A study on the mechanical stress relieving and safety assessment without post-weld heat treatment

For full welded body valve, the temperature of grommet cannot exceed 150 °C in order to prevent it from damaging and assure the tightness and the service life of valve. Therefore, post-weld heat treatment (PWHT) cannot be used to relieve the residual stresses. In this study, the effect of the mechanical stress relieving (MSR) treatment on the residual stresses was studied by the finite element method and experimental work. A pressure and time diagram of MSR treatment was established. A two-dimensional axisymmetric finite element model was used to simulate the residual stresses field. Before and after MSR treatment, the residual stresses on the outer surface were measured by the blind hole drilling method. Finally, the fracture toughness behaviors of weld zone (WZ) and heat affected zone (HAZ) were investigated in terms of crack tip opening displacement (CTOD) according to BS7448 and DNV-OS-C401 fracture toughness tests standards. The safety of the valve in active service was assessed without PWHT. Through comparison and analysis, the axial residual stresses and the hoop residual stresses on the outer surface of valve are mainly tensile. The peak value of tensile stress occurs nearer to the outer surface of the valve. MSR treatment can decrease the peak value of axial residual stresses and hoop residual stresses on the outer surface obviously and make the residual stresses distribution more uniform. The safety of the valve in active service is reliable without PWHT.