New Directions at Wah Chang
There are new and exciting things
happening at Wah Chang. Among some of the changes are new appointments
to the Executive Staff. Mr. Lynn Davis was named Executive Vice
President and General Manager in January, replacing Mr. Ralph Nauman. Effective
April 1, Mr. Davis will report to Mr. Jack Shilling, President of the High
Performance Metals Group at Allegheny Technologies Incorporated. Mr. Shilling
succeeds Mr. John Andrews, who will retire April 1.
Lynn Davis
Also, Mr. Parry Walborn has been promoted to Vice President
Commercial,
reporting to Mr. Davis.
Parry Walborn
Several other changes within the company are also taking
place. Allvac, located in Monroe, North Carolina. will be responsible
for aerospace titanium products at the Oremet site. Wah Chang will continue to
have responsibility for the chemicals, castings and flat titanium product lines
at the Oremet site in addition to the former operations at the Wah Chang site.
Additionally, Wah Chang will resume using its former name to reflect on a
continued focus on its traditional products.
In 2000, Mr. Davis will focus on three main areas of
improvement.
Safety
"There will be no shortcuts in improving safety,"
stated Mr. Davis. "We will concentrate on improved worker training for a
safer work environment, a better understanding of the role that behaviors have
with safety performance, and rewrite work instructions into more user-friendly
procedures to maximize our employees' understanding of each job's hazards.
Performance
"We have a responsibility to our customers to continue
to add value to our products," said Mr. Davis. In
order to do this, he will focus on minimizing bureaucracy and maximizing
people's efforts for added value to the customer.
Mr. Davis will lead Wah Chang to review internal production
and planning processes to reduce cycle times and product variation, and at the
same time maintain high-quality standards that meet customer delivery
expectations.
Growth
In pursuing growth opportunities, Wah Chang will add
engineering resources to reinforce its commitment to supply materials
to new corrosion-resistant metal applications in the CPI industry. We will more
aggressively support the material engineering needs of our Zr nuclear customers
as we improve the performance of our existing Zr alloys in the new high
performance nuclear fuel assemblies. Support will continue with research on the
new applications for our existing family of Zr, Hf and Si chemicals. In
addition, Year 2000 will see growth in new applications for our
superconducting, shape memory and alloy addition metal product lines.
Under Mr. Walborn's guidance, several new marketing programs
will provide additional education and training services for the economic
utilization of Wah Chang's products for the customer's application. Also,
through improved production planning, engineering and production processes, we
plan to reduce all product cycle times and improve on-time deliveries. Finally,
a new Customer Service Program will be implemented during 2000 to improve
immediate response to our customers from inquiry to order fulfillment.
Niobium Alloy C-103/Aerospace Applications
By Barry Valder, WC Business Development
This is the first of a series of
articles describing Wah Chang's C-103 Niobium alloy. Future articles will focus
on various applications, metalworking, welding and coating of this alloy.
In 1956 construction of a facility to manufacture production
volumes of zirconium and hafnium products began in Albany Oregon, to provide
the necessary materials to help power the U.S. Naval Nuclear Propulsion system.
In the early sixties, in an effort to diversify markets and to expand business
opportunities, Wah Chang installed new facilities to manufacture niobium/nb
alloy--or in those days columbium metal. One of the key markets identified at
this time was aerospace.
There was tremendous research performed at this time to
develop "space-age" materials to support various NASA programs. One
of the most successful alloys coming out of this effort was Wah Chang's niobium
alloy C-103, which contains 10% hafnium and 1% titanium. The key to the success
of this material is directly related to its fabricability and its ability to
withstand high stress levels at elevated temperatures. C-103 became the alloy
of choice for many aerospace applications-rocket thrusters, nozzle skirting, and
jet engine thrust augmentors.
Early Wah Chang leadership recognized the benefits that
diversification would bring towards expanding business opportunities. The end
result was the expansion of facilities for niobium production taking advantage
of the current technology employed at Wah Chang for the separation of hafnium
oxide from the zirconium oxide necessary for nuclear applications. This same
methodology was utilized to separate the niobium-tantalum metal oxides.
The justification for this expansion was fueled in part in
the late fifties through Wah Chang's recognition of future programs involving
niobium and niobium alloys. One of the first programs was a push by the U.S.
Government for the development of space age metals for NASA Programs. The
Soviet Union had launched "Sputnik" in 1957, and the Space Race had
officially begun.
