High temperature stainless steels

High temperature stainless steels within the steel and metals industry

High temperature stainless steels

What properties are demanded of a high temperature alloy?

The various process stages in the metallurgical industry, right through from ore to the finished, rolled or forged product, usually take place at high temperatures. The production equipment used in these processes is subjected to intense heat from hot gases or from red-hot or molten materials, which makes heavy demands on the construction materials used for that equipment. The problem can be solved by selecting special alloys for parts exposed to particularly difficult conditions.

resistance to low cycle fatigue (during start-ups and shut-downs, or major service transients) is proportional to the ductility.
MICROSTRUCTURAL STABILITY

Most high temperature alloys suffer from a common disadvantage when used at sufficiently high temperatures diffusion controlled microstructural changes, which result in impaired properties. The most common type of reaction is the precipitation of non-desirable phases. Besides lowering the corrosion resistance by consuming beneficial alloying elements (above all chromium), this phenomenon leads to a reduced toughness/ductility of the material especially at room temperature.

Depending on the operating conditions, the demands on high temperature alloys may be as follows: High creep strength Stability of internal microstructure High resistance to oxidation and HT corrosion Good resistance to erosion-corrosion These properties are discussed in more detail in the following text. Equipment manufacturers also make the following demands on the material they use: Good formability and machinability Good weldability Good availability on the market

The precipitates are often intermetallic phases such as sigma, chi, and Laves phase, but carbides and nitrides are also common. At even higher temperatures, grain growth may occur, possibly increasing the creep strength somewhat, but simultaneously reducing the ductility substantially.
HIGH TEMPERATURE CORROSION Oxidation

When a material is exposed to an oxidizing atmosphere at high temperatures, an oxide layer is formed on the surface. This layer will retard further oxidation. If the temperature of the material increases, the oxide growth

CREEP RESISTANCE

rate will increase and the layer will finally crack and spall off, thus losing its protective effect the scaling temperature has been reached. Although oxidation is seldom the main cause of high temperature corrosion failures, the oxidation performance is of primary interest, because the properties of any formed oxide layer will determine the resistance to other aggressive elements in the environment. The toughness and adherence of the oxide layer also determine the erosion resistance of the alloy.
Water vapour

The design stress for a material specifies the load to which this material can be subjected at high temperatures without failing or being significantly deformed during service. From room temperature up to a certain temperature (550 600C for most austenitic steels), the design stresses are based on the proof strength of the material. Above that temperature, the more temperature dependent creep strength will determine the design stress values. As a rule, creep strength is expressed as the creep rupture strength, i.e. the stress that causes rupture after 10 000 or 100 000 hours (Rkm 10 000 and Rkm 100 000). For components that are more sensitive to deformation, the creep deformation strength, i.e. the stress resulting in a strain of 1% after 10 000 or 100 000 hours (RA1/10 000 and RA1/100 000), should be used as a basis for design calculations. An often neglected mechanical property is the ductility. In a creeping component, stress redistribution due to creep can off-load the heaviest stressed parts, provided the ductility is high enough. Moreover, the 2

Most flue gases (except from coal combustion) have an increased water vapour content. Its presence will reduce the oxidation resistance of an alloy.
Carburization and nitridation

Carburization and nitridation are common heat treatment processes in which the surface of the material is intentionally enriched in carbon and/or nitrogen to improve the hardness, the wear resistance, or the fatigue strength of a component.

High temperature stainless steels

Even if the furnace components in these processes are constructed of more resistant materials, the cyclic exposure to the carburizing/nitriding environment will eventually lead to an excessive pick-up of carbon/ nitrogen. This will lead to problems such as embrittlement due to precipitation of chromium rich carbides/nitrides and impaired corrosion resistance because of the simultaneous chromium depletion in the matrix. These effects can also occur for other reasons, e.g. carburization due to oil residues on heat-treated components and nitridation due to overheating in nitrogen containing gases or to cracking ammonia.
Attack by sulphur, halogens, and molten salts and metals

Molten metal corrosion is rarely occurring, but when it does, it can be very detrimental. Two types of attack can appear dissolution of the solid metal (or one or another alloying element) in the melt, or penetration of the melt into the grain boundaries of the solid metal, causing rapid brittle cracking.
Erosion-corrosion

Particle impact on and/or abrasion of an oxide layer can remove it, or at least make it less protective. A ductile and adherent oxide layer is therefore beneficial.

