Role of transformed martensite in the cracking of stainless steel plumbing lines

Austenitic stainless steel AISI 321 is used to fabricate plumbing lines to transfer cryogens from storage to output collector of propulsion system. Cracks were found in some of such tubes during one of the qualification tests of pipelines. The crack occurred at the bent region of the fuel feed pipeline along its neutral axis. Detailed metallographic investigations revealed presence of numerous longitudinal fine cracks on the inner surface of the tube that resulted from improper extrusion of the tube. Further, deformation induced martensitic transformation occurred, as the tube was bent at liquid nitrogen temperature. The transformed martensite, in presence of fine cracks on inner surface of the tube, due to improper extrusion, resulted in crack opening. This paper highlights the details of investigations carried out.