TIP 0402-03

OLD NUMBER 405-5

ISSUED – 1968
REVISED – 1981
REVISED – 1989
REVISED – 1998
REVISED – 2005
REVISED – 2010
©2010 TAPPI

The information and data contained in this document were

prepared by a technical committee of the Association. The
committee and the Association assume no liability or responsibility
in connection with the use of such information or data, including
but not limited to any liability under patent, copyright, or trade
secret laws. The user is responsible for determining that this
document is the most recent edition published.

CAUTION:
This Technical Information Paper may require the use, disposal, or both of chemicals which may present serious health hazards to humans.
Procedures for the handling of such substances are set forth on Material Safety Data Sheets which must be developed by all manufacturers and
importers of potentially hazardous chemicals and maintained by all distributors of potentially hazardous chemicals. Prior to the use of this
technical information paper the user should determine whether any of the chemicals to be used or disposed of are potentially hazardous and, if so,
should follow strictly the procedures specified by the manufacturer as well as local, state, provincial, and federal authorities for safe use and
disposal of these chemicals.

Guidelines for corrosion resistant weld metal overlay

of digester vessels in alkaline pulping service
1. Scope

This document provides guidelines and describes quality control and testing procedures for application of
either stainless steel or nickel-base corrosion resistant weld metal overlay (hereafter referred to as CRO) on
internal surfaces in continuous digesters, impregnation vessels, and batch digesters in kraft and soda
service. These guidelines provide information concerning overlay properties and application procedures
that affect the performance of the overlay.

The scope for CRO in digester vessels should specify the:

• Area to be overlaid.
• Welding materials to be used.
• Surface preparation required.
• Criteria for deciding where it is necessary for buildup or repair of the substrate, and detailed
procedures for this.
• Jurisdictional regulations and applicable Codes to be complied with.
• Procedure documentation.
• Work-product documentation required.
• Quality control and testing plan.
• Safety and job support requirements (scaffolding, ventilation, power supply).

2. Introduction

CRO is applied in carbon steel digester vessels to prevent corrosion. CRO can be applied using manual,
semi-automatic, or automatic welding processes. CRO is usually deposited directly on the carbon steel
although it also can be applied over existing CRO or on clad plate.

TIP Category: Automatically Periodically Reviewed (Ten-year review)

TAPPI
TIP 0402-03 Guidelines for corrosion resistant weld metal overlay / 2
of digester vessels in alkaline pulping service

The automatic welding processes most commonly used include submerged arc welding (SAW) and gas
metal arc welding (GMAW). SAW overlay is deposited in the horizontal mode. GMAW overlay may be
deposited horizontally or vertically. Manual overlay of small areas or to repair of defects in automatically-
applied CRO is often done using the shielded metal arc welding (SMAW), GMAW, gas tungsten arc
welding (GTAW) or flux core arc welding (FCAW) processes.

3. Safety precautions

Ensure personnel safety by complying with established confined space entry procedures and all mill safety
and lockout procedures. Respiratory and personal protection equipment should adequately protect against
dust, smoke, and fumes generated by surface preparation and welding. (Silica-containing blasting media
should not be used.) Carbon monoxide may arise during preheating using oxy-acetylene torches. Arc flash
from open-arc welding processes should be addressed.

Local jurisdictions may have exposure limits for chromium and nickel that require specific kinds of respiratory
protection. In the United States OSHA’s revised Permitted Exposure Limit (PEL) for hexavalent chromium (Cr+6) of
1 μg/m3, with Action Level of 0.5 μg/m3.affects virtually all stainless steel welding work and may present more
problems for welding in enclosed spaces, including overlay welding of digesters.

4. General requirements

4.1 Codes

Both the CRO installation and repair weld buildup in digester vessels constructed to the ASME Boiler and Pressure
Vessel Code, Section VIII Division 1, must conform to the code rules (1) - welding procedures, welders and welding
operators and weld quality must meet the requirements of Section IX of the ASME B&PV Code.

