Creep-resistant welding consumables for high temperature and pressure
In a refinery, a boiler installation or a piping system, constructions are often under continuous pressure at strongly elevated temperature. With superheated steam, temperatures can reach five hundred to six hundred degrees. Under these conditions ordinary steel loses strength, which can lead to serious situations in pressure-bearing components. For these applications, creep-resistant welding consumables are needed. Creep resistance means that the material retains its strength at elevated temperature.
Where creep-resistant material is applied
Creep-resistant products are found mainly on the process side of industry. Think of distillation towers, pressure vessels, boilers and steam lines in the petrochemical industry and the refinery, where steam is used to heat and separate products. High temperature and pressure also play a role in the broader process industry.
In power generation the same properties apply, where steam drives turbines. In that segment we are mainly of value for repair and emergency work, when an installation is down and the right materials are needed quickly.
The role of chromium and molybdenum
The creep resistance of these products comes from the addition of chromium and molybdenum. These elements create a fine-grained structure and thereby the retention of strength at high temperature.
Within our range, the application area increases with the service temperature. Products such as the HILCO B19CrMo and B20CrMo cover rising temperatures, with each step representing roughly an increase in the range.
Certificates and matching welding
In creep-resistant applications it is important that the filler metal matches the base material. We therefore supply a quality certificate stating the expected hardness, toughness and strength and the measured chemical composition. This gives you certainty that the product matches the steel you are welding, and provides the documentation required in critical applications.
Would you like advice on the right creep-resistant electrode or wire for your application, or on the associated certification? Contact us. We are glad to think along with you.