Sulphur attacks are often life limiting in many high temperature applications. Due to kinetic factors, nonequilibrium sulphides can form and grow under oxidizing conditions. Even if initially formed sulphides are later overgrown by oxide or dissolved, their earlier existence has made the oxide layer less protective. An old rule-of-thumb says that nickel-containing alloys should be avoided in reducing sulphidizing environments, since the formation of low melting point nickelsulphur compounds may lead to a rapid deterioration of the alloy. In practice, however, the austenitic microstructure is required for good mechanical properties, and a number of nickel containing alloys have shown excellent performance in sulphur-bearing environments, since their chromium contents were high enough to enable the formation of a protective oxide layer. Molten salts and slags can attack an existing protective oxide film. The extent of the attack will depend on the composition of both the alloy and the melt. Halogens (such as chlorine and fluorine) or their salts (halides) may also cause serious damage.

AvestaPolarit high temperature stainless steels

Besides the common HT alloys presented below (i.e., 4948, 4878, 4828, 4833, and 4845), there are three proprietary AvestaPolarit alloys: 153 MA, 253 MA, and 353 MA . These three alloys are based on the same concept: Improved oxidation (and thus also HT corrosion) resistance by an increased silicon content and addition of very small quantities of rare earth metals (micro-alloying=> MA). Enhanced creep strength due to increased contents of nitrogen (and carbon for 253 MA). In many cases, the properties of these steels have proved to be equivalent or even superior to those of grades with higher contents of alloying elements. Materials selection will be determined by the application and operating conditions in each individual case. 153 MA is normally intended for use at somewhat lower service temperatures than the other two grades. The chemical compositions of the AvestaPolarit high temperature steels are shown in the table below.

COMPOSITION AND STANDARDS

Table 1: Chemical compositions and designations of AvestaPolarit high temperature alloys

AvestaPolarit designation 4948 4878 153 MA 4828 4833 253 MA 4845 353 MA

EN 1.4948 1.4878 1.4818 1.4828 1.4833 1.4835 1.4845 1.4854

ASTM 304 H 321 H S30415 309S S30815 310S S35315

Chemical composition, %, typical values C N Cr Ni Si Others 0.05 0.05 0.05 0.04 0.06 0.09 0.05 0.05 0.15 0.17 0.15 18.3 17.5 18.5 20 22.5 21 25 25 8.7 9.5 9.5 12 12.5 11 20 35 0.5 0.5 1.3 2.0 0.5 1.7 1.0 1.5 Ti Ce Ce Ce

National steel designations, superseded by EN BS DIN NF SS 304S51 304S51 309S16 310S24 1.4948 1.4878 1.4891 1.4828 1.4833 1.4893 1.4845 Z6 CN 18-09 Z6 CNT 18-10 Z17 CNS 20-12 Z15 CN 23-13 Z8 CN 25-20 2333 2337 2372 2368 2361

153 MA, 253 MA, and 353 MA are patented grades with trademarks used by AvestaPolarit. 253 MA and 353 MA are registered.

High temperature stainless steels

TENSILE AND CREEP STRENGTH PROPERTIES

gives rupture after 100 000 hours with the corresponding value for 253 MA.(E.g., at 800C, 4828, 4833, and 4845 are only half as strong as 253 MA, i.e., twice the material thickness is required for normal dimensioning.) The analogous curves for the other creep strength parameters (i.e. Rkm 10 000, RA1/10 000, and RA1/100 000) show similar behaviour.
MICROSTRUCTURAL STABILITY

Most strength values are tabulated in the AvestaPolarit data sheet High Temperature Stainless Steel. Therefore, the strength and its variation with temperature are only shown graphically here. Diagram 1 shows clearly that 153 MA and 253 MA have higher proof strength values at room temperature as well as at elevated temperatures. This is a result of the higher nitrogen contents in these two alloys. 353 MA has a similarly high room temperature strength. At present, there are no specified proof strength values at higher temperatures. Diagram 2 shows the 100 000 hours creep strength as a function of temperature for all our HT steels. The higher creep strength of the MA alloys is, also in this case, a result of the higher nitrogen content. A more obvious way to illustrate the difference between various steels is to use relative, instead of absolute values: For each alloy and temperature, the relative strength has been calculated by dividing the stress value that

Upon service exposure at elevated temperatures, most alloys become more or less embrittled. 4948, and especially 4878 are little affected, while the loss in toughness is substantial for 4828, 4833, and 4845, due to an extensive precipitation of the intermetallic sigma phase. In 253 MA and 353 MA, much less sigma is formed. Instead, carbide and nitride precipitation will take place during service, which will result in a loss in RT impact toughness. In fact, it may be as low as for a sigma phase embrittled alloy, and in addition, the

Diagram 1: Elevated temperature proof

Diagram 3: Relative 100 000 hours creep rupture strength

Diagram 2: 100 000 hours creep rupture strength.

