T/P92: The Future of High Energy Power Plant Piping?

There is a great deal of pressure being put on power generators to produce more power more efficiently with lower emissions, while minimizing capital costs and maximizing profits. To achieve the desired higher efficiencies with lower emissions, the operating pressures and temperatures for power, plants must increase. New piping materials are therefore being sought to handle these elevated pressures and temperatures. One such material currently in consideration is T/P92, which has been in use in European and Japanese power plants since the 90’s (European standard X 10CrWMoVNb9-2 and Japanese standard STBA29-STPA-29), and has been approved by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code (ASME BPVC) for Sections I and VIII, Division 1 construction (ref. ASME Code Case 2179-3). This paper will compare T/P92 with the current alternative, T/P91, and will discuss similarities and differences between the two materials in terms of engineering, fabrication and installation.