Sandvik Sanicro® 38/4L7*

Composite tube
for Black Liquor Recover y and other boilers

Product and product history

UP Composite tubes consist of an external layer of stainless steel,

RT96
metallurgically bonded to an internal load carrying layer of normal
boiler tube material. All composite tubes are subject to 100% ultrasonic

S TA19 examination to check for inner and outer surface defects and to verify
the metallurgical bond.
Sandvik has been producing composite tubes since the early 1970’s.
The biggest application is furnace walls in recovery boilers for the pulp
and paper industry. More than 1.5 million metres in 3R12/4L7 have
been supplied to more than 250 recovery boilers worldwide.

Sandvik Sanicro 38/4L7 for more severe conditions

Sandvik has developed a more resistant composite tube product,
Sandvik Sanicro 38/4L7*, mainly intended for the floors of recovery
boilers. This product has considerably improved corrosion resistance.
It is more resistant to SCC, has better fatigue strength and improved
Figure 1. First complete floor of Sanicro 38/4L7, installed in a recovery boiler, structural stability. See pages 3 and 4.
delivered by Tampella Power to Metsä-Rauma Mills, Finland in 1996.
By courtesy of Kvaerner Pulping, Finland Dimensions and tolerances
Stock standard sizes
Grades
Outer component Sandvik Sanicro 38 Outside Total minimum Thickness Minimum
Type UNS N08825, Mod. Alloy 825, W.-Nr. 2.4858 diameter wall thickness of stainless thickness of
component carbon steel
Chemical composition (nominal), % component
mm inch mm inch mm inch mm inch
C Si Mn Cr Ni Mo Cu Ti
max. max. 50.8 2 5.08 .200 1.42 .056 3.66 .144
63.5 2.5 6.53 .257 1.82 .072 4.71 .185
0.030 0.5 0.8 20 38.5 2.6 1.7 0.8
76.2 3 6.58 .259 1.86 .073 4.72 .186
Other dimensions can be supplied on request.
Inner component Sandvik 4L7
Type ASME SA-210 A1, EN P265GH, EN 1.0425, W.-Nr. 1.0405,
Tolerances
St 45.8.III, SS 1435.
Permissible variations in O.D. and wall thickness
Chemical composition (nominal), % Outside diameter ± 0.5%
Total wall thickness +15/-0%
C Si Mn P S
Thickness of stainless
max. max. max. max.
steel component ± 0.40 mm (0.016 inch)
0.18 0.3 0.7 0.030 0.030 The thickness of the stainless steel component is checked by testing
the entire length of each tube.
Specifications
Sandvik spec. 7-1-0009
ASME Code Section 1 and Section II
VD-TÜV Werkstoffblatt 541.03.2001
TÜV Wien Werkstoffblatt 140
 Welding
Butt welding
Butt welding of composite tubes must be carried out in such a
manner that dilution of the components is kept under control.
The melting point of the bonding zone is lower than the melting
point of the stainless steel, and, if the bonding zone is exposed to
too much heat, a local melting may occur. Therefore, in order to obtain
the optimum corrosion resistance and mechanical properties of the
welded joints, the following edge preparation (fig. 2) and welding
sequences (fig. 3) are recommended. See table 1.

60° Austenitic filler

metal for top run
> 0.12" Sanicro 38 Sanicro 38
(3 mm) 3
2
0–0.08" 1
(0–2 mm)
Unalloyed filler metal Load
0–0.08" for root and filler runs carrier
(0–2 mm) Load
carrier 7062
7061

Figure 2. Edge preparation. Figure 3. Welding sequence.

Table 1. Filler metals and welding methods for butt welding.

Pass Welding Filler metal options Max. heat input 1) Max. interpass
method specification kJ/mm (kJ/in) temp. °C (°F)

Carbon Steel TIG/MIG Matching filler AWS A5.18: ER 70 S-6 2.5 (63) –
(No. 1 – 2) MMA Matching filler AWS A5.1E 7018 2.5 (63) –
Stainless Steel TIG/MIG Sandvik 27.31.4.LCu AWS A5.9 ER 383 1 (25) 150 (300)
(No. 3) TIG/MIG Sandvik Sanicro 60 AWS A5.14 ER NiCrMo-3 2) 1 (25) 100 (212)
MMA 3) Sandvik 27.31.4.LCuR AWS A5.4 E 383-16 1 (25) 150 (300)
MMA 3) Sandvik Sanicro 60 AWS SFA5.11 E NiCrMo-3 2) 1 (25) 100 (212)
1) A higher heat input may be applied for the root- and filler runs, if the stainless peel off is increased.
2) Sanicro 60 for waste incineration boilers.
3) MMA is recommended for manual welding to ensure low penetration and maintenance of the carbon steel cross section of the butt weld.

