A técnica de soldagem subaquática molhada com eletrodos revestidos apresenta um crescente potencial de aplicação para reparos submarinos em elementos estruturais de unidades flutuantes de produção de petróleo (profundidade até 20 m). Porém, ela apresenta problemas tais como o maior risco de fissuração a frio e de formação acentuada de porosidade. O presente trabalho tem como objetivo melhorar a resistência mecânica do metal de solda de um eletrodo experimental do tipo oxi-rutílico. Foram estudadas as influências de adições de Mo (até 0,4% no metal de solda) na microestrutura e em propriedades mecânicas. As soldas foram realizadas em simulador de soldagem subaquática em profundidade equivalente de 10m utilizando um sistema de soldagem por gravidade. As análises das micrografias mostrou que o aumento do teor de Mo no metal de solda diminui significantemente o tamanho médio de grão da região reaquecida de grãos finos. O aumento do teor de Mo no metal de solda resultou, ainda, em aumento do limite de resistência à tração sem perdas de tenacidade e ductilidade até aproximadamente 0,25%Mo.

the underwater wet welding with coated electrodes technique is undergoing an important use growth in underwater repairs of oil production floating unit's structural elements (up to 20 m depth). However, it presents problems such as increased risk of cold cracking and sharp porosity formation. This work aims to improve the weld metal's mechanical strength through the addition of molybdenum to experimental oxy-rutilic type electrodes. Both the microstructure and the mechanical properties of weld metals were studied while electrodes would receive additional Mo (up to 0.4%). The welds were done using a gravity welding system placed in an underwater welding simulator with an equivalent depth of 10 m. Analyses of micrographics shown that the increased level of Mo in weld metal (a) decreases significantly the average grain size of fine-grained reheated region while (b) increases tensile strength limit without loss of toughness and ductility up to 0,25% Mo approximately.

Com o objetivo de fornecer subsídios para a seleção de consumíveis para a soldagem molhada foram determinadas algumas propriedades do metal de solda a partir de juntas soldadas em água doce com eletrodos revestidos comerciais específicos para este fim. As soldas foram realizadas em tanque a 0,5m de profundidade por dispositivo de soldagem por gravidade. Foram levantados dados que auxiliem a eleger os consumíveis de melhor desempenho para serem testados em maiores profundidades. Foram realizados os seguintes testes e avaliações: caracterização microestrutural, análise e quantificação das inclusões, composição química do metal de solda, dureza Vickers, hidrogênio difusível e avaliação da soldabilidade. Os resultados obtidos permitem classificar os consumíveis testados em dois grupos com características bem distintas. No primeiro grupo está o único eletrodo do tipo oxidante e no segundo grupo estão os quatro eletrodos do tipo rutílico testados. Quanto às propriedades mecânicas e às características operacionais, os eletrodos do tipo rutílico apresentaram os melhores resultados. Por outro lado, o eletrodo oxidante testado produziu soldas com mais baixo teor de hidrogênio difusível e, portanto, menor risco potencial de provocar trincas a frio. As diferenças de propriedades entre os eletrodos testados são evidenciadas e discutidas no presente trabalho.

With the objective to supply subsidies to select ferritic electrodes for underwater wet welding, some weld metal characteristics of commercial electrodes were determined. The welding trials were carried out at 0.5m fresh water depth in an aquarium, using a gravity device for welding. The study aimed also to obtain data to help to elect the consumables of best performance to be tested in higher depths. The following characterizations were performed: microstructural analysis, quantification of inclusions, weld metal and inclusions chemical composition, mechanical properties, diffusible hydrogen and weldability evaluation. The obtained results helped to classify the tested consumables in two groups with quite different characteristics. The first group is composed of one oxidizing type electrode and the second one is composed of four rutile type electrodes. Regarding to hydrogen in the weld metal, the obtained results show that the oxidizing electrode is able to produce welds with considerable low diffusible hydrogen content. As a consequence, smaller potential risk of cold cracking is expected when using this electrode. Meantime, regarding to the arc stability and other operational indicators, the oxidizing electrode presented inferior performance. Considering mechanical properties, the rutile electrodes presented the best results. The properties differences among the electrodes tested are shown and discussed in the present work.

The melting and solidification behavior of Bi2Sr2Ca2Cu3 O10 (Bi-2223) precursors has been studied. Nominal compositions corresponding to excess of liquid, Ca2CuO3 and CuO have been investigated. Each sample was made by packing a precursor powder into a silver crucible, in order to approximately simulate the situation found in 2223 silver-sheathed tapes. The samples were partially melted and then slow-cooled, being quenched from different temperatures and analyzed through X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM/EDS). The precursors decomposed peritectically during melting, forming liquid and solid phases. Very long plates with compositions falling in the vicinity of the 2223 primary phase field formed upon slow-cooling. The 2223 phase may have been formed and the results suggest that long grains of this phase might be obtained by melting and crystallization if the exact peritectic region and the optimum processing conditions are found.

In the present work, the corrosion resistance of an ASTM A 387 G11 steel was evaluated under two conditions: an oxidizing atmosphere in a fluid catalytic cracking regenerator of a petroleum processing unit and a simulated atmosphere in the laboratory, at temperatures of 650 °C and 700 °C. The characterization of the phases present in the oxidized layer was carried out by X-ray diffraction (XRD), optical microscopy (OM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with X-ray energy dispersive analysis (EDS). Severe corrosion was observed after exposure to both the real and simulated conditions, with formation of several iron oxides (Fe2O3, Fe3O4 and FeO) in the product scale layer, as well as a slight inner oxidation and sulfidation of chromium in the substrate. Internal nitridation of the silicon and the manganese was observed only in the real condition, probably related to the long-term exposure inside the regenerator.

The application of thermal spray coatings has been effective in preventing corrosion of steel and iron products. It has been used in a wide range of applications spreading from the petroleum to the food industry. In this work, the performance and effectiveness of a two-layered aluminum-based thermal spray coating applied to an ASTM A387 G11 steel was evaluated. The coating structure was comprised of an inner Al-Fe-Cr layer and an outer layer of aluminum. Coated samples were tested in the reactor zone of a fluid catalytic cracking unit (FCCU) of a petrochemical plant for 2.5 years. The reactor zone temperature was about 793 K (520 °C) and the environment was a mixed gas containing sulfur, oxygen and carbon. Laboratory-scale tests were also conducted on the coated samples in order to gain a better understanding of the corrosive effect of the gaseous species present in the FCCU atmosphere. Porosity present in the thermal spray coatings allowed the penetration of the atmosphere corrodents, which instigated intergranular corrosion of the steel substrate. The presence of an inner Al-Fe-Cr layer did not prevent coating spallation, which further contributed to the internal corrosion process.