See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.

net/publication/225595878

Failure Investigation of Radiant Platen Superheater Tube of Thermal Power

Plant Boiler

Article  in  Transactions of the Indian Institute of Metals · April 2010

DOI: 10.1007/s12666-010-0105-y

CITATIONS READS

10 2,625

4 authors, including:

Debasish ghosh Ghosh Himadri Roy

Vimta Labs Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute
223 PUBLICATIONS   2,452 CITATIONS    85 PUBLICATIONS   766 CITATIONS   

SEE PROFILE SEE PROFILE

Tapas Sahoo
CSIR-Institute of Minerals and Materials Technology
28 PUBLICATIONS   198 CITATIONS   

SEE PROFILE

Some of the authors of this publication are also working on these related projects:

Automated failure detection View project

Development of Metal Matrix Composites (MMC): Net shape Manufacturing of MMC through RP integrated investment, Rheopressure Diecasting and powder metallurgy
process View project

All content following this page was uploaded by Himadri Roy on 19 March 2014.

The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file.

  

Transactions of The Indian Institute of Metals

        

Failure investigation of platen superheater tube in a 210 MW

thermal power plant boiler
D. Ghosh, H. Roy, T. K. Sahoo and A.K. Shukla
Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute, Mahatma Gandhi Avenue, Durgapur -713209, West Bengal, India

E-mail : dghosh@cmeri.res.in

Received 4 July 2008

Revised 4 July 2009
Accepted 4 July 2009 Keywords:
Online at www.springerlink.com super heater; creep; boiler
© 2010 TIIM, India

Abstract
Failure of tubes in boiler of the power plants may occur due to various reasons. These include failures due to creep, corrosion, erosion,
overheating and a host of other reasons. This paper deals with the probable cause(s) of failure and also suggest remedial action to prevent
similar repetitive failure in future. Visual examination, dimensional measurement, chemical analysis, oxide scale thickness measurement,
microstructural examination, Energy Dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) were carried to ascertain the probable cause(s) of failure of inner leg of
platen super heater tube. It was observed that the inner surface of the failed portion of the tube was covered with a white deposit. The elemental
composition of inner surface containing adherent deposits reveals Al, Si, Mg, Fe etc. This is possibly due to the presence of aluminium silicate,
magnesium silicate, calcium silicate in inner surface of the tube, which results in poor conductivity. Insulating affect of this poor conductive
deposit on the inner surface caused localized overheating of tube metal leading to accelerated creep damage and premature failure of the tube.
Inferior quality of de-superheater spray water used to control the steam temperature was identified as the source of white deposit.

1. Introduction The material specification, design and operating

Parameters of the tube as obtained from the plant along with
The function of the boiler is to convert water into failed platen superheater are as follows.
superheated steam, which is then delivered to turbine to
generate electricity. Pulverized coal is the common fuel used z Failure location: Platen superheater inlet leg tube.
in boiler along with preheated air. The boiler consists of z Tube material specification: SA-213 T22 (2.25Cr-1.0 Mo)
different critical components like economizer, water wall, super
z Working temperature of the tube: 540ºC
heater and reheater tubes. Platen superheater is one of the
critical components of drum type utility boiler and located in z Working pressure of the tube: 184kg/cm2
the furnace zone as pendent coil. These coils are directly z Running hours: 70,000 hrs (approx)
exposed to radiant flux zone for superheating the steam for z Nominal dimension of the tube: 38mm OD X 8mm Wall
desired temperature and pressure [1] thickness.
Thermal power plant boiler is one of the critical equipment
for the power generation industries. In the present situation The tube samples selected for the investigation are a
of power generation, pulverized coal fired power stations are piece of failed tube from platen inlet region, an unfailed
the backbones of industrial development in the country, thus service exposed tube adjacent to the failed tube. The failure
necessitating their maximum availability in terms of plant location is shown in Fig. 1.
load factor (PLF). At the same time reliability and safety
aspect is also to be considered. The major percentage of the
forced shutdown of the power stations is from boiler side. So
it is necessary to predict the probable root cause/ causes of
the forced outages and also the remedial action to prevent
the recurrence of similar failure in future. A drum type utility
boiler for thermal power generation typically consists of
different pressure parts tubes like water wall, economizer,
superheater and reheater [2]. Different damage mechanism
like creep, fatigue, erosion and corrosion are responsible of
the different pressure parts tube failure [3]. This paper
documents one such failure investigation to identify the
probable cause/ causes of frequent failure of platen
superheater tube of 210 MW boiler used for power
generation. Fig. 1 : Location of Failure