Panel welding
Two types of panel are normally fabricated: either tangential panels,
tubes joined directly by a weld, or finned panels, with tubes linked by
fins (see figs. 4 and 5).
In both cases, shop welding must be carried out with a machine
specially designed for the purpose. The weld should not penetrate
the stainless steel layer of the composite tube, as this may result in
hot cracking or the formation of brittle weld structures. Furthermore,
excessive dilution of the fully austenitic stainless steel filler metal, during
fin welding (carbon steel fin), may also lead to hot cracking or a brittle
weld structure.
MIG (GMAW/131) or SAW (12) are suitable methods for fabrication
of finned panels. The choice of filler metal depends upon the fin material
used. A basic flux should be used in SAW (12). In general, dilution
should be minimised, in order to avoid hot cracking or brittle weld
metal structures. The impurity level in carbon steel fin materials should
be considered, in order to minimise susceptibility to hot cracking.
Thick fins should be bevelled, in order to minimise the amount of fin
material in the weld (see fig. 4).

6857

50˚

a
t d5/32" t >5/32"
(d4 mm) (>4 mm)

a = 0.039–0.059"
(1–1.5 mm)

Figure 4. Edge preparation of fins. Figure 5 . Welded finned panel.

2
Physical properties Improved corrosion resistance
Density g/cm3 lb/in3 The outer component, Sandvik Sanicro 38, is alloyed with 38% nickel,
compared to 10.5% for 3R12 (TP 304L/W.-Nr. 1.4306).
4L7 7.9 0.28
Fig. 6 shows isocorrosion in H2SO4 for Sandvik Sanicro 38 and
Sanicro 38 8.1 0.30
AISI 316L.
Temperature,˚C (˚F)
110
(230) 6860b

Thermal expansion/conductivity
The composite tube values below have been calculated on a typical size, 90
(195)
dimension 63.5 x 6.53 mm min. (2.5 x 0.257" min).
3R12 = 1.65 (.065") ave Sanicro 38 = 1.82 (.072") ave Sanicro 38
70
4L7 = 4.88 (.192") min 4L7 = 4.71 (.185") min (160)

Total = 6.53 (.257") min Total = 6.53 (.257") min

50
(120)

AISI AISI
Thermal expansion, mean values in temperature ranges (x10-6) 30
316L 316L
(85)
Per °C
20 40 60 80 100
Tempera- 4L7 3R12 San 38 3R12/ San 38/ H2SO4, weight-%
ture, °C 4L7 4L7 Figure 6. Isocorrosion diagram for Sandvik Sanicro 38 and AISI 316L (in sul-
phuric acid). The curves represent a corrosion rate of 0.1 mm/year (4 mpy).
30 –100 12.3 16.5 14.2 13.4 12.8
30 –200 12.8 17.2 14.6 13.9 13.3
The higher nickel content gives Sandvik Sanicro 38 a substantially
30 –300 13.5 17.7 14.9 14.6 13.9
higher resistance to sodium hydroxide induced corrosion, see
30 –400 14.0 18.0 15.1 15.0 14.3 fig. 7. Sandvik Sanicro 38 is more resistant to stress corrosion cracking
30 –500 14.3 18.4 15.3 15.3 14.6 induced chiefly by the presence of chlorides, see fig. 8.