Diagram 4: Charpy V toughness after 200 hours ageing

High temperature stainless steels

toughness reduction will be more rapid since the precipitation of carbides/nitrides is faster than that of sigma phase. However, service experience indicates that the ductility is superior at lower deformation rates. The carbon/nitrogen solubilities in the MA alloys increase with increasing temperature, and above a certain temperature, the post-service toughness will be sufficiently high. This temperature is 850C for 253 MA and 1000C for 353 MA. These alloys can of course be applied at lower temperatures if the loss in RT impact toughness is born in mind when maintenance and repair work is performed. 153 MA was developed as a leaner alloyed variant of 253 MA for applications where high demands are made on toughness. 153 MA will have a sufficiently high toughness after service at all temperatures.
HIGH TEMPERATURE CORROSION Oxidation
Diagram 5: Cyclic oxidation at 1150 C. The specimens were cooled down to room temperature every two hours

The oxidation resistance of all HT grades rely on the formation of a protective oxide layer, rich in chromium, aluminium, and/or silicon. Additional alloying elements may improve the properties further. Diagram 5 shows that, in spite of its lower chromium content, 253 MA shows better oxidation resistance than 4845 under cyclic conditions. Obviously, the REM addition and increased Si content of 253 MA have improved the adherence of the oxide so that the alloy can retain a thicker oxide layer before it starts to spall due to thermal shock. Short-term tests, as in Diagram 5, are a rapid method of ranking alloys. However, one must bear in mind that this ranking can change with increasing time, cf. Diagram 6. Historically, the oxidation resistance of an alloy has been specified as the scaling temperature, i.e. the temperature, at which the oxidation rate becomes unacceptably high. Since this temperature is of little technical importance, we have abandoned the Scaling temperature concept, for Maximum recommended service temperature, which is based on service experience together with long- and short-time, isothermal and cyclic laboratory tests, see Table 2.
Water vapour Carburization/nitridation
Table 2: Recommended maximum service temperatures Diagram 6: Long-term oxidation at 1100C. The specimens were cooled down to room temperature once a week for weighing.

AvestaPolarit designation 4948 4878 153 MA 4828 4833 253 MA 4845 353 MA

EN

ASTM

Maximum service temperature (C) in dry air 800 800 1000 1000 1000 1100 1100 1150

1.4948 304H 1.4878 321H 1.4818 S30415 1.4828 1.4833 309S 1.4835 S30815 1.4845 310S 1.4854 S35315

The resistance of high temperature alloys to carburization/nitridation increases primarily with increasing nickel content but also with increasing contents of silicon and chromium. 353 MA is therefore the best of the MA grades, but 253 MA has also performed well under certain conditions in carburizing/nitriding environments, despite of its lower alloy content. Experience has shown that it takes only traces of 5

The presence of water vapour in the environment will make any formed oxide layer more porous and hence less protective. The reduction in maximum service temperature can be 50 150C, depending on steam content.

High temperature stainless steels

oxygen in the furnace gas (e.g. in the form of carbon dioxide or steam) to produce a thin and tough oxide layer on 253 MA, which provides good protection against pick-up of both carbon and nitrogen. However, under reducing conditions, when such a scale cannot form, 353 MA and 4845 are better alternatives.
Sulphur attack

While high nickel content is beneficial to the resistance of the material to carburization and nitridation, it can be a disadvantage in a sulphur-rich environment. In oxidizing gases, where sulphur occurs in the form of sulphur dioxide, attack is delayed only as long as the material is protected by a thin, continuous oxide film. However, if the oxide grows in thickness and begins to crack, the gas will be able to penetrate through to the base material and continue the attack. Due to their firmly adhering protective oxides, 153 MA, 253 MA, and 353 MA are better suited for such environments than materials with similar or higher nickel contents. Nevertheless, the maximum service temperature is lower than in air. In reducing sulphurous atmospheres, the oxide layer is rapidly dissolved and the bare metal is exposed to attack. Under such cicumstances, nickel-free (or at least low Ni) alloys should be used.
Molten salts and metals
Diagram 7: Erosion test results

They have good formability in cold condition, although they work-harden in the same way as other austenitic stainless steels. However, since these grades have high nitrogen contents, they also have higher mechanical strength and require higher deformation forces during cold working. Hot forming should be carried out in the temperature range 1150 900C (the minimum temperature for 353 MA is 980C). Since 153 MA, 253 MA, and 353 MA are harder than conventional austenitic steels, their machinability is also affected. Their tendency towards work hardening during cold deformation must also be taken into account in machining. See Machining Guidelines for each alloy. These grades have good weldability. Suitable welding methods are shielded metal arc welding, inert gas welding with pure argon, or submerged arc welding (the latter not for 353 MA). The best results are achieved by using AvestaPolarit 253 MA filler metal for both l53 MA and 253 MA. If a somewhat poorer oxidation resistance, creep strength, and microstructural stability are acceptable, AvestaPolarit 309 filler metal can also be used. A new SMAW electrode, 253 MA-NF, has been developed for applications where embrittlement is unacceptable. More detailed welding instructions are given in a special AvestaPolarit Welding brochure entitled How to weld 253 MA. Also for 353 MA, there is a filler metal with a matching composition and a special welding instructions brochure. It is generally not necessary to perform heat treatment after forming or welding since the material will be exposed to high temperatures when in operation. In some cases, heat treatment may be required to relieve material stresses (e.g. fan impellers).

