Degradation of steel 20 during cathodic polarization and hydrogen embrittlement of steam boiler screen pipes during operation

The paper examines the differences in the properties of new pipes, pipes artificially saturated with hydrogen and boiler screen pipes after long-term operation. The embrittlement process was studied by observing changes in the microstructural structure, mechanical properties and identifying the mechanism of hydrogen attack on the objects under study. It was discovered that there was no decarbonization characteristic of natural saturation with hydrogen and a decrease in the ultimate tensile strength of artificially saturated pipes. The nature of cracking was also different — transcrystalline with artificial saturation and intercrystalline with natural saturation. At the same time, the nature of the fractures — with areas of hydrogen fragility — and the average concentrations of accumulated hydrogen in pipes artificially hydrogenated and hydrogenated during operation were identical. Significant differences in the physical and mechanical properties of all three types of pipes have been recorded, which makes it impossible to transfer the results obtained with model samples artificially saturated with hydrogen to actually operated objects.

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