Duplex

Duplex and Super Duplex
Stainless Steel Failures

In Heat Exchangers
1
Inspection Division HPCL-MR
Agenda
2
Background
DSS
Introduced for first time in HPCL MR in salt water service in Yr. 2008.
Many of the Duplex exchangers started failing within 6 months of
commissioning.
Total no of DSS exchangers :70
DSS Exchanger failure within 1 yr. of commissioning : 21
SDSS
 Introduced for first time in salt water service in Yr. 2000 in DHDS.
Some of these super duplex exchangers failed within 4 of
commissioning.
Total no of SDSS exchangers : 18
SDSS Exchanger failure : 3
3
Material Details
4
Observations DSS
Corrosion at seal weld and HAZ.

Pitting at tube edges
Pin hole and Pitting at tube ID
Crevice corrosion of tube sheet near gasket
seating surface.
5
Observations DSS Contd…
6
7
8
9
Observations SDSS
Seal weld corrosion.
Crevice corrosion near gasket seating surface

area which was covered under silt
10
Observations SDSS Contd…
11
Observations SDSS
12
Observations SDSS Contd…
13
Investigations DSS
PMI & Microstructure examination
Chemical composition of Tubes, tube sheet
and HAZ found OK
Tube Microstructure found OK
Tube sheet Microstructure found OK
Weld and HAZ :Microstructure found OK
14
Investigations DSS
HYSIS Calculations on Tube Skin Metal Temperature
Shell Geometry Input
15
Investigations DSS
Bundle Details Input
16
Investigations DSS
Tube Skin Temperature Results
17
Investigations SDSS
PMI & Microstructure examination
Chemical composition of Tubes, tube sheet and HAZ found OK

Tube Microstructure found OK
Tube sheet Microstructure found OK
Weld and HAZ : ABNORMAL FERRITE CONTENT
18
Limitations of DSS & SDSS
CPT of DSS is 45o C & CCT is 20o C . If operating window is close to

this the material is prone to pitting & crevice corrosion.
CPT of SDSS is 75o C & CCT is 50o C. Silt and non smooth weld
finish can lead to deposition and aggravate crevice corrosion.
If proper welding procedure is not followed it leads to formation

of too high ferrite level and loss of nitrogen thereby poor PRE
level and reduction in corrosion resistance.
19
Microstructure of Tube of Tube
Sheet Weld
Healthy Microstructure Contaminated Microstructure of SDSS
Typical Super Duplex Microstructure - 50% Ferrite + 50% Austenite

20
Root Cause
21
Failure Mechanism of Seal
Weld in SDSS
22
Importance of Nitrogen
23
Repairs
Tube to tube sheet weld joints re-welded at affected locations using

Argon + 2% nitrogen as shielding gas
Weld build up done at affected gasket faces and surrounding locations
using same shielding gas and machined to original dimensions
QAP included a post weld ferrite count examination and
metallography
Metal gasket was selected to be of a grade with similar corrosion
resistance as DSS and SDSS
24
Way Forward
Design Stage
Selection of material of construction for exchanger tube should

be based on the Tube skin Metal Temperature.
Where hydrogen is not present in the stream use of conventional

metallurgy eg. CuNi / Ti should be preferred.
In case of hydrogen being present in the process stream where

CuNi / Ti is not suitable, bare minimum SDSS should be used. For
higher tube film temperatures HDSS may be considered
25
Way Forward Contd..
Fabrication Stage
Adding 2% nitrogen to the shielding gas during tube-to-tube sheet

joining is an effective method of reforming austenite despite the
high cooling rates typical of this type of Welding.
The PQR/QAP must include a ferrite count and microstructure

examination.
Overlay weld of gasket area on tube sheet with Alloy 69 may be

considered.
26
Way Forward Contd..
Operational Stage
Incoming seawater should be filtered in order to remove debris,

sand and silt, which may compromise the performance of passive
materials, which perform best when the surfaces are clean.
If it is considered that the material is performing too close to the

limits of its operating window, a “belt and braces” approach can
be taken by fitting mild steel or iron sacrificial anodes into the
channel heads. These should be inspected and replaced at each
turnaround.
27
THANK YOU
28
List of Failed Exchangers
S. No Equipment No. MOC Commissioning Failure Type of
Date Date Failure
1. 102-E-2009A/B DSS Aug’09 Sept’09 Tube
leak, FTS
grooving
2. 102-E-4090B DSS Sept’09 June’11 Tube
leak,
Channel
Barrel
grooving
3. 103-E-2018 B DSS Nov’09 Aug’10 Tube
leak
4 103-E-2014 B DSS Nov’09 Dec’10 Tube
leak
5 103-E-2010 C/D DSS Nov’09 Dec’10 Tube
leak
6. 103-E-2001 B DSS Nov’09 Dec’10 Tube End
corrosion
29 Erosion
7. 103-E-2017 B DSS Nov’09 Dec’10
Inspection Tube
Division HPCL-MR
List of Failed Exchangers
S. No Equipment No. MOC Commissioning Failure Type of
Date Date Failure
9. 103-E-2006 B DSS Nov’09 Mar’10 Tube leak
10. 103-E-2017 A DSS Nov’09 May’10 Tube leak
11 31E37 DSS May’10 July’11 Tube leak

12 31E38 DSS May’10 July’11 Tube leak
13 114E3057D DSS Feb’11 Nov’11 Tube leak
14 114E3057C DSS Feb’11 Nov’11 Tube leak
15 14E24C DSS May’10 Dec’11 Tube leak
18 DSS April’10 Tube leak
99-E-19 A Nov’11
19 DSS April’10
30 Tube leak
99-E-20 A Sept’11
Investigations DSS
Nozzle Input
31
Investigations DSS
Baffle Input
32
33

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Duplex and Super Duplex

Stainless Steel Failures

Corrosion at seal weld and HAZ.

Seal weld corrosion.

Crevice corrosion near gasket seating surface

PMI & Microstructure examination

Chemical composition of Tubes, tube sheet and HAZ found OK

CPT of DSS is 45o C & CCT is 20o C . If operating window is close to

If proper welding procedure is not followed it leads to formation

Healthy Microstructure Contaminated Microstructure of SDSS

Typical Super Duplex Microstructure - 50% Ferrite + 50% Austenite

Tube to tube sheet weld joints re-welded at affected locations using

Selection of material of construction for exchanger tube should

Where hydrogen is not present in the stream use of conventional

In case of hydrogen being present in the process stream where

Adding 2% nitrogen to the shielding gas during tube-to-tube sheet

The PQR/QAP must include a ferrite count and microstructure

Overlay weld of gasket area on tube sheet with Alloy 69 may be

Incoming seawater should be filtered in order to remove debris,

If it is considered that the material is performing too close to the

10. 103-E-2017 A DSS Nov’09 May’10 Tube leak

11 31E37 DSS May’10 July’11 Tube leak

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