Meet the Demanding Requirements of Welding P91

Pipe With Advanced Wire Processes

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Quality is critical in demanding, high-pressure applications that utilize P91 pipe.

Contractors must meet stringent quality standards, while also addressing the
increasing expectation that projects be completed faster — even as the welding
industry faces a shortage of skilled labor. Carefully controlling heat input and
choosing the right filler metals is important when welding P91 pipe. In addition,
changing to a modified short-circuit MIG process such as RMD® can help
contractors achieve significant productivity gains and profitability, without sacrificing
quality.
Increasingly demanding material requirements found in piping and boiler
construction for industries such as power generation and petrochemical have made
a specific type of chromium-molybdenum steel pipe — referred to as grade P91 — a
frequent choice because of its ability to withstand high pressures and high
temperatures. P91 is used in many critical applications that require significant
strength at high temperatures, including superheaters, headers and steam lines.
However, P91 is a higher-cost material that presents some challenges in fabrication.
Achieving sound welds with P91 pipe requires operator skill; careful control of heat
treatment before, during and after welding; and choosing appropriate low-hydrogen
filler metals.
In addition to following specific procedures and best practices to achieve high-quality
welds, a change in welding processes can lead to significant productivity gains and
reduce the time it takes to train new welding operators in P91 welding applications.
While many contractors have used traditional processes of TIG and stick to weld P91
pipe, converting to wire processes like modified short-circuit MIG, pulsed MIG and
flux-cored welding in P91 fabrication can save significant time — reducing welding
time by half on some jobs. This is due to several factors, including greatly increased
travel speeds and deposition rates, processes that are easy to learn and use, and
the ability to eliminate the back purge in some cases. This helps contractors improve
profitability and be more competitive, without sacrificing the level of quality necessary
for this critical work.
The basics of P91
P91 is a type of creep strength enhanced ferritic (CSEF) alloy, which are steels
designed to retain strength at extremely high temperatures. The P91 abbreviation
represents the material’s chemical composition: 9 percent chrome and 1 percent
molybdenum.
The material is used in high temperature, high pressure steam piping not only
because it retains strength at elevated temperature but also because it resists failure
due to “creep,” which is the tendency of a solid material to move slowly or deform
permanently under the influence of mechanical stresses. P91 also resists corrosion
better than steel alloys used previously in these applications. Because of these
advantages, P91 is used extensively in power generation applications, such as for
high pressure steam lines.
Due to the critical nature of these applications, any defects in the weld can result in
cracking and eventual part failure. Failures in high-pressure steam pipe can be
catastrophic, causing ruptures, tank or valve explosions, or other serious incidents
that can result in fatal injuries. As a result, codes and procedures for P91
applications are stringent.
Control the heat
While CSEF alloys such as P91 are designed to maintain strength as the
environmental temperature rises, one of the biggest challenges in welding P91 is the
material’s sensitivity to heat changes during the welding process. It’s critical to
properly control heat input — before, during and after welding. Too much or too little
heat can lead to issues with cracking in the heat affected zone (HAZ) and
subsequent premature failure of the weld.
The HAZ represents a region of potential weakness in P91 welding — and a major
factor in the quality and service life of the weld. How quickly the material cools and
the weld puddle solidifies are factors that influence the material’s microstructure.
Preheating helps drive off moisture and reduce hydrogen, and it also reduces the
thermal gradient between the base material and the weld puddle to improve
weldability and keep the weld pool from cooling too quickly. Typically, P91 must be
preheated in a temperature range from 400 to 600 degrees Fahrenheit, though the
appropriate heating level depends on the qualified weld procedure used for
construction and fabrication of the piping system.
During the welding process, it’s equally important to keep the interpass temperature
range within the approved qualified weld procedure. Too cool and cracking may
occur; too hot and the material can lose its strength and toughness. In addition, keep
in mind that the more heat applied and the longer heat is applied, the larger the HAZ,
which can increase opportunities for cracking.
Another critical step is post-weld heat treatment, which returns the material’s
microstructure to a more favorable condition. The heat of the welding process makes
the weld deposit and neighboring HAZ brittle when welding P91. Post-weld heat
treatment restores toughness to the weld deposit and the HAZ.
Because precision and stability in temperature control are extremely important when
welding P91 pipe, induction heating is a solution that offers better control and more
uniform heating of the part. Induction, a form of electric preheat, does not rely on a
heating element or flame to transfer heat. Instead, an alternating current passes
through the device, creating a magnetic field around it. As the magnetic field passes
through the conductive workpiece, it creates eddy currents within the part.
Resistance to changing electrical eddy currents generates heat in the part. The part
becomes its own heating element, heating from within, which makes induction very
efficient since little heat is lost in the process.
Because induction maintains uniform heating through the heat zone, it reduces the
potential for hot and cold spots in the part. Induction systems also allow welding
operators to check and adjust the temperature as needed — and document preheat,
interpass and post-weld temperature levels for quality assurance, code requirements
or customer specifications.