With government support there came about an intense Research
and Development effort. Many top U.S companies were involved in various alloy
development programs These companies comprised a veritable Who's Who of
American business and included Boeing Airplane Co., DuPont, General Electric,
Fansteel, imperial Metals, Pratt & Whitney, Stauffer, Union Carbide,
Westinghouse, and to a certain degree Wah Chang. Even though Wah Chang was in
its infancy, it had already developed a high reputation for its ability to
produce quality reactive and refractory metals. These companies produced a
multitude of alloys looking for the right combination of properties.
The Boeing Airplane Company and Wah Chang established a
cooperative program in 1959 to develop sheet alloys of niobium, tantalum,
molybdenum, and tungsten which could be used for high temperature structures.
During 1959 and 1960, a total of 23 different niobium alloy compositions were
prepared at Wah Chang by the melting of buttons with subsequent forging and
rolling of the buttons into sheet specimens. Eleven of these alloys had
adequate fabricability to produce sheet samples, which could then be used for
evaluation of mechanical and physical properties. Sheet specimens of these
eleven alloys were prepared and tensile tested at room temperature, 2000° F,
and 2500° F. The alloy found to have the most promising combination
of elevated temperature strength and fabrication characteristics was designated
as C-103 alloy.
C-103: The metal of choice for the U.S.
Space Program.
The summary written for the cooperative program described
C-103 as follows: "The alloy exhibits strength, fabricability, and other
properties, which indicate potential design advantages for high temperature
structure applications such as re-entry vehicles". The same attributes
required in 1959 are also valid for today's aerospace applications.
So, the question is--just what is C-1037 First of all, it is
a refractory metal alloy, it has excellent fabrication capabilities and it is
considered the most "forgiving" niobium alloy for welding and shape
forming. Lastly, it maintains its work ethic for temperatures up to 1500º C.
The composition of this alloy is as noted earlier: hafnium-
10%, titanium- 1%, balance niobium. This new alloy composition became the metal
of choice for the U.S. Space Program under direction of the National
Aeronautics and Space Agency. Some of the applications where this composition
found a home include the F-1 Engines for Saturn V Rocket, the Apollo 11 Lunar
Lander Module rocket thruster nozzles, the Space Shuttle navigational thrust
augmentors, and the Nozzle Flaps, or thrust augmentors, for both the General
Dynamics F-15 and F-16 fighter jets, powered by the Pratt & Whitney PW 1120
F-100 engine.
To learn more about Wah Chang's niobium or niobium alloys,
in particular C-103, please contact any of the following staff:
•Barry Valder
Business Development
•Tony Nelson
Business Development
•Bob Kinney
Inside Sales
•Sue Mose
Inside Sales
•Larry Seal Engineering/Technical
Support
•Craig Wojcik Engineering/Technical Support
•John Hebda Engineering/Technical Support
•Bill Donnithorne, Product Engineering
In conjunction with other Allegheny Technology companies,
Wah Chang will be exhibiting at various aerospace shows in fiscal 2000,
including Tokyo Aerospace 2000; Tokyo, Japan, in late March, Farnborough
International Air Show; Farnborough, England, in July, and the AFA Aerospace
Technology Expo in Washington, D.C., in September.
Corrosion Lab Chronicles: New
Corrosion Data and Applications
By Derrill Holmes WC
Corrosion Specialist
In the Poster Board Presentation at Wah
Chang's Reactive Metals in Corrosive Applications Conference at Sunriver last
September, I gave examples to demonstrate the wide variety of testing performed
in the Corrosion Laboratory of the Technical Services Group. Some of the tests
were performed at our customer's request while others were part of an internal
market development program.
The testing in Mercuric Chloride was a
request from a mining application customer who had a changing ore mix. This
customer wanted to know how the change would affect the NbTi equipment they
were currently using. The results showed a nil corrosion rate with no crevice
corrosion. The test evaluating Hydroiodic Acid, on the other hand, was material
selection work where the customer had selected specific alloys to compare metal
corrosion rates and then choose the appropriate metal.
The Iodine Monochloride and Ultra Pure Hydrogen Peroxide
testing was performed to open new markets for zirconium in manufacturing of
specialty chemicals and in the production of high purity chemicals for the
semiconductor industry.
Customers, from time to time, want to know how our materials
will react in very specific conditions. One such environment is the crevice
formed under various gasket materials found in most industrial piping systems.
