This study briefly reviews various influencing factors governing stress corrosion cracking (SCC), cracking mechanisms, and a few conventional crack detection or evaluation techniques. An improved crack growth model was developed and parametric studies were conducted to model SCC growth in ammonia tanks containing toxic anhydrous ammonia (NH3). The new model generates results that agree with literature and practical experiences. For completeness, the overall risk-based inspection (RBI) evaluation of a typical fertilizer plant is presented and discussed; it was found that the consequences of tank failures is high but overall risk is still manageable.

Subject
Crack growth, Materials, Risk based inspection, Inspection, Ammonia, Stress, Crack depth, Equipment, Storage tanks, Oxygen, Carbon steel, Stress corrosion cracking, Residual stress
Keywords:
ammonia, carbon steel, modeling, stress corrosion cracking
© 2011 NACE International
2011
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