Heat Treatments

Section VIII, Division 1

Heat Treatment Terms
Post weld Heat Treatment
Any heat treatment subsequent to welding.
Normalizing
A process in which a ferrous metal is heated to a suitable
temperature above the transformation range and is subsequently
cooled to below the transformation range.
Stress Relieving
Uniform heating of a structure or portion thereof to a sufficient
temperature to relieve the major portion of the residual stresses,
followed by uniform cooling.
Transformation Range
A temperature range in which ferrous materials undergo internal
atomic changes affecting their material properties.
Transformation Temperature
Samples
UW-10 Postweld Heat treatment
Pressure vessels and pressure vessel parts shall be heat treated
as prescribed in UW-40 when PWHT is required in the applicable
part of Subsection C.
UW-40 Procedures of PWHT
(a) In the procedures that follow, the minimum soak band shall
contain the weld (W), heat affected zone (HAZ) and a portion of the
base metal adjacent to the weld being heat treated.
UW-40 Methods of PWHT
(b) The temperatures and rates of heating and cooling to be used are
given in UCS-56, UHT-56, UNF-56 and UHA-32.
(c) The minimum PWHT temperatures shall be the minimum
temperature of the plate material of the shell or head (furnace gas
temperature measurement alone is not considered sufficiently
accurate).
Where more than one pressure vessel or part are treated in one
furnace charge, thermocouples shall be placed in the bottom, center
and top of the charge, or in other zones of possible temperature
variation.
UW-40 Procedures of PWHT
(d) When pressure parts of two different P-Number Groups are
joined by welding, the PWHT shall be that specified according to
UCS-56 or UHA-32, for the material requiring the higher PWHT
temperature.
(e) PWHT, when required, shall be done before the hydrostatic test
and after any welded repairs except as permitted by UCS56(f).
A preliminary hydrostatic test to reveal leaks prior to PWHT is
permissible.
(f) The term nominal thickness is the thickness (t) of the welded
joint as follows.
For pressure vessels or parts being postweld heat treated in a
furnace charge, t is the greatest weld thickness in any vessel or
part which has not previously been postweld heat treated.
(f) Nominal Thickness
UW-40 Procedures of PWHT
(f) Nominal Thickness continued...
UW-40 Procedures of PWHT
UW-49 Check of PWHT Practice
The Inspector shall satisfy himself that all PWHT has been
correctly performed and that the temperature readings
conform to the requirements.
HOW?
UCS-56(a) Requirements for PWHT
Requires WPS qualification per Section IX.
Everything requires PWHT unless exempted by Tables UCS-56 or
UCS-56.1.
Exemptions to PWHT do not apply when:
PWHT is a service requirement (UCS-68),
joining material of certain P-Numbers and thicknesses welded
with either the electron beam, inertia and continuous drive friction,
electroslag or electrogas welding processes.
Heating and cooling rates do not apply for P-No. 1 welded
materials heat treated in the austenitizing
range.
UCS-56(b) Requirements for PWHT
Holding times and temperatures may exceed stated values unless
prohibited by Table UCS-56.
Intermediate PWHT need not conform to Table UCS-56.
Heat treatment may be performed in multiple PWHT cycles.
UCS-56(c) Requirements for PWHT
When welding pressure parts of different P-Numbers, use the
table with the higher PWHT temperature.
When welding non-pressure parts to pressure parts, the PWHT
temperature for the pressure part shall govern.
Furnace temp, shall not exceed 800F (425C) at the time the
vessel or part is placed in it.
During the heating period, there shall not be a variation in
temperature greater than 250F (139C) throughout the vessel
within any 15 foot (4.6 meter) interval of length.
Holding times and temperatures per Table UCS-56orUCS56.1.
Above 800F (425C), the heat up rate shall not exceed 400F per
hour (222C) divided by the maximum metal thickness of the shell
or head in inches, but in no case more than 400F per hour
(222C).
UCS-56(d) Requirements for PWHT
TABLE UCS-56.1
ALTERNATIVE POSTWELD HEAT TREATMENT REQUIREMENTS
FOR CARBON
AND LOW ALLOY STEELS Applicable Only When Permitted in
Table UCS-56
NOTES:
(1) Minimum holding time for 1 in. (25 mm) thickness or less. Add
15 minutes per Inch (25 mm) of thickness for thicknesses
greater than 1 In. (25 mm).
(2) These lower postweld heat treatment temperatures permitted
only for P-No. 1 Gr. Nos. 1 and 2 materials.
During the holding period, there shall not be a greater difference than
150F (83C) in temperature between the highest and lowest
readings.
During the heating and holding periods, the furnace atmosphere shall
be so controlled as to avoid excessive oxidation of the vessel
surface.
The furnace shall be designed as to prevent flame impingement on
the vessel. Above 800F (425C), cooling shall be done in in a closed
chamber or cooling chamber.
Cooling rates above 800F (425C) shall not exceed 500F per hour
(278C) divided by the maximum shell or head thickness in inches,
but in no case more than 500F per hour (278C).
From 800F (425C) the vessel may be cooled in still air.
UCS-56(d) Requirements for PWHT
UCS-56(e) Requirements for PWHT
Repairs to vessels in the postweld heat treated condition require
the repaired area to be re-heat treated, except as permitted in
UCS-56(f).
UCS-56(f) Requirements for PWHT,
Alternatives & Exemptions
Exemptions to re-heat treating repaired areas are as follows:
P-No. 1, Group No's, 1, 2 and 3 materials,
P-No. 3, Group No's. 1, 2 and 3 materials, and the weld metals
used to join the above,
provided the repair is made before the final pressure test and
provided PWHT was not a service requirement per UW(2)(a) or
UCS-68. The exemptions of Table UCS-56 apply.
