Creep Deformation Property and Creep Life Evaluation of Super304H

Abstract

Creep deformation behavior, creep strength property, and microstructural evolution during creep exposure were investigated on Super 304H steel for boiler tube. In the high stress and lower temperature regime, creep rupture strength of Super 304H steel is higher than that of SUS304H steel. The slope of stress versus time to rupture curve of Super 304H steel, however, becomes steeper with increase in creep exposure time and temperature, and the creep rupture strength of Super 304H steel becomes closer to that of SUS304H steel after the tens of thousands of hours at 700 °C and above. In the short-term, at 600 °C, creep rupture ductility increases with increase in creep rupture life. However, it tends to decrease after showing the maximum value and the creep rupture ductility decreases with increase in temperature. The complex shape of creep rate versus time curves, with two minima in creep rate, was observed at 600 °C. Several type precipitates of niobium carbonitride (Nb(C,N)), Z phase (NbCrN), and copper were observed in Super 304H steel, as well as M23C6 carbide and sigma phase observed in SUS304H steel. The change in slope of stress versus time to rupture curve is caused by disappearance of precipitation strengthening effect during creep exposure. Accuracy of creep rupture life evaluation was improved by stress range splitting method which takes into accounts of the change in slope of stress versus time to rupture curves was demonstrated.