Certain heat treatment steps are carried out in molten salt or metal pots. The corrosion problems often occur at the melt-air-interface, but can be managed. Attacks from e.g. molten flue gas deposits or accidentally contaminating metals/alloys can be much more damaging.
Erosion-corrosion

Replacing salt/metal pots with fluidized bed furnaces will put other demands on the construction material from being corrosion resistant to being able to withstand the abrasive wear. Another type of erosion-corrosion occurs in flue gas channels, where particles are often entrapped in the rapidly moving combustion gas stream. In both these types of erosion, the MA grades have shown excellent resistance due to the thin adherent oxide layer formed on them, see e.g. Diagram 7.
FORMING, MACHINING, AND WELDING

The workability of 153 MA, 253 MA, and 353 MA is similar to that of ordinary austenitic stainless steels. 6

High temperature stainless steels

AVAILABLE PRODUCT FORMS

153 MA Hot rolled plate and sheet Cold rolled plate, sheet and strip Bar; Wire Welded pipe and tube Seamless tube Fittings Fabricated products of sheet and plate Welding consumables Castings 253 MA 353 MA

placed over the surface of the charge. A wind box is connected below the grid, and the vacuum it creates causes the combustion front to move down through the charge. In the sintering process, high temperature materials are used principally in the form of castings for the grids and sheet for the wind boxes and burners in the firing hoods. The grids are subjected to relatively rapid

temperature variations from the charging of cold ore concentrate mixture up to the ignition and discharge of the sintered material. The most common material problems in this application are the deformations caused by high and fluctuating temperatures. Since both the ore and the coal dust contain sulphur, 153 MA and 253 MA are more suitable than alloys with higher nickel contents. By employing castings with higher carbon contents and special cast microstructures, a creep strength, which is higher than that of rolled material, is assured. Cast grids of 253 MA have been dimensionally stable over a long service time, without the gas permeability being affected or the grids becoming jammed or distorted.
BLAST FURNACE PLANTS

Sheet and plate products are manufactured by AvestaPolarit, welded pipes and tubes, fittings, wire and filler metals are manufactured by AvestaPolarit subsidiaries, seamless tubes by AB Sandvik Steel, and castings are produced by licensees. The entire AvestaPolarit range of high temperature steels, both standard and micro-alloyed, is outlined on the last page of this brochure.

In blast furnaces, high temperature materials are typically used for the recuperators in which the blast

Applications in the steel and metals industries

The application of heat-resistant alloys, principally for the various process stages in the production and processing of iron and steels, is described below. In many cases, these examples will also apply to the production of non-ferrous metals, such as copper, aluminium, etc. Special attention will be given in the descriptions to the application of the micro-alloyed high temperature (X53 MA) steels developed by AvestaPolarit.
PELLET SINTERING PLANTS

air is preheated by the furnace gas (Fig. 2), the charging mechanism for pulverized stock charged into the furnace, the circulation fans, gas piping, etc. The coking ovens used for producing the blast furnace coke are also equipped with recuperators for recovering heat from the hot gases. High temperature alloys may also be necessary for the discharge doors and collecting grids of the coking ovens, which are subjected to high temperatures and abrupt temperature changes in conjunction with water-cooling. The temperature in the recuperators may vary from 1150C at the hot-gas inlet end, down to the ambient outdoor temperature at the combustion air intake. Since both the coking oven gas and the blast furnace

Sintering is used for converting fine-grained ore concentrate into larger pieces, which are better suited for the blast furnace process. This can be carried out in batches in tiltable pallets (Fig. 1) or continuously on a conveyor type of sintering furnace. The furnace and conveyor belt both have a cast grid base with intervening gaps for the extraction of combustion gases. The charge, which consists of a mixture of ore concentrate, limestone, and coal dust, is ignited in both cases from above by means of a burner

ignition cool dust

ore concentrate finest

combustion front

recycled bedding sinter

grid

Figure 1

suction

High temperature stainless steels

gas contain sulphur, ferritic chromium steels have commonly been used, which has led to problems of creep deformation in the hottest zones. As both 153 MA and 253 MA have much higher creep strength than ferritic steels, they are better suited for this application. They also have better resistance to the effects of sulphurrich gases than equivalent high temperature steels and nickel-base alloys. AvestaPolarit 253 MA has also been successfully used in expansion bellows (Fig. 3) for cyclically heated components. Expansion bellows for recuperator installations used to be made of 4878 or 4948, but a change to 253 MA, increased the service life of the bellows from 36 months to several years.