Part UCL of ASME Section VIII Div. 1 gives the requirements for new vessels constructed of base material with
corrosion resistant integral or weld metal overlay cladding. Articles in Section IX relevant to CRO include Article II
on Procedure Qualifications (Paragraph QW-214 and Tables QW-253.1, QW-254.1, QW-255.1, QW-256.1, QW-
257.1); Article III on Welding Performance Qualifications (Paragraph QW-381), and Article IV on Welding Data
(Table QW-453). In North America inspection, repair, and alteration of Code digesters is covered by the National
Board Inspection Code (NBIC) (2) and by the ASME post-construction code API579-1/ASME FFS-1, Fitness for
service. The NBIC deems installation of CRO in a digester vessel a “Repair.”

In Europe, the Pressure Equipment Directive 97/23/EC implemented in 2002 is a unified code for the design and
manufacture of pressure vessels. This TIP does not directly address requirements of other codes and standards, and
CRO installation in non-ASME code vessels may be performed to non ASME standards.

4.2 Surface preparation

Proper surface preparation shall remove:

• Process contaminants.
• Surface irregularities that make overlay application problematic, such as sharp changes in contour of the
surface, ditched weld seams, or excessively prominent weld seams.
• Cracks, pits and porosity
• Residues from nondestructive testing.
• Carbon contamination from arc gouging.

Arc gouging and grinding may be required prior to grit blasting to prepare excessively rough surfaces or projecting
weld seams for overlaying.

Abrasive blasting removes contaminants, scales, and thermal spray coatings from the digester wall that would
otherwise interfere with the application of CRO. Abrasive blasting to SSPC SP-10 “near-white” condition is
adequate for CRO (3); SP-6 “commercial” cleanliness is acceptable if the wall is smooth and free of deposits prior to
3 / Guidelines for corrosion resistant weld metal overlay TIP 0402-03
of digester vessels in alkaline pulping service

blasting. The surface must be dust free. Flash rusting of the sandblasted surface generally is not a concern for CRO
but some installers use aluminum-based paints to prevent flash rusting.

Liquor dripping onto grit blasted surfaces is invariably a problem with continuous digesters where it is very difficult
to prevent liquor seeping out from behind headers and screens. Installation of a drip pan has been found to be very
effective in minimizing contamination of the surface with liquor before and during the overlay process.

4.3 Carbon steel weld buildup

API 579-1/ASME FFS-1 assessment determines when carbon steel weld buildup is required to ensure the digester is
fit for service over the next specified operating period.

Carbon steel weld buildup must be crack-free and be a smooth enough substrate for the CRO. Control of heat input
and shell distortion is important, especially for weld buildup made with multiple passes. Carbon steel buildup shall
not be installed on surfaces that previously had CRO or a thermal spray coating unless the substrate is confirmed
free of residual alloy that might cause cracking of the carbon steel weld buildup.

4.4 Overlay onto existing CRO or cladding

The composition, soundness and thickness of existing CRO or a clad layer (roll-bonded or explosion-bonded plate)
and adequate thickness of the carbon steel substrate should be confirmed before new CRO is applied. The old CRO
or clad layer must be fully metallurgically bonded to the base metal: the bond can be checked by ultrasonic testing.
The clad layer in roll-bonded clad plate has been reported to disbond from the steel during installation of a CRO.

Metallurgical compatibility of the new CRO with the old alloy barrier is an important consideration. For example,
309 SS overlay that acquires too much Ni from the substrate CRO, clad layer or thermal spray coating is more
susceptible to hot cracking.

4.5 Nozzles

Where feasible, CRO on carbon steel nozzles should extend at least half the nozzle diameter into the nozzle, with a
smooth, minimum 2:1 edge taper inside the nozzle. CRO should blend into stainless steel nozzles or into nozzles
with a CRO lining. Carbon steel nozzles that experience accelerated corrosion should be replaced with stainless
steel, especially with duplex grades.

4.6 Coefficient of thermal expansion

The coefficient of thermal expansion of the CRO is not an important consideration for CRO because the CRO
metallurgically bonds to the carbon steel. The residual tensile stresses produced in the carbon steel heat affected
zone are of similar magnitude for all CRO alloys.

