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Failure Analysis Of Superheater Tube Supports Of The Primary Reformer In A Fertilizer Factory

A.S. Md Abdul Haseeb

A failure analysis of superheater tube supports of the primary reformer in a local fertilizer factor is presented. A number of tube supports failed at approximately half of their designed service life. Following the failure, the factory was visited, and relevant information and samples were collected. The samples were investigated in the laboratory by chemical analysis, macro- and microhardness measurements, macro-and micrometallographic examinations, and X-ray diffractometry. The analysis showed the supports were fabricated from HH-type heat-resisting alloy and that the failure mode was high-temperature creep. The microstructure of the alloy showed the presence of massive intergranular as well as intragranular …