The work we performed tried to simulate various gasket materials to evaluate
their effect on NbTi. This gave the customer more specific information
concerning maintenance requirements. Another maintenance issue was a galvanic
couple in which the customer wanted to weld NbTi to Ti. The NbTi placement in
the galvanic series in relation to Ti determined the effects of the resulting
couple.
For more information on Wah Chang's Corrosion Laboratory,
you may call 541-917-6777 or visit our web site at www.corrosionsolutions.com.
By DERRILL HOLMES, OWC Corrosion
Specialist. Mr. Holmes has 20
years experience in the
Corrosion Laboratory at OWC. He has an undergraduate degree in geology, and a
background in mining and exploration. Mr. Holmes also has three years
experience in extractive metallurgy and industrial processing. He is currently
working on a Masters Degree in Material Science.
While not eliminated, the closeness of
the NbTi value to Ti indicates that accelerated corrosion due to galvanic
coupling may be a small problem. This is particularly important when considering
welding NbTi to Ti-2.
Mining and Pulp Industry
New Corrosion Data and Applications
for Ti 45 Nb
•20% Mercuric Chloride with 25%
Sulfuric Acid at 105° C Nil corrosion rate with no crevice
corrosion
•.3% Chlorine Dioxide in Vapor and
liquid at 100° C Nil corrosion rate in all environments
•Crevice resistance in 10% sulfuric
acid environments
Metal-Metal
Metal-TFE-Metal
Metal-Carbon-Metal
Metal-Tantalum-Metal
All less than 5 MPY corrosion rate with
no crevice corrosion
Q&A:
Hydrogen Metal Membranes
By Steve Strecker & Judy Clark,
Hydrogen Metal Membrane & Consultant
Question:
What are the applications for the H2
membrane?
Answer:
Distributed residential and portable
generation represents the most pervasive,
near-term and most rapid growth of the pending commercial hydrogen markets. The
need for power in underserved power markets is key. Providing this steady power
source by remote portable applications is an ever-increasing need. The H2
Metal Membrane is used to protect the fuel cell from contaminants. Our membrane
has received market attention because it assures the longevity of the fuel
cell's operation; unit cost of operation savings.
A minimum of one membrane would be installed per generation
unit. As the power stacks increase so increases the wattage output. It is
possible that these stacks could reach the size where demand for more than one
membrane would be necessary. This market has been described as a $44 billion
worldwide opportunity. It is our intention to remain and sustain our dominant
position with the key global consortiums. Numerous developers have committed to
this marketplace. We are coordinating with the dominant companies in this niche
market. By doing this we will realize the sustained gains from increased and
pervasive global commercial sales of our membrane.
Electrolization
On-site hydrogen generation represents our second greatest
market segment. This particular market segment has attracted more than a fair
share of participants. It is our position that this attraction is due to 1) a
need for cleaner power, and 2) the lack of available merchantable H2 production,
such as found in the United States.
Whatever the reasons, this appears to be the niche having
dominance and receiving the most commercialized attention. The Asian market
commands the most attention. As industrialization increases and becomes more
refined, so does the demand for hydrogen increase. Electrolizer generation of
hydrogen is a cost-effective method of producing on-site hydrogen for process
consumption. In addition, it eliminates the issue of storage and transportation
costs.
On-site production uses an electrolizer for hydrogen
production and a hydrogen metal membrane to assure dryness and purity. It's our
membrane that assures the dryness and purity.
Transportation
is our third primary targeted market niche. Transportation
can take several forms: automobiles, ships, submarines, trains, buses, fleet
transportation and so forth. The automobile industry alone represents a market
niche of $500 billion annually. Our assessment is that this market will be slow
to develop for many reasons, some technical, some cultural.
There are several developmental inhibitors slowing this
market's hydrogen application advancements. The primary inhibitor is that the
choice of hydrogen technology has yet to be defined, let alone decided upon. In
addition, there are many questions still remaining to be answered: How will the
hydrogen fuel be managed? How will it be manufactured? Will it be distributed
then stored, or stored then distributed?
While the majority of countries around the world have
advanced their thinking to embrace the use of hydrogen powered vehicles, the
U.S. has been slow starting. The U.S. slow start is most probably due to the
enormity of the economic transportation infrastructure. Will this
infrastructure quickly adapt to change, or require a slow and evolutionary
process?