 
   ! "  #

    
2. Methodology for failure investigation
The following tests were carried out to identify the
probable cause/causes of failure.
z Visual examination
z Dimensional measurement
z Oxide scale thickness measurement by optical
microscope
z Microstructural examination
z Energy Dispersive spectroscopy (EDS)
2.1 Visual examinations
The visual examination of the failed tubes reveals that
the failure is “thick lip” wide-open burst (Fig. 2). The outside
diameter surface is covered with adherent scale and a uniform
thin adherent white deposit is found on the inner side.(Fig. 3)
Fig. 2 : “Thick lip” failure
Fig. 3 : Adherent white deposits at the inner surface of the tube
Fig. 4 : Unfailed service exposed tube.
Considerable swelling and reduction in wall thickness of the
tube are observed in the area of the burst. The unfailed
service exposed tube adjacent to the failed tube reveals
considerable bulging and thick outside scale with
longitudinal scale cracking at the outer surface (Fig. 4). No
thin adherent white deposit was found inside in the service-
exposed tube.
2.2 Dimensional measurement
The outer diameter at the zone of the failure of the failed
tube is found 46.0 mm against the original diameter 38.0 mm.
The gross circumferential expansion of the failed tube is
about 21 %. The wall thickness found at the region of failure
is 5.4mm against the nominal wall thickness 8.0mm.
2.3 Chemical analysis
Drilled chips from the failed tubes are subjected to
analyze chemically by spectrometer, and the estimated
chemical composition conforms the specification ASME SA-
213 T-22 (2.25 Cr-1.0 Mo Steel).
2.4 Oxide scale thickness measurement
Small specimens were cut from the failure zone of the
failed tube and adjacent service exposed tube, polished up
to 1000 grade emery paper followed by cloth polishing for
oxide scale thickness measurement from ID side. The cross
sectional sample adjacent to failure depicted adherent white
deposits at the innermost layer and oxide scale at the
outermost layer of the inner surface (Fig. 5). The mean oxide
scale at the location of failure containing white deposits is
found 0.20 mm while mean oxide scale of the service exposed
tube ontaining no deposit is 0.22 mm.
2.5 Microstructural examination
Metallographic specimens from the failed, adjacent
unfailed service exposed tube samples are sectioned,
polished and etched (2% Nital) for microstructural analysis
in optical microscope (MEF-3, Make Reichert-Jung) as well
as scanning electron Microscope (S-3000N, Hitachi Ltd,
Japan). The microstructure at the fracture tip of the failed
tube shows numerous oriented creep cavities at the grain
boundaries (Fig 6). The microstructure of the adjacent service
exposed tube shows few isolated creep cavities at the grain
boundaries (Fig. 7).
Fig. 5 : Cross sectional view of the unetched sample showing
white deposits and oxide scale at inner surface.
 
   ! "  #

    


Table 1: Elemental composition of inner surface

Element Element percent Atomic percent
Mg 1.57 2.24
Al 20.54 26.47
Si 31.77 39.33
P 2.33 2.61
S 1.58 1.71
K 2.89 2.57
Ca 1.97 1.71
Ti 3.13 2.27
Fig. 6 : Microstructure at the failure zone showing oriented creep
cavities. Fe 31.91 19.87
Zn 2.31 1.23

