The dissertation presents the study results of changes in the structural and phase state of the metal of welded joints of steam pipelines of thermal power plants, as well as the development of practical recommendations for improving the methods of determining their reliability and residual service life.
The object of the study is the structural and phase state of the metal of welded joints of TPP steam pipelines made of heat-resistant steels of pearlite class 12Х1МФ and 15Х1М1Ф.
The subject of the study is the quantitative determination of changes in the structural phase state and operational characteristics of the metal of welded joints of steam pipelines, which are operated for a long time in conditions of creep and short-cycle fatigue.
The research on physicochemical processes, structural-phase state, properties, and damageability of the metal in welded joints of steam pipelines was carried out using appropriate methods on samples taken from operating steam pipelines. Both standard and improved techniques, as well as original methods, were used during the experimental research.
The structure, chemical composition, and structure were studied using optical, raster, and transmission electron microscopy. The study of the metal in welded joints of steam pipelines operating for a long time under conditions of creep and short-cycle fatigue, based on fractal analysis and the method of intersecting straight lines, allowed for the creation of a methodological basis for assessing changes in the structural and phase state that lead to destruction.
The scientific novelty of the obtained results lies in the fact that, based on theoretical and experimental research, the following were achieved:
for the first time:
- the differences in the fractal dimensions of the borders of structural components on the images of individual sections of welded joints of steam pipelines depending on the time of operation were established;
- when assessing the influence of the structural-phase state of the metal of welded joints on the residual resource, the geometric complexity of the boundaries of the allocation of structural components is taken into account, which is determined using a statistical analysis of the distribution of the fractal dimension, obtained using the cellular method of measurement;
improved:
- quantitative assessment of the unevenness of the distribution of the structural components of the metal to identify the characteristics of changes in the structural and phase state of individual areas of the HAZ, as well as the weld metal and the base metal, depending on the work in creep conditions;
- estimation of the number of pearlite inclusions, their sizes, and the distances between them for the statistically justified determination of the structural and phase changes of the metal of the welded joints of the steam pipeline, taking into account the service life;
received further development:
- research of the structural and phase state of the metal of welded joints of steam pipelines made of heat-resistant steels of the pearlite class 12Х1МФ and 15Х1М1Ф, which are operated for a long time (over 280 thousand hours) in conditions of creep and short-cycle fatigue on the basis of a complex statistical analysis of the geometric characteristics of structural elements.
A comparative analysis of the statistical characteristics of the distribution and content of structural components on welded joints' metal sections with different service lives was performed. The complexity of the boundary contours of structural components was evaluated based on fractal analysis. The statistical analysis of the results of the metallographic study of microsections using the cutting line method made it possible to obtain distributions of the number of grains, their sizes, and the distances between them. A scientifically-based description of structural changes in the metal of individual sections of welded joints is presented.
The structural and phase transformations in the metal of welded steam pipe joints that work for a long time in conditions of creep and fatigue are significantly affected by pearlite. Therefore, it is important to establish the level of inhomogeneity of pearlite in the structure of welded joints.
As a result of the conducted research, recommendations were developed for determining the residual service life of welded joints operated for a long time in creep conditions.
The results of the performed research supplemented the training courses "Experimental methods in welding", and "Welding of steels and non-ferrous metals", which are taught to students at the National technical university "Kharkiv polytechnic institute".
The results of the research were evaluated and recommended for implementation at JSC "Ukrainian Energy Machines".