STEEL MELTING, SMELTERS, AND CONTINUOUS CASTING PLANTS

When steels and other metals are melted and refined in arc furnaces and converters, components such as fume extraction hoods, flue gas ducts, dampers, hatches, bridges, and the preheaters for ladles and scrap are subjected to high thermal stresses. This applies particularly to equipment, which cannot be protected by water cooling or refractory lining. Depending on the maximum service temperature, 153 MA, 253 MA, or even 353 MA may be used in these applications to avoid serious deformation and frequent repairs. 253 MA and 353 MA have also been used successfully in chutes for feeding e.g. scrap into the arc furnace or other alloying additions into the converter.
ROLLING MILLS

Before rolling or forging, ingots, slabs, and billets are usually heated in box-type or continuous reheat furnaces. Gas or oil burners or electric resistance elements are used for heating. In such furnaces, the components subjected to high temperature stresses are principally the rollers, slide-rails, or walking beams used for moving the material through the furnace. The framework and edge reinforcements for the charging and discharging doors are also subjected to high temperatures. Due to its high creep strength, AvestaPolarit 253 MA has proved to be an excellent material for such components. Numerous installations at rolling mills in several countries have yielded very favourable results. Lately, there has been a transition from common burners to oxy-fuel burners, where the combustion air is replaced by oxygen. In addition to all the benefits, there is one draw-back the flue gas water vapour content will increase substantially (10 40%), which will increase the demands on oxidation resistance of the construction materials.
Figure 2

HEAT TREATMENT FURNACES

Steelworks, metal works, and special hardening shops carry out heat treatment to give various products the required properties. Many different types of furnace with different atmospheres and temperature cycles are used for this purpose. If heat treatment requires a controlled furnace atmosphere an inert gas, an active gas, or vacuum a gas-tight inner casing is used in the furnace. This is known as a muffle or retort and is made of a high temperature steel or a nickel base alloy.
Figure 3

High temperature stainless steels

The retort is actually a pressure vessel and is thus intended for higher gas pressures than a muffle. The most important furnace types and the material problems commonly occurring are discussed below. Bell-type furnaces Pit furnaces Box-type furnaces
Bell-type furnaces

The problems usually arising are that the muffle is distorted adjacent to the burner zones due to nonuniform temperature, or that the entire bottom part of the muffle deforms due to creep. The base, the diffuser, and the fan impeller may also distort because of the high temperatures and mechanical stresses. The material selected for the muffle will depend on the maximum service temperature and the atmosphere in the furnace. AvestaPolarit 153 MA and 253 MA are suitable alternatives to conventional high temperature steels, such as AvestaPolarit 4833 (309S), 4845 (310S), or 4828 (W.-Nr. 1.4828), due to their better creep resistance. Service experience shows that furnace components made of these alloys are easier to repair and require less maintenance. 253 MA should be employed for temperatures above 850C. If there is a risk of carburization and/or nitridation (and 253 MA has proved inadequate), more highly alloyed nickel alloys such as 353 MA will be necessary.
Pit furnaces

Molten salt/lead pots Continuous furnaces Furnaces with fluidized beds

A bell-type furnace consists of a vertical cylindrical or rectangular shell, with a domed end welded to the top. The shell or bell has a refractory insulation and is placed over the muffle, which encloses the material to be heat-treated in a controlled furnace atmosphere. Heating is carried out by gas or oil burners, by electric resistance elements, or by radiant tubes between the bell and the muffle. A fan at the bottom of the muffle circulates the hot gas inside it to ensure a uniform temperature throughout the furnace. The material to be heat-treated may be coils of strip, wire rods, bars, or small parts. The material is placed on a base above a grid known as the diffuser, which helps to distribute the circulating gas in the muffle Fig. 4.

A pit furnace is, in principle, an inverted bell-type furnace, which is recessed into the floor. The material problems and their solutions are therefore similar to those associated with bell-type furnaces.
Box-type furnaces

The box-type furnace is charged horizontally through a door and is provided with a gas-tight muffle if used for heat treatment in a controlled atmosphere. If electric heating is employed, the heating elements in the bottom are protected by a hearth made of high temperature material (Fig. 5). In box-type furnaces, heat-resistant materials are
muffle (inner cover)

also used for fans to ensure uniform temperatures and for pier protection caps. The most common material problem is that the muffle and hearth become distorted due to high temperatures and temperature differences. The distortion is accentuated at points where the muffle is secured or at the bottom, due to the cooling effect of

intermediate partition

the supports. Other problems include failure of welded joints and carburization and/or nitridation from the

base fan

diffuser
Figure 4 Figure 5

High temperature stainless steels

furnace atmosphere, which may lead to serious oxidation attacks or embrittlement. The materials used and alternative solutions employed are the same as those described above for bell-type furnaces.
Molten salt/metal furnaces