Whatever the outcome, our membrane will be included as the
integral and critical piece of technology protecting the fuel cell stack from
contaminants. Whether or not the hydrogen will be managed in the car, or at the
supply source, it is still the critical and integral piece of technology
sustaining performance excellence.
Polishing
Use of our membrane for the polishing (purification) of
hydrogen represents another rapid growth commercial opportunity for a very
specialized and high performance application. Niche confidence in our
membrane's performance and durability will be the crucial element determining
our success in this marketplace.
This market is also globally pervasive. The primary leaders
for this application are found in Taiwan, Korea, China, the U.S., and Europe.
Asia represents the area of most rapid near-term growth.
The point of use for polishing (purification) of hydrogen
represents a rapid growth opportunity in a specialized, high performance
application. Confidence in our membrane performance and durability will be
critical to our success. The availability of merchant, ultra-pure hydrogen in
these countries is limited. This creates the need for on-site generation
including point-of-use purification at the low PPB (parts per billion) levels.
The trend in the semi-conductor industry is toward smaller components. The use
of smaller components creates an even greater demand for purity gases and is
clearly a cyclical market, but one that moves parallel with the semi-conductor
industry's increasing demand. Ultimately, we feel this market will grow at a
rate well beyond that of other hydrogen markets.
Spent
nuclear waste
market is not related to hydrogen demand nor its
application. For this purpose our membrane will be utilized as a pressure
relief device only. The U.S.
Departments of Energy and Defense are using the H2 Metal
Membrane as a pressure relief device only. Spent nuclear waste is being stored
in stainless steel containers. The containers are to be welded shut and placed
in the Yucca Mountain, Nevada, underground depository. Once sealed, the
containers give off heat. Through the process of hydrolysis, hydrogen and
oxygen are created causing pressure to build.
Our metal membrane is being used to release this pressure
build-up by allowing hydrogen to pass from the container while keeping the
other gases and contaminants inside the container. Prior to the use of our
membrane, these gas build-ups split the container seals allowing the nuclear
waste to escape into the environment.
U.S. "spent nuclear waste" materials are being
received from, and managed by, such entities as the Idaho National Engineering
and Environmental Facility, Hanford, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Sandia
Labs, and from the U.S. Navy and commercial reactors. The total available
market at present represents an excess of 3000 units ready for immediate
storage. This volume is only 2% of the known U.S. and world market.
Our membrane unit is currently being tested for the above
application. If successful, we will be establishing standards which will be
adopted by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Agency and may well be adopted as a
worldwide standard for this purpose. Our expectation will be to service only
the immediate U.S. market falling under the controls of NRA and its nuclear
spent waste program. []
WC Bolsters The Sales and Technical Marketing Teams
Ms. Rhonda Marshall
joined the Nuclear Sales group as a Technical Inside Sales
Representative at the end of 1999. She worked in Quality and Zr Reduction while
earning her degree in Mechanical Engineering. After completing college, she
became a Process Engineer spending most of these 14 years in the Extrusion
Department. Prior to Nuclear Sales, she sold materials to the chemical
processing industry. Ms. Marshall's 23 years with Wah Chang will be a great
asset to the group. She can be reached by phone at 541-917-6780, fax
541-967-6994, or e-mail Rhonda.Marshall@wahchang.com.
Ms. Becky Morgan
Becky Morgan
has been promoted to Senior Inside Sales Representative for
Castings. Ms. Morgan has been with Wah Chang for over 15 years and has worked
in the Fabrication Department, Metallurgical Testing Laboratory, Management
Information Systems and Quality Assurance. Ms. Morgan's background as a
Contract Expeditor in Quality Assurance has been beneficial t this new
position. She has a Bachelor's Degree in Business Management from Lin field
College. To contact Ms. Morgan, call 541-917-6708, fax 541-967-6994, or e-mail
Becky.Morgan@wahchang.com.
Ms.
Tracy Ohlhauser
Tracy Ohlhauser
has been promoted to Castings Customer Service Coordinator
from Order Entry at Wah Chang. She has been with WC for one year and previously
worked in the Engineering Department at a titanium casting company. Ms.
Ohlhauser is very skilled at handling customer concerns and problem solving.
She also handles other various
Inside Sales issues for Castings. To contact Ms. Ohlhauser,
call 541-967-6974, fax 541-967-6994, or e-mail Tracy.Ohlhauser@wahchang.com.
Mr.
