Case Study: Corrosion Failure of Yellow Brass Tubing in Radiator Application
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CASE HISTORY—PEER-REVIEWED
Case Study: Corrosion Failure of Yellow Brass Tubing in Radiator Application E. R. Weishaupt • M. E. Stevenson J. L. McDougall • D. A. Turnquist
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Submitted: 1 March 2012 / Published online: 31 March 2012 Ó ASM International 2012
Abstract Several radiators used for locomotive engines, manufactured from a 65/35 copper/zinc yellow brass tube, were found to have leaking problems shortly after manufacture. The radiators were found to experience widespread leaks at varying locations during pressure testing conducted before use in service. A large population of radiators produced during the same production cycle (approximately 80%) experienced leaks. The radiators were returned to the manufacturer as defective. In the months following the discovery of the leaks, a dispute regarding the cause of the leaks arose between the supplier of the yellow brass tube and the manufacturer of the radiator. Keywords Yellow brass Welded tube Radiator Environmental corrosion
Introduction A large number of radiators used in locomotive engines manufactured from a 65/35 copper/zinc brass tube were found to have leaking problems shortly after manufacture. The yellow brass tube used in each of the radiators was
E. R. Weishaupt (&) Engineering Systems, Inc., 1174 Oak Valley Dr., Ann Arbor, MI 48108, USA e-mail: [email protected]
manufactured by a continuous seam welding process. During testing of the radiators before being placed into service, the radiators were found to be compromised at various locations. Large populations of radiators produced during the same production cycle, approximately 80%, were found to have experienced leaks during subsequent testing. The radiators were returned to the manufacturer as defective. The yellow brass tube used to produce the core of the radiator was initially suspected of being responsible for the failure of the radiators. The yellow brass tube material used for the subject radiators was manufactured by the supplier from yellow brass strip sections. The yellow brass strip is formed into a tube shape. The strip material is welded together along the length of the tube via a continuous welding operation. This and similar types of continuous welding are a common process in the manufacture of tubular products. In the months following the detection of the leaks, several internal investigations were undertaken by both the radiator manufacturer and the supplier of the brass tube. The cause of the failure, as was originally determined by the brass tube supplier, was attributed to the failure due to stress corrosion cracking (SCC) of the brass tube. This determination resulted in a denial of responsibility by the tube supplier, which precipitated an additional investigation on the cause of the failure by the radiator manufacturer. During this second investigation, the integrity of the continuous seam weld process was identified by the radiator manufacturer as a possible cause of the leaks in the radiator.
M. E. Stevenson J. L. McDougall Engineering Systems, Inc., 6230 R
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