Thermal Shock Testing and Analysis of IN617 and Super 304H Samples

The DOE/OCDO sponsored Ultrasupercritical Steam Boiler Consortium is conducting thermal shock tests on austenitic and nickel-based materials to assess their use in thick-section boiler components. This paper describes the tests on CCA617 (a controlled chemistry version of IN617) and Super 304H thick-walled tubes. Details are given of the metallurgical analyses of the observed cracking in the bore and on the outside diameter of the samples, and of the thermal-mechanical analyses to explain the results. Elastic-plastic and elastic-plastic-creep analyses are used to calculate damage based on rupture life and creep strain accumulation. The results of the metallurgical and mechanical analyses are compared, and conclusions are drawn as to the accuracy and effectiveness of available high temperature life prediction techniques. The test conditions bear no relation to expected operating conditions. They are chosen to generate failure data.