The ultrasonic inspection of thick-walled welded joint with austenitic weld metal has proven to be a challenge due to its anisotropic microstructure that can promote ultrasonic waves attenuation. This work aimed to optimize the phased array ultrasonic inspection of the thick-walled joint of a 9% Ni steel pipe welded with Ni-based superalloy 625. The development was carried out by CIVA numeric simulation to preview the beam behavior during the inspection of GTAW (Gas Tungsten Arc Welding)/SMAW (Shielded Metal Arc Welding) joint with anisotropic weld metal. To validate the simulation results, experimental tests were performed with a phased array transducer using longitudinal waves on a calibration block withdrawn from the joint. The configuration of low frequency (2.25 MHz), 16 active elements and a scanning angle of 48° ensured the inspection of the entire joint and the computational simulation proved to be essential for the success of the inspection.

The study of nickel-based alloy 625 clad (weld overlay) by X-ray diffraction (XRD) is difficult and often impossible because of its coarse and anisotropic microstructure. In this work, a sample preparation including machining, grinding, and annealing was proposed to avoid this negative effect in XRD analysis. Electron backscatter diffraction and hardness testing were used to evaluate the microstructure of the surface and the inner region of a sample during its preparation. The proposed sample preparation allowed accurate determination of the Young's modulus and the Poisson ratio through XRD. The values obtained using a small bending fixture are 212 ± 2 GPa and 0.31 ± 0.01, respectively.

This work aims to compare the ultrasonic inspection of 9%Ni steel joints welded with the Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW) process and Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW) process. These are the two most widely used processes used to weld pipes for CO2 injection units for floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) in the Brazilian oil and gas industry. The SMAW equipment is simple and portable, which is convenient for the FPSO; however, the GMAW process has the advantage of welding with high productivity. In this study we performed a numerical simulation using the software CIVA, 11th version, to analyze the behavior of ultrasonic longitudinal wave beams through GMAW and SMAW dissimilar weld joints. Ultrasonic tests were performed on calibration blocks drawn from both welded joints to evaluate the simulation results. The results are discussed with regard to the microstructure of the weld metal via electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) analyses. The SMAW process presented better inspection performance than the GMAW process in terms of attenuation and dispersion effects. Although the SMAW had a better outcome, for both processes the configuration of 16 active elements and a scanning angle of 48° resulted in an optimized inspection of the entire joint.

In the present work, residual stresses in nickel-based (Ni 625) superalloy weld metal of a 9%Ni steel-welded joint were measured by X-ray diffraction (XRD). This technique presents some difficulties in performing measurements in coarse and preferentially oriented weld metal microstructures. It is proposed a preliminary surface treatment by rotating steel wire brushing to perform the stress analysis through XRD technique possible for this kind of material. Stress measurements with proposed XRD technique showed that the stress state in Ni 625 weld metal on the outside surface of the welded joint is characterised by tensile stresses in the transverse and longitudinal directions, while compressive transverse and tensile longitudinal residual stresses are developed in the root pass region.

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