Specification
[0001]The present invention relates to a method for producing a double-walled tube
with an interface gap, and a double-walled tube produced with this method, wherein
the double-walled tube is a type of heat-resistant and pressure-resistant tube which is
used under high-temperature environments such as boilers for thermal power
generation plants, chemical industries, nuclear power plants, and next-generation fast
breeder reactors, and which requires heat exchange between inside and outside of the
tube, and wherein the double-walled tube has an appropriate gap and yet a pressure
bonding characteristic between the inner surface of outer wall tube and the outer
surface of inner wall tube.
[0002]
Unless otherwise stated, the definitions of the terms in the present description
are as follows.
A "double-walled tube with an interface gap" is a double-walled tube in
which metal surfaces of the inner surface of outer wall tube and the outer surface of
inner wall tube are neither mechanically nor metallurgically bonded to each other
(that is, there is no metallic bond between relevant metal surfaces, and there is a
slight interface gap therebetween), and which fiirther has an appropriate pressure
bonding characteristic. It is noted that the above described "pressure bonding
characteristic" refers to the resistance to detachment and separation between the
outer wall and inner wall tubes in a double-walled tube which is obtained by
inserting the inner wall tube into the outer wall tube and applying pressure bonding
to them by cold working.
"Through-wall leakage" refers to a leakage of the fluid that passes inside the
double-walled tube as a result of cracking which occurs either in the outer wall tube
2
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or the inner wall tube and has developed and penetrated through the double-walls of
the tube.
"Percent %" represents the mass percentage (mass%) of each element
contained in a product such as a double-walled tube.
BACKGROUND ART
[0003]
Tube materials for steel tubes to be used under high-temperature
environments such as boilers for thermal power generation plants, chemical
industries, nuclear power plants, and next-generation fast breeder reactors are
required to have excellent strength and corrosion resistance at high temperatures.
Among them, a double-walled tube which is configured such that one of the walls is
made of a material having an excellent corrosion resistance and the other is made of
a material having excellent high-temperature strength is used as needed.
[0004]
For example. Patent Literature 1 describes a double-walled tube formed by
hot rolling a multi-layer billet in which alloy powder containing Cr and Ni as
principal elements is packed on the outer surface of a billet made of Fe-Ni-Cr
austenitic heat-resistant steel with a Cr content of not more than 30%. Further,
Patent Literature 2 describes a double-walled tube in which one of the walls is made
up of an austenitic stainless steel tube containing not less than 30% of Cr, and the
other is made up of an austenitic stainless steel tube containing not less than 25% of
Cr.
[0005]
These double-walled tubes are of a type that is free of an interface gap, in
which tubes of dissimilar metals having different properties, such as a corrosion
resistance material and a high-strength material, are combined and the outer wall
tube and the inner wall tube are physically or metallurgically bonded to each other
(that is, the inner surface of outer tube and the outer surface of inner tube are brought
into contact via metal surfaces, or in a metallic bond to each other).
[0006]
3
However, since in a metallurgically bonded double-walled tube without the
gap, the metal surfaces of the outer wall tube and the inner wall tube are physically
or metallurgically bonded to each other, and it is not possible to prevent a throughwall
leakage (a leakage which occurs as a result of cracking propagating through the
double-walled tube) which can occur, even if in a worst case scenario, in a heat
transfer tube (double-walled tube) in which liquid Na as coolant is circulated, for
example, in a steam generator (SG) of a fast breeder reactor (hereafter referred to as
"FBR").
[0007]
If in any chance a through-wall leakage occurs in a double-walled tube to be
used in a steam generator tube of a next-generation fast breeder reactor (FBR),
reaction and explosion will occur as the result of contact between liqUid Na and
water (vapor), which is very dangerous. Therefore, the prevention of through-wall
leakage is the most important issue in a fast breeder reactor (FBR).
[0008]
In contrast, there has been developed a double-walled tube in which metal
surfaces are not physically or metallurgically bonded to each other and the interface
gap is provided therebetween. A major feature of the gap of a double-walled tube is
that even if cracking occurs either in the outer wall tube or the inner wall tube, the
gap will deter the propagation of the cracking, thereby preventing an immediate
occurrence of a through-wall leakage. Further, there has been developed a
technique in which an inert gas such as helium is flowed by utilizing the interface
gap of the double-walled tube, and even if, by any chance, either of the inner wall
tube or the outer wall tube fails, the failure is promptly detected, thereby preventing a
through-wall leakage accident.
