Reformer Tube Metallurgy: Design

Considerations; Failure
Mechanisms; Inspection Methods

Gerard B. Hawkins
Managing Director

Contents

Design principles
Recent developments in metallurgy
Failure mechanisms
Monitoring and inspection techniques
From an operator's viewpoint
-how can you maximize tube life ?
-- what can you do if a tube fails ?

Introduction

The steam reformer is one of the most important

and costly parts of the plant
Tubes operate at limits of temperature and
pressure
Tube replacement is expensive

Re-tube cost for a "typical" 50 mmscfd

H2 plant is ~10% of installed plant cost

Reformer Tube Design

Based on predicted creep life of material

Laboratory short-term test are performed for each
material
Time to rupture is evaluated for
1) a range of temperatures at constant stress
2) at a range of different stresses

Stress,

T1

T2

T3

Temperatures, T

Time, t

T4

Larson - Miller Curve

All of the data for a given material can be

represented in one diagram by defining the
Larson-Miller parameter, P, as a function of time
(t) and temperature (T)
Data is analyzed statistically and extrapolated to
longer time-scales
tests are normally 100s to 1000s hrs long

Larson-Miller Diagram - Results of 170

Rupture Tests on Typical HK40
100,000

Rupture Stress (psi)

P = T (log (t) + K)
50,000

1000
where T = temperature
t = time
K = constant

10,000
5,000

1,000
16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

P (Larson-Miller Parameter)

25

26

Mean Tube Life (Hours x 1000)

Effect of Temperature on Tube Life

200
HK40 tubes
38 barg (550 psig) pressure
95 mm (3.75") bore
13.46 mm (0.53") wall
thickness
15.3 N/mm2 (2218 psi) stress

100
50

+20C
(+36F)

20
10
5
850

900

950

1000

Temperature oC

1050

1100

Effect of temperature on tube life

Deg F
1580
1616
1652
1697
1742
1787
1832
1922
2012
2102
2192

Deg C
860
880
900
925
950
975
1000
1050
1100
1150
1200

10 years
5 years
2.5 years
11 Months
4.5 month
2 Months
4 weeks
5.5 days
1 day
8 hours
2 Hours

Methodology

Calculate expired life fraction, F, for each

tube:
F = n1/N1 + n2/N2 + n3/N3 + ...

Where

ni = actual time at temperature i

Ni = mean life at temperature i

Calculate ni from thermal history

Calculate Ni from Larson-Miller

Calculation of Ni
TUBE B

Maximum Tube Wall Temperature

oC

oF

900 1652

Temp
Range

Temp
Range

(oC)

(oF)

890 1634
TUBE A
880 1616

870 1598

860 1580
850
0

2000 4000 6000 8000 10000 12000

Time on-line (hours)

Time
Time
Spent
Spent
(Hours) (Hours)
ni
ni
Tube A Tube B

850-860 1562-1580 2000

860-870 1580-1598 7800

3950

870-880 1598-1616 1300

350

880-890 1616-1634 1800

1150

890-900 1634-1652

1850

900-910 1652-1670

5600

12900

12900

Contents

Design principles
Recent developments in metallurgy
Failure mechanisms
Monitoring and inspection techniques

From an operator's viewpoint

-how can you maximize tube life ?
-- what can you do if a tube fails ?

Metallurgical Developments

HK40

25 Cr / 20 Ni

Development of wrought stainless steel

Historically standard material for the last 40
years
Generally available
Served industry well (reliable)

Metallurgical Developments

HP Modified

25 Cr / 35 Ni + Nb

Available for the last 30 years

More expensive than HK40
Choice of thinner tubes at same price, or
longer lives

Metallurgical Developments

Microalloy

25 Cr / 35 Ni + Nb + Ti

Most recent development

Twice as strong as HK40
Cost effective (not twice the price)
Offers options of higher heat flux, increased
catalyst volume, fewer tubes, improved
efficiency or longer tube life
Requires skill to produce

Creep Strength

Development of Steam Reformer

Tube Alloys
Add

Add

Add

Ni, Cr, C

Nb

Microalloy
Additions
Improved
Carbides

Improved
Carbides

TUBES MADE BY CENTRIFUGAL CASTINGS

(High Carbon 0.4%)

