Creep deformation and rupture behavior of 10Cr-3Co-2W heat-resistant steel weldments in ultra supercritical power units

Abstract

Creep deformation and rupture behavior of a martensitic heat resistant steel (10Cr-3Co-2W) welded joints prepared by vacuum electron beam welding for supercritical power generation unit are investigated employing traditional uniaxial tensile creep, 898 K (625 ℃) to 948 K (675 ℃) and 105 MPa to 250 MPa, and room temperature nanoindentation on different welding micro-zones. The rupture location shifts from base metal (ductile rupture) for the shortest creep time of 74 h, to heat affected zone (brittle Type IV rupture) for the rest crept specimens. Accordingly, a softening phenomenon is observed in fine grain heat affected zone in crept specimens for longer creep times, where voids, precipitates and reduced dislocation density are found and further discussed. The extrapolating creep rupture time under various creep temperature and stress combinations and the 100,000 h creep rupture strength for different temperatures are predicted employing the Larson-Miller parameter method, which satisfies the industry service condition. Compared with tensile creep the nanoindentation creep yields faster creep rates and higher stress exponents; and the largest strain rate sensitivity value (m) in weld metal implies that weld metal has the best creep resistance while heat affected zone and base metal are more likely to appear creep rupture.