P91 - The Workhorse of the Power Industry

written by: johnzactruba edited by: Lamar Stonecypher updated: 5/22/2011

For the last two decades the power industry standard material for high temperature applications
is the P91 or T91 grade material. What is this material? What are its benefits? What are the
precautions to be taken during construction?

The steam leaving the superheater of a modern large capacity boiler is in the order or 570
C to 600 C and at pressures ranging from 170 bar to 230 bar. This means the last stages of the
superheater and the pipes carrying the steam to the turbine should withstand these extreme
conditions. This requires this material should have very high strength properties, which do not
deteriorate with time, and should be creep resistant.

Advantages of P91
SA 213 T91 or SA 335 P91 is such a ferritic alloy steel that meets this condition. This material
has been in use for the last two decades successfully in power plant service. It is also called 9 Cr
1 Mo steel based on its composition.
Compared to its predecessor, the T22 or P22 grade, grade 91 exhibits high strength up to
temperatures in the range of 600 C. Also the oxidation temperature limits are higher. This
allows the power plant designers to engineer components, superheater coils, headers and steam
piping, with less thickness. This contributes to a higher thermal fatigue life of almost ten times.
This allows them to increase the operating temperature to a higher level, increasing the efficiency
of the power plant.

This makes it ideally suitable for plants that operate on a cyclic basis like combined cycle
plants. Also the reduction in thickness suits HRSG designers since in an HRSG the temperature
head is limited and locating the coils in the heat transfer path is very critical.

Why is P91 different ?

What makes this steel different is the addition of a high amount of Chromium. Grade 91 contains
9 % Chromium and 1 % Molybdenum compared to 2.5 % Chromium in the next best P22 grade.
Chromium improves high temperature strength and increases oxidation resistance. Molybdenum
increases the creep resistance. Also present are smaller quantities of Nickel and Manganese
which increase the hardenability of the steel.

More important than the alloying elements is the formation of this alloy steel. The steel is
formed by normalizing at 1050 C, air cooling down to 200 C. It is then tempered by heating to
760 C. The temperatures and the cooling rates are very important. This produces the
microstructure that results in the high creep strength properties.

This steel is not tolerant to variations in its microstructure, unlike P22 grade or other grades.
The steel has to be from manufacturers who strictly and precisely follow the heat treatment
requirements. Many cases have been reported of failures of the base materials in the early stages
of usage.

After the steel is worked, proper and precise heat treatment is required to reinstate the
microstructure back to its original conditions. If this is not done the steel has properties that are
much lower than its predecessor P22. Many failures have resulted because of this. In the case of
P22 and other low alloy steels, the effect of variations in heat treatment on the properties is not as
vehement as in P91.

During the fabrication and construction phase, any process that affects the micro structure
has to be reversed by a precise heat treatment. This brings back the microstructure back to
original.

Welding P91
Welding is one process that is widely used during the construction. This affects the
microstructure. Preheating, maintaining inter-pass temperatures, and post-weld heat treatment
procedures are very critical for P91 grade. Failure to follow the procedures will result in
catastrophic failures.
For thick walled pipes, the use of an induction heating system is the ideal method. This gives
better control, and uniform heating between the inner and outer diameters. In induction heating
the coils themselves do not heat up. This is ideal for maintaining the inter-pass temperatures and
carry out the welding. This is a more worker friendly heating process. This is also ideal for
complex shapes likes weldolets and tees.

The Nickel and Manganese content, even though in smaller percentages, have profound
effects on the critical temperatures, which decides the heat treatment temperatures and the
cooling rates. Because of this, the composition of the welding electrodes used should be in line
with the parent material.

Effect of Water
The un-heat treated steel has great affinity to Hydrogen. Hydrogen can cause stress corrosion
cracking. Pre-heating has to be done properly to remove any moisture. The post weld heat
treatment has to be done as quickly as possible to avoid any contact with water likely from
moisture condensation, rainfall, etc. Great care has to be taken to see that all joints are post-weld
heat treated prior to hydro test.

Dissimilar weld joints especially at complicated geometries can result in the heat
treatment not having the desired effect throughout the cross sections. This can also lead to
failures. Great care has to be taken to avoid such design flaws.

As the industry accepts these practices of constructions, the use of 91 grade steel
continues to its successful journey.
Special Materials in Power Plants
Power Plants set the endurance limits for materials. Be it Thermal power plants or Gas turbines
advances and developments in metallurgy determines the operating efficiency. This article takes
a look at the special materials that are used in a power plant.
1. Materials and Thermal Efficiency of a Power Plant
2. P91 - The Workhorse of the Power Industry