Weld Cracks in an Ammonia

Converter
A recent turnaround inspection of an ammonia converter revealed extensive cracking in the head-to-
shell seam. At one location, the crack was almost through the 6-in. (152-mm) wall The operating his-
tory and repair of the converter are described.

James D. Campbell
Augusta Service Co., Inc., Augusta, GA
G. R. Prescott
Metallurgical Consultant, Newport Beach, CA

Introduction closing weld and was given a local post weld heat
treatment (PWHT). Due to weld failures hi similar
converters (Prescott, 1992, 1995), this converter has

I
n 1996, after 18 years of service, cracks were
found in the tophead-to-shell weld during a routine
turnaround examination. In one area of the weld
the crack was almost through the 6-in. (152-mm) wall.
The crack initiated and propagated from the inside sur-
face.
A detailed repair plan was devised and the repair
was completed in two weeks. The repaired weld was
free of defects and after six months the weld was re-
examined and again found to be sound.
Background
The plant was commissioned in 1978 and has been
in continuous operation. The plant was originally
licensed by C. F. Braun Co. to Columbia Nitrogen
Corp., now owned by Potash Corporation. The ammo-
nia converter (Figure 1) was constructed of 3Cr-lMo.
The heads were SA 387-21-C1 2 and the shells were
SA 336-F-21-C1 2. The tophead-to-shell weld was the
been carefully inspected by ultrasonic methods at reg-
ular intervals. The previous inspection was in 1990,
and no defects were reported at that time.
Extent and Nature of Cracking
Figure 2 shows the pattern and extent of cracking hi
the head-to-shell weld. At the southwest zone of the
weld, the crack is about 48 in. (1,220 mm) long. About
9 in. (230 mm) of the crack is almost through the 6-in.
(152-mm) wall. The remaining 39 in. (990 mm) ranges
hi depth from 0.25 to 0.40 in. (6.35 to 10.16 mm).
Field metallography was performed at various loca-
tions around the weld as shown in Figure 2. Surface
microcracks were observed at the indicated locations.
Grinding down to a depth of 1/4 in. (6.35 mm) elimi-
nated the microcracks hi areas away from the 48-in.
(1,220-mm) cracked zone. Figure 3 shows examples
of the microcracks found at two different locations.

AMMONIA TECHNICAL MANUAL 1998

 TOP VIEW TOP VIEW

FMR Location Summary

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Figure 2. Pattern and extent of cracking in the

head-to-shell weld.
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Figure 3* Examples of microcracks found at two Figure 4 (a) Cross-section of the sample showing
different locations. location of the crack; (b) micrograph showing
crack path and adjacent microcracks.

