Research on Corrosion Mechanisms of Dissimilar Metal Welding in Steam Boilers and Steam Pipelines

doi:10.11902/1005.4537.2025.151

Journal of Chinese Society for Corrosion and protection

2026, Vol. 46

Issue (2): 381-392 DOI: 10.11902/1005.4537.2025.151

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Research on Corrosion Mechanisms of Dissimilar Metal Welding in Steam Boilers and Steam Pipelines

ZHENG Binbin, ZHOU Yuhang, ZHU Qi(

), ZHANG Tao, WANG Fuhui

State Key Laboratory of Digital Steel, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110819, China

Cite this article:

ZHENG Binbin, ZHOU Yuhang, ZHU Qi, ZHANG Tao, WANG Fuhui. Research on Corrosion Mechanisms of Dissimilar Metal Welding in Steam Boilers and Steam Pipelines. Journal of Chinese Society for Corrosion and protection, 2026, 46(2): 381-392.

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Abstract

Ordinary, the weld joint of 20# steel of the steam boiler to 316L stainless steel of the steam pipeline was made by argon arc welding method with the following welding parameters: a welding current of 80 A, an arc voltage of 11 V, and a welding speed ranging from 6 to 8 cm/min. In this way, the weld joints of 20#/20# steel and 20#/316L steel were welded with carbon steel and 316L steel as filler material respectively. However, even under normal operating conditions, instability fractures occur at the joints before the specified service time is reached. To investigate the corrosion fracture mechanism, samples of the above two types of joints are immersed in a simulated water to analyze the weight of environmental factors on the corrosion rate of the joints. Additionally, four-point bending tests are conducted to simulate the conditions experienced of the joints during service. Surface morphologies are observed using scanning electron microscopy, while the phase composition of corrosion products is analyzed via infrared spectroscopy and Raman spectrometer. The results indicate that the corrosion rates of 20#/316L steel welded joints are higher than those of 20#/20# steel welded joints across different environments, with temperature being the decisive factor influencing the corrosion rate. A significant amount of strip-like ferrite is present in the heat-affected zone on the 20# steel side of the 20#/316L steel welded joint, which is prone to initiating pitting corrosion. Under the combined effects of residual stress and structural stress caused by welding, severe stress concentration occurs at the bottom region of the prefabricated notch, inducing stress corrosion.

Key words: dissimilar metal welding simulated environment four-point bending corrosion mechanism

Received: 19 May 2025 32134.14.1005.4537.2025.151

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	ZHENG Binbin
	ZHOU Yuhang
	ZHU Qi
	ZHANG Tao
	WANG Fuhui

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https://www.jcscp.org/EN/10.11902/1005.4537.2025.151 OR https://www.jcscp.org/EN/Y2026/V46/I2/381

Fig.1 Illustrations and experimental setups for the corrosion test: (a) schematic diagram of the static immersion reactor, (b) physical photograph of the corresponding reactor, (c) schematic of the four-point bending (FPB) test configuration, (d) photograph of the actual four-point bending test fixture

Table 1 Four-point bending test parameters

Fig.2 Residual stress on the external and internal surfaces of 20# steel/316L welding material (WM)/316L steel

Fig.3 Surface (a) and cross-sectional (b) macro morphologies of 20#/20# steel welded joint, and microstructure morphologies of BM (b1), HAZ(b2) and WM (b3)

Fig.4 Surface (a) and cross-sectional (b) macro morphology of 20#/316L steel welded joint, and morphologies of 20# BM (b1), 20# HAZ (b2, b3), WM (b4), 316L HAZ (b5) and 316L BM (b6)

Table 2 Corrosion rate of 20#/20# steel welded joint and 20#/316L steel welded joint

Fig.5 Influence weight of environmental factors on corrosion rate of 20#/20# steel (a) and 20#/316L steel welded joints (b)

Fig.6 Optical pictures of welded joints under simulated environment, with 20#/20# steel welded joints for 240 h (a), 480 h (c) and 720 h (e), and 20#/316L steel welded joints for for 240 h (b), 480 h (d) and 720 h (f)

Fig.7 SEM images showing morphologies of 20#/20# steel welded joints in different regions (BM, HAZ, WM) after corrosion test: (a) 240 h, (b) 480 h, (c) 720 h

Fig.8 SEM images showing morphologies of 20#/316L steel welded joints in different regions (20#BM, 20#HAZ, WM, 316L HAZ, 316L BM) after corrosion for 240 h (a), 480 h (b) and 720 h (c)

Fig.9 SEM images showing the morphologies of prefabricated cracks of 20#/20# (a, b) and 20#/316L (c, d) steel welded joints before and after corrosion test

Fig.10 SEM images showing the morphologies of microstructure near the prefabricated cracks of (a) 20#/20# and (b) 20#/316L steel welded joints after corrosion test

Fig.11 SEM images of the microstructure near the prefabricated crack of 20#/316L steel welded joint after corrosion test (a-c)

Fig.12 FT-IR spectra of corrosion products of 20#/20# steel welded joints after corrosion of 240 h (a), 480 h (b) and 720 h (c)

Fig.13 FT-IR spectra of corrosion products of 20#/316L steel welded joints after corrosion of 240 h (a), 480 h (b) and 720 h (c)

Fig.14 Raman spectra of corrosion products of 20#/20# steel welded joints after corrosion 240 h (a), 480 h (b) and 720 h (c)

Fig.15 Raman spectra of corrosion products of 20#/316L steel welded joints after corrosion of 240 h (a), 480 h (b) and 720 h (c)

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