Steels have a proven track record of safe operation in steam power plants for decades. Interest in developing supercritical CO 2 power cycles as a more efficient and sustainable alternative to steam cycles has driven a need to understand steel performance in these new environments. In particular, the potential of the high temperature CO 2 environment to influence the creep behavior of the steel must be determined. Prior research on this topic between the 1960s and 1980s found conflicting conclusions, but nevertheless raised the possibility that carburization during CO 2 exposure may strongly affect the creep behavior. This raises concerns particularly for thin-sectioned components such as compact heat exchangers, where even small rates of carburization can become problematic over long operating lifetimes. To shed light on this issue, this research investigates the creep behavior of austenitic stainless steel 347H and 309H (a higher Cr alternative) at 650°C. Specimens of 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 mm thickness were tested to further assess the effect of steel thickness. Both steels show a reduction in creep life in CO 2 relative to air, with 309H showing slightly better performance than 374H. Analysis is ongoing to determine the reason for degraded creep properties.

Nickel-base alloys were exposed to flowing supercritical CO 2 (P = 20MPa) at temperatures of 700 to 1000°C for up to 1000 h. For comparison, 316L stainless steel was similarly exposed at 650°C. To simulate likely service conditions, tubular samples of each alloy were internally pressurised by flowing CO 2 , inducing hoop stresses up to 35 MPa in the tube walls. Materials tested were Haynes alloys 188, 230 and 282, plus HR120 and HR160. These alloys developed chromia scales and, to different extents, an internal oxidation zone. In addition, chromium-rich carbides precipitated within the alloys. Air aging experiments enabled a distinction between carburisation reactions and carbide precipitation as a result of alloy equilibration. The stainless steel was much less resistant to CO 2 attack, rapidly entering breakaway corrosion, developing an external iron-rich oxide scale and internal carburisation. Results are discussed with reference to alloy chromium diffusion and carbon permeation of oxide scales.

Oxyfuel combustion is considered as one of the most promising technologies to facilitate CO 2 capture from flue gases. In oxyfuel combustion, the fuel is burned in a mixture of oxygen and recirculated flue gas. Flue gas recirculation increases the levels of fireside CO 2 , SO 2 , Cl and moisture, and thus promotes fouling and corrosion. In this paper the corrosion performance of two superheater austenitic stainless steels (UNS S34710 and S31035) and one Ni base alloy (UNS N06617) has been determined in laboratory tests under simulated oxyfuel conditions with and without a synthetic carbonate based deposits (CaCO 3 - 15 wt% CaSO 4 , CaCO 3 - 14wt% CaSO 4 - 1 KCl) at 650 and 720°C up to 1000 hours. No carburization of the metal substrate was observed after exposure to simulated oxyfuel gas atmospheres without deposit, although some carbon enrichment was detected near the oxide metal interface. At 720°C a very thin oxide formed on all alloy surfaces while the weight changes were negative. This negative weight change observed is due to chromium evaporation in the moist testing condition. At the presence of deposits, corrosion accelerated and considerable metal loss of austenitic alloys was observed at 720°C. In addition, clear carburization of austenitic steel UNS S34710 occurred.