Stress-corrosion cracking (SCC) of high-strength steels has been well recognized in the industry for the past 30 years. The various alloy-environment systems susceptible to SCC have also been well documented, although the exact mechanism of failure is still a subject of considerable controversy. In spite of this state of the knowledge, catastrophic failure of seamless carbon dioxide cylinders due to SCC and pitting corrosion have been reported.

Possible failure mechanisms in gas cylinders are presented along with three case histories of failures. Characteristics of failures were investigated by chemical analysis, mechanical testing, cross-section metallography, electron microscopy and surface analysis (ESCA). Work done in our laboratories included a detailed examination of the fracture face in different locations, wall stress calculations, metallographic examination for manufacturing defects and SCC. Positive confirmation of the environmental species like carbonic acid, or sulfide may not always be possible without elaborate XPS or surface analysis. Nevertheless, the results can indicate whether SCC can be the possible failure mechanism.

Subject
Corrosion failures, Materials, Cylinders, Walls, Carbon monoxide, Stress, Surface analysis, Explosions, Tensile stress, Steel, Carbon dioxide, Fracture, Stress corrosion cracking
© 1992 Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP). All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of AMPP. Positions and opinions advanced in this work are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of AMPP. Responsibility for the content of the work lies solely with the author(s).
1992
Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP)
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