How To Specify and Predict Ferrite Number in Stainless Steel Welds

How How to specify and predict ferrite number in stainless steel welds
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How to specify and predict ferrite number
First Words
Ferrite content plays an important role in determining the properties and in-service in service performance of stainless steels weld joint. When stainless steels are used for handling a certain process it is pertinent to set the limitations of ferrite content in order to have the desired properties and in-service in service performance. Therefore, ferrite content is usually specified for a stainless steel welding job, predicted using methods available and then actual value is measured by instruments after welding. Ferrite content is measured as a number and the common terminology to deal with this is Ferrite Number (FN). This document would help you in specifying a ferrite number for the welding job you are dealing with and to predict that number using WeldPulse before before you actually weld. Measuring actual ferrite on the weld joints is out of scope of this document. Having capability of specifying ferrite number and predicting that for a certain welding job using WeldPulse would provide you a competitive edge in dealing ling with welding of stainless steels.

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Ferrite errite Number

Ferrite number is the content of ferrite in a stainless steel weld and it defines the mechanical (including toughness etc.), magnetic and corrosion resisting properties along with its susceptibility to hot cracking. crack
Mechanical properties
Magnetic properties
FN
Hot cracking during welding
Corrosion resistance
Fig. 1 Representation of properties linked with Ferrite Number
Ferrite number needs to be specified considering the service requirements. Low and high values have their own advantages and disadvantages however, in certain cases, a low ferrite number is beneficial and still in other cases a higher number helps.

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What increases ferrite? Chromium, Molybdenum, Niobium (known collectively as Chromium Equivalent) What decreases ferrite? Nickel, Carbon, Nitrogen, Copper austenizing elements (known (known collectively as Nickel Equivalent)
Chromium Equivalent taking FN up
Nickel Equivalent decreasing FN
Fig. 2Effect on ferrite number with varying Cr and Ni equivalent While predicting ferrite using the most commonly used WRC 1992 diagram, diagram, Chromium & Nickel equivalent are defined as: equivalents Cr(eq) = Cr + Mo + 0.7 Nb Ni(eq) = Ni + 35 C + 0.25 Cu
Fig. 3 WRC 1992 Diagram A product of Engineering Pulse Limited, UK

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Predicting ferrite in welding consumables

Take the mill test certificate of the welding consumable and note down the required chemical compositions as required by WRC 1992 diagram diagram to predict ferrite number. WeldPulse helps you in doing this as illustrated below: 1. Select the welding calculations module 2. Click Ferrite Number Check

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3. Select Welding Consumable from the Check For: combo box 4. Input the chemical composition as listed in mill test certificate for the welding consumable
Please note that any minor change in chemical composition of the elements listed may have a major impact on the predicted ferrite number. Please check your inputs before taking any decision. Predicted ferrite number is as per WRC 1992 diagram which allows ferrite prediction from FN 1-100. 1 100. We will now input the chemical composition of one stainless steel bare wire in WeldPulse Predict Ferrite module to see the predicted ferrite number.

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This ferrite number is only the representation of welding consumable consumable however while welding with this consumable, actual ferrite check is subjected to change based upon certain factors during the welding. Those factors are discussed next.

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Effect on ferrite number due to different welding

Nitrogen Arc length (linked with Nitrogen) High heat input Shielded metal arc welding (SMAW) (SMAW - Nitrogen ingress from air reduces FN - Oxidation reduces Chromium and ferrite number - High heat input results in low ferrite level - Arc length allows more nitrogen ingress in the weld
Oxidation
FN
Flux cored arc welding (FCAW) - Reduction in wire speed increases Nitrogen and decreases FN
Arc length (linked with nitrogen) Nitrogen
Reduction in wire speed (linked with nitrogen)
Oxidation
FN
High heat input
Arc length
Nitrogen
High heat input
Loss of gas shielding
GTAW /GMAW - Loss of gas shielding result in nitrogen ingress from air - Carbon gain decreasing ferrite number if CO2 is a shielding gas
Oxidation
FN
Carbon (if CO2 as shielding gas)

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Submerged Arc Welding (SAW) - Loss of flux result in nitrogen ingress from air - Flux composition can change the ferrite number
Arc length
Loss of flux
Nitrogen
Flux composition
Oxidation
FN
Heat input
In addition to all the factors discussed above, weld dilution obviously and the weld cooling rates have an effect on ferrite ferrite number. Dilution is different with different welding processes. Rapid cooling increases ferrite number.
Damages associated with ferrite content
High FN
Low creep rupture at high temperature
Low FN
Susceptibility to hot cracking
Less resistance to corrosive media
Compromised mechanical properties in Duplex stainless steels
Low toughness at low temperature

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Recommended ferrite ranges
0.5 max. 3.0 - 8.0 4.0 - 12.0 6.0 - 15.0 30 - 70
Severe corrosion (like in Urea Plants) Heat resisting weld metals like SS310 Cryogenic applications below -105 C
High temperature applications up to 700 C
High temperature application up to 350 C
High temperature application up to 400 C
For duplex stainless steels
Fully austenitic typical chemical composition

For corrosive services: C: 0.03; Mn: 4.5; Cr: 25; Ni: 22; Mo: 2; N: 0.15 For heat resisting weld metals: C: 0.12; Mn: 3; Cr: 25; Ni: 20.5 For cryogenic ryogenic applications: C: 0.03; Mn: 4.5; Cr: 17; Ni: 16; Mo: 2.5

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Predicting ferrite number of a weld metal
Final words
Ferrite number plays an important role in the performance of a stainless steel weld especially when service is corrosive, involves exposure to high temperature or very low temperatures. Therefore, it is important to take into account the factors defining the the ferrite number of a weld joint. WeldPulse provides a simple and easy-to-use easy use module of Predict Ferrite to get some useful information before taking a welding decision. The purpose is to enable engineers dig a little deeper when dealing with stainless steels, the most commonly used material in petrochemicals.


How To Specify and Predict Ferrite Number in Stainless Steel Welds

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How To Specify and Predict Ferrite Number in Stainless Steel Welds

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How How to specify and predict ferrite number in stainless steel welds

A product of Engineering Pulse Limited, UK

Info: weld@weldpulse.com Sales: sales@engineeringpulse.co.uk