• Admin
    UC Research Repository
    View Item 
       
    • UC Home
    • Library
    • UC Research Repository
    • College of Engineering
    • Engineering: Theses and Dissertations
    • View Item
       
    • UC Home
    • Library
    • UC Research Repository
    • College of Engineering
    • Engineering: Theses and Dissertations
    • View Item
    JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.

    Browse

    All of the RepositoryCommunities & CollectionsBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjectsThis CollectionBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjects

    Statistics

    View Usage Statistics

    The Effect of a High-Temperature High-Pressure Nitrogen Environment with Carbonaceous Impurities on the Performance of Three Austenitic Alloys

    Thumbnail
    View/Open
    thesis_fulltext.pdf (12.70Mb)
    Author
    Jones, Franziska Anna
    Date
    2007
    Permanent Link
    http://hdl.handle.net/10092/3268
    Thesis Discipline
    Mechanical Engineering
    Degree Grantor
    University of Canterbury
    Degree Level
    Masters
    Degree Name
    Master of Engineering

    WhisperGenTM heater head components are currently machined from the austenitic stainless steel Sandvik 253MA. The inner surface of the heater heads is subjected to the working gas of the engine, which is a high-pressure, high-temperature nitrogen-based environment with carbonaceous impurities. As a result of this exposure, a scale forms during operation and eventually spalls. This spalled scale causes abrasive damage to piston seals and guides, which leads to pressure loss and eventual failure of the engine. The aim of the present work was to compare the performance of the austenitic alloy 253MA with two alternative alloys, Incoloy 800H and AISI 310, thereby enabling a material recommendation. A literature review provided information about many general aspects of high temperature corrosion in similar alloys. However, little was found about the application of these alloys in environments similar to those experienced by a WhisperGenTM heater head. Therefore, laboratory experiments were conducted to indicate the relative performance characteristics of the three potential alloys (253MA, Incoloy 800H and AISI 310). To overcome the difficulties with testing at high temperatures and pressures, Thermo-Calc™ was used to calculate gas mixtures at 1 bar that approximated the chemical potentials of carbon and nitrogen in the working gas at 24 bar. Comparisons of the different materials were made via weight loss/gain measurements and metallographic analysis, which included optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray mapping and electron back scatter diffraction (EBSD). The laboratory test sample results were also compared with results from heater heads of the same materials that were run in an actual WhisperGenTM engine. The experimental results taken in total indicate that 253MA is the least suitable alloy for the heater head application because it exhibited poor spalling performance, internal oxidation and formation of a large amount of Cr23C6. AISI 310 was shown in all cases to develop the detrimental sigma phase, although this alloy was the least susceptible to internal oxidation. Incoloy 800H was the most resistant alloy to all forms of degradation and is thus recommended for the heater head application.

    Subjects
    stainless steel
     
    corrosion
     
    EBSD
     
    SEM
    Collections
    • Engineering: Theses and Dissertations [2168]
    Rights
    https://canterbury.libguides.com/rights/theses

    UC Research Repository
    University Library
    University of Canterbury
    Private Bag 4800
    Christchurch 8140

    Phone
    364 2987 ext 8718

    Email
    ucresearchrepository@canterbury.ac.nz

    Follow us
    FacebookTwitterYoutube

    © University of Canterbury Library
    Send Feedback | Contact Us