Investigation of alloys for advanced steam cycle superheaters and reheaters

Screening tests were performed on three groups of developmental alloys and compared to the alloy design and performance criteria identified as needed for alloys suitable as superheater/reheater tubing in advanced heat recovery systems. The three alloy groups included modifications of type 316 stainless steel, Fe-20Cr-30Ni alloys, and Ni-Cr-Fe aluminides. The screening tests were performed by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, several university researchers, and industrial researchers and included fabricability, mechanical properties, weldability, and oxidation behavior. If mildly hot or cold worked, the modified type 316 stainless steels possessed excellent strength and ductility for times to 20,000 h, but possessed marginal weldability and oxidation resistance. The 20Cr-30Ni-Fe alloys also exhibited good strength and ductility, but showed marginal weldability tubing, and were marginal with respect to meeting several of the alloy design criteria. One stainless and one modified alloy 800H were produced as 50-mm-diam. tubing for further evaluation. 24 refs., 14 figs.