Technical Module Work Group July 17, 2017

BRD Appendix V Revision 5 Appendix V, Page 1

TECHNICAL MODULE #9

Thermal Fatigue Cracking

TECHNICAL MODULE #9 THERMAL FATIGUE CRACKING

9.1 Description of Damage
Most low-cycle-fatigue problems in high temperature equipment involve thermal as well
as mechanical loading. Thermal fatigue is the gradual deterioration and eventual
cracking of a material caused by alternate heating and cooling during which free thermal
expansion is partially or fully constrained. Constraint of thermal expansion causes
thermal stresses that may eventually initiate and propagate fatigue cracks. Constrains
may be external or internal. In high-temperature components, especially in massive
components, thermal gradients caused by differential cooling or heating will stress the
component. This occurs when thermal expansion and contraction at given location is
constrained by adjacent material, which is either at a different temperature or made of a
different material.

In addition to the alternating stresses caused by the differential heating and cooling,
temperature dependent material properties may also increase the likelihood of fatigue.
Many materials may have a lowered fatigue resistance at high temperatures. Yielding
and deformation caused by the combination of high stress and high temperatures where
yield stresses are low can also play a part in the thermal fatigue.

In total, there are no simple unifying rules for identifying the combination of materials,
varying operating conditions, and component geometry that will result in thermal fatigue.
A simple subjective method is recommended for identifying equipment that is a likely
candidate for this damage mechanism. It requires analyst to examine the components that
are subjected to repeated high-temperature cycles during the life of the equipment, and to
assess whether the geometry and the severity of the operating conditions are likely to
cause repeated cycles of high temperatures and stresses.

The module is intended for equipment that are subjected to significant thermal cycling
through out their life. Some examples of this equipment are:
Thick walled vessels with high through wall temperature gradients.
Process vessels which are thermal cycled such as molsieve vessels
Reformer furnace outlet headers
Equipment associated with furnaces that require routine decoking cycles.
Components downstream of furnaces such as transfer line exchangers
Equipment in process quench systems
Structural supports on piping and equipment that is thermally cycled
Catalytic reformer reactor inlet and outlet piping

Det Norske Veritas (U.S.A.), Inc. Houston, Texas

Technical Module Work Group July 17, 2017
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TECHNICAL MODULE #9

Thermal Fatigue Cracking

9.2 Basic Data

The data listed in Table TM9.1 are the minimum required to calculate the Technical
Module Subfactor for Thermal Fatigue Cracking.

Table TM9.1 Basic Data Required for Analysis

Basic Data
Constraints to thermal expansion?
Maximum metal temperature during
operation?
Change in metal temperature during
operation?
Rate of temperature change?
Number of thermal cycles?
Rate of cycling?
Possible location for failures?
Number of thermal cycles since last
inspected?
Comments
Constrains may be external or internal and may be caused by
geometrical constrains, such as sudden changes in thickness or high
temperature gradients caused by process conditions.
Equipment with a maximum metal temperature of 500F or greater is
considered at risk for thermal fatigue.
Equipment with temperature differences (T max-Tmin) greater than 200F
are considered at risk for thermal fatigue.
Very gradual temperature variations are ignored.
This is the number of thermal cycles will the equipment have been
subjected to at the time of the assessment.
Fatigue is not considered for equipment that is cycled less than twice per
year.
These could include: external thermal expansion restrictions; dissimilar
metal welds; thick walls; thickness changes; possible points where
process could impinge metal that is significantly cooler, warmer than the
process.
Determined by the date of the last inspection for cracking.

9.3 Determination of Technical Module Subfactor

Figure TM9.1 shows the basic steps in the determination of the TMSF. The steps are as
follows:

1. First screening question: Is the equipment subject to temperatures above 500F during
its operating cycle? If any portion of the operating cycle exceeds 500F, thermal
fatigue is considered possible. This limit on temperature applies to all phases of
normal operation. Thermally induced stresses could result in fatigue and
deterioration at lower temperatures. However, thermal fatigue is more prevalent in
equipment that experiences high temperatures during some portion of its operating
cycle, where changing material properties have the potential to contribute to
deterioration. Above 500F, material properties of many materials such as yield and
tensile strength become more sensitive to temperature.

Det Norske Veritas (U.S.A.), Inc. Houston, Texas

Technical Module Work Group July 17, 2017
BRD Appendix V Revision 5 Appendix V, Page 3

TECHNICAL MODULE #9

Thermal Fatigue Cracking

2. Second screening question: Is the rate of temperature change greater than 200F per
day, during some portion of the cycle? Slowly varying temperatures have a smaller
potential to induce thermal gradients, and thermal stresses. For example, a vessel
with a run cycle that includes long constant temperature phases would be included, if
the cycle includes operating phases that cause the vessel to be heated or cooled at a
rate faster than 200F/hour.

