Engineering Critical Assessment of Post Weld Heat Treatment for Full-Encirclement Tees Greater Than 1.25 Inches

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kolton Landreth ◽  
Qi Li ◽  
Raghav Marwaha
Keyword(s):  
Heat Treatment ◽  
Residual Stresses ◽  
Welding Process ◽  
Post Weld Heat Treatment ◽  
Critical Assessment ◽  
Material Strength ◽  
Mechanical Reinforcement ◽  
Element Analysis ◽  
Pipeline Design ◽  
Weld Heat

Abstract Full-encirclement split tee fittings for hot tapping and plugging (HT&P) wrap completely around the pipeline and are welded in place. The welded joint provides mechanical reinforcement of the pipe and branch. When full-encirclement hot tap tees are welded to pipelines 24 inches in diameter or larger, the header must often be at least 1.25 inches thick to pass the required calculations for reinforcement. This means the joint will require post weld heat treatment (PWHT) according to ASME B31.8 and CSA Z662. However, PWHT can be extremely dangerous and impractical, potentially elevating temperature to the point where material strength of the pressurized pipeline is compromised. An engineering critical assessment per ASME FFS-1/API 579 indicated PWHT may not be required for a full-encirclement hot tap tee over 1.25 inches thick. Specifically, research showed that the residual stresses developed during the welding process may not limit the design of a full-encirclement tee or lead to shorter pipeline design life. This paper illustrates how a “more rigorous analysis” per paragraph 802.2.2[b] of ASME B31.8 and paragraph 4.3.12.2 of CSA Z662 may help operators avoid the PWHT requirement. It discusses the finite element analysis (FEA) simulations researchers used to induce residual stresses in a carbon steel fitting. The residual stresses induced in the fitting were used as initial condition for plastic collapse and fatigue evaluations.

Establishing Recommended Guidance for Local Post Weld Heat Treatment Configurations Based on Thermal-Mechanical Finite Element Analysis

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Phillip E. Prueter ◽  
Brian Macejko
Keyword(s):  
Heat Treatment ◽  
Finite Element Analysis ◽  
Finite Element ◽  
Crack Initiation ◽  
Residual Stresses ◽  
Pressure Vessel ◽  
Post Weld Heat Treatment ◽  
Element Analysis ◽  
Non Linear ◽  
Weld Heat

Post weld heat treatment (PWHT) is an effective way to minimize weld residual stresses in pressure vessels and piping equipment. PWHT is required for carbon steels above a Code-defined thickness threshold and other low-alloy steels to mitigate the propensity for crack initiation and ultimately, brittle fracture. Additionally, PWHT is often employed to mitigate stress corrosion cracking due to environmental conditions. Performing local PWHT following component repairs or alterations is often more practical and cost effective than heat treating an entire vessel or a large portion of the pressure boundary. In particular, spot or bulls eye configurations are often employed in industry to perform PWHT following local weld repairs to regions of the pressure boundary. Both the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel (B&PV) Code and the National Board Inspection Code (NBIC) permit the use of local PWHT around nozzles or other pressure boundary repairs or alterations. Additionally, Welding Research Council (WRC) Bulletin 452 [1] offers detailed guidance relating to local PWHT and compares some of the Code-based methodologies for implementing local PWHT on pressure retaining equipment. Specifically, local PWHT methodologies provided in design Codes: ASME Section VIII Division 1 [2] and Division 2 [3], ASME Section III Subsection NB [4], British Standard 5500 [5], Australian Standard 1210 [6], and repair Codes: American Petroleum Institute (API) 510 [7] and NBIC [8] are discussed and compared in this study. While spot PWHT may be appropriate in certain cases, if the soak, heating, and gradient control bands are not properly sized and positioned, it can lead to permanent vessel distortion or detrimental residual stresses that can increase the likelihood of in-service crack initiation and possible catastrophic failure due to unstable flaw propagation. It is essential to properly engineer local or spot PWHT configurations to ensure that distortion, cracking of adjacent welds, and severe residual stresses are avoided. In some cases, this may require advanced thermal-mechanical finite element analysis (FEA) to simulate the local PWHT process and to predict the ensuing residual stress state of the repaired area. This paper investigates several case studies of local PWHT configurations where advanced, three-dimensional FEA is used to simulate the thermal-mechanical response of the repaired region on a pressure vessel and to optimize the most ideal PWHT arrangement. Local plasticity and distortion are quantified using advanced non-linear elastic-plastic analysis. Commentary on the ASME and NBIC Code-specified local PWHT requirements is rendered based on the detailed non-linear FEA results, and recommended good practice for typical local PWHT configurations is provided. Advanced computational simulation techniques such as the ones employed in this investigation offer a means for analysts to ensure that local PWHT configurations implemented following equipment repairs will not lead to costly additional damage, such as distortion or cracking that can ultimately prolong equipment downtime.

