EVALUATION OF HTHA EFFECT ON CARBON STEEL & CARBON 0.5 Mo EXCHANGER USING VARIOUS NDE TECHNIQUES FOR REFORMER WASTE HEAT BOILER GAS EXCHANGER IN A HYDROGEN UNITExisting C-0.5Mo steel in hydrogen service is still a concern in the petroleum and petrochemical industry. High-temperature hydrogen attack (HTHA) has been one of the major problems in the petroleum and petrochemical industry because of its deleterious effects. Since the original Nelson curves were suggested in 1949 to define the operating limits for steels used in hydrogen service to avoid HTHA a number of research and investigation activities on HTHA have been carried out around the world.In the USA American Petroleum Institute (API) summarized these data as Publication 941 – “Steels for Hydrogen Service at Elevated Temperatures and Pressures in Petroleum Refineries and Petrochemical Plants” in 1970 and since then it has been widely used for material selection in hydrogen service operation and maintenance in petroleum and petrochemical plants.HTHA has been observed in petroleum refining and petrochemical equipment used in environments with high hydrogen pressures at elevated temperatures. This attack is caused by the ingress of hydrogen into steel. Hydrogen atoms react with dissolved carbons or carbides in steel and form methane gas in accordance with the following chemical reaction.4H + C ? CH4 or 4H + MC ? CH4 + 3M (M: metals)This gaseous methane forms voids mainly on grain boundaries or inclusions and the increase of gaseous methane pressure in the voids may result in the formation of micro-fissures blistering or cracking. The tensile strength and ductility of the attacked material is significantly deteriorated finally causings catastrophic failures.During hydrogen unit shut down E-18-205 (Waste Heat Boiler Exchanger) was opened for Maintenance & Inspection.This heat exchanger operates at high temperature in hydrogen service.The 10” Ø bypass flue gas pipe made of C-0.5Mo in this reformer waste heat exchanger in hydrogen unit was found leaking while hydrotest of the equipment during plant shutdown (Jan 2009). Subsequently various NDE techniques were used to determine the location and extent of the crack on the base metal of the center pipe