AMMONIA TECHNICAL MANUAL 1998

These cracks are typical of hydrogen-induced cracks
caused by an excessively high hydrogen content in the
weld metal due to improperly dried electrodes, or a
preheat below the 400°F (204°C) minimum required,
or some combination of both.
A small sample (Figure 4) was removed from the
cracked portion of the weld before the repair began.
The cross-section in Figure 4a shows one of the main
cracks and Figure 4b shows the intergranular nature of
the cracks caused by hydrogen.
The cracking problem seems to be related to an
observed mismatch between the head and shell diame-
ters. The diameter of the head is smaller than the shell,
and the greatest mismatch occurs where the through-
wall crack occurred.
The degree of mismatch is shown in Figure 5 along
with the method of repair at a zone adjacent to the
deep crack. The deep crack was completely removed
and repaired. The remaining weld was gouged out to a
depth of 1 in. (25.4 mm) and rewelded. Prior to goug-
ing, it was established that none of the cracks away
from the 48-in. (1,220-mm) crack zone exceeded a
depth of about 0.25 in. (6.35 mm). Subsequent mag-
netic particle inspection after gouging verified the
absence of cracks at the 1-in. (25.4 mm) depth.
In the original fabrication, this mismatch would
require modification of the bevel detail in order to
facilitate final welding. The modifications to the bevel
were most likely made by handwelding.
The final weld was made by automatic submerged-
arc welding in a narrow-gap bevel from the outside
followed by back gouging on the inside to a depth of
1/2 in. (12.7 mm). After back gouging, the weld was
completed on the inside by handwelding.
Microcracks and subsequent macrocracking are pri-
marily associated with the handwelds used to modify
the bevel detail and the handwelds used to complete
the weld after back gouging the inside.
Examination and Repair
This ammonia process has two converters in series.
After cracks were found in the closing seam of the
second converter, a complete inspection was made of
both converters utilizing both manual ultrasonic test-
ing, UT, and time of flight diffraction (TOFD). No
AMMONIA TECHNICAL MANUAL
defects were found in any other weld. The TOFD tech-
nique (Figure 6) was used to define the size and orien-
tation of the cracks in the closing weld. This clear def-
inition of the crack greatly facilitated repair.
The vessel was prepared for weld repair by com-
pletely gouging out the deep crack and gouging all
around the weld to a depth of 1 in. (25.4 mm). This
completely removed all of the handwelds as shown in
Figure 7. All arc-gouging was done at a preheat of
400°F (204°C) minimum achieved with electrical heat-
ing elements on the outside of the vessel. Magnetic
particle examination was used to determine that all
cracks were removed.
After gouging was complete, a crew of five quali-
fied welders began the repair. Welders were seated on
a platform with the work at eye level. Electrodes were
carefully dried and maintained in this condition
through the use of portable ovens at the site of weld-
ing. The 400°F (204°C) minimum preheat was careful-
ly maintained throughout the repair. After the repair
was complete, the weld was given a PWHT in accor-
dance with ASME Code requirements.
One very important feature of this operation was the
use of two 30-ton air conditioners blowing cool air
into the bottom of the converter and out of the top. In
addition, relief welders were in the converter at all
times to relieve welders when fatigue became a factor.
This consideration for the well-being of the welders
and other personnel working inside the vessel
undoubtedly contributed to the high quality of the
weld repair. Figure 8 shows an overall view of the
converter while undergoing repair. The plastic cover
provided protection from the elements. The time peri-
od required for the repair was approximately two
weeks.
Conclusions
Fracture mechanics alone does not provide an
explanation of how a crack can initiate and propagate
through a 6-in. (152-mm) wall in six years. According
to current theory, cracks only propagate at tempera-
tures below about 300°F (149°C) or at temperatures in
the creep range, approximately 850°F (454°C) or high-
er for this alloy. At temperatures below 300°F (149°C),
cracks will propagate in this alloy due to reduced
10 1998
 C? R-615? THP HtM-TO-SHCll TB«NS1T10N

Figure 5. Degree of mismatch along with the Figure 6. TOFD technique used to define the size
method of repair at a zone adjacent to deep crack. and orientation of cracks hi the closing weld.

Cg R-6153 TOP HEAD-TD-SHELL VELD GOUGING

Figure 7. Handwelds. Figure 8. Overall view of the converter while

undergoing repair.

