EXPERTS REPORT

Refers to:

Declaration about the usability of stainless steel 1.4517

instead of 1.4539

Authorised Expert:

Dipl. Chem. M. Holz

Dr. B. Papendorf

Instructed by:

ANDRITZ Ritz GmbH

Gueglingstrasse 50
73529 Schwaebisch Gmuend

Date of purchase order:

November 10th, 2015

Date of inspection

N/A

Order No.

12288

Date of report

November 12th, 2015

Numbers of copies

Pages

11
Images

Enclosure

Reproduction, duplication, translation and use of assessment/report for advertising or transmission to third parties
whether as a whole, shortened or in an abridged version _ requires written permission. The results documented
in this report only refer to samples / records made available and belonging to them.

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Phone. +49 7171 10407-0

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Page 2 / 11

CONTENTS

to Experts Report 12288-2015 of 12.11.2015

Page

1! Formulation....................................................................................................................... 3!
2! Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 3!
3! Expert Opinion.................................................................................................................. 4!
4! Summary / Conclusions .................................................................................................. 8!
References .............................................................................................................................. 1!

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Formulation

It should be determined whether the corrosion behavior of the materials 1.4517 and 904L is
equivalent to each other under the given conditions. In addition a statement should be given
about the suitability of the material combination of the stainless steels 1.4517 and 1.4418 as
well as aluminum bronze 2.0975 in submersible pumps.

Introduction

The client wants to participate in a tender for a planned construction project, according to
which 30 identical submersible (centrifugal) pumps should be built for the delivery of ground
water. According to the specifications described in the tender (separate annex) the
components of the pumps should be built of stainless steel 904L. The designated material
combination by the supplier is notwithstanding thereof. All case parts as well as the rotor
including the thrust ring are planned to consist of stainless steel 1.4517, whereas the split
ring should be built of the aluminum bronze 2.0975 and the shaft in stainless steel 1.4418. As
in the tender no equivalent version to 904L is provided, the corrosion behavior of the
prescribed material should be compared with each other.

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to Experts Report 12288-2015 of 12.11.2015

Expert Opinion

According to the information specified in DIN EN ISO 10027-2:1992 the disputable materials
are stainless steels as they belong to the steel group number 44 and 45. Furthermore the
steel labeled 904L according to the nomenclature of the SAE International is comparable
with the material 1.4539. The stainless steels of steel group 4 are generally corrosion
resistant to natural waters with high chloride concentrations. They are adapted for sea and
brackish water as well as for brine, if crevice corrosion can be avoided. Stainless steels
which can be used in sea, brackish and chemical waste water with even higher chloride
concentration are summarized in steel category 5.
The material 1.4539 (respectively 904L) prescribed in the tender is highly alloyed and carbon
depleted, austenitic stainless steel. The addition of copper in low concentrations makes this
steel more corrosion resistant than conventional chromium-nickel-steels, particularly against
sulfuric, phosphoric and acetic acid. This alloy exhibits high resistivity towards pitting and
crevice corrosion as well as stress corrosion cracking. Based on the higher concentration of
nickel and molybdenum this alloy is more performant than other austenitic steels like 1.4301
(V2A steel) and 1.4571 (V4A steel) which are commonly used in industrial water
management.
The material 1.4517 designated by the client is a ferritic-austenitic, highly alloyed stainless
steel (Duplex steel) with excellent corrosion resistivity against pitting and crevice corrosion
in chloride containing water. These steels contain less nickel but remarkably more chromium
compared to other corrosion resistant austenitic steels. Due to the lower nickel concentration,
which is quite important for the mechanical properties these steels are endangered for
intergranular corrosion. In order to remedy such unsatisfactory tendencies, nitrogen as
austenitic forming component is added. Moreover molybdenum is commonly added as well in
order to enhance the corrosion resistance. Based on the high ferrite concentration these cast
steels exhibit higher strengths compared to austenitic steels like 1.4408 and 1.4581 and
show excellent resistance against hydro-abrasive wear and cavitation. According to the
current state of technology these materials are used for the delivery of sea and brackish
water, salt solutions and sulfide containing wash waters in petrochemical industries.