Salt bath furnaces are frequently used for liquid carburization and/or nitridation (case hardening), but also for neutral heat treatments, due to the excellent heat transfer and energy efficiency. For the case hardening salt pots, a high nickel alloy should be beneficial. For the neutral salt mixtures of KCl, NaCl, and BaCl2 , the main problems are attacks from salt vapours and from contaminations in the salt bath. The most common molten metal application is patenting of wire in molten lead (or bismuth) baths. The lead itself is not extremely aggressive unless the construction material has a too high nickel content. The main problem is instead attacks from lead oxide at the metal/air surface, which should be covered with pulverized coal.
Furnaces with fluidized beds
Figure 7 Figure 6

The conveyor belts must have good resistance to the furnace environment, so that it does not corrode or become embrittled. A more common problem is that the conveyor belts become elongated after a certain service time and must be shortened. The creep strength (and ductility) of the materials used for such conveyor belts is thus crucial. 253 MA has yielded better results than materials such as 4845 (310S) and materials with even higher contents of alloying elements. At lower temperatures, 153 MA is a suitable alternative to type 4833 (309S). Heat-resistant materials are also used for driving gears and deflector rolls.
FURNACE COMPONENTS AND ACCESSORIES

In more recent generations of furnaces, based on heat transfer by the fluidized bed principle, 253 MA has proved to be suitable as a structural material for the furnace walls. In this context, the resistance to erosion caused by the pulverous bed material is important. This type of furnace may, for example, be used as a replacement for molten lead or salt bath furnaces for heat treatment of steel wire.
Continuous furnaces

In addition to the furnace structure itself discussed above, furnace components and accessories that are common to a number of furnace types, also require high temperature materials. These components are e.g. radiant tubes, electric resistance elements, fans, heat exchangers, anchor bolts for insulating mats, trays, baskets, and fixtures, and thermocouple sheathing.
Radiant tubes

In a continuous furnace, heat treatment of the material takes place as the material is continuously fed through the furnace. A common type is the straight tunnel furnace used for the annealing, hardening, or tempering of rolled strip, wire, machine components, or other separate work pieces (see Fig. 6). These furnaces can also be equipped with a gas-tight muffle (Fig. 7) made of high temperature material, if the annealing process demands a controlled furnace atmosphere. The feed of the charge through the furnace are carried out by means of e.g. walking beams, rollers, chains, and trolleys. Another conveying device is the conveyor belt, on which the heat-treated material is pulled through the furnace. It is usually made of wire mesh, slats, or possibly a solid strip of heat-resistant material. 10

If oil or gas burners are used, the combustion gases must be kept away from the charge. Therefore, radiant tubes are used for heat transfer to the furnace. The hot gas flows through the tubes, which are thus heated and emit radiant heat from the outer surfaces. The tubes may be straight, U-shaped, or W-shaped, and are made of high temperature material, either in cast or in welded form (Fig. 8).

High temperature stainless steels

In the past, most radiant tubes were cast. Relatively thin-walled tubes in straight lengths can be produced by centrifugal casting. However, all-welded tubes are becoming increasingly common. Welded tubes offer the following advantages compared to cast tubes: easier to manufacture to suit the requirements of the users, due to the availability of high temperature materials in the form of plate, sheet, and strip lower weight and more efficient heat transfer due to thinner material reduced sensitivity to thermal fatigue easier to reinforce in exposed areas and easier to repair by welding reduced likelihood of deposits and less risk of high temperature corrosion, due to smoother surfaces. The most common material problems are deformation and embrittlement due to carburization and/or nitridation and overheating, caused e.g. by misaligned internal burners. Welded tubes of 253 MA have successfully replaced centrifugally cast radiation tubes in continuous heat treatment furnaces with a nitrogen/hydrogen gas atmosphere. In these cases it has been possible to reduce the wall thickness from 810 to 3 4 mm. 353 MA may be a suitable alternative for more aggressive gas environments.
Electrical resistance material

results. Experience has shown that 253 MA used as resistance material may have a service life of up to twice that of ferritic materials.
Fans

Fans used for circulating or extracting hot gases are subjected to very difficult conditions due to the stresses caused by the centrifugal force, and the effect of hot, aggressive gases containing abrasive dust. A fan impeller must not become so brittle that it fails, neither must it deform nor accumulate thick deposits, since it could then become unbalanced. So, the choice of material must be based on a thorough assessment of the operating conditions. AvestaPolarit 153 MA and 253 MA are suitable for the fans used in bell-type furnaces (Fig.4), due to their combination of high resistance to oxidation and high creep strength. When used for fans, for which abrasive dust has given rise to problems, 253 MA has also proved to be more resistant to erosion than e.g. 4845 (310S).
Heat exchangers

Recuperators for heat recovery from blast furnace gases have been mentioned earlier. Tubular heat exchangers (Fig. 10) and plate heat exchangers are also used for improving the efficiency of (p)reheating and heat treatment furnaces. Material selection will depend on the temperature and gas environment. Heat-resistant materials are also used for tube spacers and supports.