4.7 Composition of the overlay

The as-deposited composition of the CRO depends on the composition of the filler metal and of the substrate and
how much of the substrate, which could include overlay welds, is dissolved into the molten weld. Excessive weld
penetration into a carbon steel substrate can over-dilute the alloy content of as-deposited CRO. Careful attention to
the as-deposited composition of the CRO is important in batch digesters, where the corrosion mechanisms, including
“hot-plate boiling” corrosion are more aggressive than in continuous digesters. The filler metal composition also
influences the microstructure, as discussed in Section 4.8.

The CRO alloys most commonly used in digester vessels are Type 309L and Type 312 stainless steels. 309L is
commonly applied in continuous digesters either by the SAW process or the GMAW process (4). 312 is applied by
SAW and GMAW in continuous and batch digesters and is the current state-of-the-art for batch digesters.

Table 1 compares the composition ranges for bare stainless steel welding electrodes from ASME Specification SFA-
5.9 with the composition ranges of boat samples of single-layer CRO taken from several digesters.
TIP 0402-03 Guidelines for corrosion resistant weld / 4
overlay in sulfate and soda digester vessels

Table 1. Comparison of the specified compositions of stainless steel filler metals with the
composition ranges of as-deposited weld overlays (weight percent).

Alloying ER309Lsi Deposited Type ER312 Deposited Type

Element SFA-5.9 309LSi SFA-5.9 312

Chromium 23.0 – 25.0 16.0 – 22.0 28.0 – 32.0 22.0 – 29.0

Nickel 12.0 – 14.0 9.0 – 12.5 8.0 – 10.5 6.6 – 9.0
Carbon 0.03 max 0.03 – 0.06 0.15 max 0.08 – 0.19
Manganese 1.0 – 2.5 1.5 – 2.2 1.0 – 2.5 1.0 – 1.7
Phosphorus 0.03 max 0.02 0.03 max 0.02
Sulfur 0.03 max 0.01 0.03 max 0.01
Silicon 0.65 – 1.0 0.75 – 0.9 0.30 – 0.65 0.4

As-deposited minimum Cr content above 18%, generally achieved using 309L, provides adequate corrosion
resistance in continuous digesters. As-deposited Cr content of at least 24%, generally achieved using 312, provides
adequate corrosion resistance in batch digesters.

The minimum required Cr content in the CRO can be determined by corrosion testing in digester liquor. Unless
other limits are agreed to by the owner and the applicator, the as-deposited composition of stainless steel CRO
should comply with the limits given in Table 2.

Table 2. Suggested composition limits for stainless steel weld overlay deposits.

Type 309 Type 312

Alloying Element (Continuous) (Batch)

Chromium 18.0 min 24.0 min

Nickel 8.0 min 6.5 min
Carbon 0.15 max 0.2 max
Manganese 2.5 max 2.5 max
Phosphorus 0.03 max 0.03 max
Sulfur 0.03 max 0.03 max
Silicon 1.0 max 0.5 max

Composition limits in Table 2 apply to every weld pass in the overlay. While Cr content may very with the thickness
of the overlay, is the surface chromium content is the most important since it is exposed to the process. The Cr
content of vertical overlays may vary on the face of the overlay depending on the degree of overlap. Since the alloy
content of the first weld pass on carbon steel is diluted the most by the base metal, it is harder to meet the required
composition limits in this pass. Measures to overcome this include starting the overlay on a poison pad, grinding the
first pass away, fusing as much of the first pass as possible into a following pass, or laying another pass over the first
pass, possibly as a horizontal tie-in.

Nickel-base CRO has also been applied in both batch and continuous digesters using Alloy 82 (ERNiCr-3), Alloy
625 (ERNiCrMo-3), and Alloy 622 (ERNiCrMo-10). Nickel-base CRO resists corrosion in continuous digesters and
impregnation vessels, but has corroded rapidly in some batch digesters. Surface preparation is particularly important
for nickel-base overlays because they are highly susceptible to embrittlement and cracking from sulfur
contamination of the weld. Nickel-base overlays are also more costly and tend to be slower to deposit than stainless
steel weld overlays.
5 / Guidelines for corrosion resistant weld metal overlay TIP 0402-03
of digester vessels in alkaline pulping service