3. Results and discussion

Fig. 7 : Microstructure of the service exposed tube showing
isolated creep cavities.
2.6 Energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS)
The white deposit in the inner surface of the tube sample
at the failure zone is analyzed by Energy Dispersive
Spectroscopy (EDS) [Make- Thermo Noran, USA]. The
results of the analysis are shown in Fig. 8 & Table 1.
z Visual examination reveals that the failure is “Thick Lip”
wide-open burst. The outside diameter (OD) is covered
with adherent scale and thin white layer of deposit on
inner surface of the tube. Considerable swelling of the
tube in the area of the burst is also observed. The gross
circumferential expansion of the failed tube is upto about
21 %. Subsequently reduction of wall thickness is found
at the region of failure.
z The chemical composition of tube material conforms to
ASME SA 213 T-22 (2.25 Cr- 0.5 Mo Steel)
z EDS analysis on the inner surface of the tube confirms
the presence of Mg, Al, Si, Ca etc. This may be possibly
due to the presence of hard constituent like magnesium
silicate, aluminium silicate and calcium silicate of raw
water used in attemperation of platen super heater inlet
leg.
z The microstructure around the zone of failure shows
numerous oriented creep cavities at the grain boundaries
which accounts for the severe creep damage at the
failure area. The microstructure of adjacent service
exposed unfailed tube reveals ferrite and alloy carbides
in association with few isolated creep cavities at the
grain boundaries. The creep damage is lesser in service
exposed tube compared to failed zone containing
deposits.
z The estimation of metal temperature from the ID side
oxide scale thickness is calculated by the following
formula.
Log x = -6.8398 +2.83 ×10-4T (13.62+logt) [4]
where x is in mils (oxide scale thickness) and T is in Rankine
(mean tube metal temperature)
When X= 0.22mm, t = 70,000 hours
T2 = 554°C
When X = 0.20mm, t = 70,000 hours
T1 = 549°C
T = (T1+T2)/2 = 551.5°C

So the mean tube metal temperature at the time of

deposit formation = 551.5°C
Now log x = -6.8398 +2.83 ×10-4T (13.62+logt)
X = 0.20mm = 8mil
Fig. 8 : EDS analysis of the inner surface containing white T = 551.5°C = 1484.7°R
deposits. t = 64,720 hours.

 
   ! "  #

    
So, initial deposit formation took place (70,000-64,720)
i.e. 5,280 hours before failure.
From the Stress – LMP curve for 21/4Cr – 1 Mo steel,
the value of LMP (P) corresponding to the stress 3.597 ksi
is 40.2 [5].
Now LMP consumed before formation of white deposit
is P = 1484.7 (20+log 64.720) x10-3 = 36.84
Now, LMP consumed by the formation of white deposit
is found by the difference between the two LMP.
Thus (40.2-36.84) X 103 = T [20+log (70000)] – 1484.7
[20+log (6470)]
Or, T = 657°C
So the tube metal temperature after formation of white
deposit at the tube of failure is found 657°C. This temperature
is well above of permitted tube metal temperature of 2.25Cr-
0.5 Mo Steel. This higher temperature is due to the formation
of poor conductive white deposits at the inner surface of the
tube.
4. Conclusions
Poor thermal conductivity of the deposit found on the
inner surface of the tube adversely affects the heat transfer
and led to higher tube metal temperature causing premature
failure of the tube. The undesirable steam quality and specific
View publication stats
steam parameters at the platen superheater region facilitate
precipitation of dissolved solutes in the steam on the inner
surface of the tube. The presence of hard constituents like
aluminium silicate, magnesium silicate etc of water, used for
attemperation in platen superheater region are responsible
for the deposition at inner surface at high temperature.
It is recommended the feed water used for attemperation
in the platen superheater of the boiler are properly subjected
chemical treatment to avoid such undesired white deposits,
which is responsible for increase of tube metal temperature
and subsequent failure of the tube.
Reference
1. Modern power station practice, volume B, Boilers and ancillary
plant, British Electricity international, London. Page6
2. Ed Viswanathan R, Damage Mechanism and Life Assessment of
High Temperature Components”, ASM publication, Metal –
Park, Ohio, USA, 1989.
3. Lamping G A and Arrowwood R H, Jr., “Manual for Investigation
and Correction of Boiler Tube Failures,” Report CS 3945 Electric
Power Research Institute, Palo Alto, CA Apr 1985.
4. Paterson S R and Rettig T W, “Remaining Life Estimation of
Boiler pressure parts-2.25 Cr- 1Mo superheater and Reheater
tubes”, project RP2253-5, final report, Electric Power Research
institute, Palo Alto, CA, 1987
5. Smith G V, ed., supplement report on the elevated temperature
properties of chromium molybdenum steels, metal Properties
council, ASTM data series, Ds6S, American society of testing
materials, 1971.