The materials used for electrical resistance elements are usually ferritic chromium-aluminium steels or nickelbase alloys. The former can withstand high temperatures, but become brittle after some service time. They also have a low creep strength and thus deform readily. Nickel-base alloys are less prone to embrittlement and deformation, but are more expensive. 253 MA may be used for heating elements for furnaces operating at moderate temperatures, i.e. in the range between 800 and 1050C, due to its high creep strength and lower risk of embrittlement. This material has been tested in the form of resistance wire as well as corrugated strip elements (Fig. 9) and has yielded good

Figure 8

Figure 9

Figure 10

11

High temperature stainless steels

Anchor bolts and fasteners

Modern heat treatment furnaces are often insulated with highly effective fibre mats instead of refractory bricks or ceramic compounds. These insulating mats are secured to the inside of the furnace wall by means of special bolts with lock washers. The bolts are welded to the inside of the shell at suitable intervals. The mat is then pressed over the bolts and is held in position by the lock washers (Fig. 11). Fasteners of high temperature materials are also used for securing electrical resistance elements, radiant tubes, refractory linings, ceramic compounds (Fig. 12), etc. The fasteners and anchor bolts employed for this purpose may be made of bar, wire rod, or plate, and must have a high creep strength and a good resistance to oxidation to perform their task satisfactorily. AvestaPolarit 253 MA has proven to be a good alternative to both nickel-base alloys and other high temperature materials.
Trays, baskets, and fixtures
Figure 11

Small machine components that require heat treatment are often loaded into baskets or onto trays, which are then charged into the furnace (Fig .13). The materials used for these baskets and trays must be capable of withstanding the temperature cycles and furnace atmospheres when used repeatedly over a long service time. Alloys with high nickel contents are often used for this purpose, so AvestaPolarit 353 MA may be a suitable alternative. In spite of its lower content of alloying elements, 253 MA has produced good results for trays and baskets thanks to its very high creep strength.
Thermocouple sheathing
Figure 12

Thermocouples used for recording and controlling the furnace temperatures must be protected from attack by the furnace gases if they are to provide correct temperature readings. These thermocouple sheathings must be thin-walled to ensure fast temperature response and must also be capable of withstanding the temperatures and gases in their environment. Sheathings made of 253 MA have yielded good results in this application as well as for use in gas analysers.
Figure 13

12

High temperature stainless steels

Summary of the areas of application

The various examples of applications of AvestaPolarit micro-alloyed high temperature steels in the steel and metals industries can be summarized as follows:
Pellet sintering plants

Steel melting, smelters, and continuous casting plants

Extraction hoods, flue gas ducts, feed chutes, dampers, doors, bridges, and preheaters for scrap and ladles.
Rolling mills (heating furnaces)

Furnace rollers, slide-rails, walking beams, framework, edge reinforcements for doors, etc.
Heat treatment furnaces and furnace accessories

Grids, wind boxes, burners, fans, etc.

Blast furnace plants

Muffles, retorts, fans, heat exchangers, tube spacers and supports, furnace hearths, pier protection caps, conveyor belts, radiant tubes, electric heating elements, anchor bolts and fasteners for refractory materials, fixtures for brazing work, trays and baskets, thermocouple sheathing, tubes in gas analysers, etc.

Charging pipes for pulverized coal (and ore pellets), circulation fans, piping, expansion bellows, recuperators for blast furnace gas, and heat exposed parts of coking ovens.

Pellet sintering plants

Blast furnace plants

Steel melting, smelters, and continuous casting plants

Heat treatment furnaces and furnace accessories

Rolling mills (heating furnaces)

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High temperature stainless steels

What can AvestaPolarit offer the steel and metals industries?

AvestaPolarit and its subsidiaries offer a wide range of stainless steel grades and products. For high temperature applications, AvestaPolarit can provide both micro-alloyed stainless high temperature steels as well as standard steels of the chromium-nickel type.

