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Failure Evaluation on a High-Strength Alloy SA213-T91 Super Heater Tube of a Power Generation
J Ahmad, J Purbolaksono, L C Beng and A Ahmad
Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part E: Journal of Process Mechanical Engineering 2010 224:
269
DOI: 10.1243/09544089JPME332
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CASE STUDY
269
Abstract: This article presents failure investigation on a high-strength alloy SA213-T91 superheater tube. This failure is the first occurrence involving the material in Kapar Power Station
Malaysia. The investigation includes visual inspections, hardness measurements, and microscopic examinations. The failed super-heater tube shows a wide open rupture with thin and
blunt edges. Hardness readings on all the as-received tubes are used for estimating the operating
metal temperature of the super-heater tubes. Microstructures of the failed tube show numerous
creep cavities consisting of individual pores and chain of pores which form micro- and macrocracks. The findings confirmed that the super-heater tube is failed by short-term overheating.
Higher temperatures of the flue gas due to the inconsistent feeding of pulverized fuels into the
burner is identified to cause overheating of the failed tube.
Keywords: high-strength alloy steel, failure analysis, hardness measurements, overheating,
micro-structure examinations
1
INTRODUCTION
OPERATIONAL BACKGROUNDS
After 38 012 h in service, the boiler unit had undergone a planned outage for 45 days. Next, the boiler
unit was returned to service with an average operating
steam pressure of 163 bar (16.3 MPa) for serving loading of 500 MW. Unfortunately, the unit was forced to
shut down, due to the tube leakage involving material
of T91 (9Cr1Mo1 V steel) at the super-heater region
just after running for around 38 h. The failed tube
and 11 other neighbour tubes were then removed and
replaced. The neighbour tubes experienced a localized wall thinning, due to the steam impingement
which was escaping from the failed tube. Figure 1
shows the failed super-heater tube after removal of the
neighbour tubes. The super-heater tubes had an outer
diameter of 50.8 mm and a wall thickness of 7.2 mm.
JPME332
Corresponding
270
3 VISUAL INSPECTIONS
MICROSCOPIC EXAMINATIONS
The metal structures at different locations of the asreceived failed tube are examined. Figure 2 shows
the locations of the samples taken for the examinations (i.e. at the failure region (Locations 2 and 3)
and at 60 cm away from the rupture end (Location
1)). Figures 3 and 4 reveal the presence of numerous
creep cavities either by individual pores or a coalescence of pores. The coalescences have formed microand macro-cracks. Figure 5 shows numerous creep
cavities and a crack propagating towards the inner
surface of the tube (Location 3). The findings of the
microscopic examinations confirmed that the failed
tube had operated at a high temperature prior to
failure.
Visual examination on the as-received failed superheater tube revealed the following features as follows.
HARDNESS MEASUREMENTS
Fig. 2 The failed T91 super-heater tube with blunt and thin edges
Proc. IMechE Vol. 224 Part E: J. Process Mechanical Engineering
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JPME332
Failure evaluation on a high-strength alloy SA213-T91 super heater tube of a power generation
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Photomicrographs for Location 3 showing crack with some micro-cracks (in circles) and
creep cavities
Fig. 5
Photomicrographs showing numerous creep cavities and a crack propagating towards the
inner surface of tube (Location 3)
(1)
271
(r + (h/2))
h
(3)
272
Table 1
Number
Tube samples
Hardness
(HV)
Operating
temperatures ( C)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
1
2
3
4
5
6
Failed tube
7
8
9
10
11
246
255
260
250
235
235
246
262
271
250
249
248
695.8
683.1
676.0
690.1
711.3
711.3
695.8
673.2
660.5
690.1
691.5
693.0
566
88.95
593
71.02
621
48.27
649
29.65
Fig. 6
DISCUSSION
JPME332
Failure evaluation on a high-strength alloy SA213-T91 super heater tube of a power generation
CONCLUSIONS
APPENDIX
JPME332
273
Notation
C
h
p
P
r
t
T
stress
Subscripts
C
h
R
degrees Celsius
hoop
rupture