DAMAGEOFAUSTENITICSTAINLESSSTEELDUETOTHERMALFATIGUE

By:DzulfarqeishBinZainuddin

1.0ABSTRACT
Repeated thermal load is common in the operation of
pressure equipment particularly in high temperature
application (e.g. boiler, fired heater). This thermal shock
load can introduce a very high stress level near the
exposed surface that eventually may lead to crack
nucleation and crack growth. This paper presents the
case study of attemperator/desuperheater damage in
Waster Heat Boiler (WHB) for Sales Gas Compressor
(K-501) in Gas Processing Plant Santong (GPS), Paka,
Terengganu.

2.0INTRODUCTION
Attemperator is an apparatus for reducing and
controlling the temperature of a superheated fluid
passing through it. This is accomplished by spraying
high purity water into an interconnecting steam pipe
usually between superheater stages or upstream of a
reheater inlet(Fig 1). Two (2) out of five (5) attemperator
at WHB (Ex-1201A/B) was found damaged at the venturi
mixing area.

Figure 1: Spray attemperator with thermal sleeve

Austenitic stainless steel is a class of alloy with facecentered cubic lattice structure of austenite over the
whole temperature range from room temperature (and
below) to the melting point. The composition of 18%
chromium and 8% nickel make the crystal structure of
austenite remains stable over all temperature.

Internal

For high temperature boiler application, three general

grades material are widely used, 304, 321 and 347
designated by a following letter L or H (Table 1). They
have been used in superheater and reheater for 35
years and have provided excellent performance that is
excellent high-temperature tensile and creep strength
and excellent corrosion resistant.
SS
C
Mn
Ni
Cr
Si
Ti
N

304
0.08max
2.00
811
1820
0.75

304L
0.035
2.00
813
1820
0.75

304H
0.040.10
2.00
811
1820
0.75

321
0.08
2.00
912
1719
0.75
0.70max
0.10

347
0.08
2.00
913
1719
0.75

Table 1: Chemical Composition of Stainless Steel

3.0NATUREOFFAILURE
Thermal fatigue is the result of cyclic stresses caused by
variations in temperature. Damage is in the form of
cracking that may occur anywhere in a metallic
component. Instability in two-phase flow refers to the set
of operating conditions under which sudden changes in
flow direction, reduction in flow rate and oscillating flow
rates can occur in a single flow passage. Often in
manifold multi-channel systems, the overall mass flow
rate can remain constant while oscillating flows in
individual channels still may occur. Such unstable
conditions in steam generating systems can result in
thermal fatigue.
When material is exposed to the high temperature, the
difference of thermal load cannot be sudden for so many
times because this can result in thermal fatigue. Normal
material for attemperator is for high temperature service
because the material contain Chromium and
Molybdenum that can withstand higher temperature but
the material cannot withstand a fast cyclic thermal load.
The attemperator is typically located in the piping
between the primary superheater outlet header and the
secondary superheater inlet header. Steam exiting the
primary header at temperatures of 800 to 900F (427 to
482 oC) enters the attemperator, where relatively cool
water [approximately 300F (149 oC)] is sprayed into

steam and reduces the temperature to the inlet of the

secondary superheater (Fig. 2).Because of the large
temperature difference between the steam and spray
water, parts of the attemperator experience thermal
shock each time it is used. Over a period of years this
can lead to thermal fatigue and eventual failure.

(18Cr-8Ni, 18/8 Steel). The nickel is required to stabilize

the gamma or face centered cubic (FCC) phase of the
iron, and the Cr imparts the corrosion resistance [4]. This
material can cater high temperature service between
1050F (566 oC) to 1150F (621 oC), but the only problem
is the cost of material fabrication. All of the 300 series
alloys are susceptible to sigma phase formation after
long exposure at temperatures of 1050 to 1700F (566 to
927C) and this phase formation decreases toughness
and ductility but has no effect on strength or corrosion
resistance.

Figure 2: Typical attemperator assembly

4.0FAILUREANALYSIS&ROOTCAUSE
A brainstorming exercise was done to find the root cause
and a team was formed to investigate the event and
causal factor that leads to this incident. The duration of
15 months was to be in focus because that is the valid
CF that boiler is in running condition. The damaged
attemperator was removed and from findings we can see
that the venturi mixing material was broken (via RT; Fig
3) and after remove the venturi mixing from the
attemperator, we can clearly see the broken and crack
area. The dimension of the defect area was 20cm from
the injector (Fig 4). Dye penetrant test was done on the
material to see further damage area and the potential
root cause from the venturi mixing material.