3. Third screening question: Is the amplitude of the thermal cycle (T max Tmin) more than
200F? Thermal fatigue is not considered in items with thermal cycles less than
200F.

4. Fourth screening question: Are there any constraints to thermal expansion? If there
are no constraints or restrictions to thermal expansion then the likelihood of thermal
fatigue is very low. Constraints can be the result of temperature differences or the
result of the geometric design of the component. A constraint caused by thermal
gradients includes heating or cooling across a thick walled component, rapid cooling
or heating of a nozzle relative to the vessel. Geometrical or physical constraints
include supports, changes in thickness, or bimetallic welds connecting components
with different coefficients of expansion.

5. Fifth screening question: Does the item undergoes two or more temperature cycles
per year? If so, thermal fatigue is considered possible.

For equipment that meets all of the screening criteria, the analyst is required to determine
if the item has either a high, medium, or low possibility of thermally induced stresses.
This assessment is done in two parts:

Is there a high probability of large temperature gradients? (Temperature gradient =

Low or High) High temperature gradients can result from rapid or uneven cooling
or heating of a vessel or component. This could be caused by instabilities in the
process during cycles, or the uneven application of insulation, for example at
nozzles or other structural discontinuities. Rapid temperature changes in the process
will cool thinner sections more quickly than thicker sections. Because heat transfer
is most effective at locations with high fluid velocities, variations in fluid velocity
or turbulence may contribute to higher temperature gradients.
Does the geometry constrain differential expansion and contraction? (Geometrical
constraint = Low or High) Geometric constraint on differential thermal expansion
increases the probability of stress concentrations. For example, sudden changes in
thickness or other structural discontinuities such as nozzle reinforcement pads,
skirts or other vessel supports or stiffeners can constrain differential expansion.

Det Norske Veritas (U.S.A.), Inc. Houston, Texas

Technical Module Work Group July 17, 2017
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TECHNICAL MODULE #9

Thermal Fatigue Cracking

Large through-thickness bending stresses may result near locations where there are
sudden changes in the stiffness of the component.
Based on the analysts subjective assessment of these two questions, and the rules given
in Table TM9.2 one of the three columns in the TMSF table is selected.

Table TM9.2. Estimation of TMSF

Use this table in the following way: TMSF
1. Determine the life parameter T from T 1 2 3
the equation: 0.0 1 10 100
T t tinsp tinsp 0.1 2 18 175
where t = age in the number of thermal- 0.2 3 30 290
cycles of the component, and tinsp is the 0.3 5 48 457
number of cycles experienced by the 0.4 8 75 686
component when it was last inspected. If 0.5 11 112 984
the component has never been inspected
T = 1. 0.6 17 164 1348
2. Select column to used in the TMSF 0.7 24 234 1761
table (right) based on the answers to the 0.8 34 325 2194
two questions:
0.9 47 441 2605
Geometric Temperature gradient 1.0 63 586 2953
constraint Low High 1.5 236 1759 3500
Low 1 2 2.0 658 3065 3500
High 2 3 2.5 1430 3482 3500
3.0 2414 3500 3500
3. Adjust for column for one of the 3.5 3174 3500 3500
following factors: 4.0 3460 3500 3500
If cracking was detected in the most
recent inspection, use column 3.
If more than five inspections and ten
years of service have been
completed with no failures, subtract
one from the column number if the
column number is 1 set TMSF to 1.

Det Norske Veritas (U.S.A.), Inc. Houston, Texas

Technical Module Work Group July 17, 2017
BRD Appendix V Revision 5 Appendix V, Page 5

TECHNICAL MODULE #9

Thermal Fatigue Cracking

Start

No Maximum
Tmax 500F temperature

Yes

No Temperature
T 200F
range

Yes

No Heating and
dT/dt cooling rates
200F/day

Yes

Frequency of
No Does it cycle more thermal cycles
frequently than and number of
once per 6 thermal cycles
months?

Yes

Assessment of
No Is thermal design and
expansion operating
constrained? characteristics

Yes

Assessment of
constraints, thermal
No significant Determine TMSF gradients
damage expected using Table Number of cycles
from thermal TM9.1-3 Number of cycles
fatigue since last inspection

Figure TM9.1. Flow chart of TMSF determination

Det Norske Veritas (U.S.A.), Inc. Houston, Texas