Manufacturing Technology 2025, 25(1):86-94 | DOI: 10.21062/mft.2025.003

Microscopic analysis of selected materials used for hot water heating using SEM

Ľuboš Marček ORCID..., Ján Vavro, jr. ORCID..., Jan Vavro ORCID...
Faculty of Industrial Technologies, Alexander Dubček University of Trenčín. Ivana Krasku 491/30, 020 01, Púchov. Slovak Republic

The introduced work deals with the microscopic analysis of metallographically prepared selected metal materials structures, using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Prepared samples of seamless steel pipes were subjected to a thorough microscopic examination from the outer surface to the inner regions in order to interpret the spe-cific structure, including the change of the inner surfaces due to wear. The experiment showed that the micro-structure and character of the surfaces play a crucial role in the behavior of metallic materials under real condi-tions. Four types of pipes were monitored according to their use. The unused steel pipe (designated as sample No. 1) exhibited a rough outer surface with identified inclusions, while the used pipe (designated as sample No. 2) showed marks of intergranular corrosion and significant wear after long-term use. The older pipe (designated as sample No. 3) showed a decarburized area and inclusions containing sulfides and aluminum. The steel pipe with corrosion layers (designated as sample No. 4) exhibited a continuous corrosion layer with cavitation and cracks. The results of this study offer a comprehensive view relating to the influence of the nature of the micro-structure and wear on the water flow (performance) of metal pipes, with an emphasis on the identification of possible risks associated with geometry change, corrosion and wear. The recommendations create a basis for predicting the degradation as well as appropriate maintenance to ensure their long and reliable service life under real-world conditions of use.

Keywords: Analysis, Microscopic, Structure, Material wear, Pipes
Grants and funding:

This work was supported by the Slovak Grant Agency – project KEGA 011TnUAD-4/2024.This work was supported by the Slovak Grant Agency – project KEGA 011TnUAD-4/2024

Received: June 26, 2024; Revised: January 22, 2025; Accepted: January 24, 2025; Prepublished online: February 20, 2025; Published: April 25, 2025  Show citation

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Marček Ľ, Vavro J, Vavro J. Microscopic analysis of selected materials used for hot water heating using SEM. Manufacturing Technology. 2025;25(1):86-94. doi: 10.21062/mft.2025.003.
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