4.8 Metallurgical considerations

Stainless steel welds typically contain both austenite and ferrite phases, depending on the composition. Type 309
CRO containing 3% to 10% ferrite has good resistance to hot cracking. Type 309 CRO that has less than 3% ferrite
is susceptible to hot cracking but may not necessarily crack. Type 309 CRO with 0% ferrite is highly susceptible to
hot cracking. It is important to select 309 consumables with a composition capable of producing a ferrite-containing
weld deposit when diluted with the carbon steel substrate. Nitrogen, although not a specified alloying element, is
nonetheless present in 309 wire. Because nitrogen is a strong austenite-promoter, 309 filler metals with high
nitrogen (e.g., 0.1%) may produce a fully austenitic microstructure prone to cracking.

Nickel-base alloys also produce a fully austenitic microstructure. 312 CRO, which has the inherent high ferrite
content (typically 30% to 60%) for duplex stainless steel, can experience solidification cracking if the ferrite content
is above 70%. 312 CRO has higher hardness than 309 due to its duplex microstructure. Cracking may occur in 312
CRO with hardness above 320 Vickers (Rockwell C32). Extra care also is required when welding high Cr content
overlays because of the risk of forming brittle phases in the overlay.

Before a decision is made to use a specific heat of welding wire, it is recommended practice to predict the
metallurgical structure of the as-deposited overlay using accepted methods such as the DeLong diagram for 309 and
the Welding Research Council 1992 diagram for 312. Dilution values should be estimated from the welding
procedure qualification tests. Manual welding processes typically have more dilution and therefore higher risk of not
meeting composition requirements in a single pass CRO.

4.9 Thickness of the overlay

Since the corrosion rates for stainless steels and nickel-base alloys may be significant in batch digesters, the
thickness of the CRO is a more important consideration in batch digesters than in continuous digesters. The average
thickness of a horizontally-indexed CRO is typically above 0.200 inch (5.0 mm), with a minimum thickness of 0.188
inch (4.8 mm). CRO does not corrode rapidly during normal operation of continuous digesters, so thickness is not as
important a consideration in continuous digesters provided it meets the other quality parameters of this document.
(Stainless steel CRO may corrode during poorly-controlled acid cleaning.) The average thickness of a vertically-
indexed CRO is typically 0.160 inch (4.0 mm) with a minimum thickness of 0.120 inch (3.0 mm). The ability of an
overlay to provide the required protection also depends on its composition, microstructure, and soundness.

More than one layer is required if CRO thicker than 0.250 inch (6.0 mm) is desired for additional corrosion
protection of batch digesters. Multiple layers and non-uniform application increase the chance of distorting the
vessel particularly where the remaining carbon steel wall thickness is below 1 inch (25 mm) in thickness.

Figure 1 shows how the minimum thickness is defined for a CRO.

Fig. 1. Typical digester overlays on left; how minimum thickness of the overlay is defined on right.
TIP 0402-03 Guidelines for corrosion resistant weld / 6
overlay in sulfate and soda digester vessels

4.10 When to overlay

Although digester owners can rationally wait until the digester wall is at the minimum code thickness before
installing a CRO, it is common practice to install the CRO so the steel thickness slightly exceeds the minimum wall
thickness after the CRO installation penetrates into the base metal. Less welding required to build up the base metal
and apply the overlay reduces the potential for shell distortion.

CRO penetration into the carbon steel substrate below the code minimum thickness is permitted in the ASME Code.
Interpretation VIII-1-83-107 regarding Section VIII-I, UCL-35(c) states: "Carbon steel base metal thickness that will
be penetrated by welding can still be considered in strength calculations." However, the ASME Code stipulates that
for CRO to be considered part of the pressure-containing envelope. i.e., to claim credit for the overlay in calculating
the required thickness, the overlay welding procedure must be qualified according to paragraph QW 202.3 of
Section IX. Groove weld test coupons can be prepared. Weld overlay coupons can also be adapted for tensile testing
to obtain mechanical properties.

