Boiler Tube Failures: Theory and Practice (TR-105261, 1996)

Materials & Chemistry Report

Issue #1, June 2006
Dear Colleagues,

Water-steam cycles in conventional fossil plants and in combined-cycle units

consist of many different systems and components, but they are characterized by
common materials-related challenges and plagued by similar damage
Features mechanisms. To help reduce capital and operating costs at these facilities, EPRI’s
science and technology programs deliver solutions for the major issues facing
 Battling Fatigue: critical components in existing and future steam-electric generating systems.
Failure Mechanisms
and Assessment Companies that support these programs benefit from EPRI’s comprehensive and
Methods for Boilers collaborative approach to crosscutting materials and chemistry issues. To address
and Heat-Recovery them, we apply a collective knowledge and experience base that resides in highly
Steam Generators respected staff scientists, industry experts from around the world, and a global
 Comprehensive network of collaborators and contractors. Our sustained and focused R&D
Control: Flow- activities are planned and implemented in coordination with generating companies,
Accelerated government agencies, manufacturers, suppliers, and research organizations
Corrosion in worldwide.
Conventional Fossil
Plants and EPRI’s materials and chemistry programs address four inseparable objectives.
Combined-Cycle First, we focus on improving scientific understanding of basic processes occurring
Units throughout water-steam cycles, including the root causes underlying chemistry-
influenced damage mechanisms and efficiency losses. Second, we apply leading-
Project Updates edge knowledge to develop practical tools, advanced methods, and innovative
technologies for controlling and preventing damage and optimizing the
performance of existing units under varying duty cycles. Third, we advance existing
Technology Innovation
materials platforms and develop new ones to support reliable operation of critical
components in the more demanding environments called for by advanced fossil
Featured Products systems, which will need to meet exacting efficiency and emissions control
standards. Fourth, we provide technology transfer and application support services
Recent Deliverables to maximize the value of our work to our customers.

Upcoming Events This newsletter emphasizes materials and chemistry R&D activities and expert
services offered by the following EPRI programs:
Staff Experts
 Boiler Life and Availability Improvement (63)
 Boiler and Turbine Steam and Cycle Chemistry (64)
 Fossil Materials and Repair (87)
 HRSG Dependability (88)

Our work is also applicable to the Steam Turbines, Generators, and Balance-of-Plant Program (65), the
Combustion Turbine and Combined-Cycle O&M Program (79), and additional EPRI fossil and nuclear programs.
On a daily basis, our guidelines, methods, and technologies are being applied to improve operations and
maintenance decisions at thousands of generating plants. At locations around the world, EPRI-funded
researchers are working to resolve today’s materials and chemistry problems and to develop new knowledge and
technologies required for clean and efficient power generation in the carbon-constrained future.

Periodically, we’ll send you this newsletter to keep you updated on crosscutting projects, demonstration
programs, and expert services. Each newsletter will feature one or two major chemistry and materials challenges
to give you a sense of how we are stitching discrete R&D activities together to deliver comprehensive and timely
solutions for critical operations, maintenance, and planning issues.

Your thoughts and feedback are encouraged.

Barry Dooley

Technical Executive, Materials & Chemistry

704.595.2199

bdooley@epri.com

Battling Fatigue: Failure Mechanisms and Assessment Methods for Boilers

and Heat-Recovery Steam Generators
Cycle chemistry conditions continue to be a primary cause of operational problems and component failures in the
water-steam cycles of conventional pulverized-coal (PC) boilers and the heat-recovery steam generators
(HRSGs) of combined-cycle (CC) units fueled by natural gas. External forces—changing market environments
and tighter air quality standards—represent growing contributors to materials and chemistry challenges. High-
profile causes include the thermal transients associated with cyclic operation of both types of plants and the
changed operating conditions attributable to combustion-based control of nitrogen oxides (NO x) from PC units.

To resolve materials and chemistry issues in conventional boilers and HRSGs, EPRI R&D addresses three key
areas:

 Fatigue in Headers, Drums, and Tubing

 Waterside Corrosion
 Fireside Corrosion

Previous EPRI work has improved basic understanding and filled many critical knowledge and capability gaps,
leading to the creation of industry-standard reference manuals on topics such as boiler tube failure (BTF), header
and drum damage, and condenser tube failure. EPRI’s ongoing efforts focus on helping plant personnel apply
new science and technology to address fleet-wide and unit-specific operations, maintenance, inspection, life
assessment, repair, and fuel procurement tasks.

Mechanistic Priorities
Battling fatigue in a major focal point for EPRI’s
crosscutting fossil materials and chemistry programs
because corrosion fatigue represents the primary
BTF mechanism in subcritical boilers, thermal
fatigue has become a leading BTF mode in
supercritical units, and drum cracking is emerging as
a significant threat. More than 20 EPRI products
released in 2005-06, as well as a number of
continuing and new projects, are relevant to near-
term management and longer-term resolution of
fatigue damage.

Waterside corrosion is the most costly corrosion

problem in PC plants and HRSGs. Hydrogen
damage, acid phosphate damage, caustic gouging,
and corrosion fatigue mechanisms are generally well
understood. Current EPRI work focuses on improved
control of precursor processes and enhanced non-
destructive evaluation (NDE) techniques. In PC
boilers fitted with low-NOx burners, excessive
waterwall corrosion has become a major concern. Fatigue management is critical for maximizing the
Ongoing EPRI work encompasses immediate productivity of aging fossil plants: Corrosion fatigue
mitigation of damage mechanisms via combustion represents the primary boiler tube failure (BTF)
modification, fuel procurement, waterwall inspection, mechanism in subcritical boilers, thermal fatigue
and weld overlay repair. Work also addresses long- has become a leading BTF mode in supercritical
term management via advanced repair capabilities, units, and drum cracking is emerging as a
tube materials, NDE techniques, and maintenance significant threat.
practices.

This article reviews current and planned efforts to

address fatigue-related challenges, exemplifying
EPRI’s comprehensive approach to the materials
and chemistry issues facing boiler and HRSGs.