AMMONIA TECHNICAL MANUAL 11 1998

toughness caused by temper embrittlement. The vessel
operates at 700°F (371°C), which is far below the
creep range, and this eliminates creep as a factor.
During the six-year period between inspections, this
vessel did experience approximately six cold starts
and 60 hot restarts.
During a cold start, the vessel inside surface is sub-
ject to compressive stresses. The weld has been cooled
to near ambient temperature, certainly below 300°F
(149°C), and the unit is restarted. This represents a
cycle, and it is standard procedure with vessels of this
type to keep the pressure low, say 20% of design or
lower during a cycle when the vessel temperature is
below 300°F (149°C).
In a hot restart situation, colder gas enters a hotter
vessel and the inside surface will experience 60 to 75
ksi (413 to 517 MPa) tensile stress. This occurs for
only a few minutes of each hot start as the entering
gas is heated up.
In turnaround situations where "cool down" may be
somewhat accelerated, the inside vessel surface may
see the same tensile stress levels as those for a hot
start, however, for a longer period of time.
These situations might allow for some crack propa-
gation, but certainly not the amount found.
In 1990 both converters had experienced failures in
the outlet forgings (Campbell et al., 1992). Considerable
stress analyses and fracture mechanics work was per-
formed. While much was learned about the stresses
that occur when heating and cooling heavy wall ves-
sels, it was also noted that when a crack has formed in
a nitriding environment, the nitriding of the crack
faces acts as a wedge for further propagation. We did
see a thin nitride layer on the inside surface of this
converter.
As mentioned previously, two other ammonia con-
verters of similar design developed extensive crack-
ing. (Prescott, 1992; Prescott and Grotz, 1995). One
occurred in a French plant after 4 years of service and
the other hi a German plant after 8 years of service.
In all cases, the failures occurred in the closing
seam which had been given a local FWHT. The nature
of a local PWHT leaves high residual stresses in the
weld with a high tensile stress at the inside diameter.
It seems clear that high residual tensile stresses are a
common factor in these failures.
AMMONIA TECHNICAL MANUAL
The most critical common denominator is the pres-
ence of hydrogen-induced microcracks in the weld. In
the French and German converters, the source of
excessive hydrogen was a hygroscopic submerged-arc
welding flux in combination with a low-temperature
intermediate postweld heat treatment. The low-tem-
perature IPWHT was insufficient to lower the hydro-
gen below the critical level, and this produced micro-
cracks in the welds.
In this converter the microcracks were produced by
extensive handwelding with coated electrodes that
were not dried properly, or the preheat was not main-
tained, or a combination of both. The handwelding
was applied to a localized zone in order to correct a
mismatch.
The long incubation period and the subsequent high
rate of crack growth is not a predictable phenomenon
by any current theory dealing with crack propagation.
It appears that small undetectable microcracks grow at
a very slow rate initially and accelerate when enough
microcracks have coalesced to form macrocracks. This
mechanism of cracking appears to occur over a period
of years at temperatures between the upper shelf
impact energy, say 300°F (149°C), and the creep
range, which is 850°F (454°C) or higher for this alloy.
Hydrogen may be a necessary factor to promote this
crack mechanism. Ammonia may also play a role.
The only positive protection is through the use of
regular inspections. The fact that a critical process ves-
sel has operated for many years without problems does
not mean that it is proven safe. More likely, it means
that vessel life has been consumed with each passing
year and more vigilance is required as the service life
increases.
Literature Cited
Campbell, James D., Robert L. Rawlinson, and Keith
C. Wilson, "Failure and Novel Repair of Thick-Wall
Synthesis Converter Forgings," Ammonia Plant
Safety & Related Facilities, AIChE, New York, Vol.
32,1 (1992).
Prescott, G. R., "Weld Failure in a 2 1/4 Cr-1 Mo
Ammonia Converter," Ammonia Plant Safety &
Related Facilities, AIChE, New York, Vol. 32,217
(1992).
12 1998
Prescott, G.R., and B. J. Grotz, "Weld Zone Cracks in
Repaired 2 1/4 Cr-1 Mo Ammonia Converter,"
DISCUSSION
D. Damin, Dupont, Beaumont, TX: You had one section
of that weld that was almost a through-wall crack. When
you weld-repaired that, was that done from the inside
out or was that a combination from both inside and out-
side?
Campbell: The repair work was predominantly done
from the inside, but in that one area it went so close to
the OD that we did go on the outside and back gouge
and reweld. In that 9 in. area we did some welding from
the outside. A second reason that we excavated as much
of the original weld metal as we did was to provide what
we would consider good sound metal on the ID in the
event that we would do future repairs. In all probability
those repairs would take place from the outside. It's very
seldom that we have access to the inside of the converter.
G. Y. Lai, Welding Services: What was the welding
process that you used for weld repair?
Campbell: We used the shielded metal-arc process.
Lai: Wouldn't it be better to upgrade your filler metal to
nine chrome to reduce hydrogen cracking better than to
use the same metal as the shell material?
Prescott: The hydrogen cracking that Jim referred to is
not due to hydrogen attack, a reaction between the basic
chrome carbide and hydrogen. The 2 1/4 chrome, 1
AMMONIA TECHNICAL MANUAL
Ammonia Plant Safety & Related Facilities, AIChE,
New York, Vol. 35,116 (1995).
moly has ample hydrogen resistance from the standpoint
of attack. The hydrogen cracking that he's talking about
is propagation of these microcracks over a long period
of time, and 2 1/4 chrome or 3 chrome has as much,
maybe even better, resistance to that type of propagation
than the higher chromes. That's why we stuck with 2 1/4
chrome, 1 moly.
G. M. Koorse, Nagarjuna Fertilizers, India: We had a
similar type of crack while running the plant. We ran for
almost one year with the converter leaking gas. At the
next outage, we did a temporary repair. The converter
material was two parts chromium, one molybdenum. We
would like to do a UT with the plant running, and the
metal needs to be cooled down to less than 70°C. Is
there any method to do the ultrasonic test with the metal
temperature around 170°C?
Campbell: Our testing was actually at 635°F (335°C)
on the skin of the vessel. I think that the time-of-flight-
diffraction test has been qualified for temperatures up to
750°F(399°C).
B. Shannon, IESCO: I would just like to comment on
that procedure. The TOFD Ultrasonic Method is current-
ly being used for on-line inspection up to temperatures
around 700 to 730°F with ample success.
13 1998