4.11 Smoothness of the overlay

A smooth and uniform CRO has regular and adequate overlap between weld passes. Weld bead overlap depends on
the welding procedure used. Automatically-welded horizontal CRO typically has between 7 and 8 uniformly-spaced
and smooth weld beads per vertical inch. Vertical overlays may have up to 50% bead overlap but the amount of
overlap may be lower if the as-deposited composition of the CRO is not critical, provided the thickness, soundness,
and chemical composition requirements for the overlay are met. Sharp reentrant valleys between passes, overlap
(cold lap), and excessive undercut at the edges of the overlay are unacceptable.

4.12 Preheat and interpass temperature

Preheat should be used for weld overlay, for buildup or repairs on carbon steel base metal, and when making repairs
to stainless steel weld overlay. Preheat removes moisture and aids arc stabilization. Although a minimum preheat
temperature is given in the welding procedure specification (WPS), it is always beneficial to use a higher preheat
temperature.

A maximum interpass temperature is given in the WPS. Normally, an interpass temperature of 230°C is stipulated
and this also minimizes distortion. The interpass temperature for 312 CRO may have to be set lower to minimize the
formation of undesirable metallurgical phases in the overlay.

Preheat and interpass temperatures should be diligently monitored to verify that their respective minimum and
maximum temperature limits are met continuously throughout the application of the overlay.

4.13 Post weld heat treatment

Post weld heat treatment (PWHT) can harm all stainless steel CRO regardless of the thickness of the pressure part.
PWHT can cause harmful sensitization of stainless steel CRO, embrittle type 312 CRO, and cause nickel-base CRO
to crack, especially if sulfur is present. ASME Code Section VIII Div.1 Table UCS-56 states that PWHT is not
mandatory for CRO “provided preheat to a minimum temperature of 93ºC is maintained during application of the
first layer when the thickness of the pressure part exceeds 32 mm.”

5. Quality control and nondestructive testing

Quality control inspection and testing should be carried out in accordance with the procedures agreed between the
owner, the authorized inspector (AI), and the applicator. The applicator should submit to the owner documentation
that includes the work record, the WPS, the procedure qualification record (PQR), welder qualification records
(WQR), and material test report (MTR) for the filler metal. The quality of the overlay (including as-deposited
composition and ferrite content) should be characterized as early in the application process as possible and
throughout the job to minimize the extent of repairs that might be necessary.
7 / Guidelines for corrosion resistant weld metal overlay TIP 0402-03
of digester vessels in alkaline pulping service

CRO should be free of any defects such as cracks and pinholes that reduce the effective thickness or that might
adversely affect the service performance of the overlay. Quality control measures for the final as-deposited CRO
include visual examination, nondestructive testing, and evaluation of boat samples.

5.1 Visual inspection

Visual inspection prior to depositing the CRO determines where the substrate must be ground or additionally
prepared. For example, pits greater than 1 mm deep may need to be ground to reduce the roughness. Depending on
the process used for the CRO even greater surface roughness may be tolerated. Acceptance criteria shall be agreed-
upon before the job starts. It may be necessary to profile projecting (convex) or ditched (concave) weld seams.
Excessively concave weld seams may need to be built up prior to CRO application.

During application of the CRO and after the overlay is complete the CRO surface should be visually inspected for
pinholes, cracks, even spacing, and uniformity of the weld beads. Suspicious locations can be more closely
examined using a low power magnifier.

5.2 Magnetic particle testing

Prior to depositing the overlay all carbon steel weld seams and any carbon steel buildup within the area to be
overlaid should be inspected by magnetic particle testing (MT). MT of carbon steel weld metal buildup is mandatory
per Section VIII UW 42. The best time to do MT is after weld seams and other surface projections have been ground
smooth and the surface has been blast-cleaned. It should be noted that linear indications could be generated along
the borders of old CRO islands that were not removed during preparation for the new CRO deposit. Testing with
copper sulfate or dilute nitric acid to visualize the stainless would help to resolve the uncertainty. Duplex stainless
steel CRO can be tested for cracks with magnetic particle testing methods.

5.3 Penetrant testing

Water washable color-contrast penetrant testing (PT) of the entire CRO is the best way to characterize the quality
with respect to bead separation, cracking, pinholes, and also to ensure that the overlay edges are crack-free. Water-
washable fluorescent PT after the job is finished can also be used to locate pinholes, cracks, and other surface-
breaking defects but is a slower process, can give many false indications, and it requires that the digester be dark

Smooth and uniform overlays prevent false PT indications. Smooth taper grinding of the edges of the CRO in
vessels that are only partly overlaid or are overlaid in bands facilitates PT.

