Cast Iron Pipe Longitudinal Cracking

1. Two cast iron pipes in CVL service cracked longitudinally. Dimensions and service life of pipes
along with the pictures is given below:

Material: Cast Iron

Internal Diameter: 12 inch

Length: 72 inch

Service Life: 8 years

Fig.1. Cast Iron Pipe 12 inch Diameter

Material: Cast Iron

Internal Diameter: 6 inch

Length: 18 inch

Service Life: 1 month

Fig.2. Cast Iron Pipe 6 inch Diameter

2. PH of the fluid flowing inside the pipe is 10.1. Composition of CVL is given below:

Unit Vat Liqour

Density at actual Temp & Press kg/M3 1143
Pressure psia  
Temperature °C 60/35
NH3 kg/M3 43.35
CO2 kg/M3  
NH4Cl kg/M3  
NH4HCO3 kg/M3  
(NH4)2CO3 kg/M3 108
NaHCO3 kg/M3  
NaCl kg/M3 258.57
H2S kg/M3 0.21

Preliminary Analysis:

1. Both pipes appear to have similar crack appearance straight and no evident macroscale
branching.
2. Mode of crack propagation appears to be brittle in nature. No deformation can be observed.
3. Internal surface of pipe having diameter of 12 inch revealed significant amount of corrosion and
scaling and in some areas grains/metal appear to have come out as encircled red in the Fig 3.
The external surface of this pipe also revealed localized corrosion and metal loss near the point
of crack initiation as can be seen in the Fig 4.
Fig. 3. Internal surface of 12 inch diameter pipe

Fig. 4. External surface of 12 inch diameter pipe

4. Internal surface of 6 inch diameter pipe revealed scaling but no scale chipping or pitting was
observed as shown in Fig 5. Macro

Findings

1. Longitudinal cracking results due to internal pressure, or compressive forces acting along the
pipe. Any of these loadings could result in a longitudinal crack. Once the crack has initiated, it
may travel the length of the pipe.
 2. Brittle fracture occurs due to presence of stress concentration that could be a casting defect,
crack, corrosion pit. The stress concentration must be large enough and sharp enough to be a
"critical flaw".

Graphitic corrosion can lead to unexpected catastrophic failure of the affected part because the
cast iron can lose its strength without a visible warning such as a change in size, shape, or
appearance. The iron oxide corrosion product can leach from the structure, leaving a mostly
graphite structure that has little of its original strength.

The presence of graphitic corrosion can be difficult to determine before a failure.  Rust
bleeding from the part, corrosion that extends beneath the normal surface corrosion
present on cast iron, and a loss of attraction to a magnet are symptoms indicative of
galvanic corrosion.

Initial field confirmation of a failure resulting from graphitic corrosion can be made by
checking for a gross weight loss, loss of attraction to a magnet, and most importantly a
loss of strength that can result in additional fractures by hand pressure or tapping with a
hammer. 

9.14.3 GRAPHITE CORROSION
Cast iron is prone to selective leaching in soft water, acidic water,
brackish water and water containing low levels of hydrogen
sulfide.Graphite flakes are cathodic to iron, and corrosion is localized
to iron which starts leaching (becomes a porous mass) and leaves a
rich residue of graphite flakes. Graphitization is observed on gray cast
iron water pipes.

https://www.warrenforensics.com/2017/06/30/graphitic-corrosion-difficult-to-determine-before-a-
failure/

https://www.ispatguru.com/corrosion-of-cast-irons/

http://www.testing-engineers.com/case1.html

Ammonia Stress Corrosion Cracking