Three different test methods have been used to assess the susceptibility of different stainless steel grades to SCC under evaporative and immersed conditions. The methods employed were the drop evaporation test, the wick test and a high temperature, high pressure test simulating a feedwater heater tubing application in power plants. The alloys investigated were commercially produced austenitic and duplex stainless steels varying in chemical composition. plus one copper-nickel alloy. The resistance of austenitic stainless steels towards SCC increased by increasing the content of Ni, MO and Cr, thus the super austenitic 654SMO(UNS32654) did not not show any cracking in any of the three tests. The super austenitic 254SMO (UNS31254) revealed only slight SCC in the simulated feed water heater tubing application while the equivalent N08367 revealed severe pitting and cracking. The drop evaporation test exhibited the most severe test conditions characterised by thermally induced fatigue effects, sensibility to onset of corrosion and severe acidic conditions generated under deposits on the test specimen. Some factors in stress corrosion cracking tests such as thermal fatigue, diffusion, heat transfer and stress condition, are discussed with regard to their influence on the test results
Keywords: stress corrosion cracking, stainless steel, drop evaporation test, wick test, four point bend test, feedwater heater tubing, constant load, constant strain, thermal fatigue