Two Cases of Stress Cracking of Pressure Vessels in Chemical Plants

Abstract

The main features, the historical circumstances and relevant diagnoses are reported for two cases of catastrophic failure of steel pressure vessels from typical forms of environment-induced stress cracking: (1) S.C. of a high strength steelfrom gaseous hydrogen embrittlement; (2) S.C. of a medium strength steel in alkaline carbonate solutions.

The report should be of use to chemical plant designers, constructors and users in relation to better material selection, safer design and adequate monitoring in pressure vessels.