5.4 Ultrasonic testing

Ultrasonic testing (UT) is used to determine the substrate thickness before overlay and the total wall thickness after
overlay application. UT may either be done from the inside of the vessel or from the outside after removal of the
thermal insulation. External UT provides the best opportunity for measuring the thicknesses at exactly the same
locations before and after the overlay. UT on the inside before overlay is best done before abrasive blasting to avoid
contamination of the wall by the UT couplant. UT after overlay may require light grinding of the test spots.

5.5 Electromagnetic induction testing

Electromagnetic-based devices for measuring thickness of a non-magnetic lining on a ferromagnetic substrate (often
referred to as magnetic lift-off or MLO gauges) are suitable for measuring the thickness of fully-austenitic CRO,
including nickel-base alloys. This testing is not suitable for measuring the thickness of a CRO that contains ferrite.

5.6 Ferrite measurement

As stated in Section 4.8, a small amount of ferrite in type 309 stainless steel CRO helps prevent hot cracking. Ferrite
measurement of stainless steel overlay may be useful for controlling the welding process. Depending on the kind of
ferrite meter used, the measured ferrite content may be expressed as a percent value or as a Ferrite Number (FN).
Ferrite levels outside stipulated values for the welding process being used could indicate problems such as use of an
TIP 0402-03 Guidelines for corrosion resistant weld / 8
overlay in sulfate and soda digester vessels

incorrect filler metal, excessive dilution, gas leaks, or partial loss of shielding gas. Ferrite measurements may be
affected by the proximity of the underlying carbon steel. Magnetic induction instruments are available that can
rapidly measure the ferrite content of individual weld beads. If ferrite content is found to be below the predicted
minimum it may be useful to take boat samples of the CRO to further investigate the problem.

5.7 In-situ alloy analysis

In-situ chemical analyses may be carried out using portable X-ray fluorescence analytical equipment. A portable X-
ray spectrograph readily measures the major alloying elements (in particular, chromium, nickel, and molybdenum)
on the surface of as-deposited CRO. Prior to testing, spots should be ground to shiny metal to ensure that the
location being tested is characteristic of the bulk overlay and not just the surface. In-situ testing can verify whether
the as-deposited chromium content meets the minimum agreed limit. A calibration standard of the overlay (same
alloy, process, and mode) of known composition should be used. Because some portable alloy analyzers are affected
by acoustic noise and others do not function in the presence of electromagnetic fields from welding, it is best to
make alloy analysis measurements when no welding, grinding, or loud noises are occurring nearby.

If in-situ alloy analysis finds compositions below the minimum (e.g., for chromium) it may be useful to take a boat
sample of the CRO for further analysis.

6. Sample examination

Boat samples should be cut deep enough to include the completed CRO and some of the base metal. Boat samples
are usually taken perpendicular to the weld beads and are usually removed by a grinder or boat cutter. Samples
obtained from nozzle blanks may not be representative of the overlay on the digester wall if the blank was not the
same material and thickness as the digester wall.

The suggested sampling is one sample representing each 20 m2 of area for large continuous overlays up to a total of
four samples; and one representing each 10 m2 of area for smaller areas of overlay. When one or more samples are
taken, the locations selected for sampling should represent zones where different welding heads, operators, or any
other variables which may affect the quality of the overlay have been used. Additional samples should be taken from
suspect areas as revealed by nondestructive testing.

Low-magnification examination of the overlay cross-section samples permits both the thickness and the soundness
of the overlay to be determined.

Chemical analysis can be done on CRO samples removed from the digester, to provide additional and more accurate
compositional data than is possible with a portable X-ray spectrograph (e.g., for carbon, sulfur, phosphorus,
manganese, silicon, chromium, nickel, molybdenum, and other elements of interest). Generally, a boat sample can
be lightly surface ground and the analysis performed directly on a spectrometer.

Microhardness measurements can also be made on the overlay, HAZ, and base metal. Excessive hardness values in
the overlay or HAZ may indicate that the overlay or HAZ is brittle.