Troy Morris
Troy Morris
joins the CPI Business Development group at Wah Chang. He
graduated from the University of Idaho with a Chemical Engineering degree and a
strong background in Professional Chemistry. Mr. Morris was previously with
Nalco where he developed specialty applications and processes. He is
experienced at empathic listening, identifying customer needs and actively
coordinating value added solutions with them. To contact Mr. Morris, call
541-926-4211, fax Sales at 541-967-6994, or e-mail Troy.Morris@wahchang.com.
Mr.
Doug Strickland
Doug Strickland
is now handling CPI Titanium and Engineered Products as a
Senior Inside Sales Representative. Mr. Strickland has three years' past
experience in various Wah Chang production areas including Tungsten Shot,
Fabrication, Extrusion, Melting and Powders. As well, Mr. Strickland spent valuable
time in Cost Accounting. This varied background helps him speed up product flow
and resolve pricing issues for customer inquiries and orders. He holds a
Bachelor's Degree in Business from Linfield College. To contact Mr. Strickland,
call 541-917-6746, fax 541-967-6994, or e-mail Doug.Strickland@wahchang.com.
Ms.
Rachel Gazeley
Rachel Gazeley
has been promoted to Inside Sales Representative in CPI,
after 2 1/2 years with Wah Chang. Her primary products include Zirconium 702
and 705 rounds, Zirconium 702 tube, plate, pipe, wire and materials for
sputtering target applications. Ms. Gazeley's order management and production
planning background enable her to provide a consistently high level of service
to WC's customers. To contact Ms. Gazeley, call 541-812-7062, fax 541-967-6994,
or e-mail Rachel.Gazeley@wahchang.com.
Ms.
Tracey Klein
Tracey Klien
joins the CPI group as an Inside Sales Representative. She
has four years experience in the electronics industry after graduating with a
BA in Marketing from Oregon State University. In her new position, she will be
responsible for hafnium wire and zirconium CPI products. Our CPI customers will
be pleased to note she brings strong skills in handling accounts and customer
service. She has also helped in production scheduling and inventory which gives
her a broad view of the sales process from accurately taking an order to
delivering on time. To contact Ms. Klein, call 541-812-7032, fax to Sales at
541-967-6994, or e-mail Tracey.Klein@wahchang,com.
Mr.
Rick Sutherlin
Rick Sutherlin
is joining the Marketing Department as Project Manager and
Technical Support for the new Corrosion Seminars. Mr. Sutherlin, a
Metallurgical Engineer, has been with Wah Chang since 1977. In that time, he
has conducted the welding seminars for 15 years and regularly presented
technical papers. In taking on this new role, Mr. Sutherlin intends to work
more closely with customers by providing technical and welding information
through the upcoming Corrosion Seminars series. To contact Mr. Sutherlin, call
541-967-6924, fax 541-967-6990, or e-mail Rick.Sutherlin@wahchang.com.
Ms.
Grace Wittrig
Grace Wittrig
recently joined Wah Chang's Marketing Department as a
Marketing Development Specialist. Ms. Wittrig transferred from the company's
Finance Department to facilitate and/or support the following programs:
Customer Service, E-commerce and E-business development, and Technical Training
and Education. She is currently a key part of the Total Corrosion Solutions
team developing a series of technical seminars and a unique Corrosion Solutions
database. Ms. Wittrig's background includes 9 years of database development,
financial, and other business experience. She holds a Masters of Management
degree in Business. To contact Ms. Wittrig, call 541-812-7411, fax
541-924-6892, or email Grace.Wittrig@wahchang.com.
Introducing A New Line of Technical information
As part of Wah Chang's focus on technical support for
customers, WC is introducing new Zirconium Products Data Sheets. To better
explain the superior corrosion resistance and other qualities ideal for use in
the Chemical Processing Industry, the Zircadyne 702®/705 data covers
general and mechanical properties, stress values, and fatigue limits. To
receive your copy of
the Zircadyne 702®/705 Data Sheets, please
contact Sales at 541-967-6977 or visit our web site at
www.CorrosionSolutions.com
Factors Influencing Charpy impact Resistance of Zirconium
702
By Jack Tosdale & Derrill Holmes,
WC Senior Corrosion Engineer
& WC Corrosion Specialist
Introduction
Over the years several studies have been undertaken by Wah
Chang and others to more fully understand the significant factors affecting the
impact resistance of Zirconium 702. These studies were usually related to
quality audits, failure analysis and centered on typical production lots of
material. Internally, WC has had several studies on the relationship to impact
resistance of such factors as thickness, composition and fabrication
techniques. In 1998, Jack Tosdale and Derrill Holmes studied fracture toughness
in relation to selected product and composition. The 1998 study centered on the
effects of the gases, hydrogen, nitrogen and oxygen, and the tin, carbon, and
iron-chrome content as reported in the product and ingot composition.