Low Carbon
Stainless
Wrought
Pipes

1960

HK40

HP Mod

Microalloys

25/20
Cr/Ni

25/35/1
Cr/Ni/Nb

25/35/1 plus
Cr/Ni/Nb
additions

1975

Year

1985

Comparison of Alloy Strength, Tube

Thickness and Tube Volume
100,000 hour life at 900 Deg C
(1650 Deg F)

30
25
20
15
10
5
0

Tube Material

IN 519
HP Microalloy

0.012

20

Catalyst Volume (m3/m)

Minimum Sound Wall Thickness (mm)

Rupture Strength (N/mm2)

35

HK40
HP Nb Mod

Calculated to API RP 530

15

10

0.01

0.008

0.006

0.004

0.002

Tube Material

Tube Material

Based on 125.2mm (4.93") OD tube, 35.7 kg/cm2 (508psi) pressure

Centrifugal Casting Process for

Tubes
Liquid Alloy In

Steel Mould
5-6 metres long
(Spinning at high speed)

Hollow Liquid Tube

formed by Centrifugal Forces

Pouring
Cup

End Plate

Internal Coating
Liquid Stream

Drive Rollers
Solidified Tube

Photo of Casting Process

Tube microstructure (as cast)

Light oxides on inner wall

(machined away)

Tube microstructure
Primary carbides

Austentite grains

As-Cast condition
Network of primary carbides

Fine secondary carbides

(Precipitate)

0.1mm

Aged condition
Secondary carbides precipitation

Fabrication

Welds of different metallurgy are a source of

weakness
Tube material developments with resultant
higher stresses put more demands on welds
PAW and EBW now increasingly available
Narrow welds/no shrinkage
Flexibility in tube metallurgy (no consumable
required)
Weld failures rare nowadays

Contents

Design principles
Recent developments in metallurgy
Failure mechanisms
Monitoring and inspection techniques
From an operator's viewpoint
-how can you maximise tube life ?
-- what can you do if a tube fails ?

Creep Damage

Slow, sustained increase in length/diameter as a

result of stress at elevated temperature
Culminates in rupture
Dominant damage mechanism

Categories for Classification of

Creep Damage

Creep Strain

Rupture

I, II, III:
Creep Ranges

Exposure Time

Creep Crack Development

Isolated creep voids (x 250)

Micro-fissures (x 250)

Creep cracking (x 100)

Creep Crack Development

Through The Tube Wall

Start : Cracks 30% from inner wall

Growth : Cracks grow to break inner bore
Failure : Cracks progress to outer wall

Most Common Steam Reformer

Tube Failure Mechanisms

Normal end-of-life failures

Creep rupture
Weld cracking due to creep
Overheating accelerates normal end-of-life
Over-firing
Flame impingement
Thermal cycling also accelerates normal end-oflife

Less Common Steam Reformer

Tube Failure Mechanisms

Thermal gradients
Others
Thermal shock
Stress corrosion cracking
Dissimilar weld cracking
Tube support system

Creep Rupture

Creep Rupture - Tube Section

Tube Failure at a Weld

Weld Failure - Detail

Contents

Design principles
Recent developments in metallurgy
Failure mechanisms
Monitoring and inspection techniques
From an operator's viewpoint
-how can you maximise tube life ?
-- what can you do if a tube fails ?

Inspection Methods and

Monitoring Techniques

NDT
Visual examination
Tube diameter (or circumference) measurement
Ultrasonic attenuation
Radiography
Metallurgical examination

Combination of methods needed

Visual Examination

Prior to shut-down
Hot tubes, hot spots, leaks
Bulges, distortion, scale, colour, staining
Can indicate overheating
Adequate access (scaffolding) needed
Use TV camera to look at bore
Cracking often starts in bore

Tube Diameter Measurement

Measure diameter - often undervalued method

Tube diameters (as cast) vary by up to 3 mm
1% growth (around 1 mm) significant
HK40 - 1 %; HP Alloys - ~4-5%
Must really have base-line readings
Limited locations only really reliable at welds
Wont be max temp areas
Tubes can go oval
Need staging for access