[0009]
For example. Patent Literature 1 proposes a double-walled tube including a
braided mesh wire, in which a braided mesh wire is inserted between the inner wall
and outer wall tubes, the braided mesh wire being formed by bundling and weaving
an element wire (100 [xm) made of the same material as that of the tube. By
allowing inert gas such as helium to flow through the interface gap provided in the
4
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double-walled tube, it is possible to promptly detect the fracture of the inner wall
tube or the outer wall tube thereby preventing a through-wall leakage.
[0010]
Fiirther, Non Patent Literature 2 describes a double-walled tube with a
groove(s), in which a groove processing for detecting a leakage is performed on the
inner svirface of the outer wall tube.
[0011]
However, the production of such a double-walled tube with the interface gap
according to such prior art requires the repetition of very special, intricate and
elaborate processing. Thus, in addition to considerable difficulty in production, the
prior art suffers from complexities thereof so that a great deal of man-hours are
required and a large number of defects may generate, and therefore it is not suitable
for mass production and poor in economic efficiency. Further, since there is contact
between metal surfaces, there still remains a risk that cracking may propagate and a
leakage going through the double-walled tube may occur. Further, it is difficult in
reality to produce a longer-length double-walled tube of 35 m or so in length which
is envisioned in next-generation FBRs.
[0012]
As another prior art. Patent Literature 3 describes a cooling double-walled
tube for a stave cooler which is installed in the inside of furnace wall of a blast
fiimace, and the like. This double-walled tube is produced by placing a foreign
layer of oxides etc. in the interface between the inner and outer wall tubes which are
made of carbon steel, and subjecting them to a drawing process. However, such a
double-walled tube cannot be used for heat exchanger tubes since the oxides etc.
placed in the interface circumvent and shield the heat transfer between the outer and
inner wall tubes. Besides, the tube cannot be used for the above, since the tube
material is limited to carbon steel, the strength standard for a high-temperature and
pressure-resistant member which is used under environments of not less than 450°C
is not satisfied and corrosion resistance is also insufficient.
CITATION LIST
PATENT LITERATURE
5
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• •
[0013]
Patent Literature 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 64-17806
Patent Literature 2: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 57-120002
Patent Literature 3: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2002-30315
NON PATENT LITERATURE
[0014]
Non Patent Literature 1: "TOSHIBA REVIEW", Vol. 47, No.l, (1992), PP.
75 to 78.
Non Patent Literature 2: "SUMITOMO METAL", Vol. 40, No. 4, Oct. (1988),
PP. 112 to 114.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
TECHNICAL PROBLEM
[0015]
An object of the present invention, which has been made in view of the above
described problems with a double-walled tube in which is provided with an interface
gap for preventing a through-wall leakage in the contact/mating surfaces of the outer
and inner wall tubes, is to provide a method for producing a double-walled tube with
an interface gap, which satisfies the following conditions, and a double-walled tube
with an interface gap produced with this method:
(1) To have a high-temperature strength as a high-temperature heat-resistant
and pressure-resistant member;
(2) To be able to readily produce a double-walled tube having an interface gap
between the inner surface of outer wall tube and the outer surface of inner wall tube
without undergoing complex processes for preventing a through-wall leakage;
(3) The thermal conductivity between outside and inside of the tube is not
impaired, that is, the heat transfer between the outer and inner wall tubes of the
double-walled tube is not isolated, or not notably hindered;
(4) The outer and inner wall tubes of the double-walled tube have appropriate
pressxire bonding characteristic as a heat exchanger tube; and
6
(5) The double-walled tube with an interface gap can be stably produced
ensuring a high quality (meaning that the gap has an appropriate spacing and least
variation, that is, is uniform).
SOLUTION TO PROBLEM
[0016]
The summaries of the present invention are as follow.
[0017]
(1) A method for producing a double-walled tube with an interface gap (this
production method is also referred to as a "first invention"), including: preparing (a)
an outer wall tube made of ferritic steel containing not less than 2% of Cr, in which
an oxide scale layer containing Cr and having a thickness of 10 to 30 |im is formed
on an inner surface thereof, and (b) an inner wall tube made of steel or alloy
containing not less than 2% of Cr, in which the outer surface thereof is machined
and/or ground by a thickness of not less than 0.1 mm including a scale layer; and,
after the inner wall tube is inserted into the outer wall tube, performing cold working
at an outside diameter reduction rate of 5 to 30%.
[0018]
(2) A method for producing a double-walled tube (this production method is
referred to as a "second invention"), including: preparing (a) an inner wall tube made
of ferritic steel containing not less than 2% of Cr, in which an oxide scale layer
containing Cr and having a thickness of 10 to 30 fxm is formed on the outer surface
thereof, and (b) an outer wall tube made of steel or alloy containing not less than 2%
of Cr, in which an inner surface thereof is machined and/or ground by a thickness of
not less than 0.1 mm including a scale layer; and, after the inner wall tube is inserted
into the outer wall tube, performing cold working at an outside diameter reduction
rateof5to30%.