This present study is the most recent work performed at WC
and a continuation of the effort to more completely understand the variables
affecting impact properties of Zirconium 702.
Part
I
Overview
of Impact Testing
Two fundamental impact toughness testing systems are
available. The first of these two apparatus is the Charpy (simple-beam)
apparatus used most frequently in the United States. The second apparatus is
the Izod (cantilever-beam) which is used more frequently in the United Kingdom.
The Charpy method was used in this study and a schematic diagram of the
apparatus is shown in Figure 1.
In the Charpy apparatus, the sample is loosely supported
horizontally in the anvil at both ends of the sample. The pendulum strikes the
sample at the notch on the opposite side of the sample. The specimen holder and
a mounted specimen are shown in Figure 2.
A SONNTAG Model SI-1 Charpy testing machine was used for
this testing sequence. This particular machine uses a U type pendulum. All testing
was performed at room temperature on vertical V-notch specimens. At its
initial, position 1 of Figure 1, the hammer represents potential energy. As the
hammer falls, it reaches its maximum velocity at position 2, its kinetic energy
equals the original potential energy. When the hammer strikes the specimen, the
energy absorbed is a measure of the
Schematic of the Charpy Apparatus.
Charpy Impact Test Apparatus.
toughness of the specimen. As the specimen is broken, the
hammer continues its swing to some height, position 3. This last height
attained by the hammer is a measure of kinetic energy remaining in the hammer
after impact. The difference between the initial height and the final height is
the energy absorbed in fracturing the specimen. The energy difference, in
foot-pounds, is the Charpy toughness of the specimen.
Notch
Types
For Charpy Impact testing, three main types of notches are
allowed in ASTM E-23. See Figure 3. These are type A (V-notch), type B
(keyhole), and type C (U shape). The V-notch type specimen is the most severe
and was the type used in this test program.
Diagrams of three types of notches
available for Charpy testing.
Schematic of the Charpy Apparatus
Part
II
Experimental
Design
A 5-factor, 2-level, 16-run fractional factorial
experimental design was used. This allows independent estimates of 5 main
effects and 10 2-factor interactions. This means that 5 main factors (listed
below) were studied. Each factor had a high and a low value, or in the case of
hydride dissolution heat treatment, whether the heat treatment was performed or
not. A 16 run fractional factorial indicates that a total of 16 sample
combinations were generated.
Each of the 16 sample combinations generated 3 samples for
longitudinal and 3 samples for transverse testing. A total of 96 samples were
generated and tested. (16 runs x 3 longitudinal and 3 transverse samples)
The main factors studied included:
•Rolling
Temperature:
400°C (752°F) or 725°C
(1340°F)
• Rolling Direction:
Straight rolled or Cross rolled
•Anneal
Temperature:
704°C (1300°F) or 816°C (1500°F)
• Percent
Reduction:
15% or 60% total reduction
• Hydride Dissolution:
Either 450°C (842°F) for 24 hours or no hydride
•Heat Treatment:
Dissolution heat treatment
See Figure 4 for actual process scheme used to generate
samples.
The specific main factors listed above were designed into
the testing matrix in order to study these specific variables. Other factors
were studied indirectly by keeping these secondary factors as a constant during
the processing. These secondary factors include composition, initial grain structure,
thickness of process plates, mill effects, edge effects while sampling, and
variations in Charpy sample preparation and testing. All steps were completed
in random order, as generated by a statistical random number generator from 1
to 16. This random order ensured that variation resulting from time effects,
machine tool wear, etc. was reduced.
All samples were made from the same piece of platestock,
thus insuring constant composition throughout the preparation and testing of
all samples. The particular lot of material was selected to represent typical
Zr-702 product. The usual procedure is to get elemental analysis after the last
of three melts for each ingot. The ingot is sampled in three locations and each
sample is analyzed and reported separately. After the ingot is processed to
final thickness, the product composition is taken. This final analysis is for
hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen and the element carbon.