This
Section: Corrosion Fatigue

Corrosion Current EPRI guidance for managing corrosion fatigue damage in subcritical boilers is based
Fatigue largely on work conducted more than a decade ago, in particular an extensive study of boiler
strain, temperature, and chemistry conditions during typical startup and shutdown cycles at the
Thermal Hazelwood Power Station in Australia (TR-105261; TR-106697; TR-100455, V5). As corrosion
Fatigue fatigue problems have continued and stresses attributable to unit cycling have intensified, the need
for updated guidance based on a new application of this monitoring approach has become
increasingly evident.
Drum
Cracking
In early 2005, a comprehensive 2-year investigation of the factors influencing waterwall tube
corrosion fatigue began at Big Sandy Unit 1, a 260-MW coal-fired boiler that entered into
Fatigue
commercial operation in 1963. In addition to American Electric Power (AEP), the plant’s owner,
Management
other major funders of the project include Dynegy, PacifiCorp, Detroit Edison, Tennessee Valley
Authority, Transalta (Canada), Western Power (Australia), Stanwell (Australia), Tarong (Australia),
Contacts & and ESB (Ireland).
Resources

The project is designed to achieve two technical goals—first, to unravel the connections between operating
parameters and the initiation and propagation of corrosion fatigue from the waterside surface; and second, to
develop a more reliable, two-stage NDE approach for detecting damaged areas and determining the length and
depth of cracking. Prior to project initiation, AEP staff had performed extensive video-probe analysis at Big Sandy
to identify where corrosion fatigue cracks are located and their likely orientation. To identify high-priority locations
for more detailed NDE, the EPRI project team supplemented this work with digital radiography analysis, a review
of industry experience and EPRI guidance, and an assessment of the unit’s inspection, failure, and repair history.

During a planned outage in spring

2005, EPRI conducted manual
ultrasonic testing (UT) to determine
the length and depth of cracking at
about a dozen locations using
transducer types and
configurations customized for each
specific tube layout and anticipated
crack orientation. Tube sections
with the most severe video-probe,
radiography, or ultrasonic
indications were removed and
replaced by AEP staff, and
samples were provided to EPRI for
immediate validation of the crack
detection and flaw sizing
capabilities of the UT system and
for subsequent evaluation of the
accuracy of the full suite of NDE
techniques.

Results indicate that Level 1 NDE

performed using video-probe
analysis and Level 2 NDE
performed using digital radiography
and/or UT provide the highest
assurance of detecting and
characterizing all significant
cracking indications. In addition to
guiding repair and replacement
activities, NDE activities performed
during the outage helped identify
high-priority tube and support
structure locations for strain,
temperature, and corrosion fatigue Comprehensive instrumentation is generating the data required to
monitoring. isolate the influence of unit operations on corrosion fatigue damage.

Thermocouples, strain and

displacement gauges, wave guides
and acoustic emission transducers,
and other instruments were
installed to monitor global
displacement of sliding buckstay
fittings, temperature gradients and
vertical and horizontal strains in
crack-prone regions, and crack
initiation and progression in
selected areas. This specialized
monitoring network augmented the
unit’s standard instrumentation for
tracking water chemistry and other
operating parameters.

Since strain, temperature,

chemistry, and damage monitoring
began, the following operating
transients have occurred:
hydrotest, cold start, trip, normal
shutdown, fan-cooled shutdown,
warm restart, and daily load-
following cycles. In general,
however, the unit has operated with
unprecedented consistency: No
shutdowns were experienced from
late June into December 2005,
whereas at least 8 stop/start cycles
had occurred in each of the
previous 25 years.

Monitoring data are

being applied to
support finite
element analysis
(FEA) modeling of
the lower windbox-
to-waterwall
connection, where
cracking, leaks,
and failures have
historically been
experienced and
inspections have
detected
indications in
essentially every
tube. FEA results,
which show a good
correlation with the
failure history and
the location and
extent of the
observed cracking,
indicate that the
severe strains
imposed by
shutdown/startup
cycles represent
the main cause of
waterwall failures.
Load-following
operations have
minimal effects on
fatigue lifetime, but
findings to date do
not account for EPRI is developing knowledge to mitigate the effect of strains imposed by
chemical temperature transients associated with startup/shutdown cycles and load-following
conditions or oxide operations.
cracking.

During 2006,
intensive data
evaluation is
planned to
accomplish the
following:

 Develop
correlation
s between
strain/temp
erature
conditions,
cycle
chemistry
conditions,
and crack
initiation
and
propagatio
n
 Determine
the relative
amounts of
damage
produced
by each
type of
operating
transient
 Recomme
nd and test
approache
s for
preventing
or
minimizing
corrosion
fatigue
damage,
such as
“allowable
operating
limits”
during
transient
modes of
operation,
 design
retrofits,
etc.

Based on this
comprehensive
study, EPRI plans
to issue updated
practical guidance
in early 2007 to
assist plant
personnel in
implementing
comprehensive
programs for
assessing and
monitoring
damage, avoiding
the most harmful
operating
conditions, and
otherwise
managing the risks
posed by corrosion
fatigue cracking.

Thermal Fatigue

To resolve thermal
fatigue cracking in
supercritical
boilers, planning is
under way for a
similarly exhaustive
assessment of the
connections
between real-world
operating
parameters,
materials stresses,
and damage
initiation and
propagation.
Means for
identifying unit-
specific root
causes of
circumferential
cracking and
growth must first
be identified before
effective remedial
measures can be
developed.
Thermal fatigue
cracking originating
from the fireside
surface is not
specific to boilers
with low-NOx
systems or
waterwalls with
extensive weld
overlays, but these
conditions can
increase maximum
tube temperatures.
Severe thermal
transients, such as
those associated
with slag removal,
account for the
fatigue component
of this damage
mechanism; an
ongoing EPRI
project focuses on
improving
understanding of
the effects of water
lances and
cannons on fatigue
(1010493).

Notwithstanding the ongoing corrosion fatigue project at Big Sandy Unit 1, recent operational information on
waterwall temperatures and thermal transients is relatively scarce. An EPRI project during the early 1990s
conducted extensive measurements of stress, strain, temperature, and heat fluxes in a supercritical boiler (TR-
104442). Maximum tube surface temperatures of up to 1000°F (540°C) were recorded, as were sudden spikes of
more than 200°F (90°C) attributable to slag shedding or removal. Even higher temperatures are routinely
experienced in locations where weld overlays have been applied.

Prior to the introduction of oxygenated treatment (OT), inadequate control of feedwater chemistry was a main
driver of thermal fatigue failures: Ripple magnetite deposits forming on internal tube surfaces alter flow
characteristics, increasing pressure drops and wall temperatures. Facilities that have adopted OT have largely
eliminated this problem, but some of these units are experiencing growth of a different type of oxide, in areas with
and without overlays, with similar effects. This oxide has even been observed in a relatively new supercritical
boiler.

