Volume 35, Issue 2 -

New ferritic P92 steel is widely used in modern power plants due to its good combination of mechanical and physical properties. However, cracks are often formed in the welded sections during the fabrication or service. In order to ensure the structure integrity, the effects of residual stresses need to be considered. The objective of this paper is to investigate the influence of arc travelling speed and welding sequences on the residual stresses distribution in the welded sections of P92 pipes by finite element method (FEM). Results show that arc travelling speed and welding sequences have great effects on residual stresses distribution. With the arc travelling speed increasing, the residual stresses increase. Meanwhile, welding sequences of case B present smaller residual stresses and more symmetrical distribution of residual stresses at the weld centre line. Therefore, using slower arc travelling speed and case B welding sequences can be useful to decrease the residual stresses, which provides a reference for optimizing the welding technology and improving the fabrication process of new ferritic P92 welded pipes with small diameter and thick wall.

Microstructural evolution and compressive properties of two-phase Nb-Fe binary alloys based on the C14 Laves phase NbFe 2 were characterized at both the hypo- and hypereutectic compositions. The experimental results indicated that the microstructures of the two alloys consisted of fully eutectics containing Fe and NbFe 2 phases at the bottom of the ingots corresponding to the largest solidification rates. With the decrease of solidification rate, the microstructures developed into primary Fe (NbFe 2 ) dendrites plus eutectics in the middle and top parts of the ingots. The microstructural evolutions along the axis of the ingots were analyzed by considering the competitive growth between the primary phase and eutectic as well as using microstructure selection models based on the maximum interface temperature criterion. Furthermore, the compressive properties of the two alloys were measured and the enhancements were explained in terms of the second Fe phase and halo toughening mechanisms.

The clean utilization of the residue containing chloride, such as zinc oxide dust and CuCl residue, produced from zinc hydrometallurgy is very important for the recycle of valuable metals. In this paper, a new technology for dechlorination of the CuCl residue through thermal treatment with application of microwave and oxygen-enriched air roasting is brought out. And the response surface methodology (RSM) based on five-level, three-variable and central composite design (CCD) was used to optimize the operation parameters for increasing the dechlorination efficiency. The effects of temperature, roasting time and oxygen consumption on the dechlorination efficiency were studied and the optimal process conditions were identified. In addition, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and Raman spectroscopy were used to characterize the dechlorination process under the optimum condition. The results showed that the experimental data were fitted to a second-order polynomial equation. The optimized process conditions are identified to be a roasting temperature of 451℃, heating duration of 114 min and oxygen consumption of 2.4 times the theoretical oxygen demand. A dechlorination efficiency of 96.4% could be achieved at the optimal process conditions.

Joining of thin sheets (0.5 mm) of stainless steel 304 and 17-4PH through resistance spot welding is highly challenging especially when joint is used for high temperature applications. Various combinations of stainless steel sheets of thickness 0.5 mm are spot welded and tested at room temperature as well as at high temperatures (800 K, 1,000 K, 1,200 K). Parent metal as well as spot welded joints are tested and characterized. It is observed that joint strength of 17-4PH steel is highest and then dissimilar steel joint of 17-4PH with SS-304 is moderate and of SS-304 is lowest at all the temperatures. Joint strength of 17-4PH steel is found to be >80% of parent metal properties up to 1,000 K then drastic reduction in strength is noted at 1,200 K. Gradual reduction in strength of SS-304 joint with increase in temperature from 800 to 1,200 K is noted. At 1,200 K, joint strength of all combinations of joints is found to be nearly same. Microstructural evaluation of weld nugget after testing at different temperatures shows presence of tempered martensite in 17-4PH containing welds and homogenized structure in stainless steel 304 weld.