STEEL GRADES
Chemical composition, %, typical values AvestaPolarit 4948 4878 153 MA 4828 4833 253 MA 4845 353 MA EN 1.4948 1.4878 1.4818 1.4828 1.4833 1.4835 1.4845 1.4854 ASTM 304 H 321 H S30415 309S S30815 310S S35315 C 0.05 0.05 0.05 0.04 0.06 0.09 0.05 0.05 N 0.15 0.17 0.15 Cr 18.3 17.5 18.5 20 22.5 21 25 25 Ni 8.7 9.5 9.5 12 12.5 11 20 35 Si 0.5 0.5 1.3 2.0 0.5 1.7 1.0 1.5 Others Ti Ce Ce Ce BS 304S51 321S51 309S16 304S24 National steel designations, superseded by EN DIN 1.4948 1.4878 1.4891 1.4828 1.4833 1.4893 1.4845 NF Z6 CN 18-09 Z6 CNT 18-10 Z17 CNS 20-12 Z15 CN 23-13 Z8 CN 25-20 SS 2333 2337 2372 2368 2361

153 MA, 253 MA, and 353 MA are patented grades with trademarks used by AvestaPolarit. 253 MA and 353 MA are registered.

PRODUCTS
Hot-rolled plate Widths: 1000 3000 mm Thicknesses: 5 86 mm Steel grades: 153 MA, 253 MA, 353 MA, 4878, 4833, 4845 Cold-rolled sheet and strip Widths: 5 790 mm Thicknesses: 0.15 1.6 mm Steel grades: 153 MA, 253 MA, 4828, 4833, 4845 Widths: 50 1350 mm Thicknesses: 0.4 4 mm Steel grades: 153 MA, 253 MA, 353 MA, 4878, 4833, 4845, 4828 Widths: 1350 2000 mm Thicknesses: 1.5 6.35 mm Steel grades: 153 MA, 253 MA, 353 MA, 4878, 4828, 4833, 4845 Bar Sections: round, rectangular, flat, angle and other profiles Steel grades: 253 MA,4878, 4845 Drawn wire Diameters: 0.8 5 mm Steel grade: 253 MA Welded pipe and tube, fittings Diameters: 6 1600 mm Wall thicknesses: 1 25 mm Steel grades: 153 MA, 253 MA, 353 MA 4828, 4845, 4878 Manufactured products from plate and sheet To purchaser's specifications Welding consumables Manual welding electrodes: Steel grades: 253 MA, 353 MA, 409, 310, P10 (nickel-base) Welding wire for automatic welding:MIG, TIG, Submerged arc Steel grades: 253 MA, 353 MA, 309L, P7, P10 Castings From licensees. More detailed information concerning each product is available in special AvestaPolarit data sheets which can be obtained from your nearest AvestaPolarit office or downloaded from our website: www.avestapolarit.com

ADVICE

Advice in matters concerning AvestaPolarit materials as well as references to previous deliveries can be obtained from the Application Department at the Avesta Research Centre or from your local AvestaPolarit representative. Advice and assistance provided without charge are given with the best knowledge and in good faith, but without any responsibility.

14

High temperature stainless steels

Colour-temperature scale for glowing steel

The steel should be judged under dark or dimly lit conditions not in direct sunlight. The colour scale should be viewed in normal diffuse daylight not sunlight or lamplight.

1200C

1100C

1050C

980C

930C

870C

810C

760C

700C

650C

600C

15

AvestaPolarit is one of the world's leading stainless steel producers. The Group combines cost-efficient production with a global sales and distribution network and offers customers one of the broadest product ranges on the market. AvestaPolarit's focus is exclusively on stainless steel, a fast-growing industry sector. Ever since the Group's formation in January 2001, AvestaPolarit's vision has been to become Best in stainless. Today, AvestaPolarit is an integral part of the Outokumpu metals and technology group, in which the stainless steel business is a core area.

Information given in this publication is subject to alteration without notice. Care has been taken to ensure that the contents of this publication are accurate but AvestaPolarit and its subsidiary companies do not accept responsibility for errors or for information which is found to be misleading. Suggestions for or descriptions of the end use or application of products or methods of working are for information only and the company and its subsidiaries accept no liability in respect thereof. Before using a product supplied or manufactured by the company, it is the responsibility of the customer to ensure the suitability of the product for its intended use. If further assistance is required, the company, which has extensive research facilities, will often be able to help. The cover picture shows 253MA radiant U-tubes mounted horizontally in a heat treatment furnace (courtesy by Rolled Alloys, Inc)

Information 104103EN. 09-2003. Graphic Concept AB / Edita Vstra Aros AB.

Technical Application Department: AvestaPolarit AB Avesta Research Centre SE-774 80 Avesta Tel: +46 (0)226-810 00 Fax: +46 (0)226-810 77 E-mail: research@avestapolarit.com www.avestapolarit.com

An Outokumpu Group company