In addition to weld overlays, oxide growth, and natural or forced deslagging, other factors that may contribute to
elevated waterwall temperatures and transient events include flame impingement, initial firing with oil burners,
startup/shutdown cycles, and additional operational factors acting on both fire- and water-side surfaces. Also to
be considered are the thermodynamic features of supercritical fluids, including specific heat, thermal conductivity,
enthalpy, viscosity, and density, which can change dramatically in response to even small changes in temperature
or other factors.
To support root-cause analysis of unit-
specific thermal fatigue problems, EPRI
plans to install thermocouples, strain
gauges, heat-flux meters, and acoustic
emission sensors at two locations in an
operating boiler, as was done in the early-
1990s study. The instrumentation will be
installed on tubes/panels, which will then
be placed into service in locations
susceptible to thermal fatigue. Also to be
employed is a new electrical resistance
probe array capable of assessing and
mapping key parameters— including tube
temperature, heat flux, and possibly crack
growth—over the entire waterwall.

As is the case for EPRI’s ongoing

corrosion fatigue project, the specialized
monitoring and diagnostic system will
supplement measurement of standard
water chemistry and operating parameters.
Monitoring temperature, strain, and heat
fluxes during typical and infrequent
operating regimes will provide the data
required to identify the “time in operating
space” that causes thermal fatigue cracks
to initiate and propagate. This will inform
development of remedial measures.

Based on data analyses, modifications to

sootblowing, combustion control, cycle
chemistry, and other operational practices
will be tested for their potential to prevent
or minimize thermal fatigue damage. The
overall findings from this project, when
integrated with results from previous and
ongoing EPRI work, will lead to the
creation of a roadmap-based approach for
managing the root cause of circumferential
cracking in supercritical boilers with and
without low-NOx burners, with and without
weld overlays, and operating under OT or
other chemistries.

Advanced analytical techniques promise to help unravel factors

contributing to thermal fatigue. These electrical resistance
probe array measurements of supercritical boiler tubes with
 weld overlay illustrate the differences in heat absorption rates
before and after sootblowing.

Drum Cracking

The durability of steam drums, relative to other boiler components, cannot be attributed to stable, low-stress
operations: They operate in a very dynamic mode, especially during major transients. Aging, combined with cyclic
duty, is beginning to take its toll—the incidence of cracking is increasing for units 30 years and older. Grinding
and localized weld repair can address initial cracking problems, but extensive drum cracking poses a threat to the
structural integrity and continued safe and reliable operation of the unit.

In an initial effort to isolate the mechanisms for cracking of drum nozzles, EPRI reviewed industry experience and
conducted simple stress and fracture analyses. This work, begun in 2003, identified thermal fatigue as a plausible
cause but highlighted the need for detailed FEA, and fracture mechanics analysis of data from operating units
(1008039; 1008070). In 2004-2005, studies were launched on (1) a 275-MW Combustion Engineering (CE)
controlled circulation unit that began commercial operation in the 1959 and (2) a 215-MW Babcock & Wilcox
(B&W) natural circulation unit that began commercial operation in 1954.

Results indicate that pressure stresses and the environmental influence of corrosion fatigue play the dominant
role in drum cracking for both types of boilers. The B&W natural circulation drum had longer fatigue life for normal
startup/shutdown and was more tolerant of larger cracks (1013268), but its ligamented downcomer region was
less tolerant of thermal downshocks associated with bypassing feedwater heaters or topping off a partially full
drum than the larger nozzles in the CE controlled circulation unit. For the latter, the feedwater inlet nozzle and the
downcomer nozzle represent the life-limiting structural components for thermal fatigue (1011916).

Where cracking in boiler drum ligaments and nozzles is detected or suspected, EPRI’s improved crack growth
analysis capabilities will help plant personnel justify continued service with known flaws in place. The planned
2007 update of Header and Drum Damage: Theory and Practice (1004313) will offer detailed guidance for
damage mitigation and prevention.

Fatigue Management

Existing EPRI manuals provide step-by-step, industry-standard guidance for NDE, condition assessment,
monitoring, repair, and prevention of corrosion fatigue and thermal fatigue in boiler components (see partial list
below) and HRSG components (1010440). In addition, new products, techniques, technologies, and tools are
continuously being developed and demonstrated to enhance the decision-making capabilities of plant
management personnel. Readers are encouraged to visit www.epri.com for the latest information.

Lead Contacts

Barry Dooley, 704.595.2199, bdooley@epri.com

Rich Tilley, 704.595.2097, rtilley@epri.com

Kent Coleman, 704.595.2082, kcoleman@epri.com

Key Resources

Boiler Tube Failure: Theory & Practice (TR-105261, 1996)

Corrosion Fatigue of Water-Touched Pressure Retaining Components in Power Plants (TR-106696, 1997)
Corrosion Fatigue Boiler Tube Failures in Waterwalls and Economizers (TR-100455, V1-5, 1992)

Thermal Fatigue of Waterwalls Associated with Water Cannons (1010493, 2006)

Circumferential Cracking on the Waterwalls of Supercritical Boilers: Volumes 1 and 2 (TR-104442, V1-2, 1995)

Thermal Fatigue of Fossil Boiler Drum Nozzles (1008039, 2004; 1008070, 2005)

Investigation of Cracking in a Fossil Natural Circulation Boiler Drum (1013268, 2006)

Investigation of Cracking in Fossil Drums: Finite-Element and Fracture Mechanics Analyses (1011916, 2005)

Header and Drum Damage: Theory and Practice (1004313, V1-2, 2003)

Evaluation of Thermal-, Creep-, and Corrosion-Fatigue of Heat-Recovery Steam Generators (1010440, 2006).

Comprehensive Control: Flow-Accelerated Corrosion in Conventional Fossil

Plants and Combined-Cycle Units
A catastrophic piping failure at the Surry Nuclear Power Station in 1986 caused four worker fatalities, focusing the
electricity industry’s attention on flow-accelerated corrosion (FAC) and triggering international efforts to
understand and control this damage mechanism at nuclear plants. This event also raised awareness of the
potential for FAC in conventional fossil plants, resulting in initial positive identification of this failure mode in
feedwater systems in the late 1980s and in the subsequent implementation of monitoring and inspection
programs.

Since the catastrophic failure at the Pleasant Prairie Plant in 1995, which also caused worker fatalities, FAC
mitigation has been a higher priority at conventional plants. At combined-cycle facilities, by contrast, FAC became
a point of emphasis almost immediately, as it was quickly identified as a leading cause of tube failures in heat-
recovery steam generators (HRSGs).