From earlier work it was determined that the thickness of
the final product had an effect on the Charpy values. To overcome this problem
a.750" plate was selected for the starting material. Half of this material
was cold rolled down to ~.400" while the other half was left at the
original thickness of.750". The initial.750" plate was used as the starting
material for the 60% reduction samples. The.400" plate was used as the
starting material for the 15% reduction samples. Both sets of material were
annealed at 1382°F for 1 hour and then beta quenched. This ensured that the
starting material would be the same at approximately.350".
Further effects on the Charpy values can be introduced
during the hot rolling steps. The mill effects were overcome by using a larger
rolling mill available through the Department of Energy's Albany Site. This
allowed the use of the same rolling mill even for the larger 30% reduction
rates. The rolling speed was held constant at 75 inches/minute and the same
operators performed all the rolling and intermediate reheats.
The initial plate sizes were designed to allow for excess removal of sample
material on all edges. The actual samples used for testing were cut from the
center of each plate. One inch from each side and 1.5 inches from each end were
not used. Samples were machined to ASTM E-23 specifications by the same machinist
and in the same random order as previously described. In addition, these
samples were tested by the same crew from our Physical Testing Laboratory and
in the same random order.
Results
Figures 5 and 6 present scree plots showing the variables
that were statistically significant toward impacting the toughness.
Conclusions
Two conclusions can be drawn from the results of testing.
The first conclusion reached is that the highest toughness
values for both the longitudinal and the transverse rolling directions are
obtained when processing involved the combination of a lower temperature anneal
along with a higher percentage reduction.
The second conclusion is that the interaction between the
rolling direction and the percent reduction was a significant factor for
samples tested in the longitudinal rolling direction. This second conclusion is
relevant to the longitudinal roiling direction only. No similar effect was
found for the transverse rolling direction.
All other main factors and their interactions were determined
to be insignificant for their effect on toughness of Zirconium 702, as
determined by the Charpy impact testing method.
Pareto Chart for Factor
Effects--Longitudinal (Figure 5) and Transverse (Figure 6).
The most significant factor for determining the impact value
of Zirconium 702 is generally considered the presence of hydrides. Low levels
of hydrogen itself, if evenly distributed throughout the material, are
generally not considered to have an effect on the impact value. The
distribution, size, orientation, and concentration of hydride platelets,
however, all have a significant effect on the impact value.
The starting material for this study was typical production
Zirconium 702 plate. The hydrogen level was typically low at 7 ppm. This low
hydrogen concentration in the starting material probably accounts for the
insignificant
effect of the hydrogen dissolution heat treatment. The study
intentionally selected typical material for testing to more closely reflect
current manufacturing methods. One additional conclusion that can be drawn is
that none of the processing steps used to generate the test samples contributed
to the formation of detrimental hydride platelets, probably because the level
was below the solubility curve.
For more information on this study or related studies
performed at Wah Chang, please contact Jack Tosdale at 541-967-6777 or plan to
attend our next Reactive Metals Conference in September 2001.
Corrosion Seminar Series
Wah Chang is pleased to announce a series of seminars
focused on helping participants make technically and economically sound
decisions when selecting and working with specific materials for corrosive
applications. These seminars will benefit a wide range of participants,
including, but not limited to, chemical engineers, project engineers,
fabricators, and maintenance personnel.
It's important to note that these sessions are not sales
presentations, and we welcome your technical feedback concerning the course
content. The course was developed and will be presented by technical experts
and professionals in materials engineering, metallurgy, and other technical
disciplines. Sessions will cover the following topics:
•Primary uses of Zirconium
•Applications for Corrosion Resistance
•Material Specifications
•Fabricability of Zirconium
•Metallurgy and Properties
•Failure Analysis
•Material Availability (forms, etc.)
•Forming and Machining of Zirconium
•Welding, Joining, and Heat
Treating Zirconium
•Equipment Design and Fabrication
•Project Management
•Zirconium Equipment Operation
•Consideration for Construction Site
•Maintenance of
Zirconium Equipment
•Safety
•Material Selection and
Reference Tools
The first seminar will be held in mid-March and the second
in mid-June to coincide with the Nitric Acid Producers Meeting. Specific
registration information and dates are available at www.CorrosionSolutions.com.
