IP Library Granted Patent US 7,238,434
Granted Patent B2
US 7,238,434 · App. 11/366,442 · Granted Jul 3, 2007

Welded structure having improved resistance to stress corrosion cracking

View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,238,434
App. No.
11/366,442
Granted
Jul 3, 2007
Kind
B2
Abstract

This invention relates to a welded line pipe structure for transporting corrosive petroleum or natural gas. It is constituted by martensitic stainless steel pipes containing 8–16% Cr and at most 0.05% C. By suitably controlling the welding conditions at the time of girth welding of the steel pipes so as to ensure that the Cr concentration in grain boundary Cr-depleted portions existing immediately beneath a weld oxide scale is at least 5%, the occurrence of SCC in a high temperature CO 2 environment can be prevented.

Claims (17)

1. A welded line pipe structure comprising a martensitic stainless steel which has a steel composition consisting essentially of, in mass percent, C, 0.001–0.05%, Si: 0.05–1%, Mn: 0.05–2%, Cr: 8–16%, Ni: 0.1–9%, sol. Al: 0.001–0.1%, and a remainder of Fe and unavoidable impurities, wherein Cr depletion , which is the lowest Cr concentration in mass percent in grain boundary Cr-depleted portions existing immediately beneath a weld oxide scale in a heat affected zone, satisfies

(Cr depletion )≧5%.

2. A welded line pipe structure of martensitic stainless steel as set forth in claim 1 wherein the steel composition further consists essentially of Cu: 0.1–3%.

3. A welded line pipe structure of martensitic stainless steel as set forth in claim 2 wherein the steel composition further consists essentially of at least one element selected from the group consisting of Ti, Zr, Hf, V, and Nb in an amount of 0.005–0.5% each.

4. A welded line pipe structure of martensitic stainless steel as set forth in claim 3 wherein the steel composition further consists essentially of at least one element selected from the group consisting of Ca, Mg, and REM in an amount of 0.0005–0.01% each.

5. A welded line pipe structure of martensitic stainless steel as set forth in claim 2 wherein the steel composition further consists essentially of at least one element selected from the group consisting of Ca, Mg, and REM in an amount of 0.0005–0.01% each.

6. A welded line pipe structure of martensitic stainless steel as set forth in claim 1 wherein the steel composition further consists essentially of at least one element selected from the group consisting of Ti, Zr, Hf, V, and Nb in an amount of 0.005–0.5% each.

7. A welded line pipe structure of martensitic stainless steel as set forth in claim 6 wherein the steel composition further consists essentially of at least one element selected from the group consisting of Ca, Mg, and REM in an amount of 0.0005–0.01% each.

8. A welded line pipe structure of martensitic stainless steel as set forth in claim 1 wherein the steel composition further consists essentially of at least one element selected from the group consisting of Ca, Mg, and REM in an amount of 0.0005–0.01% each.

9. A welded line pipe structure of martensitic stainless steel as set forth in claim 1 wherein the steel composition further consists essentially of Mo: 0.1–7%, and/or W: 0.1–7%.

10. A welded line pipe structure of martensitic stainless steel as set forth in claim 9 wherein the steel composition further consists essentially of Cu: 0.1–3%.

11. A welded line pipe structure of martensitic stainless steel as set forth in claim 10 wherein the steel composition further consists essentially of at least one element selected from the group consisting of Ti, Zr, Hf, V, and Nb in an amount of 0.005–0.5% each.

12. A welded line pipe structure of martensitic stainless steel as set forth in claim 11 wherein the steel composition further consists essentially of at least one element selected from the group consisting of Ca, Mg, and REM in an amount of 0.0005–0.01% each.

13. A welded line pipe structure of martensitic stainless steel as set forth in claim 10 wherein the steel composition further consists essentially of at least one element selected from the group consisting of Ca, Mg, and REM in an amount of 0.0005–0.01% each.

14. A welded line pipe structure of martensitic stainless steel as set forth in claim 9 wherein the steel composition further consists essentially of at least one element selected from the group consisting of Ti, Zr, Hf, V, and Nb in an amount of 0.005–0.5% each.

15. A welded line pipe structure of martensitic stainless steel as set forth in claim 14 wherein the steel composition further consists essentially of at least one element selected from the group consisting of Ca, Mg, and REM in an amount of 0.0005–0.01% each.

16. A welded line pipe structure of martensitic stainless steel as set forth in claim 9 wherein the steel composition further consists essentially of at least one element selected from the group consisting of Ca, Mg, and REM in an amount of 0.0005–0.01% each.

Assignments (3)
MERGER Recorded May 14, 2019
From: SUMITOMO METAL INDUSTRIES, LTD.
To: NIPPON STEEL & SUMITOMO METAL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 049165/0517 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded May 14, 2019
From: NIPPON STEEL & SUMITOMO METAL CORPORATION
To: NIPPON STEEL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 049257/0828 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 21, 2006
From: AMAYA, HISASHI; OGAWA, KAZUHIRO; KONDO, KUNIO; SAGARA, MASAYUKI; HIRATA, HIROYUKI
To: SUMITOMO METAL INDUSTRIES, LTD.
Reel/Frame 017819/0467 →