The Effects of Induction Heating Conditions on Controlling Residual Stresses in Welded Pipes

Induction heating for stress improvement (IHSI) is a method for reducing the tensile weld induced stresses on the inner surfaces of the girth welded pipes. The process entails inductively heating the outside of a welded pipe while cooling the inner surface with flowing water. A 10-in. Schedule 80 Type 304 stainless steel pipe was selected for this study. Residual stresses due to welding were first determined using a finite element computational model. Several IHSI treatments subsequent to welding are then examined computationally to determine the effect of induction coil length and maximum outer surface temperatures on the final residual stress state. All IHSI treatments gave reduced inside surface tensile weld induced stresses on the inner surface. Longer coils and higher outer surface temperatures led to inner surface stresses that were more compressive.