel (Fig.2). The failure occurred in the intercritical region of HAZ (Fig.3a). Progressive localization of creep deformation in the soft intercritical region of HAZ occurred during creep test. The deformation was accompanied with intense creep cavitation in the intercritical region of HAZ. The creep deformation constraint resulted from the creep deformation resistance surrounding induces creep cavitation in the soft intercritical region of HAZ (Fig.3b). Creep cavities were found to nucleate at the coarser precipitate particles. The cavitation started deep inside the specimen due to higher deformation constraint. The nucleated cavities coalesced to form micro-cracks (Fig.3c). The microcracks propagated outward to the surface of the specimen to produce type IV failure. The creep rupture strength reduction due to type IV cracking in the weld joint of the steel was more on longer creep exposure at higher test temperature. The estimated creep rupture strength reductions of the steel weld joint are 18 %, 30 % and 45 % of base metal strength for the creep test temperatures of 823K, 873 K and 923 K respectively. TEM investigation revealed that the recovery of the martensitic lath structure with high dislocation into subgrain with low dislocation and the coarsening of precipitates of the steel on intercritical heating during weld thermal cycle reduced the creep strength of the steel weld joint.
300
Weld Interface
H a rdn e s s , H V
Base Metal
5 6
Distance, mm
Fig. 1 : Hardness variation across the weld joint of modified 9Cr1Mo steel
300
Modified 9Cr-1Mo
A PPLIED STRESS , MP a
200
100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30
10
Fig. 2 : Variation of creep rupture life with applied stress of modified 9Cr-1 Mo base metal and weld joint
Type IV Crack
(c)
Fig. 3 : (a) Type IV failure in weld joint; (b)type IV cavity in the inter-critical region of HAZ and (c)type IV cracking in modified 9Cr-1Mo steel weld joint.
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n ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT WELD CRACKING IN Cr-Mo STEELS
Different types of cracking develop in Cr-Mo steels weld joint during laboratory creep tests and also during plant operation (Fig.4). Four types of cracking have been identified in Cr-Mo steel weld joint. They have been categorized as Type I, Type II, Type III and Type IV. The Type I and Type II cracking originate in weld metal, propagate either through the weld metal itself (Type I) or cross over in the HAZ (Type II). The Type III cracking occurs in the coarse grain region of HAZ and by refining the grain size it can be avoided. (Type IV cracking nucleates and propagates in the intercritical) fine grain region of HAZ. It is not possible to avoid Type IV cracking but it can be minimized.
Fig. 5 : (a) Lath martensitic structure in modified 9Cr-1Mo base metal, (b) recovered subgrain structure in intercritical HAZ and Z-phase in the intercritical HAZ
n ACHIEVEMENT
Weld joint is the weak link in the components fabricated out of modified 9Cr-1Mo due to the type IV cracking in the intercritical region of HAZ. A 10 % reduction in creep rupture strength at 798 K (525 OC) as recommended by RCC-MR code has been adopted for the design of welded modified 9Cr-1Mo steel steam generator. The study supports the basis of such reduction in creep rupture strength of modified 9Cr-1Mo steel weld joint and also reveals a higher reduction at higher temperatures.
Further inquiries: Dr. K. Laha, Mechanical Metallurgy Division Metallurgy and Materials Group, IGCAR, e-mail: laha@igcar.gov.in
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