Effect of Pre-Weld Heat Treatment Temperatures on TIG Welded Microstructures on Nickel Base Superalloy, GTD-111

Abstract

Nickel-base superalloys have been used as high temperature materials in land-base gas turbine application. When subjected to long term, high temperature service, large crack propagation was observed. Typical refurbishment method of these turbines is carried out by using TIG welding followed by post-weld standard heat treatment. However, new crack initiation is found in the heat-affected zone after TIG welding. Pre-weld heat treatment has been discovered to improves final γ + γ’ microstructure. This study focuses on the effect of pre-weld heat treatment temperature on final γ + γ’ microstructure. Seven different conditions of pre-weld heat treatment temperature were investigated. Scanning electron microscopy studies were carried out after pre-weld and post-weld heat treatments to compare the γ + γ’ microstructure and capture microcracks. The best pre-weld heat treatment temperature produces uniform distribution of finely dispersed γ’ precipitates in the γ matrix without post-weld crack.