InsituMetallographyasnon-destructivetestforanalyzing.pdfVIP

5th Pan American Conference for NDT 2-6 October 2011, Cancun, Mexico In situ metallography as non-destructive test to analyze the microstructural damage in the petrochemical industry Juan M. SALGADO-LÓPEZ Metallography and Failure Analysis Laboratory, Center for Engineering and Industrial Development, 702 Playa Pie de la Cuesta Av., Desarrollo San Pablo, Santiago de Queretaro, Queretaro, Mexico; Phone: +52 442 2119800; e-mail: msalgado@cidesi.mx Abstract In situ metallography is required when the metallurgical damage must be evaluated on industrial equipment. The metallurgical damage to be evaluated in metallic equipment could be classified as: creep, graphitization, precipitation of sigma phase, grain growth, etc. There is also the need of in situ metallography when repairs of equipment are been carrying out in order to make sure that weldments of stainless steel are free of precipitation of second phases or, if it is required the inspection of the microstructure, to meet the microstructural requirements of the standard. This paper shows the results of field work using in situ metallography and evidence of the reliability of the results for representing the bulk microstructure of the metallic component. Keywords: In situ metallography, microstructure, damage mechanism, tubes, steel 1. Background Petrochemical plants in Mexico have been operating for more than 30 years and there is a need to monitor the metallurgical state of the industrial equipment, especially in equipment that works at high temperature or that has been exposed to fire [1]. The need of checking the microstructural state of the industrial materials arises from the fact that microstructure strongly influences the mechanical and corrosi