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Internal carburization and carbide precipitation in Fe-Ni-Cr alloy tubing retired from ethylene pyrolysis service

  • Section I: Basic And Applied Research
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Journal of Phase Equilibria and Diffusion Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The events leading to the failure of an alloy grade HP Nb ethylene pyrolysis heater tubing were examined. X-ray maps indicated that a complex oxide coating, which inhibits carbon (C) diffusion, forms on the process side of the tubing during service. Phase equilibria studies predict that even without process C diffusion, metal carbides will precipitate out of the face centered cubic (FCC_Al) matrix. It was estimated that a 6 mm thick tube operating at 1100 °C would completely carburize in two years if the protective coating is damaged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Stony Brook University, 11794-2275, Stony Brook, NY

    A. Chauhan, M. Anwar, K. Montero & H. White

  2. Department of Condensed Matter Physics and Materials Science, Brookhaven National Laboratory, 11973-5000, Upton, NY

    W. Si

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Chauhan, A., Anwar, M., Montero, K. et al. Internal carburization and carbide precipitation in Fe-Ni-Cr alloy tubing retired from ethylene pyrolysis service. JPED 27, 684–690 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02736573

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02736573

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