Flange weld cracked on a 300 psi steam drum last Thursday

I was up in Gary, Indiana when I heard the pop and saw steam shooting out. Had to shut it down and re-weld the whole section with a preheat torch before the shift ended. Anyone dealt with a sudden crack like that on an older drum?

2 comments

2 Comments

adam_anderson610d ago

... honestly I used to think preheating on those older drums was overkill, but after watching a crack zip across a seam like that in Gary I changed my mind real quick. That 300 psi steam will find any weak spot and the older steel gets brittle with all those thermal cycles over the years. You gotta bring it up slow and even, let the metal stretch instead of fighting it. I've seen guys just hit it with a wire wheel and start welding cold, then wonder why it pops again six months later. That preheat torch you used probably saved you a lot more headaches down the line.

brooke48410d ago

Did you get the section preheated enough before you started laying the bead? I had a crack open up on a drum a few years back that was no joke, and I can tell you that moment when you hear that pop and see the steam is something you don't forget. The older steel really does get brittle from all those years of heating up and cooling down. Adam's right about the preheat being the difference between a fix that holds and one that just waits to fail again. You did the right thing taking the time to do it properly with the torch in Gary. That kind of careful work is what keeps a plant running for the next generation.