CRACK RESISTANCE OF CENTRIFUGAL-CAST STEAM P I P E S MADE OF STEEL 1 5 K h l M l F

Significance of assessing the characteristics of crack resistance of centrifugal-cast (CFC) tubes made of steel 15KhlMlF is substantiated. The characteristic features of the metal under study are considered along with the methodology of crack resistance tests. Three modifications of the metal of the CFC pipes in the initial state, that differ in the degree of developed segregational heterogeneity, and two modifications of the metal with almost the same degree of structural heterogeneity, which differ in the running time as a part of the operating equipment are studied. It is shown that a decrease in the intensity of the segregational damage of the metal structure has almost no effect on the level of the strength characteristics, but is accompanied by an increase in the plastic properties and toughness of the metal. We present the results of studying crack resistance of centrifugal-cast pipes (steel 15KhlMlF) under static, cyclic and prolonged static loading in conditions of high-temperature creep. It is shown that an increase in the degree of structural heterogeneity of the CFC steel adversely affects the characteristics of static crack resistance and cyclic crack resistance as well, but to a far lesser extent and has little if any effect on the crack resistance of the CFC steel at creep. Cyclic crack resistance slightly decreases with increase of the operating time of the metal in functioning pipelines, whereas the characteristics of the prolonged static crack resistance get worse significantly. It is shown that welded joints of the CFC pipelines have a substantially lower crack resistance under creep conditions compared to the base metal. Statistical processing of the experimental data is used to get kinetic diagrams of cyclic and prolonged static crack resistance of 15X1M1F CFC-steel in creep conditions. The results of practical applications of the obtained crack resistance characteristics of the metal of the CFC pipes are demonstrated with a focus on the problems of ensuring the reliable operation of the steam pipelines of thermal power plants at the end of their service lifetime.

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