Integrity Analysis of a Vessel Subject to Weld Repair and Post-Weld Heat Treatment: Thermal Stress Distribution Using Numerical Approach

2020 ◽  
Vol 1000 ◽  
pp. 348-355
Author(s):  
Ardiyansyah Yatim ◽  
Gatot Prayogo ◽  
Ahmad Karayan ◽  
Hendra Novi ◽  
Wildan Hamdani ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heat Treatment ◽  
Welding Process ◽  
Numerical Approach ◽  
Post Weld Heat Treatment ◽  
Thick Wall ◽  
Weld Repair ◽  
Element Analysis ◽  
Small Deflection ◽  
Integrity Analysis ◽  
Weld Heat

Here, we present a numerical approach to analyze the integrity of a vessel that was subject to a weld repair. A Post-Weld Heat Treatment (PWHT) process was implemented to a vessel undergone weld repair due to leakage. Due to the thick wall of the welded bottom head, this welding process must be followed by the PWHT to relieve the residual stress, as well as to improve the material properties. PWHT process was performed by heating the welded area to reach 675 °C temperature. A numerical approach using finite element analysis (FEA) method was performed to analyze the integrity of the vessel. Based on the analysis, the structure is still stable within the applied load. PWHT process does not lead to buckling on the main structure and the load is still lower than the load required for the occurrence of buckling. A sensitivity analysis was also performed with reduced temperatures to 630 °C or reduction of PWHT area width. These changes were found to have negligible effects in reducing the stress and strains in the vessel. After PWHT is completed, the structure is still considered to be safe to be operated, as indicated by its strain that is still below the allowable strain and only relatively small deflection was occurred.

scholarly journals Influence of post weld heat treatment on tensile properties of cold metal transfer (CMT) arc welded AA6061-T6 aluminium alloy joints

2019 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 135-145 ◽  
Author(s):  
Addanki Ramaswamy ◽  
Sudersanan Malarvizhi ◽  
Visvalingam Balasubramanian
Keyword(s):  
Heat Treatment ◽  
Tensile Properties ◽  
Gas Metal Arc Welding ◽  
Weight Ratio ◽  
Welding Process ◽  
Metal Transfer ◽  
Post Weld Heat Treatment ◽  
Cold Metal Transfer ◽  
Cold Metal ◽  
Weld Heat

AbstractAluminium alloys of 6xxx series are widely used in the fabrication of light weight structures especially, where high strength to weight ratio and excellent weld-ability characteristics are desirable. Gas metal arc welding (GMAW) is the most predominantly used welding process in many industries due to the ease of automation. In this investigation, an attempt has been made to identify the best variant of GMAW process to overcome the problems like alloy segregation, precipitate dissolution and heat affected zone (HAZ) softening. Thin sheets of AA6061-T6 alloy were welded by cold metal transfer (CMT) and Pulsed CMT (PCMT). Among the two joints, the joint made by PCMT technique exhibited superior tensile properties due to the mechanical stirring action in the weld pool caused by forward and rearward movement of the wire along with the controllable diffusion rate at the interface caused by shorter solidification time. However, softening still exists in the welded joints. Further to increase the joint efficiency and to minimize HAZ softening, the joints were subjected to post weld heat treatment (PWHT). Approximately 10% improvement in the tensile properties had been observed in the PWHT joints due to the nucleation of strengthening precipitates in the weld metal and HAZ.

scholarly journals Optimization Study of Post-Weld Heat Treatment for 12Cr1MoV Pipe Welded Joint

Metals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 127
Author(s):  
Zichen Liu ◽  
Xiaodong Hu ◽  
Zhiwei Yang ◽  
Bin Yang ◽  
Jingkai Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heat Treatment ◽  
Residual Stress ◽  
Stress Reduction ◽  
Simulation Method ◽  
Post Weld Heat Treatment ◽  
Residual Stress Field ◽  
Element Analysis ◽  
Tempering Treatment ◽  
Temper Heat Treatment ◽  
Weld Heat

In order to clarify the role of different post-weld heat treatment processes in the manufacturing process, welding tests, post-weld heat treatment tests, and finite element analysis (FEA) are carried out for 12C1MoV steel pipes. The simulated temperature field and residual stress field agree well with the measured results, which indicates that the simulation method is available. The influence of post-weld heat treatment process parameters on residual stress reduction results is further analyzed. It is found that the post weld dehydrogenation treatment could not release residual stress obviously. However, the residual stress can be relieved by 65% with tempering treatment. The stress relief effect of “post weld dehydrogenation treatment + temper heat treatment” is same with that of “temper heat treatment”. The higher the temperature, the greater the residual stress reduction, when the peak temperature is at 650–750 °C, especially for the stress concentration area. The longer holding time has no obvious positive effect on the reduction of residual stress.