EPRI’s initial guidelines for controlling FAC in conventional fossil units were issued in November 1997. Relying
largely state-of-the-art knowledge of boiler tube failure (BTF) mechanisms (TR-105261) and on mechanistic
studies performed to address FAC in nuclear plants, these guidelines outlined a comprehensive approach for
managing cycle chemistry to reduce the long-term susceptibility of feedwater piping and tubing and for conducting
inspections to prevent failures of already damaged components. For HRSGs, the tube failure manual published in
2002 offered insight for diagnosing and remediating FAC issues (1004503).

Comprehensive FAC management guidelines, published in 2005, reflect knowledge and extensive industry
experience gained in the intervening years (1008082). They provide mechanistic information and specify a two-
pronged approach for cost-effective FAC control.

This Section: Basic Mechanisms

Basic Carbon steel piping, tubing, and vessels subject to water (single-phase) or wet steam (two-
Mechanisms phase) flows are susceptible to FAC. It occurs when the normally protective oxide layer
dissolves, leaving the base metal either more susceptible to attack or, in the worst case, fully
Comprehensive exposed. The corrosion process can be very rapid: Wall thinning rates as high as 3 mm/yr have
Solutions been observed. The actual rate of metal loss depends on many parameters.

Beneficial Two types of oxides can form on carbon steel materials: Magnetite (Fe3O4) forms in reducing
Applications environments, while ferric oxide hydrate (FeOOH) forms under oxidizing conditions. Under
typical situations, the normal and expected general corrosion results in the formation of a
Contacts & protective layer, and oxide growth and dissolution processes remain approximately in balance.
Resources FAC occurs when the rate of dissolution into the single-phase flow or the aqueous fraction of the
two-phase flow is greater than the rate of growth, and it can be aggravated when fluid conditions
cause exfoliation of the oxide layer.

Single-phase FAC occurs most frequently in the

main feedwater lines of conventional and
combined-cycle plants and in the low-pressure
(LP) evaporator circuit of HRSGs. The oxidizing-
reducing potential is by far the most important
factor for single-phase FAC. Influencing variables
include pH, temperature, velocity, mass transfer,
flow geometry, the composition of the base alloy,
and the composition of upstream components.

In conventional plants, single-phase FAC can be

controlled by feedwater chemistry, with the
optimal treatment depending on metallurgical
considerations. For all-ferrous feedwater systems,
use of an oxidizing treatment—oxygenated
treatment (OT) or oxidizing all-volatile treatment
(AVT[O])—will control FAC. In mixed-metallurgy
systems, a reducing feedwater treatment—
reducing all-volatile treatment (AVT[R])—must be
employed to protect copper alloys, which means
that a careful balance must be maintained in
order to insulate the interconnecting carbon steel
piping from FAC. In HRSGs, single-phase FAC
can be managed by proper selection and control
of feedwater and evaporator chemistry.

Two-phase FAC occurs in drain lines, deaerators,

and LP heater shells in conventional plants and in
LP economizer and evaporator circuits in HRSGs.
The oxide layer is wetted by a flowing film of
water that moves slower than the bulk two-phase
mixture, creating turbulence that can accelerate
mass transfer and oxide loss via both dissolution
and exfoliation. Materials solutions—replacement
Flow-accelerated corrosion (FAC) has multiple
or weld overlay—are required to address two-
manifestations in conventional boilers and heat-recovery
phase FAC in conventional plants, while either
steam generators. These photos show single-phase
chemical or materials solutions may be employed
(water-only) FAC leading to catastrophic failure of
in HRSGs, depending on the location.
economizer inlet header tubing, left, and two-phase
(water and steam) FAC leading to damage in a low-
pressure heater shell, right.
Comprehensive Solutions

EPRI’s FAC control approach is based on

commitment by corporate and plant management
and involvement of multidisciplinary personnel,
which together enable successful adoption of FAC occurs when protective oxides dissolve or exfoliate.
complementary inspection and cycle chemistry Many factors influence oxide growth, dissolution, and
programs. spallation processes and the rate of corrosion on
susceptible base metal surfaces. (Illustration of the
Senior management approval is necessary for full process)
cooperation of all involved departments and staff,
including personnel with design, operations,
maintenance, inspection, chemistry, and
metallurgy expertise. It is also a prerequisite for EPRI’s comprehensive approach is based on high-level
ensuring that adequate financial and human commitment, and it involves roadmaps that link decision
resources and state-of-the-art decision-support diagrams with step-by-step guidance for FAC analysis,
tools are available for implementation of effective inspection, management, and control in conventional and
unit-specific programs. A unit-specific approach is combined-cycle units. (Illustration of the Roadmap)
critical: Due to the complex interactions among
metallurgical, chemical, hydrodynamic, and
operational factors, units with identical design are
unlikely to pose identical FAC issues.

The new guidelines outline similar roadmaps for FAC control in conventional and combined-cycle plants that have
already entered into service. The HRSG roadmap also incorporates recommendations for proactive FAC
management during the specification, design, and commissioning of new units.

For operating units, inspection programs serve two main functions: to establish a baseline for existing FAC
damage, if any, and to optimize long-term management of problems that cannot be eliminated. Cycle chemistry
programs are aimed at addressing root causes to halt existing corrosion processes and preventing further
damage. The shared first step is to identify and prioritize susceptible systems and components by gathering
information on plant design and materials and on operating, cycle chemistry, and maintenance experience. Key
inputs include inspection results, failure histories, and compliance with the EPRI-recommended limit for feedwater
corrosion product concentration at the economizer inlet for different metallurgies under the AVT(R), AVT(O), or
OT chemistries.

Follow-on inspection and cycle chemistry tasks occur in parallel. On the chemistry track, the immediate priority is
to monitor, adjust, and optimize unit chemistry to meet EPRI guidelines. On the inspection track, initial analysis
involves modeling to predict FAC rates and nondestructive evaluation to determine wall thinning and related
damage. (EPRI’s CHECUPTM/CHECWORKSTM codes and other commercial tools support predictive modeling for
conventional units; no predictive or analytical tools are currently available for HRSGs.) Materials sampling is then
required to confirm whether the observed indications are attributable to FAC, whether damage is progressing, and
whether immediate repair/replacement measures are required.

Once these initial, unit-specific FAC control measures have been implemented, EPRI’s recommended approach
requires cycle chemistry optimization, inspection, and analysis activities to continue on a long-term basis. Safe,
long-term unit operation can only be assured through consistent attention to areas susceptible to FAC attack and
to chemistry conditions.

