SCIENCE-11

Type IV Cracking in Modified 9Cr-1Mo Steel Weld Joint

n EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The steam generator of the Prototype Fast Breeder (PFBR) is being fabricated out of modified 9Cr-1Mo steel. Type IV cracking in the heat affected zone (HAZ) of weld joint limits the life of the component. Detailed investigations have been carried out to understand the cracking so as to mitigate or minimize the problem. Creep tests performed on the steel and its joint revealed that the type IV cracking occurs in the inter-critical region of HAZ, which is sandwiched between relatively higher creep resistant constituents of the joint. The constrained localized deformation leads to the pronounced creep cavitation in the soft intercritical region of HAZ of the weld joint to yield type IV failure. The creep rupture life reduction due to type IV cracking in the weld joint of the steel was found to depend on the applied stress and test 5 temperature. Based on the study the reductions in 10 hours creep rupture strength of the steel weld joint are estimated as 18 %, 30 % and 45 % of base metal strength at 823 K, 873 K and 923 K respectively.

n OUTLINE
Modified 9Cr-1Mo ferritic steel has been selected to fabricate the steam generator of Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR), under construction at Kalpakkam. Many concerns have been reported on the poor performance of the fusion welds especially in the thick components of the steel in the conventional fossilfuel fired power plants due to cracking in and around the weld joint. So detailed investigations have been carried out to understand the creep properties of the modified 9Cr-1Mo steel weld joint. Fusion weld joint of the tempered martensitic modified 9Cr1Mo steel has a very complex heterogeneous microstructure across it, consisting of base metal, deposited weld metal and the HAZ in base metal adjacent to weld metal. Heat input during weld thermal cycle produces a complex microstructure across the HAZ. Both the base metal and weld metal has tempered martensitic structures, with weld metal having columnar grain. The HAZ is comprised of coarse prioraustenitic grain martensite, fine prior-austenitic grain martensite and intercritical structure in an order away from the weld fusion interface towards the unaffected base metal. The intercritical HAZ has a lowest hardness in the weld joint of the steel (Fig.1). Creep rupture tests were carried out on the modified 9Cr-1Mo steel base metal and cross weld joint specimens. The specimens were fabricated out of a weld pad subjected to post weld heat treatment (PWHT) at 1033 K for 1 hour. At relatively lower stresses the cross weld joint of the steel possesses lower creep rupture life than the base steel (Fig.2). The failure occurred in the intercritical region of HAZ (Fig.3a). Progressive localization of creep deformation in the soft intercritical region of HAZ occurred during creep test. The deformation was accompanied with intense creep cavitation in the intercritical region of HAZ. The creep deformation constraint resulted from the creep deformation resistance surrounding induces creep cavitation in the soft intercritical region of HAZ (Fig.3b). Creep cavities were found to nucleate at the coarser precipitate particles. The cavitation started deep inside the specimen due to higher deformation constraint. The nucleated cavities coalesced to form micro-cracks (Fig.3c). The microcracks propagated outward to the surface of the specimen to produce type IV failure. The creep rupture strength reduction due to type IV cracking in the weld joint of the steel was more on longer creep exposure at higher test temperature. The estimated creep rupture strength reductions of the steel weld joint are 18 %, 30 % and 45 % of base metal strength for the creep test temperatures of 823K, 873 K and 923 K respectively. TEM investigation revealed that the recovery of the martensitic lath structure with high dislocation into subgrain with low dislocation and the coarsening of precipitates of the steel on intercritical heating during weld thermal cycle reduced the creep strength of the steel weld joint.
300

Weld Interface

H a rdn e s s , H V

280 260 240 220 200 180 -2 -1 0

Weld Metal HAZ

1 2 3 4

Base Metal
5 6

Distance, mm

Fig. 1 : Hardness variation across the weld joint of modified 9Cr1Mo steel

300

Modified 9Cr-1Mo

A PPLIED STRESS , MP a

200

100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30

BASE 823 K BASE 873 K BASE 923 K JOINT823 K JOINT873 K JOINT923 K

10

100 1000 10000 RUPTURE LIFE, HOURS

Fig. 2 : Variation of creep rupture life with applied stress of modified 9Cr-1 Mo base metal and weld joint

Type IV Crack

(c)
Fig. 3 : (a) Type IV failure in weld joint; (b)type IV cavity in the inter-critical region of HAZ and (c)type IV cracking in modified 9Cr-1Mo steel weld joint.