Figure 4: Broken and damaged venturi mixing material SS 304

Figure 5: API 571 describing Thermal Fatigue

Figure 3: Radiography Test result of defect area

The effected material for this thermal fatigue is SA 240

304 (SS 304) that contains 18% Chromium & 8% Nickel

Internal

As detail inspection result shows that a dagger-shaped

cracks was found on the material and it is as the ones
described from API 571(Fig 5). We found out that the
possible cause are:

TurbineExhaustGas
TemperatureProfile

The material can with stand high temperature

from Gas Turbine but the system needs to have
an interlock to tell the operator that the TEG is
running on high temperature so that the
boilerman can take safety precaution / standby.

Temperature(oC)

500

The attemperator was having a thermal vibration

expansion at the line that cause the venturi
mixing material to crack due to the weakest
point.

The boiler feed water quality that injects into the

attemperator can be consider and to double
check the quality.

Installation process not followed (e.g. Post Weld

Heat Treatment procedure, Welding, Welding
electrode, etc.)

4.1FAILUREMECHANISM
The material for attemperator is SA 335 P11 and the
venturi mixing material is SA 240 304 (SS 304). Both
material can stand a high temperature up to 649 oC and
816 oC respectively. During normal operation, the
temperature at the Turbine Exhaust Gas (TEG) is
around 450oC. Based on PIE Trending for 15 months
duration (Fig 5) we can see the temperature swing within
200 to 300 oC difference that is between 440 oC and
240 to 140 oC.

400
300
200
100
1
8
15
22
29
36
43
50
57
64
71
78
85
92
99
106
113

0
Duration(Day)

Figure 6: Temperature profile for flue gas entering WHB

5.0RECTIFICATIONANDWAYFORWARD
Steam production was one of the critical factor in a plant.
The need of steam to generate steam turbines, pumps,
etc. is crucial to be at certain pressure and temperature
without interruption for plant requirement. Loss of steam
will result in plant trip and will create a domino effect to
downstream user.

5.1IMMEDIATEPLAN
Since the material was removed to the workshop for
rectification. We need to do a detail material failure
analysis for this attemperator. We have our possible
factor that cause this damage but all of this damage
mechanism result to the damage of attemperator using
austenitic stainless steel material.

5.2MITIGATIONPLAN
Afewactionitemwastakenintoconsiderationto
preventthisdamagetohappenagaininthefuture:

To put interlock for Temperature Transmitter to

alert on the High (Alarm) and High-High (MOV
Close) Temperature condition to safeguard the
boiler materials.

To make sure expansion bellow installed is

function to make way for a few gap tolerance
between pipe and pipe support to ensure the
pipe expand without obstruction.

Installation procedure must be follow tightly

because the welding process of this material
need to have heat treatment to strengthen the
inter-granular molecule of the stainless steel.

Figure 5: Temperature profile for flue gas entering WHB

Based on API 571 the temperature swing exceed 93 oC

is the critical factor that results in thermal fatigue to the
material. Besides, magnitude of the temperature swing
and the number of cycle.Figure 6 shows the summary of
TEG that we can see the temperature swing between
200 to 300 oC of temperature range. Normal operating
temperature of Gas Turbine is around 400 480 oC.
During that time (around Sept 2014 to Dec 2014), the
maximum temperature is 466 oC which is in the
acceptance level of normal operating temperature.

Internal

Water quality monitoring. Good treated water to

closely monitor and to make sure the right
amount of feed water sprayed into the mixing
area to avoid material thermal shock.

6.0CONCLUSION
Attemperator is working in a difficult environment that consist
of changing of thermo-mechanical load and exposed to
corrosive environment. They may subject to failure due to the
high temperature exhaust gas from the outside. At longer time,
the processes of creep and fatigue can take place. Close
monitoring is needed to make sure the TEG is at the acceptable
operating temperature range and not out of the limit.

References
[1] Cracking of CS Component Due Ti Repeated Thermal Shock, JWH Price & B Kerezsi, Monash
University, Structural Integrity and Fracture 2004.
[2] API Recommended Practice 571 Damage Mechanism, Dec 2003
[3] Steam - Its Generation and Use, 40th Edition, Babcock & Wilcox, 1992.
[4] Rules of Thumb for Mechanical Engineers, J Edward Pope, Houston Texas 1997
[5] High temperature characteristic of stainless steel - www.nickelinstitute.org
[6] Austenitic stainless steel www.nationalboard.org
[7] ASME Boiler & Pressure Vessel Code, Section II Part D, 2013 Edition
[8] Failure of austenitic stainless steel tubes during steam generator operation, S Topolka, J
Labanowski, M Glowacka.
[9] Austenitic stainless steel - www.asminternational.org

Internal