Beneficial Applications
The new EPRI guidelines offer detailed, step-by-step guidance for implementing FAC control programs,
identifying and inspecting susceptible areas, remediating problems that demand immediate attention, optimizing
feedwater chemistry, maintaining vigilance, and benchmarking performance against industry standards. When
used in conjunction with other EPRI tools, these guidelines provide the industry with a comprehensive approach
for increasing worker safety while reducing availability losses and improving bottom-line performance for
conventional fossil plants and combined-cycle facilities.

Lead Contacts

Barry Dooley, 704.595.2199, bdooley@epri.com

Rich Tilley, 704.595.2097, rtilley@epri.com

Key Resources

Boiler Tube Failures: Theory and Practice (TR-105261, 1996)

Heat Recovery Steam Generator Tube Failure Manual (1004503, 2002)

Guidelines for Controlling Flow-Accelerated Corrosion in Fossil and Combined Cycle Plants (1008082, 2005)

Project Updates

This Section: Boiler Materials for Ultrasupercritical Plants: Promising

Boiler Materials for Ultrasupercritical Plants:
Promising Developments
“Theory and Practice” Manuals: On the Street,
In Progress, and On the Horizon
Full-Time, Real-Time, and Lifetime Cycle
Chemistry Control for Combined-Cycle Units
Developments
A highly successful government/industry R&D program to
evaluate and develop boiler materials for next-generation
pulverized-coal (PC) plants is winding down. This 5-year effort
has established the technical and economic feasibility of using
existing materials technology as the basis for boiler designs
capable of operating at steam temperatures of up to 760°C
(1400°F) and pressures of up to 34.6 Mpa (5000 psig).
Ultrasupercritical (USC) operations will
increase the net efficiency of PC-fired units
from an average of 37%, offered by the
current domestic fleet, to about 45% (HHV)
based on U.S. design practice. With a
double-reheat configuration, a net efficiency
of 47% HHV (52% LHV using European
parameters) could be achieved. These gains
will enable USC plants to generate cost-
competitive power while reducing pollutant
and greenhouse gas emissions by nearly
25%.

Participants in the R&D consortium include

EPRI, Ohio Coal Development Office, major
domestic boiler manufacturers (Alstom
Power, McDermott Technology/Babcock &
Wilcox, Riley Power, and Foster & Wheeler),
and the U.S. Department of Energy/Oak
Ridge National Laboratory. EPRI has
coordinated all technical work, while the
Energy Industries of Ohio has provided
overall project administration.

Studies have addressed the following topics:

selection of optimized nickel-base,
austenitic, and ferritic materials for tubing
and piping across all temperature ranges,
for superheater/reheater tubing, and for
waterwall tubes; mechanical testing;
steamside oxidation testing; and fireside
corrosion testing. The influence on materials
performance of coatings, claddings, alloying
elements, coal quality, operating conditions,
design approaches, and other parameters
has also been assessed. Weldability and
fabrication studies have culminated in
creation of a demonstration header section
illustrating multiple developments in
materials technology (1010456).

This collaborative project, scheduled for EPRI-directed work has demonstrated the advanced materials,
completion in 2006, has created a solid fabrication, and welding technologies required to support
foundation for ongoing USC plant design commercial development of coal-fired boilers capable of
studies supported by EPRI’s CoalFleet ultrasupercritical operations.
Initiative. Initial work to develop materials
technology for steam turbines in USC plants
is also under way.

Contact: Vis Viswanathan,

rviswana@epri.com, 650.855.2450

“Theory and Practice” Manuals: On the

Street, In Progress, and On the Horizon
The third installment in EPRI’s high-value
series of “Theory and Practice” manuals was
published in late 2005, providing plant
personnel with practical guidance for
addressing and preventing condenser tube
failures and potentially severe downstream
effects on boiler and steam turbine
components. Updated versions are in the
works for EPRI’s manuals addressing
damage mitigation for boiler tubes, headers,
and drums.

Condenser Tube Failures: Theory and

Practice (1010188) summarizes current
knowledge on failure mechanisms, possible
root causes, and corrective actions for
conventional water-cooled condensers, as
well as air-cooled systems, and it presents a
step-by-step roadmap to the implementation
of comprehensive condenser tube failure
(CTF) management strategies.
Complementary workshops are planned to
assist companies in adopting
multidisciplinary CTF prevention programs
to improve performance and availability at
individual facilities and on a fleet-wide basis.
(Contact: Kevin Shields,
kshields@epri.com, 410.374.0110).

Boiler Tube Failures: Theory and Practice (TR-105261), the first in the series and one of EPRI’s most popular
products since its publication in 1996, is currently undergoing a comprehensive revision. When completed in early
2007, the new book will provide updated guidance for minimizing O&M costs and availability losses attributable to
boiler tube failure (BTF) in conventional fossil steam-electric plants, combined-cycle units, and other types of
boilers. BTF mechanisms that have gained prominence in recent years, such as those relating to low-NOx
operation, will be covered, as will recent advances in cycle chemistry, nondestructive evaluation, inspection,
condition assessment, tube materials, and repair technology. The new manual also will incorporate the latest
information for tube failure mitigation in heat-recovery steam generators, updating the current EPRI manual
(1004503) on this topic. (Contact: Barry Dooley, bdooley@epri.com, 704.595.2199)

Header and Drum Damage: Theory and Practice (1004313), first published in 2003, provides a definitive
reference for understanding, addressing, and preventing damage caused by known mechanisms and for
implementing long-term strategies to optimize the lifetime of aging components. Work on updated version is
scheduled to begin next year, reflecting industry experience as well as new knowledge gained through ongoing
research on drum cracking and other topics. (Contact: Rich Tilley, rtilley@epri.com, 704.595.2097)

Full-Time, Real-Time, and Lifetime Cycle Chemistry Control for Combined-Cycle Units

Three new EPRI products provide operators and chemists with comprehensive assistance for controlling cycle
chemistry over all timescales and operating regimes relevant to maximizing the productivity of combined-cycle
(CC) generating assets.

Cycle chemistry problems in CC plants influence about 70% of heat-recovery steam generator (HRSG) tube
failures (HTF). In many instances, HRSGs have been commissioned with non-optimum chemistries, which results
in HTF early in life and at accelerated rates over time. EPRI’s new guidelines and real-time monitoring software
represent tools for optimizing unit chemistry upon commissioning and continuously thereafter.

