Intergranular Cracking and Failure of Stainless Steel Vanes from a Closed, Riveted Impeller

Two Z-shape impeller vanes failed. The vane material was 14-hard type 301 stainless steel. The vanes were of two-piece construction, with a longitudinal weld. Analyses indicated that the vanes had not been solution annealed after welding, leaving the heat-affected zone above the welds in a highly sensitized state. The sensitized material lost corrosion resistance, became embrittled along the grain boundaries, and finally failed by intergranular cracking. Use of type 410 martensitic stainless steel was recommended.