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SCIENCE-11
n ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT WELD CRACKING IN Cr-Mo STEELS
Different types of cracking develop in Cr-Mo steels weld joint during laboratory creep tests and also during plant operation (Fig.4). Four types of cracking have been identified in Cr-Mo steel weld joint. They have been categorized as Type I, Type II, Type III and Type IV. The Type I and Type II cracking originate in weld metal, propagate either through the weld metal itself (Type I) or cross over in the HAZ (Type II). The Type III cracking occurs in the coarse grain region of HAZ and by refining the grain size it can be avoided. (Type IV cracking nucleates and propagates in the intercritical) fine grain region of HAZ. It is not possible to avoid Type IV cracking but it can be minimized.

Fig. 4 : Types of cracking in weld joint of steels on service exposure

n SOFT ZONE FORMATION IN MODIFIED 9Cr-1Mo STEEL WELD JOINT

A soft zone develops in the intercritical region of HAZ of the weld joint of modified 9Cr-1Mo steel (Fig.1). The development of the soft zone in the steel weld joint can be rationalized on the basis of microstructure of the steel and its modification on intercritical heating during weld thermal cycle. The steel derives its creep strength from solid solution strengthening, dislocation substructure strengthening and precipitation strengthening. Molybdenum mostly confers solute solution strengthening to the steel. The modified 9Cr-1Mo steel has tempered martensitic structure (Fig.4(a)). The precipitation of M23C6 particles stabilizes the martensitic lath structure. The additions of V, Nb and N in the steel ensure the intragranular precipitation of highly stable V,Nbcarbonitrides (MX) particles on tempering and during creep exposure to confer high creep strength. Laves phase (Fe2M), an intermetallic compound, is found to precipitate on grain and subgrain boundaries on thermal and creep exposures in the steel. The precipitation of laves phase is expected to decrease the solute solution strengthening but it can also increase the precipitation strengthening of the steels at least when the precipitates are fine in size. On long-term high temperature thermal and creep exposures, modified Z-phase, complex Cr(V,Nb)N particle, is reported to precipitate intergranularly in the 9Cr-1MoVNb steel. They are fine in size just after precipitation, but grow quickly by dissolving the beneficial MX precipitates. Intercritical heating by weld thermal cycle produces (i) the recovery of martensitic lath structure with high dislocation into subgrain with low dislocation (Figs.5a and 5b), (ii) coarsening of the M23C6 precipitate and (iii) probably the enhanced precipitation of Z-phase in the intercritical HAZ subsequently during creep exposure. The Zphase was observed in the inter-critical region of HAZ in 9Cr1MoVNb steel weld joint on creep exposure (Fig.5c), whereas very little was observed in base steel. The enhanced coarsening of the M23C6 particles and the precipitation of the Z-phase in the intercritical region of HAZ than in the base metal at higher creep test temperatures could be the reasons for the higher reduction in creep rupture strength of joint in 9Cr-1MoVNb steel (Fig.2).

Fig. 5 : (a) Lath martensitic structure in modified 9Cr-1Mo base metal, (b) recovered subgrain structure in intercritical HAZ and Z-phase in the intercritical HAZ

n ACHIEVEMENT
Weld joint is the weak link in the components fabricated out of modified 9Cr-1Mo due to the type IV cracking in the intercritical region of HAZ. A 10 % reduction in creep rupture strength at 798 K (525 OC) as recommended by RCC-MR code has been adopted for the design of welded modified 9Cr-1Mo steel steam generator. The study supports the basis of such reduction in creep rupture strength of modified 9Cr-1Mo steel weld joint and also reveals a higher reduction at higher temperatures.

n PUBLICATIONS ARISING OUT OF THIS STUDY AND RELATED WORK

K. Laha, K.S. Chandravathi, P. Parameswaran, K. Bhanu Sankara Rao and S.L. Mannan, Met. Mater. Trans.A, 38 (2007)58.

Further inquiries: Dr. K. Laha, Mechanical Metallurgy Division Metallurgy and Materials Group, IGCAR, e-mail: laha@igcar.gov.in

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