51316-7754-10 Years of Field Testing Experience with Weld Overlay Materials in Coal-Fired Boilers

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Product Number: 51316-7754-SG

ISBN: 7754 2016 CP

Author: Larry Paul

Publication Date: 2016

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~~Weld overlay of the SA213-T11 boiler tubes is required in coal fired boilers operating in a low-NOx combustion mode to prevent excessive corrosion of the pressure tubes. When retrofitting boilers to a low-NOx combustion mode (to reduce emissions) it was found that corrosion of bare alloy steel tubes increased to an unacceptable rate. The increase in corrosion is due to the presence of reduced sulfur species in the flue gas and deposits created by low-NOx combustion. Experience has shown that there are a number of weld overlay materials are capable of reducing corrosion to acceptable levels. However it was also found that circumferential cracking of the boiler tubes and weld overlays is now the limiting factor in boiler tube life. The cracking mechanism is attributed to a corrosion fatigue mechanism. Thermal expansion of the tube surface causes strains that can lead to the observed corrosion fatigue in the combustion environment.While corrosion testing of candidate materials in the laboratory is possible replicating the conditions responsible for the circumferential cracking (corrosion fatigue) is difficult if not impossible to replicate in a laboratory environment. Therefore an extensive testing program of candidate materials for use as a weld overlay on water-wall panels in supercritical coal-fired boilers was initiated by Southern Company in 2004. After 10 years of field testing a variation in resistance to circumferential cracking was found among the materials tested. In addition the method of application of the weld overlay was found to be an important factor. Weld overlay thickness and application process (hand welding versus automatic shop application) appears to be important in the onset of circumferential cracking. One of the most resistant materials in this test program was UNS R20033.