Ultrasonic Testing
7

10

X1 X2

5
4
2
6

3
6
1
Sketch of the inspection system
1
2
3
4
5

Inspected tube
Emitting probe
Receiving probe
Probe assembly
Water feed

6
7
8
9
10

Water chamber
Ultrasonic pulser
Amplifier
Analog gate
Recorder

Ultrasonic Attenuation

Categories for Classification of

Creep Damage

Creep Strain

Damage
Parameter
A
B
C
D

Corresponding
Action in Plant
- observe
- observe, fix
inspection intervals
- limited service until
replacement
- plan immediate
replacement

Rupture

D
C
B

I, II, III:
Creep Ranges

Exposure Time

Ultrasonic Attenuation

Excellent in principle
Poor track record in practice
Tends to fail sound tubes
Difficult to calibrate
Best to use repeat tests
Look for deterioration
Manufacturers recommend radiography of
suspect areas
Scaffolding not needed

Radiography

Use in suspect areas

Hot spots and bulges
Main benefit in butt weld inspection
Time-consuming (area sterilisation)
Limited to sampling
Sensitivity
Accurate alignment
Catalyst removal
Staging needed

Radiography - Weld Crack

Eddy Current Measurement

Eddy current measurement

Similar crawler to ultrasound device
No contact, uses AC coil/sensing coil
Baseline readings recommended
Issues
Magnetic permeability variation in HP alloy
Depth of penetration through wall less
sensitive to inner wall cracks
Can also include OD measurement

Metallurgical Examination

Selective early retirement of tubes for

metallurgical investigation
Concern about validity of sample
How representative is sample?
Statistical significance of sample size

Accelerated creep tests or elapsed life tests of no

value
Life of a tube?
first failure
6 years

mean life
52 years

last failure
242 years

Other Inspection Methods

Surface replication
Time consuming
Spot result on surface, means creep damage
is through wall
Conventional ultrasonic inspection of dissimilar
welds is recommended
New - Laser mapping of tube bore
Extremely high accuracy

LOTIS - Laser Optical Tube

Inspection System

Highly accurate creep strain measure over

entire tube length
Creep damage can be characterised by
increases in the reformer tube diameter
Spinning laser measures tube ID
Available only through licensing.

LOTIS Laser Mapping Probe

General Theory of Optical

Triangulation
DIODE LASER

PHOTODETECTOR
FOCUSING LENS

IMAGED SPOT

IMAGING LENS

INSPECTION
RANGE

TARGET SURFACE
OBJECT SPOT

LOTIS Field System

LOTIS Application Method and

Output

LOTIS Tube Inspection System

Capable of obtaining measurements within

0.002 (0.05mm)
Measures tube diameters within 0.05%
Tubes can be scanned quickly - typically 3
minutes per tube
Well proven and reliable equipment - used in
power plant for over 14 years
Proven in reformers for over 8 years

3D Modeling of Creep Damage in

Reformer

3D Modeling of Creep Damage in

Reformer

LOTIS Inspection of Reformer

Tubes

NDT Technique Capabilities

LOTIS Limitations

Only inspects inside surface

Requires tubes to be empty of
catalyst
Probe cannot be submerged in water

Options following Single Tube

Failure

If leak is small with no impingement on

neighboring tube, continue running!
Replace tube
Nip pigtails (but consider effect on remaining
tubes)

Pigtail Nipping
X

Header

Inlet
Pigtail

X X = Nip
poisitons

Before
nip

Leak

After
nip

Impingement on
refractory and other
tubes
Header
X
Outlet Pigtail

Pinched Tube in Steam Reformer

Pinched Tube
Row of Steam
Reformer
Tubes

Conclusions

Tube life can be maximized by

Use of improved metallurgy
Good temperature control
Tube life can be monitored by a combination of NDT
and TWT measurement
Example of remaining tube life prediction given
Pigtail nipping increases options following a tube
failure

Conclusions

The future
Tube metallurgy improvements have reached a
plateau
Nothing new on the horizon
Future improvements are more likely to be in smart
coatings to improve heat transfer

The Eternal Dilemma.

PU
T
U
O

T
TUBE LIFE

P RO

D UC

T IO N

M AI

NT E

NA N

CE