HEAT TREATMENT

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Types of Heat Treatment

2. ASME B31.3 – Heat Treatment
– Preheat Treatment
– Post Weld Heat Treatment
– Specific requirements for Heat treatment
3. ASME SEC VIII Division 1 – Heat Treatment
– Preheat treatment
– Post weld heat treatment
 TYPES OF HEAT TREATMENT

• NORMALIZING
• ANNEALING
• QUENCHING &
• TEMPERING
 TYPES OF HEAT TREATMENT
NORMALIZING
• The steel is heated to 40° C above the upper critical temperature
followed by cooling in the still air.

ANNEALING
• Steel is heated 10 to 50°C above the upper critical temperature and
held for the desired length of time followed by very slow cooling
within the furnace

QUENCHING
Rapid cooling of a heated metal.

TEMPERING
• Tempering involves heating steel that has been quenched and
hardened for an adequate period of time so that the metal can be
equilibrated. The hardness and strength obtained depend upon the
temperature at which tempering is carried out.
 ASME B31.3 -WELDED JOINTS

Heat Treatment

Dissimilar Materials.
When materials having different preheat requirements are welded
together, it is recommended that the higher temperature shown in
Table 330.1.1 be used.

Interrupted Welding.
If welding is interrupted, the rate of cooling shall be controlled or
other means shall be used to prevent detrimental effects in the
piping. The preheat specified in the WPS shall be applied before
welding is resumed.
ASME B31.3 – PREHEAT TEMPERATURES
Base metal P-no Base metal group Nominal wall Minimum temp °c (°F )
thickness mm (Inch) Required Recommended

1 Carbon steel < 25 ( < 1) …. 10 (50)

≥ 25 (≥ 1) 79 (175)
All All 79 (175 )
3 Alloy steel < 13( < 1⁄2) …. 10 (50)
Cr ≤ ½ % ≥ 13 (≥ 1⁄2) 79 (175)
All (All) 79 (175)

Notes:
1. P-Number or S-Number from BPV Code, Section IX, QW/QB-422.
2. A-Number from Section IX, QW-442.
3. Maintain interpass temperature between 177°C–232°C (350°F–
450°F).
4. Maximum interpass temperature 316°C (600°F).
 HEAT TREATMENT
Heating and Cooling.
The heating method shall provide the required metal temperature,
metal temperature uniformity, and temperature control, and may
include an enclosed furnace, local flame heating, electric resistance,
electric induction, or exothermic chemical reaction. The cooling
method shall provide the required or desired cooling rate and may
include cooling in a furnace, in air, by application of local heat or
insulation, or by other suitable means.

Temperature Verification.
Heat treatment temperature shall be checked by thermocouple
pyrometers or other suitable methods to ensure that the WPS
requirements are met. See para. 330.1.3(b) for attachment of
thermocouples by the capacitor discharge method of welding.
 POST WELD HEAT TREATMENT

• Welds, attachment welds and cold-formed piping parts shall be

given a stress relief post-weld heat treatment.
• This heat treatment shall be carried out in a furnace or, if required,
by electric induction heating.
• Heat treatment shall be in the range of 580 to 620°C with a holding
time of 3 minutes per mm thickness and a minimum holding time of
1 hour.
• Cooling shall be controlled at a rate of 100°C per hour down to
350°C. C.4.4 The complete post-weld heat treatment cycle shall be
recorded.
 ALTERNATIVE HEAT TREATMENT

Normalizing, or normalizing and tempering, or annealing may be

applied in lieu of the required heat treatment after welding, bending,
or forming, provided that the mechanical properties of any affected
weld and base metal meet specification requirements after such
treatment and that the substitution is approved by the designer
 SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS – HEAT
TREATMENT
Dissimilar materials :
(a) Heat treatment of welded joints between dissimilar ferritic metals or
between ferritic metals using dissimilar ferritic filler metal shall be at
the higher of the
temperature ranges in Table 331.1.1 for the materials in the joint.
(b) Heat treatment of welded joints including both ferritic and austenitic
components and filler metals shall be as required for the ferritic
material or materials unless
otherwise specified in the engineering design.

Delayed Heat Treatment.

