A. V. Nechaeva, L. G. Vagina, A. M. Polyansky, V. A. Polyansky, V. V. Shalagaev, Yu. A. Yakovlev

REDISTRIBUTION OF CARBON IN STEELS DURING LONG-TERM OPERATION OF EQUIPMENT IN HYDROGEN-CONTAINING ENVIRONMENTS

The effect of carbon redistribution during long-term operation of equipment operating in different hydrogenating environments and at different operating pressures is described. It was revealed that microstructural decarburization in damaged equipment was caused by carbon diffusion from the pearlite grain body and its accumulation along the grain boundaries. In this case, the average concentration of carbon did not change. This effect was confirmed by a complex of tests: optical emission analysis, optical and electron microscopy, energy-dispersive analysis of the structural components on polished metallographic sections, elemental mapping of surfaces obtained as a result of impact tests of the analyzed samples. It is shown that the pattern of the diffusive redistribution of carbon did not depend on the composition of the working medium (organic and inorganic substances and their mixtures), but resulted from industrial equipment operation time under external load.

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