Performance of Repair Welds on Service-Aged 2-1/4Cr-1Mo Girth Weldments

This paper discusses the results of evaluations performed on service-aged piping using both conventional postweld heat treatments and temperbead repair techniques. The two repair weldments were accomplished on two 2-1/4Cr-1Mo pipe girth weldments which were removed from a utility hot reheat piping system in the fall of 1992 after 161,000 h of operation at 1000°F (538°C). Each repair was performed around one-half of the diameter of a pipe girth weldment, while the remaining half of the girth weldment was left in the service-aged condition. Post-repair metallurgical and mechanical test results indicated that both weld repairs produced improved remaining lives when compared to the service-aged girth weldments. Since the two ex-service weldments that were utilized in weld repairs exhibited different stress rupture strengths to start with, the performance of temper bead and postweld heat-treated (PWHT) repair could not be compared directly. It was clear, however, that life extension periods exceeding 30 yr could be achieved by temperbead repairs, with improved toughness and with no loss of stress rupture ductility, tensile strength, or yield strength. The temperbead repair improved the toughness of the service-aged weldment, while the postweld heat-treated repair lowered the HAZ toughness.