Investigation of weldability and property changes of high pressure heat-resistant cast stainless steel tubes used in pyrolysis furnaces after a five-year service

High pressure heat-resistant cast stainless steel (HP steel) tubes produced by centrifugal casting are used in petrochemical industries for pyrolysis furnaces. They have appropriate ductility and weldability in as-cast conditions. These steels lose their ductility and weldability after being used in service and, hence, require repair. In the present study, the effect of metallurgical changes on weldability and ductility was investigated. The life span of the studied tubes was 5 years. Using electrodes with a chemical composition close to the base metal analysis, welding was done by gas-tungsten arc welding (GTAW) process. Solution treatment was used to recover the properties of tubes which can be useful, depending on metallurgical changes.