[0019]
(3) A double-walled tube with an interface gap, wherein the gap thereof
produced by the method according to the above described (1) or (2) is 10 to 100 \xm
including the scale layer.
[0020]
7
(4) The double-walled tube with an interface gap according to the above
described (3), wherein an interfacial pressure between the inner and outer wall tubes
of the double-walled tube with the gap is 5 to 70 MPa.
[0021]
(5) The double-walled tube with an interface gap according to the above
described (3) or (4), wherein the double-walled tube with the gap is used for a steam
generator tube of a fast breeder reactor.
ADVANTAGEOUS EFFECTS OF INVENTION
[0022]
According to the double-walled tube with an interface gap of the present
invention, it is possible to readily and stably produce a high-quality double-walled
tube with an interface gap which has a high-temperature strength as a hightemperature
heat-resistant and pressure-resistant member, and has an interface gap
between the inner surface of outer wall tube and the outer surface of inner wall tube
for preventing a through-wall leakage.
The double-walled tube with the gap produced by the method of the present
invention has the gap with an appropriate spacing between the inner surface of outer
wall tube and the outer surface of inner wall tube so that the thermal conductivity
between outside and inside of the double-walled tube is not impaired, and the outer
wall tube and the inner wall tube have an appropriate pressure bonding characteristic.
This double-walled tube with the gap can be used as a high-temperature heatresistant
and pressure-resistant member for boilers of thermal power generation
plants, chemical industries, and nuclear power, and particularly suitable for steam
generator tubes of future fast breeder reactors.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0023]
[FIG. 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram to illustrate the method for measuring an interfacial
pressure (the Crampton method) of the interface between the inner and outer wall
tubes of a double-walled tube with an interface gap.
8
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DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
[0024]
The present inventors have repeated studies on the method for efficiently and
economically producing an interface gap with an appropriate spacing to allow the
prevention of a through-wall leakage in a double-walled tube, which is a significant
issue of prior art. As a result, the inventors have found that producing a scale layer
in advance and allowing it to remain in a ferritic steel containing not less than 2% of
Cr is very effective, and that heat trzuisfer (heat conduction of double-walled tube)
between the outer and inner wall tubes is sufficiently conducted even if the scale
layer remains in the contact surface between the outer and inner wall tubes. Further,
it is found that machining and grinding of the outer surface or the inner surface of the
relevant tube (that is, the counterpart tube) to mate with the surface where the scale
layer is formed, and giving appropriate working is important when inserting the inner
wall tube into the outer wall tube and finishing them into a double-walled tube.
[0025]
The present invention has been made based on those findings.
[0026]
As described so far, in the method for producing a double-walled tube with an
interface gap according to the present invention, a first invention is a method in
which an oxide scale layer is formed in the inner surface of outer wall tube, the outer
surface of the inner wall tube is machined and/or groxmd, and after the inner wall
tube is inserted into the outer wall tube, cold working is performed at a
predetermined reduction rate. On the other hand, a second invention is a method in
which the processings applied to the outer wall tube and the inner wall tube are
inversely arranged such that an oxide scale layer is formed on the outer surface of the
irmer wall tube, while the inner surface of the outer wall tube is machined and/or
ground, thereafter cold working is performed in a similar fashion.
[0027]
The purpose of using a ferritic steel containing not less than 2% of Cr as
described above for the tube in which the oxide scale layer is formed is to build an
interface gap with an appropriate spacing and least variation between mating
surfaces; the inner surface of outer wall tube and the outer surface of irmer wall tube.
9
• •
[0028]
To build an interface gap with an appropriate spacing, a tight and stable scale
layer is needed. Since the scale layer of carbon steel free of Cr has a large variation
in thickness, is brittle and unstable, and easily exfoliates to come off during the
working of the assembled tube, it is not possible to build the gap with an appropriate
spacing when a double-walled tube is made. The scale layer of ferritic steel
containing not less than 2% of Cr is stable and exhibits least variation, and therefore
essentially needed for building the gap with an appropriate spacing. Although the
upper limit of the amount of Cr is not defined, since the scale becomes less likely to
beformed when the Cr content is not less than 15%, a ferritic steel having less than
13 % of Cr is preferable.
[0029]
On the other hand, since in an austenitic steel and Ni-based alloy, etc. other
than ferritic steel, it is difficult to form a scale layer having a sufficient thickness, the
tube in which a scale layer is formed is limited to be made of ferritic steel.
