No abstract

Vanadium modified 2 1/4Cr-1Mo and 3Cr-1Mo alloys used for the fabrication of hydroprocessing reactors offer a number of important advantages over the corresponding conventional alloys. These include increased resistance to hydrogen attack, a lower susceptibility to temper embrittlement, increased resistance to weld overlay disbonding and higher strength resulting in thinner and lighter reactors. Since the first vanadium modified 3Cr-1Mo reactors first went into service in the early 1990’s, vanadium modified alloys have gained acceptance and today more than one hundred and forty vanadium modified reactors and pressure vessels have been placed in service and are operating in severe process environments. Despite the excellent benefits of these materials, they also exhibit less desirable characteristics such as reduced weldability, higher hardnesses in the base metal, weld metal and heat affected zones and the need for higher post weld heat treatment (PWHT) temperatures. Additionally, these materials have a reduced notch toughness at lower temperatures especially in the as welded condition and require intermediate stress relieving (ISR) in lieu of dehydrogenation treatment (DHT) in restrained and highly stressed joints such as nozzle to shell and head welds. These materials also require extra care and effort to be taken during fabrication. The paper presents a serious weld metal cracking problem that occurred with vanadium modified materials during the installation of a nozzle in a restrained and highly stressed weld when only DHT was performed instead of the more beneficial ISR. This fabrication problem is provided as a typical example of problems that can occur during fabrication with vanadium modified materials, and points out that additional care must be taken during fabrication when using these materials. The paper identifies the main causes for the cracking using information based upon mechanical, metallurgical and stress analyses and suggests steps that may be taken to circumvent similar reoccurrences.

The Welding Research Council (WRC) Bulletin 452 titled “Recommended Practices for Local Heating of Welds In Pressure Vessels”(1) was first published in June 2000. This document considers various issues associated with the local heating of welds in pressure vessels and addresses the application of controlled heat in the weld metal, heat affected zone (HAZ) and a limited volume of base metal around the weld. ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code Section VIII Division 1, paragraphs UW-40, (a) 3 and 8 require that post weld heat treatment (PWHT) be carried out in a manner such that the thermal gradients are not harmful. WRC Bulletin 452 provides guidelines for local PWHT to satisfy this requirement. This paper provides examples of local PWHT (if not heated as a whole vessel in a furnace) based upon utilizing a soak band and calculated heated band and gradient band widths based upon WRC 452 recommendations. The paper addresses both circumferential and spot PWHTs and demonstrates that the guidelines provided in WRC 452 can also be used as a starting point for determining the band widths for spot PWHT.

This paper provides designers a methodology for determining membrane and bending stresses in cylinders with loads applied through rectangular attachments having a length to width aspect ratio greater the four (4). This paper extends the original work done by Bijlaard [1] and Dodge [2] as well as the work published in Welding Research Council WRC Bulletins. Bulletins 107 [3] and 537 [4] are limited to aspect ratios of four (4) and Bulletin 198 [2] is limited to aspect ratio of ten (10). This method provided also adds more precision to the Kellogg [5] method which was based on the work of Roark [6]. The data, curves and formulas presented in this paper are the result of a parametric finite element study across the geometry range. Attachments were analyzed with a slender attachment orientation parallel and perpendicular to the axis of the cylinder. Geometric parameters were varied over a range of cylinder diameter & thickness and attachment length & width. This study is limited to small displacement theory. This paper also provides a methodology for analysis of the attachment from the loadings.

Since the 1956 Edition of the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code Section VIII (ASME B&PV Code) [1], the Out-of-Roundness of circular sections of pressure vessels subject to external pressure have been inspected using a segmental template per paragraph UG-80(b)(2). Newly approved ASME Code Case 2789 “Laser Measurement for Out-of-Roundness Section VIII, Division 1” to the ASME B&PV Code expands the out of roundness checking to allow the use of laser measurement systems. Today with large vessels approaching 60 feet (18.2 m) in diameter, laser measuring systems allow an expeditious and cost effective method of inspection for out-of-roundness. The Code Case allows the fabricator to use measurements obtained from laser measuring to either verify the vessel in the arc segments or the entire vessel circumference is held to a circularity tolerance. The second option is similar to the requirements of European Standard EN 13445 (EN 13445) [2] which uses circularity. This paper will explore the origin and objective of the template and presents how laser measuring systems make use of the latest technology available to check for out-of-roundness. The paper will address laser measuring systems, procedures for taking measurements, and processing of the data into a format that can be verified by Authorized Inspectors.