Weld & HAZ Hardness

[allahmohammad]

Reformed Gas TO Synthesis Gas Convertor Reactor - Shell Plate SA 516 Gr 55 Material - Weld Hardness 243 Brinells Hardness / HAZ 226 Brinells Hardness. ASME SEC II Part C (welding consumables)SFA 5.1 Specification for carbon steel electrodes for Shielded metal arc welding dosen't mention WELD & HAZ harness values. During Plant ShutDown the equipment welds and HAZ hardness values taken by digital harness tester and values recorded. Now these values to be verified against the Fabrication code speficifed values. where can i find the hardness values specified by industrial codes /standards

If in case values are higher than the specified by farication code ASME Sec VIII Div 1. what is possible remedial action to be taken for Reactor Life integrity.

Similarly for P3 material Hardness of Reformer Headear values, as given in ANSI B 31.3 is 225 BHN . And the recorded values on the equipment are higher than the specified by the standard. What is the Remidial measure for the Header life integrity.

WELD & HAZ Recorded Values Attached.

 

[metengr]

Why are you obtaining in-situ hardness on welds and base material heat affected zones of material originally qualified for service by the code of construction? In-situ hardness testing on service-exposed equipment is at best for qualitative purposes and should not be used for comparing with original fabrication hardness testing.

By the way, how are you obtaining base metal heat affected zone hardness data when all you have is the outher surface of a weld region exposed?

 

[allahmohammad]

It is right, In-situ hardness testing on service-exposed equipment is at best for qualitative purposes. With refrence to which values to be verified to check the in service obtained values are
refering to what condition of the equipment?

 

[metengr]

allahmohammad;
The message I was trying to convey in my first post was you should not be using field hardness test data on service exposed equipment to compare with original fabrication hardness, either as specified by B31.3 or other standard. The reason is that you will have variability in the results, and you cannot reliably obtain heat affected zone hardness information.

This is why I mentioned hardness testing of in-service equipment is, at best, for qualitative purposes.

I would suggest no remedial efforts at this time, and obtain another hardness survey in the future to compare values, using the same method and application.

 

[stanweld]

Assuming that your hardness tests were performed on the OD (non service exposure surface), it does not reflect the hardness of the ID (service exposed surface) if stress corrosion cracking (SCC) can be expected. ASME VIII will not provide the hardness limits.

If the service environment is not such where SCC can occur, the hardness values obtained will not affect service.

 

[Guest102023]

(1) What is a digital harness tester?

(2) I find the results hard to believe.

(3) Don't think a FFS assessment can be done solely on the basis of hardness tests.

Please clarify the question.

 

[allahmohammad]

A Krautkramer MIC 10 On Site Hardness Testing Device according to Ultrasonic Contact Imedance ASTM A 1038 was used to get the hardness values from the surface of the material.(the diamond indent in the material surface is electroncially measured. vickers penetration with indendation evaluation by the UCI methord under load diamond angle 136 degree)

 

[stanweld]

It is assumed that the surface was properly prepared by polishing, since the degree of surface roughness can produce erroneous results.