The welded repairs shall meet the requirements of (1) through (6)
below.
These requirements do not apply when the welded repairs are minor
restorations of the material surface, such as those required after removal of
construction fixtures, and provided that the surface is not exposed to the
vessel contents.
(1) The Manufacturer shall give prior notification to the user or his
designated agent and shall not proceed until acceptance has been obtained.
Such repairs shall be recorded on the Data Report.
(2) Repair depth shall not exceed 1 lA in. (38mm) for P-No. 1, Groups 1, 2
and 3 materials and 5/8 inch (16mm) for P-No. 3, Group 1, 2 and 3 materials.
The total depth is measured from both sides of a weld at a given location.
(3) MT or PT examine the excavated area per Appendix 6 or 8 respectively.
(4) Use Section IX qualified groove weld procedure and :
(a) use the manual SMAW process with low hydrogen electrodes,
conditioned per SFA 5.5. The maximum bead width shall be 4 times the
electrode diameter,
(b) maintain 200F (95C) minimum preheat and interpass for P-No. 1,
Groups 1, 2, and 3 materials.
UCS-56(f) Requirements for PWHT,
Alternatives & Exemptions
(4) continued..
(c) maintain a 350F (175C) minimum preheat and interpass, and
maximum interpass temperature of 450F (230C) for P-No. 3, Groups 1, 2
and 3 materials,
For P-No. 3 materials, the welding technique is limited to the "half bead
weld repair and weld temper bead reinforcement technique."
UCS-56(f) Requirements for PWHT,
Alternatives & Exemptions
Step 1: The initial layer of weld
metal shall be deposited over the
entire area using 1/8 in. (3mm)
maximum diameter electrodes.
Step 2: Remove approximately
one-half the thickness of the first
layer by grinding.
Temper bead
Step 3: Subsequent layers shall be
reinforcement
Deposited with welding electrodes no larger
than 5/32 in. (4mm) Dia.
Bead deposition shall be as shown to
assure tempering of the prior weld beads
and their HAZ's.
Layer
A final temper bead weld shall be applied to a level above the surface
being repaired without contacting the base material but close enough to
the underlying weld bead to assure tempering of the base material heat
affected zone.
UCS-56(f) Requirements for PWHT,
Alternatives & Exemptions
After completing all welding, the repair area shall be maintained at a
temperature of 400F-500F (205C-260C) for a minimum period of 4
hours.
The final temper bead reinforcement layer shall be removed
substantially flush with the surface of the base material.
5) After the finished weld has reached ambient temperature, PT or MT
examine the finished weld surface.
If the material is P-No. 3,Group 3, the re-examination is performed after 48
hours to determine possible delayed cracking of the weld.
If RT was required originally, and the depth of the repair exceeds 3/8 in.
(10 mm), perform RT of the repaired area (per UW-51).
6) Perform hydrostatic test after repair.
UCS-56(f) Requirements for PWHT,
Alternatives & Exemptions
UG-85 Heat Treatment
When plate specification heat treatments are not performed by the material
manufacturer, they shall performed by, or be under the control of the
fabricator.
The fabricator shall then place the letter "T" following the letter "G" in the
Mill plate markings (see SA-20) to indicate that the heat treatments required
by the material specification have been performed.
UCS-85, UHT-5(e) and UHT-81provide requirements for heat treatment of
test specimens.
(a) The following provisions apply in addition to, or as exceptions to the
general rules for heat treatment given in UG-85
(b) Heat treatments as used in this section shall include all thermal
treatments of the material during fabrication exceeding 900F (480C),
except as exempted below.
(c) The material used in the vessel shall be represented by test specimens
which have been subjected to the same heat treatments above the lower
transformation temperature and PWHT except as provided in (e), (f) (g), (h)
and (i) below.
The kind and number of tests and test results shall be as required by
the material specification.
The vessel Manufacturer shall specify the temperature, time and
cooling rates to which the material will be subjected during fabrication
[except per (h) below].
UCS-85 Heat Treatment of Test Specimens
(c) continued...
Material from which the specimens are prepared shall be heated to the
specified temperature within reasonable tolerances such as are normal in
actual fabrication.
The total time at temperature shall be at least 80% of the total time at
temperature during actual heat treatment of the product and may be
performed in a single cycle.
UCS-85 Heat Treatment of Test Specimens
(d) Thermal treatment of material is not intended to include such local
heating as:
thermal cutting,
preheating,
welding, or
heating below the transformation temperature of tubing and pipe for
bending or sizing.
(e) An exception to the requirements of (c) above and UG-85 shall apply to
standard items such as described in UG-1 l(a).
These may be subject to postweld heat treatment with the vessel or vessel
part without the same treatment being required of the test specimens.
This exception shall not apply to specially designed cast or wrought
fittings.
UCS-85 Heat Treatment of Test Specimens
(f) P-No. 1, Groups No. 1 and 2, and all carbon and low alloy steels used in
the annealed condition as permitted by the material specification are
exempted from the requirements of (c) above when the heat treatment
during fabrication is limited to PWHT temperatures below the lower
transformation temperature of the steel.
(g) P-No. 1, Group No. 3 and P-No. 3, Groups 1 and 2 material specimens
that are subjected to the requirements of (c) above and Table UCS-56 need
not be recertified if the material is subjected to the alternate PWHT conditions
permitted by Table UCS-56.1.
(h) The simulation of cooling rates for test specimens of non-impact tested
materials 3 in. (75mm) and under in thickness is not required for heat
treatments below the lower transformation temperature.
(i) All thermal treatments which precede a thermal treatment that fully
austenitizes the material need not be accounted for by the specimen heat
treatments, providing the austenitizing temperature is as high as any
preceding thermal treatments.
UCS-85 Heat Treatment of Test Specimens