Creep Strength Assessment of High Chromium Ferritic Creep Resistant Steels

Abstract

Degradation mechanism and life prediction method of high chromium ferritic creep resistant steels have been investigated. In the high stress condition, easy and rapid extension of recovered soft region results in significant decrease in creep strength, however, ductility is high. In the low stress condition, extension of recovered soft region is mainly controlled by diffusion and it is slow, therefore, deformation is concentrated in the recovered soft region along grain boundaries and ductility is extremely low. Delta-ferrite produces concentration gap due to difference in equilibrium composition of austenite and ferrite phases at the normalizing temperature. It increases driving force of diffusion and promotes recovery of tempered martensite adjacent to delta-ferrite. Concentration gap may be produced also in heat affected zone (HAZ), especially in fine grain HAZ similar to dual phase steel, and it has possibilities to promote recovery and, therefore, to decrease creep strength. It has been confirmed the advantage of region splitting analysis of creep rupture strength for high chromium ferritic creep resistant steels, through a residual error analysis. It is important to avoid a generation of concentration gap in order to improve stability of microstructure and to maintain high creep strength.