The updated Cycle

Chemistry
Guidelines
(1010438) support
practical
implementation of
comprehensive
programs for
preventing
chemistry-
influenced HTF on
unit-specific and
fleet-wide bases.
Representing a
major step forward
from the interim
HRSG guidelines
published in 1998,
they incorporate
new knowledge
and lessons
learned from the
latest EPRI
research activities,
including more
than 30 HTF
reduction/cycle
chemistry
improvement
programs
implemented by
energy companies
and member
organizations
worldwide. They Proactive cycle chemistry management is critical for complex water-steam circuits in
specify operating combined-cycle units.
guidelines, target
values, and action
levels for four
different
chemistries: all-
volatile treatment
(AVT), phosphate
continuum (PC),
caustic treatment
(CT), and
oxygenated
treatment (OT).
For all HRSG
types, information
is provided on how
to select and
optimize feedwater
and evaporator
treatments while
considering the
needs of the entire
water-steam cycle,
including the
characteristics and
requirements of
each evaporator
circuit.

Cycle chemistry
optimization in CC
units requires
more than proper
selection and
optimization of
operating
chemistry,
particularly for
plants subjected to
peaking service.
EPRI’s Cycle
Chemistry
Guidelines for
Shutdown, Layup,
and Startup
(1010437) identify
the keys to
protecting the
water- and steam-
touched
components of
today’s assets in a
manner consistent
with operating
chemistries and
shutdown
requirements. This
report includes a
guidance roadmap
that allows users
to assess and
apply four types of
protection. For
short-term
shutdowns,
keeping the
system hot and
maintaining
condenser vacuum
eliminates the
need to change
water chemistry
while these
conditions can be
maintained. For
longer shutdowns,
options include dry
protection with
warm,
dehumidified air,
dry protection with
nitrogen, and wet
protection with a
nitrogen cap.

CC ChemExpert, Version 1.0 (1010439) incorporates EPRI’s latest guidance within a real-time cycle chemistry
monitoring tool. This new software, tested successfully at a number of facilities, may be applied to trend and
analyze data and make adjustments to normal chemistry conditions. It also may be used to generate alarms for
out-of-limit conditions and to deliver expert advice in the form of messages and corrective operating procedures.

Contacts: Barry Dooley, bdooley@epri.com, 704.595.2199; Kevin Shields, kshields@epri.com, 410.374.0110.

Technology Innovation

This Section: Materials and Chemistry: Investing in Innovation

Materials and Chemistry:
Investing in Innovation
Oxide Growth and
Exfoliation: Controlling
Shedding
Each year, a small percentage of EPRI’s overall collaborative R&D funding is set
aside to support the Program on Technology Innovation (TI), which conducts basic
work in crosscutting disciplines and sponsors proof-of-concept studies to explore
whether novel ideas merit further development.

TI’s R&D portfolio is designed to catalyze the creation of advanced

science and technology in critical areas, incubate innovations along
the path toward practical application, and accelerate their adoption
throughout the industry and society. The portfolio spans all areas of
the electric sector, from power generation, delivery, and end use to
health, safety, and the environment.

In the fossil plant materials and chemistry arena, more than 2 decades
of previous strategic R&D investments by EPRI have yielded major
returns: The value delivered by today’s programs and products
addressing cycle chemistry control, boiler tube failure mitigation,
condition assessment, component repair, and other critical issues
rests largely on previous work supported by the TI program and its
precursors (Strategic Science & Technology; Office of Exploratory and
Applied Research). Ongoing materials and chemistry projects
supported by TI address a wide variety of topics.

 Damage mechanisms. Fireside corrosion modeling; creep-

fatigue interactions; modeling and mitigation of stress
 corrosion cracking processes; steam generator fouling and Welding advances are critical for repair of
corrosion; oxide growth and exfoliation processes (see article, existing generating facilities and
p. 13). commercial application of new, low- and
non-emitting technologies
 Materials, coatings, and components. Advanced two-sided
antifouling coatings for cooling systems; nano-coatings as
alternatives to weld overlays for protecting boiler waterwalls;
nano-coatings for mitigation of blade erosion in steam and
combustion turbines; nanotechnology for control of
microbiologically influenced corrosion.
 Welding and joining technology. Advanced techniques for
waterwall overlays and for repair of flow-accelerated
corrosion; alternative alloys for dissimilar metal welds; friction-
stir welding of superalloys for combustion turbine blade repair;
spinduction joining of alloys for ultrasupercritical tubing.
 Condition and remaining life assessment. Real-time
probability-of-failure prediction; evaluation and optimization of
worldwide remaining lifetime methodologies; conditioning
monitoring and failure prevention for gas turbines based on
combustion dynamics.
 Instrumentation and controls. Turbine steam-phase
corrosion sensing; staged coal injection for mitigation of
fireside corrosion; combustion process and flame attachment
sensors.

Findings from this work are available to all EPRI members. Information
on recent, continuing, and new TI-funded projects is available on
www.epri.com.

TI Contact: Stan Rosinski, strosins@epri.com, 704.595.2123.

Basic knowledge of degradation mechanisms is fundamental to

successful management of existing plants and deployment of new ones.
Oxide Growth and Exfoliation: Controlling
Shedding

Building on prior EPRI research begun about 3

decades ago, scientists are unraveling the
connections between plant operations, the growth of
protective oxides, and their loss due to exfoliation.

Oxides growing on interior tube surfaces represent a

double-edged sword: As long as they remain in
place, they can serve as protective coatings. When
protective scales are shed, major thermal transients
can be imposed on exposed surfaces and blockages
can occur in bends, triggering tube failures. In
addition, exfoliated particles that travel downstream
can damage steam turbine blades and nozzles in
conventional and combined-cycle plants, leading to
substantial heat rate penalties and continuing
maintenance demands.

Extensive EPRI studies of oxide growth, shedding,

and transport during the 1970s have provided
guidance for addressing boiler tube failure (BTF) and
solid particle erosion (SPE) problems. However,
long-term overheating attributable to exfoliation
remains the world’s second leading failure
mechanism for tubes constructed of conventional
austenitic and ferritic materials, and a growing
number of BTF and SPE problems are being
experienced with newer ferritic alloys and fine-
grained austenitics. Ongoing strategic work is
creating the basic knowledge of scale adhesion,
growth, and shedding processes required to guide
development of practical measures to control Breached oxides pose threats to both stationary and
exfoliation and associated damage mechanisms. rotating components

In 2004, EPRI organized an expert workshop to lay

out the latest understanding of exfoliation and to
scope out key knowledge deficiencies. Follow-on
laboratory research has led to the development of
improved correlations between the thickness of the
oxide layer, the compressive and tensile strains
imposed by differential thermal expansion of the
base metal and the scale under varying operating
regimes, and the potential for oxide cracking,
fracture, and exfoliation.

