Boiler and steam piping components in power plants are fabricated using creep strength enhanced ferritic (CSEF) steels, which often operate at temperatures above 550°C. Modification of alloy content within these steels has produced better creep performance and higher operating temperatures, which increases the process efficiency of power plants. The improved materials, however, are susceptible to type IV cracking at the welded regions. A better understanding of type IV cracking in these materials is required and is the basis of the Technology Strategy Board (TSB) UK funded VALID (Verified Approaches to Life Management & Improved Design of High Temperature Steels for Advanced Steam Plants) project. In order to study the relationship between creep performance and heat input during welding, several welds with varying amounts of heat input and resultant HAZ widths were produced using the electron beam welding process. The welding parameters were developed with the aid of weld process modeling using the finite element (FE) method, in which the welding parameters were optimized to produce low, medium and high heat input welds. In this paper, the modeling approach and the development of electron beam welds in ASTM A387 grade P92 pipe material are presented. Creep specimens were extracted from the welded pipes and testing is ongoing.
The authors acknowledge the VALID project partners, contributors and funding body: Air Liquide, Metrode, Polysoude, E.ON New Build & Technology Ltd, UKE.ON, Doosan, Centrica Energy, SSE, Tenaris, TU Chemnitz, The University of Nottingham, The Open University and UK TSB.
Paper published with permission.
Weld metal characterization of 316L(N) austenitic stainless steel by electron beam welding process