Welded Joint Failure of Austenitic Creep Resisting Cr-Mn Steel

This paper deals with a case study of a radiation tube failure in a fuel hydrogenation refining furnace. The tubes, made of Cr-Mn creep resisting steel, were attacked by intercrystalline stress corrosion cracking due to the formation of polythionic acid in the piping system during equipment shutdowns over 14 years of service.