Effects of hot isostatic pressing (HIP) temperature on the microstructural evolution of a nickel-based K002 superalloy containing Hf element after long-term service were investigated using three different soaking temperatures during HIP. The degraded γ ′ precipitates represented coarse and irregular morphology after long-term service. These γ ′ precipitates still were of coarse and irregular shape, but the size and volume fraction of γ ′ precipitates were markedly reduced under HIP condition of 1,190°C/200 MPa/4 h, indicating that the γ ′ precipitates were experiencing a dissolution process. Meanwhile, the concentrically oriented N-type γ ′ rafting structure around the cavities was formed. With HIP temperature increase to 1,220°C and 1,250°C, the small-sized, cubic and regular γ ′ precipitates were re-precipitated, and the concentrically oriented γ ′ structure vanished. The unstable morphology induced by the nucleation and growth of γ matrix was found near the creep cavities, indicating that the solute atoms diffused inward the creep-induced cavities during HIP. However, at HIP temperature of 1,220°C and 1,250°C, a large number of blocky MC (2) -type carbides containing amounts of Hf elements were precipitated, demonstrating that HIP treatment at higher temperatures can result in the formation of a large number of blocky MC (2) -type carbides.

Ultrasonic treatment with various powers is introduced to liquid steel from the side wall of a mold during GCr15 steel solidification, and the effect of ultrasonic on the microstructure and properties of GCr15 steel is investigated. Results show that the columnar grains in the GCr15 steel are coarse and that the microstructure is inhomogeneous when ultrasonic is not applied on the liquid steel. A suitable power ultrasonic leads to the appearance of a large number of equiaxed grains and increases the uniformity of the microstructure. The segregation of alloy elements gradually decreases as the power increases from 0 W to 500 W. The maximum segregations of carbon and silicon decrease from 2.541 to 1.129 and 2.861 to 1.196, respectively. Given a power of 500 W, the statistical segregations of carbon and silicon decrease from 0.0964 to 0.0693 and 0.1152 to 0.1075, respectively. A further increase in ultrasonic power is not conducive for improving the element segregation. Ultrasonic treatment can remarkably refine the size of carbide and increase the uniformity of its distribution. When the powers are 0 W, 300 W, 500 W, 700 W, and 1,000 W, the average sizes of carbide are 14.63 μm, 2.96 μm, 3.05 μm, 3.72 μm, and 7.83 μm, respectively. The tensile strength, yield strength, and ductility and reduction of the area of the GCr15 bearing steel are correspondingly improved to varying degrees.

An investigation on the microstructure of as-cast Al-Mg-Cu composites reinforced by in situ nano-sized Al 2 O 3 dispersoids with ultrasonic treatment showed that ultrasonic treatment of the melt prior to casting had a significant effect on the size and sphericity of α-Al dendrites as well as on the size, continuity and sphericity of intermetallic particles (Al 2 CuMg) formed during cooling and solidification of the composite. More importantly, Al 2 O 3 nanoparticles were uniformly distributed inside the grains, which were in situ produced by the displacement reaction between Al and CuO in the melt under ultrasonic treatment. The microstructural effects were mainly attributed to the cavitation and streaming phenomena which took place during ultrasonic treatment in the melt. The mechanical properties were investigated by tensile tests and hardness measurements. Ultrasonic treatment caused a significant increase in the yield strength (~43%), ultimate tensile strength (~32%) and hardness (~13%), and simultaneously slight improvement in the ductility.

The oxidation behavior of Fe-Si-Ce alloys with different Ce content at 1,173 and 1,273 K has been studied by means of optical microscope (OM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). Results show that the Ce addition refines the grain size of Fe-Si alloys, and correspondingly the grain size of the oxides decreases, which increases the grain boundary concentration and promotes the short-path diffusion of the alloying elements and oxygen. During oxidation, the positive effect of the grain refinement on the oxidation behavior of the alloy is more obvious than negative effect, so the Ce addition improves the oxidation resistances of the Fe-3Si alloys. Compared to Fe-3Si-0.5Ce alloy, Fe-3Si-5.0Ce alloy has the larger mass gain for the preferential oxidation of the excessive content of Ce exceeding its beneficial effects. The rare earth Ce changes the oxidation mechanism of Fe-Si alloys. Oxygen penetrates the oxide scales and reacts preferentially with Ce-rich phases, which results in the pinning effect and improves the adhesion of the oxide scales.