Space is limited for these seminars, so please sign up soon. Register
electronically at www.CorrosionSolutions.com or contact Sheryl Renzoni at
541-926-4211 ext. 6280 for instructions on registering by mail. If you have
questions on the content of the course, contact Rick Sutherlin at 541-967-6924.
We hope to see you during our 2000 tour.
ACHEMA
The 26th annual ACHEMA, International Meeting on Chemical
Engineering, Environmental Protection and Biotechnology, takes place this May in
Frankfurt, Germany. The Total Corrosion Solutions team of Allegheny Ludlum,
Allegheny Rodney Metals, Allvac, and
Wah Chang will participate in this mammoth event (3697
exhibitors in 1997), offering expert advice in corrosion prevention and
materials selection at stand E3-E5 in hall 9.0. The Total Corrosion Solutions
team offers materials solutions including stainless steels, High Tech Alloys
(nickel alloys, niobium, titanium, and Zircadyne), Zirconium as well as
corrosion testing, failure analysis, and other services. Please take the
challenge of finding us at this gigantic chemical engineering event, and, in
return, we will try to ease any anxiety you are experiencing due to corrosion
problems. For more information on ACHEMA, e-mail info@dechema.de or visit the
show's website at www.dechema.de. For more information on the Total
Corrosion Solutions team, contact Kirk Richardson at 541-967-6955.
Nitric Acid Producers Meeting
It's almost time again for the Nitric Acid Producers
Meeting, and this year's event promises to be top notch. Larry Flynn of PCS
Nitrogen (Meeting Chairman) and Jay Rowan of the Joseph Oat Corporation
(Exhibit Hall and Events Chairman) have selected the elegant Marriott
Riverfront Hotel in Savannah, Georgia as the meeting site. These two gentlemen
and their committees have worked extra hard to put together a truly special
event.
Here's what Larry and Jay have in store for attendees.
Monday morning, June 12, Glenn Smith of Weatherly will coordinate (and probably
win) the third annual NAPM Golf Scramble, which will be held at the Southbridge
Golf Club (8 am Shotgun start). That evening the exhibitors will host a Buffet
Dinner in the Exhibit Hall (6-9 pm). The Producers Meetings kick off Tuesday
morning, June 13, including a Lunch hosted by the exhibitors and the grand
finale, a Dinner with Live Entertainment in the Exhibit Hall (6-10 pm). The
technical sessions and Producers Meeting winds up Wednesday afternoon, June 14.
For information on the Nitric Acid Producers Meeting,
contact Larry Flynn at 706-849-6330. For information on the Exhibit Hall and
Events, call Jay Rowan at 856-541-2900. For information on or to sign up for
the Golf Scramble, contact Glenn Smith at 404-873-5030.
Nitric Acid Producers Zirconium Seminar
Wah Chang, which will be an exhibitor at this year's Nitric
Acid Producers Meeting, is offering a follow-on technical seminar, specially
geared to Nitric Acid Producers. The two-day classroom style course will
provide attendees with in-depth information on Zirconium for Nitric Acid and
Other Corrosive Applications. Topics include Plant Applications, Corrosion
Resistance, ROI Calculation, Failure Analysis, Maintenance, Welding and much
more. This unique seminar has been developed with the cooperation of chemical
processing and metals experts from around the world and will be taught by
highly qualified technical personnel with many years' experience in metals and
corrosion prevention.
To sign up for the course, contact Wah Chang's Sheryl
Renzoni at 541-926-4211, ext. 6280 or register on-line at www.CorrosionSolutions.com.
Space is limited to 30 attendees and will be reserved on a first-come,
first-served basis. For more information on the sessions or to check for other
course dates and locations, visit www.CorrosionSolutions.com.
Reactive Welding Seminar
Wah Chang is once again holding its annual reactive welding
seminar. Two sessions are scheduled for July 25-27 and August 15-17 due to
increasing interest. Each session is the same and will include class time and
discussions about material properties, specific techniques, types of welding,
and on-and off-site considerations. This will be followed by hands-on
demonstrations at nearby Linn-Benton Community College. For more information,
contact Rick Sutherlin at 541-967-6924, by fax at 541-967-6990, or e-mail Rick.
Sutherlin@wahchang.com.
Editors Note:
For our readers' convenience, we have included a Sales and
Marketing Directory with this issue to assist you in reaching the appropriate
person quickly. Further Wah Chang contact information is available at
www.CorrosionSolutions.com or at our main web site at www.WahChang.com.
