Tracking research on the performance changes of S31042 steel under long term service

S31042 is widely used in ultra-supercritical units due to its excellent comprehensive performance at high temperatures. Tracking and monitoring research was conducted on as-received S31042 tubes and tubes in service for 13 k hours, 31 k hours, and 52 k hours at 650 °C. The results show that as the service time increased, a large quantity of M₂₃C₆ phase precipitated along the grain boundaries, gathered and grew up into the bulk. This weakened of the grain boundaries, which facilitated crack propagation and significantly reduced the plasticity and toughness of the S31042 heat-resistant steel. After 13 k hours of operation, the dispersion strengthening of the precipitated phase inside the grain and grain boundary led to a substantial increase in hardness, while there was no obvious change in strength. However, after 52 k hours of operation, the dispersed precipitated phase within the grain slowly aggregated and grew, decreasing the effectiveness of dispersion strengthening. Consequently, both the high-temperature strength and hardness of the S31042 steel gradually decreased. As the service time increased, the continuously distributed and similarly sized M₂₃C₆ phases on the grain boundaries of S31042 developed into an inhomogeneous coarsening chain structure. Additionally, the appearance of nanoscale secondary NbCrN and M₂₃C₆ phases within the grain and their resulting precipitation strengthening effects were the main reasons for the significant change in S31042 hardness values. Based on these findings, the residual life of S31042 heat-resistant steel in service was predicted using an extrapolation method based on high-temperature creep rupture tests and the relationship model between hardness and the P function. A comparison of the L-M parametric life prediction results with the strength extrapolation life prediction results based on the standard creep rupture test shows that the creep rupture strength extrapolation method is slightly conservative. Therefore, the prediction results based on the hardness L-M parameter method, which is simple and easy to perform, can be used for preliminary life prediction.