6.1 Microstructure

Metallographic examination of cross-sections of weld overlay samples is an important tool in assessing the quality
of the overlay. The expected microstructure should be defined before the overlay is applied, as a basis for quality
verification. Etching using Kallings reagent (100 mL HCl, 5 g CuCl2, 100 mL 95% ethanol) allows metallographic
evaluation of the ferrite content of stainless steel CRO and also reveals martensite. Characteristics that are evaluated
by metallography include ferrite content, thickness, and presence of defects such as cracks, porosity, and lack of
fusion.

The microstructure should not contain harmful amounts of hard or undesirable microstructural constituents such as
martensite or sigma phase. Presence of martensite indicates that the composition of the overlay is out of
specification. Sigma phase may form in 312 CRO that is heated excessively.
9 / Guidelines for corrosion resistant weld metal overlay TIP 0402-03
of digester vessels in alkaline pulping service

6.2 Internal soundness

Examination of metallographic sample(s) provides information on the soundness of the overlay. A small amount of
porosity or slag inclusions may be acceptable. Porosity near the fusion boundary normally has no detrimental effect
on the soundness of the overlay. In cases where corrosion of the overlay may occur, excessive porosity may
effectively decrease the thickness of the overlay when it is reached by the corrosion front.

7. Overlay repair

Repairs to the new overlay may be required for the following reasons:

• Cracks.
• Pinholes or other defects that provide liquor access to the underlying carbon steel.
• Inadequate thickness.
• Chemical composition out of specification limits.

7.1 Tie-ins

Overlays are typically applied using several machines in rectangular patches and/or in circumferential bands. Care
must be taken at the locations where overlays from different machines tie in to each other. Because vertically-
oriented tie-ins between areas of horizontally applied CRO may have problems, such as lack of fusion, it is
important to use a tie-in procedure that minimizes these defects.

Solidification cracking has also been encountered in circumferential tie-ins between bands of duplex stainless steel
CRO. Circumferential tie-in procedures using manual welding have been developed that do not have solidification
cracking problems.

7.2 Pick-up welds

Pick-up, or repair welding, may be done using the same process as that used for the overlay or may be done using
other welding processes. It is important that the filler metals for pick-up welds be compatible with the overlay and
that they deposit with acceptable chemical composition and ferrite content. Repair welds made on top of a new
overlay generally do not need to be preheated above 25ºC.

7.3 Repair of boat sample locations

Excavations for boat samples typically expose the carbon steel substrate. Weld repairs to these locations should have
the same preheat as that used for the overlay. Consideration may be given to filling the carbon steel using carbon
steel followed by capping using stainless steel, but the sample locations are typically so small that they may be filled
completely using CRO. If carbon steel is used to fill the carbon steel portion of the excavation, care must be taken to
avoid contact with the stainless steel.

8. Keywords

Corrosion, Corrosion prevention, Digesters, Nondestructive tests, Stainless steel, Welding, Overlays

9. Additional information

Effective date of issue: October 12, 2010.

Working Group:
Angela Wensley, Chair, Angela Wensley Engineering Inc.
Dave Bennett, Corrosion Probe Inc.
Alex Nadezhdin, Norbord
Craig Reid, Acuren Group Inc.
Bjorn Rundcrantz, Areva NP Uddcomb AB
Doug Sherman, Corrosion Probe Inc.
TIP 0402-03 Guidelines for corrosion resistant weld / 10
overlay in sulfate and soda digester vessels

Literature cited

1. ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, American Society of Mechanical Engineers, New York, NY,
Section VIII Division 1, and Section IX (latest version).
2. API579-1/ASME FFS-1 Fitness for service, American Society of Mechanical Engineers, New York, NY.
3. National Board Inspection Code (NBIC) of the National Board of Boiler and Pressure Vessel Inspectors,
Columbus, OH (latest version).
4. Steel Structures Painting Manual, Vol. 2, p. 12, Steel Structures Painting Council (SSPC) (1982).

Reference

1. Wensley, Angela, "Weld Overlay for Corrosion Protection of Continuous Digesters," TAPPI Fall Technical
Conference (2002). ■