Corrosion rate, mm/year

Per °F
0.25
Tempera- 4L7 3R12 San 38 3R12/ San 38/ (10)
= Alloys with 17–21% Cr
ture, °F 4L7 4L7
= Alloys with 26–28% Cr
0.20
(8)
86 – 200 6.8 9.1 7.9 7.4 7.1
86 – 400 7.1 9.6 8.1 7.7 7.4 0.15
(6)
86 – 600 7.5 9.8 8.3 8.1 7.8
86 – 800 7.8 10.1 8.4 8.4 8.0 0.10
86 – 1000 8.0 10.2 8.5 7.6 8.2 (4)

0.05
(2)

Thermal conductivity
10 20 30 40 50 60 70 % Ni
W/m °C
Figure 7. Corrosion rate of FeCrNi-alloys as a function of Ni content in 28%
Tempera- 4L7 3R12 San 38 3R12/ San 38/ NaOH plus 8% NaCl at 99°C (210°F).
ture, °C 4L7 4L7 ���� �� ��������� �
��� �����
20 46 15 11 31 25
100 48 16 12 33 27
���
300 46 20 16 35 31 ������� ��
500 42 23 19 35 32
���

���
Btu/ft h °F
���� ���
Tempera- 4L7 3R12 San 38 3R12/ San 38/
���
ture, °F 4L7 4L7
���� ���

68 26.5 8.5 6.5 18 14.5 ���

200 27.5 9.5 7 19 15.5
600 26.5 12 9.5 20.5 18
900 24.5 13 11 20.5 18.5 � ��� ��� ��� ��� ���
�������������� �������� �� ����� �������
Figure 8. Results of stress corrosion tests in 40% CaCl2 at 100°C (212°F),
pH = 6.5.

3
Thermal fatigue test Arguments for composite tubes versus normal
Sandvik Sanicro 38 has higher resistance against thermal fatigue than stainless tubing
3R12 and, therefore, resists larger thermal fluctuations than 3R12 (see Environment: outside – flue gas
fig. 9). inside – water or steam
���
1. Composite tubes have lower thermal expansion
2. Composite tubes have higher thermal conductivity, better
���
���� ����������� ��

heat transfer properties, see table 3

��� 3. Composite tubes eliminate risk of SCC, pitting and crevice
��� corrosion at the water side
4. Joint welding of composite tubes relies on carbon to carbon welds
���
5. Composite tubes eliminate low alloyed/high alloyed joints
��� 6. Composite tubes are easier to bend.
���

� In summary
�� ���� ������� ������� �� ����� ��� The mechanical, welding and bending properties of a composite tube
are based on a conventional, well tested, low alloyed steel.
Figure 9. Maximum temperatures where the samples survived 1000 thermal
Composite tubes give security based on long experience from low
cycles from room temperature.
alloyed steels, with the added bonus of substantially improved corrosion
resistance.
Bending
Composite tubes can be bent by the same methods as those used for Deliveries of Sandvik Sanicro 38/4L7
single-component tubes. • In total > 30 000 metres have been delivered, of which
Cold bending is recommended for radii down to 2.5 x D. For narrower • > 20 000 metres have been installed in recovery boiler floors
radii, hot bending is recommended. Temperatures, holding and • The first installation was made in 1991
quenching times are the same as for carbon steel tubing. • The first complete floor installation was made in 1996.
Ask for our reference list.
Heat treatment
Stress relieving of composite tubes, after cold bending or welding, can
be carried out without any loss of strength or corrosion resistance.
Stress relieving at 650°C (1200°F) for 30 min. is recommended.

S-12126-ENG, Jan 2003, Cancels June 1996. Printed in Sweden. Sandvikens Tryckeri AB

Sandvik Materials Technology has a quality assurance system
approved by internationally recognised bodies and holds an
ASME Quality System Certificate as a Materials Organisation.
Approval to ISO 9001 is also held, as well as product approvals
from LRQA, JIS and other organisations.
Recommendations are for guidance only, and the suitability of a material for a
specific application can be confirmed only when we know the actual service
conditions. Continuous development may necessitate changes in technical data
without notice.
Sandvik and Sanicro are trademarks owned by Sandvik AB.
* Swedish patent publication No. 9102410-9, USA patent 5.324.595, patent
pending in other countries, for Sandvik 38/4L7.

SANDVIK MATERIALS TECHNOLOGY, TUBE DIVISION, COMPOSITE TUBES, SE-811 81 SANDVIKEN, SWEDEN, PHONE +46 26-26 30 00 FAX +46 26-25 27 70
www.smt.sandvik.com