Effect of short-time overheating in the morphology of primary carbides network in Nb and NbTi-modified HP stainless steels steam reforming tubes

Bibliographic Details
Title: Effect of short-time overheating in the morphology of primary carbides network in Nb and NbTi-modified HP stainless steels steam reforming tubes
Authors: Mario Luiz Cruz Nascimento, Flávia da Cruz Gallo, Fábio dos Santos Queiroz, Matheus Campolina Mendes, Carlos Bruno Eckstein, Laudemiro Nogueira, Jr., Iain Le May, Gabriela Ribeiro Pereira, Luiz Henrique de Almeida
Source: Journal of Materials Research and Technology, Vol 22, Iss , Pp 382-392 (2023)
Publisher Information: Elsevier, 2023.
Publication Year: 2023
Collection: LCC:Mining engineering. Metallurgy
Subject Terms: Nb modified HP austenitic stainless steels, Steam reformer tubes, Temperature surges, Microstructural evolution, Niobium carbide, G-phase, Mining engineering. Metallurgy, TN1-997
More Details: Commercial bulk hydrogen is mainly produced in petrochemical steam reforming furnaces inside centrifugally cast Nb-modified HP austenitic stainless steels tubes, which operate at temperatures above 900 °C. In-service aging causes well known microstructural modifications such as the transformation of primary niobium carbides, NbC, into the G-phase (Ni16Nb6Si7). Unexpected operational problems, such as reduced feedstock flow may, in a few minutes, cause severe overheating. These short-time temperature surges, can lead tubes to premature failure often through the formation of large longitudinal cracks. Little is known about the integrity of the tubes that undergo a temperature surge without cracking. Thus, understanding the microstructural changes brought upon by these events becomes extremely important when assessing the reuse of these tubes. In the present work, by means of optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, two Nb and NbTi-modified HP steels tubes, which cracked due to high temperature surges, were analyzed. Results show that insitu dissolution of the G-phase in the thermally affected regions causes this phase to be replaced by fine NbC or (NbTi)C precipitates. These microstructural transformations suffered by the tubes during the short-time overheating and cooling cycles are thus presented and discussed in terms of their practical consequences.
Document Type: article
File Description: electronic resource
Language: English
ISSN: 2238-7854
Relation: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2238785422018348; https://doaj.org/toc/2238-7854
DOI: 10.1016/j.jmrt.2022.11.130
Access URL: https://doaj.org/article/eee0b75a70df4306beb87e2a21ebdde2
Accession Number: edsdoj.0b75a70df4306beb87e2a21ebdde2
Database: Directory of Open Access Journals
More Details
ISSN:22387854
DOI:10.1016/j.jmrt.2022.11.130
Published in:Journal of Materials Research and Technology
Language:English