Continuing laboratory studies focus on predicting the

amount and size of exfoliated debris over time based
on plant parameters, including cycle chemistry
conditions, the strains imposed by cycling duty, and
operating history. Findings from strategic work will be
incorporated in a quantitative model scheduled for
completion by the end of 2006. In follow-on efforts,
EPRI’s base programs will provide plant personnel
with practical tools and guidance for maintaining
scale integrity and controlling exfoliation to optimize
component lifetime, reduce availability losses, and
improve economic performance.

Contact: Barry Dooley, bdooley@epri.com,

704.595.2199
Quantitative relationships between operating conditions, crack initiation, damage propagation, and oxide exfoliation
will provide the basis for design of remedial measures.

Featured Products
Metallurgical Guidebook for Fossil Power Plant Boilers (1011912)

Grade 22 (2-1/4Cr-1Mo) Low Alloy Steel Handbook (1012840)

The Metallurgical Guidebook compiles essential information on basic steel metallurgy culled from design codes,
industry experience, and previous EPRI reports. It reviews the fundamental concepts of materials selection and
incorporates separate subsections devoted to carbon steels, chromium-molybdenum steels, austenitic steels, and
advanced ferritic steels. It represents a single-source reference to support design, materials selection, and
run/repair/replace decision-making for boiler tubing, drums and headers, piping, and other components.

The Grade 22 Handbook represents the first in a complementary series of alloy-specific references for use in day-
to-day operations to improve the performance, reliability, and ultimately the profitability of fossil power plants.
Available in pocket-sized format, it focuses on several key areas, including standards and codes, metallurgy,
mechanical properties (new and service-exposed), and fabrication and welding issues. Handbooks planned for
publication in 2006 will address carbon steels and stainless steels.

High Temperature Strain Gaging (1004526)

Advanced strain gage technology is needed to better understand, monitor, and manage real-time and long-term
strains and stresses in high-temperature fossil plant components. EPRI recently completed a review of the state
of the art in this area, and it has subjected new strain gage designs to controlled mechanical testing at 1000°F,
(540°C), to assess their accuracy and drift. In addition, monitoring devices have been installed in an operating
plant to assess bending and fatigue stresses in a repaired main steam line girth weld. This report presents
findings from initial work aimed at the development of high-temperature strain gages capable of supplying data to
inform operations, maintenance, and design decision-making for boiler and HRSG systems.

Evaluation of Filler Materials for Transition Weld Joints Between Grade 91 and Grade 22 Components
(1009758)

Advanced alloys undergo extensive testing before being qualified for use in power plants, but welding and repair
capabilities typically lag behind field applications of these materials. To date, weldments between Grade 22 (2-
1/4Cr-1Mo) and Grade 91 (9Cr1MoV) alloys have exhibited unsatisfactory performance. This report presents
findings from successful research to determine the optimum filler metal, welding procedure, and joint design for
Grade 22-Grade 91 transition welds.

Deposition on Drum Boiler Tube Surfaces (1010186)

Deposits of corrosion products on heat transfer surfaces can reduce efficiency and increase heat rates, as well as
trigger a variety of damage mechanisms. EPRI’s cycle chemistry guidelines are effective in minimizing deposition,
but they do so indirectly by reducing impurity ingress and corrosion product transport to acceptable levels. This
report presents the latest findings from continuing experimental and theoretical research aimed at advancing the
science of deposition and creating a first-principles model.

Complementing deposition rig studies conducted under all-volatile and oxygenated chemistries, the recent work
evaluated deposition rates as a function of heat flux and iron and copper oxide concentrations in a reducing
environment. Previous work includes a review of the Russian and Soviet literature (1004193) and of the state of
knowledge in critical areas (1004194; 1004930). Together, these efforts will support an updating of EPRI’s
guidelines to enable more precise control of the water-steam cycle parameters that influence corrosion, transport,
and boiler deposition processes.

Integration of Component Stress Analysis with EPRI

Steam Turbine Corrosion Modeling Software
(1011937)

EPRI is developing an analytical tool for predicting the

probability of pitting, stress corrosion cracking, and
corrosion fatigue damage in low-pressure steam turbines
over time. Previous reports describe development of a
deterministic model, based on damage function analysis,
for predicting localized damage, as well as results of
experiments that measured electrochemical parameters
for steels of interest (1004190, 1009690, 1010184). This
report discusses the integration of mechanical stress
analysis capability within the existing analytical scheme,
which is the final step in producing a comprehensive tool.
The resulting EPRI software will be benchmarked in 2006-
7 against actual cases in which turbine components
experienced corrosion damage.

Integrated Boiler Tube Failure Reduction/Cycle

Chemistry Improvement (BTFR/CCI) Program
(1013098)

Boiler tube failures (BTF) and cycle chemistry corrosion

and deposition problems remain the leading causes of
availability losses in fossil-fired steam plants worldwide.
Based on 2 decades of research and field experience,
EPRI offers continuously updated guidelines and training
to support the adoption of integrated BTFR/CCI programs.
Since 1997, EPRI has provided training to more than 65
utility organizations that have subsequently implemented
integrated programs.

This report describes BTFR/CCI program implementation

strategies and the methodologies used to benchmark
performance, and it presents case study results from
formalized programs adopted by 13 companies with fleets
ranging in size from 1,200 to 34,000 MW. Documented
benefits include availability gains of as much as 4.5% and
revenue increases of up to $37 million annually. Benefits
have been shown to be independent of plant age, duty
cycle, fuel type, boiler pressure, and geographical
location.
Investments in advanced welding technology (1008094)
are paying off. EPRI’s patented ID Tube Welder, above,
CC ChemExpert, Version 1.0 (1010439) is commercially available for purchase, lease, and field
application; and new tube-to-header repair capabilities,
This real-time cycle chemistry monitoring tool was below, have been demonstrated
developed based on EPRI’s guidelines for combined-cycle
plants with HRSGs (1010437, 1010438; see p. 11), and it
has been tested in numerous plants. It uses facility-
specific data, proprietary codes, and data from on-line
analytical instrumentation, manual grab sample analyses,
and other sources to track and evaluate cycle chemistry
performance in real time. It may be used to trend and
analyze data through a secure web page and, in the event
of problems, to generate alarms and provide expert
advice in the form of messages and corrective operating
procedures.