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Consider advanced wire processes

Another factor that can contribute to P91 weld quality — and significantly impact
productivity and efficiency for contractors — is the welding process used. Advanced
wire processes such as modified short-circuit MIG and pulsed MIG offer numerous
benefits and can help contractors improve profitability and be more competitive.
With modified short-circuit MIG, travel speeds are three to four times those of TIG or
stick welding. In addition, using a modified short-circuit MIG process allows for the
elimination of a back purge in some cases, thanks to the consumables used and the
lower heat input. Typically, when P91 pipe is TIG-welded, it requires an argon back
purge during the root pass and for some time afterward. Eliminating this saves in
wasted gas and the time it takes for the purge. Also, with advanced waveform MIG
the thicker root deposit helps eliminate the hot pass, therefore reducing the risk of
burnthrough on the subsequent fill passes. This also helps eliminate the need for a
back purge.
A modified short-circuit MIG process anticipates and controls each short circuit, then
reduces the available welding current to create a consistent metal transfer. This
precisely controlled metal transfer provides uniform droplets, creating only small
ripples in the weld puddle and producing a consistent tie-in to the sidewall. Along
with its ability to maintain the same arc length regardless of stick-out (within limits),
this process makes it much easier for welding operators to control and manipulate
the puddle, and to quickly and easily learn to create uniform, high-quality welds.
While a process switch may require an investment in operator training, converting to
a process that offers ease of use and greater productivity can help contractors
address the labor shortage facing the industry. An easier-to-learn MIG process can
shorten training time, so welding operators can be on the job making quality welds
sooner.
The mindset regarding traditional processes may be “why fix what’s not broken,” but
it’s becoming increasingly clear that changing industry pressures — including the
skilled labor shortage, shorter project timelines and a greater focus on controlling
costs — are causing traditional fabrication methods to become “broken” from a
profitability and efficiency standpoint.
Simplifying the process with a switch to modified short-circuit MIG for the root pass
followed by pulsed MIG or flux-cored welding for the fill and cap passes can help
contractors control costs and save time during welding to accelerate project
completion. An investment in these processes and training can pay off quickly —
without impacting weld quality.
The filler metal X-factor
Another key to success when welding P91 is choosing the right filler metal for the
application. The performance of P91 welds depends on having the correct chemical
composition in the weld metal; therefore, it is highly recommended that filler metals
be purchased with test reports showing actual chemical analysis for the specific
heat/lot combination that one has purchased.
Also, controlling hydrogen in the weld to avoid hydrogen-induced cracking is
important with any high-strength alloy, and P91 is no exception. Look for low-
hydrogen filler metals designed for use with high-strength chromoly materials.
Datasheets for all chromium-molybdenum filler metals should provide a typical X-
factor designation for the product. This formula measures a weldment’s resistance to
temper embrittlement. The number is calculated from the amounts of four key
contaminants (elements) in steel: phosphorous, antimony, tin and arsenic, which
together have the greatest impact on a weldment’s susceptibility to temper
embrittlement. Here is the formula: X = (10P + 5Sb + 4Sn + As)/100.
It’s especially important to know the X-factor of a filler metal when welding certain
chromoly steels, such as P91. Look for a filler metal with an X-factor below 15 for
P91 welding applications.
Success with P91
Quality is critical in the demanding, high-pressure applications that utilize P91 pipe.
Contractors must meet these stringent quality standards, while also addressing the
increasing expectation that projects be completed faster — even as the welding
industry faces a shortage of skilled labor.
Carefully controlling heat input and choosing the right filler metals is important when
welding P91 pipe. In addition, a change in welding processes can help contractors
save time and money and gain the competitive advantage they seek.
While the risks and rewards should be considered for each individual project, a
change in welding processes can help contractors achieve significant productivity
gains to improve profitability, without impacting the high quality necessary for P91
welding.