Questions about the converter furnace
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Both the converter and the gasifier are made of SA387CR11CL2 material. Why does the outer wall of the gasifier experience creep at 400 degrees Celsius, while the converter, which has no refractory bricks, does not exhibit creep even at reaction temperatures above 400 degrees Celsius?
SA387CR11CL2 does not experience creep at 400 degrees. During long-term operation at working temperatures in the range of 500°C–550°C, spheroidization of pearlite occurs, along with a redistribution of alloying elements between the solid solution and carbides, as well as changes in the structure of the carbide phases. The heat resistance and mechanical properties of 15CrMo steel decrease gradually as the degree of pearlite spheroidization increases and the degree to which alloying elements are depleted from the solid solution rises, resulting in a gradual deterioration of the material’s properties and even its failure, which affects the service life of the equipment.
I’m not sure how well you are familiar with the structure of such equipment; generally, the outer wall of a conversion furnace has a strength layer made of SA387CR11CL2, with internal surfacing or lining applied. The gasifier is equipped with water-cooled wall coils; the maximum wall temperature during gasification is typically 300 degrees Celsius, so there is no issue of high-temperature creep as you mentioned, unless there are problems with the slag accumulation on the internal water-cooled walls.