[0030]
The reason why the thickness of the scale layer to be formed on either the
inner or outer surface of the relevant tube is made to be 10 to 30 |am as described
above is that if the thickness of the scale layer is less than 10 |Lim, there is no effect of
building an interface gap between mating surfaces: the inner surface of outer wall
tube and the outer surface of inner wall tube; on the other hand, if the thickness is
more than 30 f^m, the scale layer becomes more likely to exfoliate to come off during
subsequent working, or the gap becomes too large so that the heat transfer capability
between outside and inside of the product sharply deteriorates.
[0031]
The scale layer is formed such as by heating during the production of each of
the outer and inner wall tubes before performing the drawing work and rolling work
of the double-walled tube, and a heat treatment before assembling the outer and inner
wall tubes that are processed as above for a double-walled tube. The thickness of
the scale layer can be adjusted by investigating in advance the relationship among the
temperature and time during heating, and the thickness of scale layer for each
material.
10
[0032]
The purpose of using a thickness of not less than 0.1 mm including the scale
layer for the outer svirface or the inner surface of the counterpart tube which is to be
mated with the surface where the scale layer is formed is machined and/or ground
(hereafter, also referred to as "machining and grinding") is to build an interface gap
with an appropriate spacing between mating surfaces: the inner svirface of outer wall
tube and the outer surface of inner wall tube, when assembling the outer and inner
wall tubes for making a double-walled tube,.
[0033]
When a scale layer is stuck on the surface of the covinterpart of the tube in
which the scale layer is formed, or the surface of the relevant tube is not machined
and/or ground, the gap to be built between mating surfaces: the irmer surface of outer
wall tube and the outer surface of irmer wall tube will not have an appropriate
spacing so that not only the uniformity (which means that the gap has an appropriate
spacing and least variation) is impaired, but also a pressure bonding characteristic
cannot be secured and the bonded interface of the resultant double-walled tube will
be easily detached or separated.
[0034]
Further, since there are flaws, wrinkles, carburized and/ or nitrided layers, and
the like on the surface of any tube at the time of production, and thus the surface is
not uniform, they should be removed by performing machining and grinding to build
the gap having an appropriate spacing and least variation.
[0035]
Performing machining and/or grinding to a thickness of not less than 0.1 mm
allows the scale layer to be removed, thereby allows for removing flaws, wrinkles,
carburized and/ or nitrided layers and the like on the surface of any tube at the time
of production. Therefore, the thickness to be removed by machining and/or
grinding is defined to be not less than 0.1 mm. The upper limit of the margin for
machining and grinding is not particularly defined. This is because even if the
margin for machining and grinding increases, there will be no problem in a technical
sense fi-om the viewpoint of building an interface gap with an appropriate spacing,
11
and an excessive machining and grinding will be intrinsically restricted by the wall
thickness etc. of the outer or inner wall tube.
[0036]
It is preferable that the surface roughness due to machining and/or grinding is
arranged to be about 0.05 to 3 |am in arithmetic mean roughness (Ra). Since
coarser surface roughness (Ra) will result in a non-uniform gap built between the
inner surface of outer wall tube and the outer svirface of inner wall tube after they are
processed into a double-walled tube, and therefore is not preferable.
[0037]
After machining and/or grinding is performed, compressive residual stress
caused thereby is to be left therein to obtain a double-walled tube with an excellent
pressure bonding characteristic, so heat treatment etc. will not be performed.
[0038]
Further, performing shotpeening processing in place of machining and
grinding, or combining the both is also effective. On the other hand, performing a
chemical treatment such as pickling in place of machining and grinding is not
suitable since compressive residual stress on the surface is not generated, and
therefore a double-walled tube with an excellent pressure bonding characteristic will
not be obtained.
[0039]
The purpose of using steel or alloy containing not less than 2% of Cr as
described above for the counterpart tube to mate with the surface where a scale layer
is formed is to ensure a high-temperature strength specified by the Standard etc. as a
high-temperature heat-resistant and pressure-resistant member. Although, as
described above, the tube in which a scale layer is formed is limited to be made of
ferritic steel fi"om the viewpoint of forming a tight and stable scale layer, the
counterpart tube for the one having the scale layer will not be subject to such
restriction, a wider variety of steels or alloys such as ferritic steels containing a
higher amount of Cr, austenitic steels, Ni-based alloys may be used according to the
condition of use as a high-temperature heat-resistant and pressure-resistant member.
