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Actual examples of zinc enbrittlement caused by welding of equipment/piping of chemical plant, and countermeasures for its prevention, are explained. The zinc embrittlement, i.e. liquid metal embrittlement phenomenon, is experienced by austenitic stainless steel, where molten zinc infiltrates along grain boundaries, so that cracking occurs. This becomes a problem at the time of welding. The features of zinc embrittlement, countermeasures for prevention of that of equipment/piping at each stage of design and fabrication, countermeasures when damage occurred, and the method of detecting zinc, are explained. As representative actual examples: cracking of welded part connecting with galvanized steel, cracking caused by zinc contamination, cracking caused by spark at the time of welding, cracking of tube end part of heat exchanger, and, reoccurrence of cracking at the part where previous cracking due to zinc embrittlement was repaired, are explained. |
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