If a weldment is allowed to cool prior to heat treatment, the rate of
cooling shall be controlled or other means shall be used to prevent
detrimental effects in the piping.
 SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS – HEAT
TREATMENT
Partial Heat Treatment.
When an entire piping assembly to be heat treated cannot be fitted
into the furnace, it is permissible to heat treat in more than one heat,
provided there is at least 300 mm (1 ft) overlap between successive
heats, and that parts of the assembly outside the furnace are
protected from harmful temperature gradients.

Local Heat Treatment.

When heat treatment is applied locally, a circumferential band of the
run pipe, and of the branch where applicable, shall be heated until the
specified temperature range exists over the entire pipe section(s),
gradually diminishing beyond a band
which includes the weldment or the bent or formed section and at
least 25 mm (1 in.) beyond the ends thereof.
HEAT TREATMENT ASME SEC VIII
Div. 1
 PRE HEAT -AS PER ASME-SEC VIII Div.1

P-NO. 1 GROUP NOS. 1, 2, AND 3

• 175°F (79°C) for material which has both a specified maximum

carbon content in excess of 0.30% and a thickness at the joint in
excess of 1 in. (25 mm);
• 50°F (10°C) for all other materials in this P‐Number.

P-NO. 8 GROUP NOS. 1 AND 2

• No Heat Treatment required
 PWHT -AS PER ASME-SEC VIII Div.-1

• As a minimum, the soak band shall contain the weld, heat affected
zone, and a portion of base metal adjacent to the weld being heat
treated.
• The minimum width of this volume is the widest width of weld plus
1t or 2 in. (50 mm), whichever is less, on each side or end of the
weld
Heating the vessel as a whole in an enclosed furnace:
• This procedure is preferable and should be used whenever
practicable.
Heating the vessel in more than one heat in a furnace:
• Provided the overlap of the heated sections of the vessel is at least
5 ft (1.5 m).
 PWHT -AS PER ASME-SEC VIII Div.-1

Heating a local area around nozzles or welded attachments

• In the larger radius sections of a double curvature head or a

spherical shell or head in such a manner that the area is brought up
uniformly to the required temperature and held for the specified
time.
• The soak band shall include the nozzle or welded attachment.
• The soak band shall include a circle that extends beyond the edges
of the attachment weld in all directions by a minimum of t or 2 in. (50
mm), whichever is less.
• The portion of the vessel outside of the soak band shall be
protected so that the temperature gradient is not harmful.
ASME-SEC VIII Div.-1 HEAT TREATMENT

Material Holding Temp Nom. Thickness Soaking Period

P.No. 1 Gr. No. 1, 2, 3 1100 F (595 C) Upto 2” 1 Hour per inch.
However 15
minutes minumum
Over 2” to 5” 2 Hours.
Plus 15 Minutes for
each additional
inch. Over 2”

Over 5” 2 Hours.
Plus 15 Minutes for
each additional
inch. Over 2”

Post weld Heat Treatment is mandatory on P-No.3 Gr. No. 3 material

in all thicknesses.
ASME-SEC VIII Div.-1 HEAT TREATMENT

• The temperature of furnace shall not exceed 800’F

• ( 4270C) at the time when the vessel or part is placed in it.

• Above 8000F( 4270C), the rate of heating shall not be more

than 4000F Per hour (2000C/Hour) divided by the maximum

metal thickness of the shell or head plate in inches, but in no

case more than 4000F Per hour( 2220C Per hour ).

• During the heating period, There shall not be a greater

variation in temperature throughout the portion of the vessel

being heat treated than 2500F( 1390C) within any 15 feet

( 4.6m) interval of length.
 ASME-SEC VIII Div.-1 HEAT TREATMENT
• During the holding period, there shall not be a greater difference

than 1500f ( 830c) between the highest and the lowest temperature

the portion of the vessel being heated

• During the heating & holding periods, the furnace atmosphere shall

be so controlled as to avoid excessive oxidation of the surface of the

vessel. The furnace shall be of such design as to prevent direct heat

impingement of the flame on the vessel.

• Above 8000F ( 4270C), The rate of cooling shall not be more than

5000F Per hour (2780C/Hour) divided by the maximum metal

thickness of the shell or head plate in inches, but in no case more

than 5000F Per hour ( 2780C Per hour).

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