Stress Corrosion Cracking in Stainless

Steel"
Question:
"We have experienced repeated failures on seal flush piping on the naphtha and
distillate reflux pumps in our Crude Fractionation Unit. The piping is currently
constructed of 316L tubing. The process stream in low in organic chlorides, but high in
hydrogen sulphide. Inspection of the failures(cracks) suggests stress corrosion
cracking; likely sulphide induced. I am considering replacing the stainless steel piping
with either carbon steel, or 5% chromium 1/2 molybdenum. Do you have any thoughts
or suggestions?I was not aware that h3S increases the susceptibility of austenitic
stainless steels to chloride induced stress corrosion cracking. This relates to another
persistent problem that we have experienced; cracking of 347 valves in hydrotreating
service. The valves that fail are typically small diameter, A182 TP347 forged steel
valves. The service conditions are about 800F and 2500psig. The fluid in the piping
circuits is heavy oil; high in sulfur, hydrogen and hydrogen sulphide. We currently
neutralize the piping circuits during turnarounds using a soda ash/sodium nitrite wash
as per NACE recomendations. This procedure was developed to prevent polythionic
acid attack on the stainless steels when the piping is exposed to oxygen. Although this
does not specifically address chloride contamination problems, it does help to flush
contaminants high in chlorides from the system. It also leaves a thin protective layer of
crystalline soda ash/sodium nitrite on the piping which helps to limit oxygen exposure to
the piping. The reactor circuits(feed and effluent) in our plant have been constructed
with A297 HF Modified piping(cast and machined 347SS). The smaller diameter piping
is typically A312 TP347 with A182 F347 fittings. We have seen chloride induced stress
corrosion cracking in valves, forged fittings and butt-welded connections. The cracking
of small diameter forged valve bodies(drains and vents) has been the most common
failure. Do you have any suggestions that may help to eliminate the problems that we
are experiencing?"

Answer:
You are probably correct with respect to chloride stress corrosion cracking being
responsible for failure of the 316 piping. Hydrogen sulfide significantly decreases the
threshold quantities of chlorides need to promote chloride SCC. (A laboratory analysis

would easily verify your theory of chloride SCC). The question of replacement
metallurgy depends on the nature of your process stream. The proper selection of
carbon steel or a chromium-molybdenum low alloy steel depends several factors,
including amounts of hydrogen sulfide, sulfur and temperature. The McConomy curves
are a widely used reference for materials selection in h3S environments. If the cracking
has been correctly diagnosed as chloride stress corrosion cracking, and the problem is
confined to small drain, flush fittings, etc. you might consider upgrading those specific
components to an alloy not susceptible to chloride SCC while still maintaining
resistance to polythionic acid SCC, i.e., alloy 825 or something similar..

Naphtha
The word naphtha comes from the Greek and is derived from the Persian word Naft (= crude oil).
On the one hand, the term is used to describe light crude oils. On the other hand, naphtha is also
understood to mean untreated petroleum distillate from the refining of crude oil or natural gas, which
has the approximate boiling range of gasoline.
Naphtha is primarily used as a base material for the production of high-grade gasoline by means of
the catalytic reforming process. In accordance with DIN EN 228, gasoline mainly consists of various
hydrocarbons obtained by distilling crude oil. The fraction of the crude oil with a boiling range between
35C and 210C is referred to as naphtha. So gasoline is refined naphtha.
Naphtha is also a valuable feedstock for the petrochemical industry and its most important process,
steam cracking. Here, naphtha, ethane, LPG, hydrowax, gasoil or other suitable hydrocarbons are
cracked at retention times typically in the 200ms to 500ms range, and at temperatures between
800C and 850C in the presence of steam. Pyrolysis is used to produce ethylene and co-products
(propylene, butylene, butadiene). Ethylene and propylene are basic substances that are used, among
other things, in the production of plastics such as polyethylene and polypropylene. In the chemical
industry, naphtha is also used as a solvent for cleaning. The industry uses it as a diluting agent
in bitumen extraction. Closer to home, naphtha is also found in medicinal products and as a shoe
polish additive, for example.
Naphtha is the technical term for petroleum fractions that are rich in cycloalkanes (ring-shaped,
saturated hydrocarbons). This colorless (with kerosene smell) or red-brown liquid (with an aromatics
odor) intermediate product lies between the light gases of crude oil and the heavier, liquid kerosene
and is insoluble in water. A differentiation is made between light (less dense) and heavy (fairly dense)
naphtha. Light naphtha boils at between 35C and 130C and has a higher paraffin content than
heavy naphtha, which boils between 130C and 210C and contains a lot of naphthenes and

aromatics. Compared to heavy naphtha, which is often further refined, light naphtha is the least
processed product of a refinery.
Naphtha is extremely volatile and highly flammable. It is also classified as carcinogenic. Products sold
as naphtha may contain added impurities, which may have harmful properties of their own.
Mabanaft trades in petroleum products, including naphtha.

Oiltanking and its tank terminals provide comprehensive logistics solutions for the storage and
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The GMA Gesellschaft fr Minerall-Analytik und Qualittsmanagementinspects the quality of fossil

and biogenic fuels to generate motion andfuels to generate heat in accordance with international
standards.