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to Experts Report 12288-2015 of 12.11.2015

On the other hand the material 1.4418 is nickel martensitic steel with very low carbon
content. This kind of steels is generally used in water industries as a long-product like pump
shafts, spindles, valves and fittings. Their wear resistance and high strength in the tempered
state are decisive for their application. The corrosion resistance of martensitic stainless
steels strongly depends on their chemical composition, surface finish and particularly heat
treatment. Smooth ground or polished surfaces exhibit a higher resistance than rougher
surfaces. The hardened steel is from the corrosion-chemical point of view the best option as
all elements, which enhance the corrosion resistance, are homogenously dissolved in the
matrix. During the tempering of steels carbide precipitations can be formed, which negatively
influence the corrosion resistance. In fact conventional carbon martensites are more prone to
corrosion than nickel martensites with maximal 0.06 % carbon and between 3 to 6 % nickel
(like material 1.4313 and 1.4418).
Another helpful instrument for the assessment of the resistance of an alloy against pitting
and crevice corrosion is the PRE number (Pitting Corrosion Resistance Equivalent). The
higher the PRE number, the more resistant is the alloy against these kinds of damages.
Stainless steels are considered as seawater resistant, if the PRE number exceeds the value
33. The ability of stainless steel to protect itself against corrosion crucially depends on the
concentration of the alloying elements. These usually lead to the passivation of the steel and
its protection. For the formulation of a passivation layer the concentration of chromium in
stainless steel should be at least 12 %. The higher the concentration of corrosive species is,
the more chromium should be dispersed in the metal phase. Apart from chromium, the
concentration of molybdenum (usually between 1.6 and 28 %) strongly determines the
resistance against corrosion. The presence of molybdenum enhances the resistance against
surface abrasive corrosion in reducing media and is thus essential for the durability of steels
in acids. The calculation of the PRE number is based on a linear addition of the
concentration of the most determining alloying elements. As shown in equation E3.1 the
terms of the sum are provided with a defined factor:
PRE = [Cr] + 3.3 [Mo] + 30 [N]
With concentration of Cr, Mo, and N in weight percentage.

(E3.1)

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In table T3.1 both the composition and the determined PRE number of the relevant stainless
steels are shown. The PRE number for the materials 1.4539 and 1.4517 exceeds the value
33. The characteristic value is slightly lower in case of the material 1.4418 as it is expected
for stainless steels of category 4.
In this context it is assumed that the material 904L prescribed by the tender shall be used for
manufacturing of highly exposed components such as the housing and the rotor, whereas
mechanically loaded parts are most probable manufactured from other materials that meet
different requirements.

Table T3.1: Elemental composition and PRE number of elected stainless steels
Material
1.4539

1.4517

1.4418

Short name

Si

Mn

Cr

Ni

0.02

0.70

2.00

19.0-21.0

24-26

Mo

Cu

PRE

4.0-5.0

---

1.2-2.0

32.2-39.9

Si

Mn

Cr

Ni

GX2CrNiCuN

0.03

1.0

2.00

24.5-26.5

5.0-7.0

25-6-3-3

Mo

Cu

PRE

2.5-3.5

0,12-0,25

2.75-3.50

> 40

Si

Mn

Cr

Ni

X4CrNiMo

0.06

0.70

1.50

15.0-17.0

4.0-6.0

16-5-1

Mo

Cu

PRE

0.8-1.5

---

---

18-23

X1NiCrMoCu
25-20-5

The results of the groundwater investigation in Appendix 4 provided by the client show a high
proportion of sulfates (up to 712 mg/L) and chlorides (up to 4680 mg/L) in the individual
layers. The chloride ions pose a risk for localized corrosion of stainless steels. However
material-dependent limiting concentrations cannot be defined, as other water components,
materials processing and operating conditions have a significant influence as well. According
to currently accepted technical standards chromium-nickel-molybdenum based steels (V4A

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to Experts Report 12288-2015 of 12.11.2015

steels) should be used if the chloride concentration exceeds 200 mg/L in cold water. Other
ions than chloride have usually a positive effect on the corrosion resistance. Salt rich natural
water (sea water excluded), which also has high level of other anions such as sulfates,
nitrates, and bicarbonates are significantly less corrosive than pure chloride containing
solutions. However the two materials 1.4539 and 1.4517 exhibit good resistance to chlorides.
Another influencing factor is the concentration of oxidants (oxygen saturation) of the medium.
Both materials are stable towards strong oxygen saturation. The expected low operating
temperatures of 35 to 40C are uncritical for both materials. Further determining factors on
side of the medium can be firmly adhering deposits and abrasive particles (sediments,
foreign corrosion products), which can reduce the local resistance particularly in stagnation
phases (for example during maintenance). According to the tender provided by the client the
solid content is less than 0.01% at a maximum particle size of about 2 mm. Both materials
have a similar Brinell hardness of 230 HB and are expected to be sufficiently resistant to
abrasion. Apart from the materials composition the quality of corrosion protection is crucially
determined by other factors like the surface finish. The highest resistance can be achieved
by a clean, bare metal surface, which should be free of crevices.
According to the technical data sheet of the Deutsche Kupferinstitut the material 2.0975 is
an aluminum bronze with good cast ability, high strength and excellent resistance to erosion
and cavitation. This material exhibits a good abrasion resistance and fatigue behavior and
thus applies to applications with high static and dynamic load. Furthermore the material
shows excellent corrosion stability even in hot seawater. Main applications are corrosionstressed components for shipbuilding industry, the food and chemical industries as well as
fittings for aggressive water.

