Influence of Extra Coarse Grains on the Creep Properties of 9 Percent CrMoV (P91) Steel Weldment

Abstract

With modern welding methods, satisfactory microstructures in 9%CrMoV (P91) steel can be obtained with a modest variation in hardness and prior austenite grain size. However, there is always a risk that significant deviations in the properties can be obtained, if the welding parameters are not optimized. In the present paper the role of extra coarse grains in the heat affected zone (HAZ) has been studied. Creep tests were carried out at 600°C for parent metal, weld metal, cross weld, simulated extra coarse grained HAZ, and simulated intercritical HAZ of a 9%CrMoV (P91) steel. The parent metal, the cross welds, the weld metal, and the simulated intercritical HAZ had about the same rupture strength except at long rupture times, where the values for the cross welds were considerably lower. In the cross welds, rupture took place in the intercritical HAZ at longer times (Type IV cracking). The simulated extra coarse grains gave considerably longer rupture times, lower strain rate and lower creep ductility than the parent metal and the weld metal. The creep strain behavior was successfully analyzed using the Omega model where the log creep strain rate is linear in the creep strain.