Siderite is one of the significant iron ore resources in China and yet is difficult to upgrade by traditional beneficiation processes. A process of coal-based direct reduction–magnetic separation was successfully developed for the beneficiation of siderite. However, few studies have thoroughly investigated the mechanism of the direct reduction of siderite. In order to reveal the reaction mechanism of coal-based direct reduction of siderite lump, thermodynamics of direct reduction was investigated with coal as the reductant. The thermodynamics results indicate that coal-based direct reduction process of siderite lump at 1,050°C follows the steps as FeCO 3 → Fe 3 O 4 → FeO → Fe, which is verified by chemical titration analysis, X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscope. The microstructure of siderite sample varies with different reduction stages and some 45% porosity induced by thermal decomposition of siderite is conductive to subsequent reduction. The conversion of FeO to Fe is the main reduction rate-controlling step. The reduced product with the metallic iron size over 30 μm can be effectively beneficiated by wet magnetic separation after grinding. The obvious layered structure of reduced product is due to different heat transfer resistance, CO and CO 2 concentration.

As a large number of energy was taken away by the high temperature furnace gas during the EAF smelting process, a huge economic and environmental benefits would obtained to recycle and utilize. In this paper, the energy of the EAF was analyzed theoretically with the hot metal ratio of 50%. Combined with the utilization of the gas waste heat during the scrap preheating, electricity generation, production of steam and production of coal gas processes, the effect of the energy saving and emission was calculated with comprehensive utilization of the high temperature furnace gas. An optimal scheme for utilization of the waste heat was proposed based on the calculation. The results show that the best way for energy saving and carbon reduction is the production of coal gas, while the optimal scheme for waste heat utilization is combined the production of coal gas with the scrap preheating, which will save 170 kWh/t of energy and decrease 57.88 kg/t of carbon emission. As hot metal ratio in EAF steelmaking is often more than 50%, which will produce more EAF gas waste heat, optimizing EAF gas waste heat utilization will have more obvious effect on energy saving and emission reduction.

Numerical-based finite element investigation has been conducted to explain the effect of bond coat thickness on stress distribution in traditional and nanostructured yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ)-based thermal barrier coatings (TBC). Stress components have been determined to quantitatively analyze the mechanical response of both kinds of coatings under the thermal shock effect. It has been found that maximum radial tensile and compressive stresses that exist at thermally grown oxide (TGO)/bond coat interface and within TGO respectively decrease with an increase in bond coat thickness. Effect of bond coat thickness on axial tensile stresses is not significant. However, axial compressive stresses that exist at the edge of the specimen near bond coat/substrate interface decrease appreciably with the increase in bond coat thickness. Residual stress profile as a function of bond coat thickness is further explained for comparative analysis of both coatings to draw some useful conclusions helpful in failure studies of TBCs.

The knowledge of the fundamental understanding such as composition–structure–mechanical property relationships caused by Kirkendall effect is in progress and is used to optimize mechanical properties of materials. In this paper the multiphase systems with low non-stoichiometry are discussed. It is shown that in such systems the drift velocity can be approximated as constant in each phase and determined by Wagner’s integral diffusivity. In this paper the binary in Ni–Ti alloy is discussed; however, the method can be applied to multicomponent systems. The results of the calculations are compared with experimental data.

Strontium carbonate (SrCO 3 ) nanostructures were synthesized via simple hydrothermal method by Sr(NO 3 ) 2 , ethylenediamine and hydrazine as reagents. The products were characterized with X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). Different parameter’s effects on the product size and morphology were investigated. It was found that reagent concentration, reaction time and temperature play key roles in morphology of the obtained product.