[0040]
12
The purpose of performing, in the first and second invention, cold working at
an outside diameter reduction rate of 5 to 30% after the inner wall tube being inserted
into the outer wall tube, the tubes being appropriately prepared as described above, is
to easily and economically produce a double-walled tube which has an appropriate
gap between the inner surface of outer tube and the outer surface of irmer tube for
preventing a through-wall leakage, in which thermal conductivity between outside
and inside of the double-walled tube is not impaired, and further the outer wall tube
and the inner wall tube have an appropriate pressure bonding characteristic.
[0041]
Cold working is performed by a drawing process or a rolling process by a roll.
The outside diameter reduction rate by cold working is 5 to 30%. When the outside
diameter reduction rate is less than 5%, the outer wall tube and the irmer wall tube
are not pressure bonded. On the other hand, by working at an outside diameter
reduction rate of more than 30%, the gap will become small, thereby disabling
sufficient prevention of through-wall leakage. Preferably, cold working is
performed at an outside diameter reduction rate of 10 to 15%. More preferable is a
drawing process at an outside diameter reduction rate of 10 to 15%, which uses only
a die without using a plug.
[0042]
The treatment after cold working will not be particularly defined. The thusmade
double-walled tube may be an as-worked product, or subjected to normalizing,
tempering, annealing, solid solution heat treatment, stress-relief aimealing etc. to be
an end product. When there is required a double-walled tube in which interfacial
pressure between the inner and outer wall tubes as an end product is high, working
conditions suitable for that may be appropriately selected. Further, when placing
importance on the high-temperature creep characteristic, heat treatment specified by
Standards is performed on either or both of the outer and inner wall tubes.
[0043]
According to the method for producing a double-walled tube with an interface
gap of the present invention described above, it is possible to readily and stably
produce a double-walled tube having a uniform interface gap between the inner
surface of outer wall tube and the outer surface of irmer wall tube without
13
undergoing complex processes. It is also possible to produce a longer-length
product of about 35 m long.
[0044]
The double-walled tube with an interface gap of the present invention is a
double-walled tube with the gap wherein the gap between the inner surface of outer
wall tube and the outer surface of inner wall tube is 10 to 100 |am including the scale
layer.
[0045]
When the gap is less than 10 j^m, it is not possible to sufficiently arrest the
propagation of cracking that occurs in the outer wall tube or the inner wall tube, and
thus the cracking will develop and the double-walled tube will become liable to
through-wall fi-acture. On the other hand, when the gap is more than 100 |am,
sufficient heat transfer between the outer and inner wall tubes cannot be ensured and
the outer wall tube and the inner wall tube becomes less likely to be pressure bonded.
The spacing of the gap is preferably 10 to 50 |j,m. More preferably, the spacing is
10to35|im.
[0046]
In the double-walled tube with an interface gap of the present invention, the
interfacial pressure in the interface between the inner and outer tubes is preferably 5
to 70 MPa.
[0047]
The interfacial pressvire in the interface between the inner and outer tubes of
the double-walled tube is needed to ensvire a pressure bonding characteristic so that
the inner and outer wall tubes will not be easily detached or separated from each
other. When the interfacial pressure in the interface of the double-walled tube is
less than 5 MPa, an excellent pressure bonding characteristic cannot be ensured, and
when more than 70 MPa, there is a risk that the defective such as curved tube occur
in the double-walled tube.
[0048]
The double-walled tube with the gap of the present invention has a versatility
as a heat-resistant and pressure-resistant member, and can be widely used under
high-temperature environments such as boilers for thermal power generation plants,
14
chemical industries, and nuclear power plants. In particular, it is suitable as a steam
generator tube of next-generation fast breeder reactors in which the prevention of
through-wall leakage is a crucial issue, and can be provided as a longer-length
product of about 35 m long.
EXAMPLES
[0049]
As outer and inner wall tubes for producing a double-walled tube, seamless
tubes of JIS standard STBA24 (2.25Cr - IMo) which is a conventional heat-resistant
steel containing not less than 2% of Cr, ASME standard T91 (9Cr -1 Mo - V - Nb),
and JIS standard SUS321HTB (18Cr - 1 ONi - Ti) were prepared. The dimensions
of respective tubes were as follows.
Outer wall tube: Outside diameter 20.4 mm, wall thickness 1.9 mm, and
length 15m
Inner wall tube: Outside diameter 15.7 mm, wall thickness 1.6 mm, and
length 15m
[0050]
Using these seamless steel tubes, tubes in which an oxide scale is formed in
advance in the inner surface or the outer surface thereof, and tubes in which the
surface (inner or outer surface) thereof to be the counterpart of the aforementioned
tube was machined and ground were prepared in combination of the outer and inner
wall tubes as shown in Table 1.
[0051]
[Table 1]
15
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