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Duplex PDF
Duplex PDF
Duplex stainless
DUPLEX
steel welding.
Best practices
(Part 1)
Barry Messer, Andrew Wright, Vasile Oprea. Figure 1 Overview - General Duplex Welding
Fluor Canada Ltd., Canada Guidelines
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Weigh t
Ele ment Percent age (w t %) Ele ment al R o le Allo ying Ch ar ac teri st ic s
Chromium 18 to 30% Ferrite former • Increasing Cr will increase corrosion resistance.
(Cr) • The ferrite content increases with increasing Cr; however, too
much Cr will decrease optimal phase balance.
Nickel 4 to 8% Austenite former • Ni promotes a change in crystal structure from ferrite to
(Ni) austenite.
• Ni delays the formation of intermetallic phases.
Molybdenum Less than 5% Ferrite former • Enhances pitting corrosion resistance.
(Mo) • Increased tendency to form detrimental intermetallic phases if
Mo content is too high.
Nitrogen Minimum of 0.14% Austenite former • N causes austenite to form from ferrite at elevated temperatures,
(N) allowing for restoration of an acceptable balance of austenite to
ferrite after a rapid thermal cycle in the HAZ after welding.
• Additions of N increase pitting and crevice corrosion resistance
and strength.
• Delays the formation of intermetallic phases.
• Offsets the formation of sigma phase in high Cr, high Mo steels.
Table 2 Importance of alloying elements of DSS.
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Du ple x S ta in le s s Ste e l
°C °F
So lid if ic a ti on r an g e 1445 to 1385 2633 to 2525
Sc al in g te mpe r atu r e in air 1000 1832
Sig m a ph a se f or ma ti on 700 to 975 1292 to 1787
Car b id e pr e cip it a ti on 450 to 800 842 to 1472
47 5C/ 88 5 F e mb r it tle me n t 350 to 525 662 to 977
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ASTM A923 Method B or C Determines if any intermetallic phases Must have predetermined acceptance criteria
or precipitates were formed during
welding process Determine if precipitates affect corrosion resistance and mechanical
properties
Ferrite Readings WPS and PQR generally uses point count method
(1) Point Count Method Determines % ferrite
Check – balance for entire weldment thickness. Optimal ferrite
content between 35-60%
(2)Electromagnetic Measuring Determines % ferrite or FN Used during production welding to verify % ferrite in accordance with
Method WPS and PQR
Sample preparation according to manufacturer’s recommendations
Use for WPS and PQR for comparison with production welds
Device measurements of the weld cap and root should be within 35–
60% ferrite content
Hardness survey Check maximum allowable hardness Depends on DSS grade and service environment
Impact Testing Toughness measurement Typically associated with minimum design temperature and engineering
recommendations
Frequent requirements for parent and weld metal are minimum 45J
average at -46°C per ASTM A923 Method B. The narrow HAZ
precludes accurate impact measurements in isolation.
Table 4: Additional details to ASME Section IX in the development of a WPS and PQR.
Engineering
The key to obtaining well balanced About the authors
ferrite proportions within the base-
metal, weld-metal, and HAZ is to Andrew Wright is a the Canadian Welding Bureau. Barry
perform Welding Procedure metallurgical has over 30 years experience in met-
Specifications (WPS) and Procedure Engineer with Fluor allurgy, welding, and NDE develop-
Qualification Records (PQR) that ad- Canada Ltd. He pro- ment and material selection. He is
dress DSS welding issues as well as vides welding and regularly involved in the analysis and
all requirements and codes for weld metallurgical sup- mitigation of fabrication and in-service
joints and applications. According port for piping and equipment fabrica- failures for the chemical, petroleum,
to code requirements, a WPS and tion. Andrew is currently involved in power, and mining industries.
PQR must meet only the minimum high alloy welding issues on interna-
requirements specified in the design tional petrochemical projects. Vasile Oprea is a
code. The welding of DSS demands Senior Metallurgical
that additional tests be conducted to Barry Messer is and Welding
ensure that the weld will be suitable Technical Director Engineer with Fluor
for the intended service and exhibit and Senior Fellow Canada Ltd. He has
the same physical and corrosion re- for Materials and over 25 years expe-
sistant qualities as the base metal. Welding rience in material selection, welding,
In particular, heat inputs should be Engineering with heat treatment, NDE, and failure
well documented in the WPS and Fluor Canada Ltd. and a director with analysis.
PQR so that welders may duplicate
the original during production weld- controls that should be applied to
ing. If the appropriate precautions the WPS and PQR development to
and controls are not recognized dur- ensure that the welds produced are
ing the WPS and PQR development mechanically sound, corrosion re-
stage, production welds can be sistant, and repeatable under shop
plagued with problems. In addition or field conditions.
to the requirements set forth in The requirements of ASME Section The second part of this article will be
ASME, Section IX, or the appropriate IX should be addressed in the devel- published in the December issue of
design code for the weldment, there opment of WPS and PQR as well as Stainless Steel World magazine
are a handful of additional tests and the tests listed in Table 4.
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