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Summary / Conclusions

The use of the material 1.4517 instead of 1.4539 is not critical regarding to the material data
sheets. The same applies to the materials 1.4418 and 2.0975. Thus, the materials provided
by the client for the individual components comply with the recognized rules of technology.
This expert opinion refers exclusively to the material-related influence on the corrosion
resistance. On-site factors or operating conditions are not discussed in this opinion.

Dipl.-Chem. Marc Holz

Dr. Benjamin Papendorf

Business Unit Manager

Project Manager

enclosure 1 to Experts Report 12288-2015 of 12.11.2015

References
[1]

Technisches Datenblatt des Edelstahls 1.4539, Deutsche Edelstahlwerke GmbH,

Witten, 2007

[2]

Technisches Datenblatt des Edelstahl 1.4517, Fondinox S.p.A., Milano

[3]

Technische Informationen Nr. 1, Wolfensberger AG, Bauma

[4]

Technisches Datenblatt des Edelstahls 1.4418, Deutsche Edelstahlwerke GmbH,

Witten, 2008

[5]

Merkblatt 821: Edelstahl Rostfrei Eigenschaften, Informationsstelle Edelstahl

Rostfrei, Dsseldorf, 2014

[6]

Verarbeitung nichtrostender Duplexsthle Ein praktischer Leitfaden, International

Molybdenum Association, London, 2011

[7]

Merkblatt 893: Edelstahl Rostfrei fr die Wasserwirtschaft, Informationsstelle

Edelstahl Rostfrei, Dsseldorf, 2007

[8]

Technisches Informationsblatt: Einfluss der Legierungselemente, Otto Maier GmbH,

Freiberg/N.

[9]

Merkblatt 830: Edelstahl Rostfrei in chloridhaltigen Wssern, Informationsstelle

Edelstahl Rostfrei, Dsseldorf, 1997

[10]

Informationsblatt zu Aluminiumbronzen, Deutsches Kuperinstitut,

http://www.abmkupral.hu/letoltes/aluminiumbronz/CuAl10Fe5Ni5-C.pdf

enclosure 2 to Experts Report 12288-2015 of 12.11.2015

THAR BLOCK-II GROUNDWATER QUALITY

Parameter

Dune Sand Aquifer

(1st aquifer)

Coal Seam Roof Aquifer

(2nd aquifer)

Coal Seam Floor

Aquifer
(3rd aquifer)

min

max

min

Max

min

max

pH

7.5

8.6

7.5

7.8

TDS mg/l

1996

9500

5060

6870

4520

6650

Na mg/

500

3520

1940

2080

1520

2182

Mg mg/l

10

240

206

235

99

178

Ca mg/l

11

320

290

339

149

206

K mg/l

58

32

34

27

80

Fe mg/l

0.02

0.68

0.1

1.0

0.1

0.16

SO4 mg/l

180

712

374

458

229

450

Cl mg/l

975

4680

3830

3590

2490

3380

HCO3 mg/l

185

768

173

183

171

348

NO3 mg/l

11

155

0.02

1.21

1.15

1.8

Sealing clay

10m

3m

0.2m

enclosure 3 to Experts Report 12288-2015 of 12.11.2015

711mm Opening protection tube

800mm Well Diamter

50mm PVC Piezometric Tube

600mm Well Diamter

400mm Casing Pipe

Filter Material

Bottom of Dune Sand Aquifer

Casing Pipe

Filter Material

Well Wall

centralizer

Bottom of Coal Seam Roof Aquifer

Roof of Coal Seam Bottom Aquifer

Trapezoidal wire filter
PVC gap filter

10m sump
10m sump


1.
1.1
1.2
1.3 : 35 - 40
0.01%

1.4
2.
2.1 1
2.2
904L
2.3
50m-200m

2.4
2.5
2.6 660VAC 660VAC

50HZ
2.7

2.7.1


2.7.2

Kw

(m3/h)

140

250

v
380/660

180

310

380/660

mm