All components of the software may be installed on a single

computer at a single facility, or the applications may be
installed on multiple computers to monitor multiple plants/units
over any corporate intranet (or secure internet connection). In
addition, EPRISolutions can provide access to the software
through an application service provider framework.

Repair Welding Technologies for Heat Recovery

Steam Generators (1008094)

To address recurring tube failures in HRSGs, EPRI

initiated the development of two new welding
technologies. One addresses failures occurring along the
length of the tube, and the other addresses damage to the
tube-to-header attachment area. A patented ID Tube
Welder was prototyped and enhanced and is now being
commercially applied for tube-to-tube repairs and other
applications in both HRSGs and conventional boilers. For
limited-access tube-to-header attachments, a radical
approach is being pursued to allow repair from inside the
header. This report describes progress in each of these
areas, which are expected to reduce repeat failures and
result in higher-quality welds that take less time and
experience to perform.

Recent Deliverables
Listed below are materials and chemistry products completed from January 1 – May 31, 2006.

Product Product Name and Completion Date

1013098 Integrated Boiler Tube Failure Reduction/Cycle Chemistry Improvement Program, 5/16/06
1013268 Investigation of Cracking in a Fossil Natural Circulation Boiler Drum, 4/28/06
1010439 CC ChemExpert, Version 1.0, 3/31/2006
1010440 Evaluation of Thermal-, Creep-, and Corrosion-Fatigue of HRSG Pressure Parts, 3/31/2006
1010621 TULIP 2.0 - Tube Life Probability, Version 2.0, 3/31/2006
1010493 Thermal Fatigue of Waterwalls Associated with Water Cannons, 3/31/2006
1011914 Stress Corrosion Cracking of Grade 91 Material, 3/29/2006
1011912 Metallurgical Guidebook for Fossil Power Plant Boilers, 3/29/2006
1011915 Investigation of Thickness Limits for Post Weld Heat Treatment (PWHT) Exemption, 3/22/2006
1010437 Cycle Chemistry Guidelines for Shutdown, Layup, and Startup of Combined Cycle Units, 3/21/2006
1010187 Simulated Boiler Corrosion Studies Using Electrochemical Techniques, 3/17/2006
1010475 Advanced Joining of Superalloy Materials, 3/16/2006
1010181 Condensate Polishing Guidelines for Fossil Plants, 3/15/2006
1010438 Cycle Chemistry Guidelines for Combined Cycle/Heat Recovery Steam Generators (HRSGs), 3/9/2006
1013194 Technology Innovation 2005 Annual Overview, 3/8/2006
1010494 Refining the Probability of Failure for the Risk Management Process, 3/7/2006
1010512 Development of Tube Repair Techniques for Heat Recovery Steam Generators, 3/3/2006
1013127 Generation 2005 Annual Overview, 2/28/2006

Upcoming Events
Listed below are a few events scheduled for upcoming months. Visit “Events” for registration and technical information on
conferences, workshops, classes, teleconferences, and advisory meetings sponsored by EPRI’s materials and chemistry
programs.

Date Event Location

6/19/06 Electric Power Materials Committee Meeting Ponte Vedra Beach, FL
6/19/06 Condenser Tube Failures Calgary, Alberta, Canada
6/20/06 Fossil Repair Applications Center Members Meeting Ponte Vedra Beach, FL
8th International Conference on Cycle Chemistry in Fossil and
6/20/06 Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Combined-Cycle Plants with HRSGs
7th International EPRI Conference: Welding and Repair
6/21/06 Ponte Vedra Beach, FL
Technology
6/23/06 Chemical Cleaning of Fossil Plant Equipment Calgary, Alberta, Canada
7/18/06 EPRI Infrared Thermography Utility Group (IRUG) Meeting New Orleans, LA
9/21/06 Generation Council Meeting (Sep’06) Atlanta, GA
International Conference on Advances in Condition and
10/16/06 Louisville, KY
Remaining Life Assessment for Fossil Power Plants

Materials & Chemistry Staff Experts

EPRI’s fossil plant materials and cycle chemistry experts manage research and development projects and provide
application services through the following programs:

 Boiler Life and Availability Improvement (63)

 Boiler and Turbine Steam and Cycle Chemistry (64)
 Steam Turbines, Generators, and Balance-of-Plant (65)
 Combustion Turbine (CT) and Combined-Cycle (CC) O&M (79)
 Fossil Materials and Repair (87)
 Heat-Recovery Steam Generator (HRSG) Dependability (88)

Listed below are EPRI staff members, main program affiliations, contact information, and areas of
expertise:

Barry Dooley (63, 64, 87, 88), Technical Executive,

Kent Coleman (87), Manager, Materials & Repair
Materials & Chemistry
 kcoleman@epri.com;  bdooley@epri.com;
704.595.2082 704.595.2199
 Conventional & Advanced  Cycle Chemistry
Fossil Plant Materials  Boiler & HRSG Tube
 Welding & Repair of Boiler Failure
Components & Piping  Flow-Accelerated
 Corrosion

David Gandy (63, 79, 87, 88), Technical Leader, Fossil

Kevin Shields (64, 88), Manager, Water Chemistry
Materials
 davgandy@epri.com;
704.595.2198  kshields@epri.com;
 Steam Turbine, Boiler & 410.374.0110
Combustion Turbine  Cycle Chemistry
Materials & Coatings  HRSGs
 Welding & Repair  Chemical Cleaning &
 Condition & Remaining Life Condensate Polishing
Assessment  Condenser Tube Failure
 Nanotechnology Applications

Barry Syrett (64, 87), Technical Fellow, Corrosion

Rich Tilley (63), Manager, Boiler Life Optimization
Science & Technology
 rtilley@epri.com;
704.595.2097
 bsyrett@epri.com;  Boiler Materials &
650.855.2956 Components
 Aqueous Corrosion  Nondestructive
 Corrosion Monitoring Evaluation (NDE)
 High-Energy Piping &
Headers

Vis Viswanathan (87), Technical Executive, Materials

Stan Walker (63, 87, 88), Manager, Fossil NDE Center
Applications
 swalker@epri.com;
 rviswana@epri.com;
704.595.2081
650.855.2450
 NDE Technology
 Condition & Remaining Life
Development &
Assessment
Application
 Conventional & Advanced
 Boiler Components,
Fossil Plant Materials
Piping & HRSGs

Electric Power Research Institute

3420 Hillview Avenue, Palo Alto, California 94304 • PO Box 10412, Palo Alto, California 94303 USA
800.313.3774 • 650.855.2121 • askepri@epri.com • www.epri.com