scholarly journals Residual Stress State of X65 Pipeline Girth Welds Before and After Local and Furnace Post Weld Heat Treatment

2017 ◽  
Vol 139 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yao Ren ◽  
Anna Paradowska ◽  
Bin Wang ◽  
Elvin Eren ◽  
Yin Jin Janin
Keyword(s):  
Heat Treatment ◽  
Residual Stress ◽  
Residual Stresses ◽  
Outer Surface ◽  
Post Weld Heat Treatment ◽  
Pipe Length ◽  
Stress Profiles ◽  
Girth Welds ◽  
Welded Pipe ◽  
Weld Heat

This research investigated the effects of global (in other words, furnace-based) and local post weld heat treatment (PWHT) on residual stress (RS) relaxation in API 5L X65 pipe girth welds. All pipe spools were fabricated using identical pipeline production procedures for manufacturing multipass narrow gap welds. Nondestructive neutron diffraction (ND) strain scanning was carried out on girth welded pipe spools and strain-free comb samples for the determination of the lattice spacing. All residual stress measurements were carried out at the KOWARI strain scanning instrument at the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organization (ANSTO). Residual stresses were measured on two pipe spools in as-welded condition and two pipe spools after local and furnace PWHT. Measurements were conducted through the thickness in the weld material and adjacent parent metal starting from the weld toes. Besides, three line-scans along pipe length were made 3 mm below outer surface, at pipe wall midthickness, and 3 mm above the inner surface. PWHT was carried out for stress relief; one pipe was conventionally heat treated entirely in an enclosed furnace, and the other was locally heated by a flexible ceramic heating pad. Residual stresses measured after PWHT were at exactly the same locations as those in as-welded condition. Residual stress states of the pipe spools in as-welded condition and after PWHT were compared, and the results were presented in full stress maps. Additionally, through-thickness residual stress profiles and the results of one line scan (3 mm below outer surface) were compared with the respective residual stress profiles advised in British Standard BS 7910 “Guide to methods for assessing the acceptability of flaws in metallic structures” and the UK nuclear industry's R6 procedure. The residual stress profiles in as-welded condition were similar. With the given parameters, local PWHT has effectively reduced residual stresses in the pipe spool to such a level that it prompted the thought that local PWHT can be considered a substitute for global PWHT.

The BWR RPV Internals Management Program of the German NPP Gundremmingen, Units B and C: Results and Conclusions

2002 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Widera
Keyword(s):  
Heat Treatment ◽  
Crack Initiation ◽  
Residual Stresses ◽  
Surface Condition ◽  
Management Program ◽  
Post Weld Heat Treatment ◽  
Interim Result ◽  
The Core ◽  
Weld Heat ◽  
Core Shroud

Due to the core shroud cracks reported from numerous BWRs including the German KWU type BWR Wuergassen, a RPV internals management program for the Gundremmingen NPP (KRB-II) has been initiated in 1994. Major steps and the main results of this program are presented. As an interim result, surface condition of the weld regions and controlled post weld heat treatment (PWHT) in order to reduce the residual stresses seem to play an important role for resistance to crack initiation and growth. To support these assumptions, results of related R&D projects of the German utilities (VGB) are presented.

Effect of the FCAW Welding Process and Post Weld Heat Treatment on the Properties and Microstructure of the Weld Joints of Heat Treated 4330V Steel

2015 ◽  
Vol 809-810 ◽  
pp. 437-442
Author(s):  
Jacek Górka ◽  
Michał Miłoszewski
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Properties ◽  
Heat Treatment ◽  
Weld Metal ◽  
Heat Input ◽  
Large Diameter ◽  
Welding Process ◽  
Post Weld Heat Treatment ◽  
High Toughness ◽  
Interpass Temperature ◽  
Weld Heat

4330V is a high strength, high toughness, heat treatable low alloy steel for application in the oil, gas and aerospace industries. It is typically used for large diameter drilling parts where high toughness and strength are required. The research describes the effect of preheat temperature, interpass temperature, heat input, and post weld heat treatment on strength, hardness, toughness, and changes to microstructure in the weld joint. Welding with the lower heat input and no post weld heat treatment resulted in optimal mechanical properties in the weld metal. Austempering at 400 °C resulted in optimal mechanical properties in the HAZ. Increasing preheat and interpass temperature from 340 °C to 420 °C did not improve Charpy V-notch values or ultimate tensile strength in the weld metal or heat affected zones. The higher temperature increased the width of the heat affected zone. Austempering at 400 °C reduced HAZ hardness to a level comparable to the base metal. Both tempering and austempering at 400 °C for 10 hours reduced toughness in the weld metal.

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