Results 1 to 10 of 10

Identifying inconel metal

| Scrap Metal Identification
  1. #1
    fecual started this thread.
    fecual's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor


    Member since
    Aug 2014
    Posts
    26
    Thanks
    2
    Thanked 27 Times in 9 Posts

    Identifying inconel metal

    I recently got paid for removing a large industrial catalyzing oven. The attached pictures show it being attached to my crane's hook, and later a piece of it in my yard.

    What it is is a large catalyzing oven that had titanium dioxide catalyst and was used to burn off industrial paint and clean up the exhaust gases to be EPA compliant.

    Inside, there are heavy grates that are non-magnetic. In addition, there is a big accordion-like setup, about 4x4x8 feet long, that looks kind of like an accordion and is also non-magnetic. It is probably a heat exchanger of some kind.

    I am suspecting that they may be not stainless but inconel. So, I wanted to know if I can test them without going to a scrap yard with XRF gun. Is there some way to positively identify inconel, like try to melt salt on top of it with an oxidizing flame from a torch and see if it corrodes? Something that can distinguish it from regular stainless?

    It looks grey.

    Thanks
    Attached Images Attached Images   
    Last edited by fecual; 07-22-2016 at 08:43 PM.


  2. #2
    URBANERECYCLING's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor

    Member since
    Aug 2012
    Location
    Tampa
    Posts
    160
    Thanks
    131
    Thanked 262 Times in 89 Posts
    Very easy solution to get the first basic question out of the way. Put a grinder to it and see if it puts out a short red (ish) spark . If it is you have a high temp high nickel alloy. This wont exactly tell you what alloy specific it is but will at least tell you if you have something with better than 304/ 316ss nickel content, You might want to take a piece of stainless steel 300 series and grind that first so you can see the vast difference in the spark if it is alloy. If it is alloy I would assume a yard with a gun would come to you to shoot it if its that heavy of a piece. Good luck and may the spark be short and red

  3. The Following 3 Users say Thank You for This Post by URBANERECYCLING:


  4. #3
    fecual started this thread.
    fecual's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor


    Member since
    Aug 2014
    Posts
    26
    Thanks
    2
    Thanked 27 Times in 9 Posts
    Thanks. I will do that, it is a great idea.

  5. #4
    fecual started this thread.
    fecual's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor


    Member since
    Aug 2014
    Posts
    26
    Thanks
    2
    Thanked 27 Times in 9 Posts
    Here a small picture of the grate and a link to the big picture:

    http://yabe.chudov.com/HEAVY-Stainle...9/DSC_0059.JPG

    Keep in mind that the grate that you see spent 20-30 years in a fire.
    Attached Images Attached Images  

  6. The Following User Says Thank You to fecual for This Post:


  7. #5
    SMF Badges of Honor



    Member since
    Apr 2015
    Posts
    2,072
    Thanks
    615
    Thanked 2,445 Times in 1,092 Posts
    Looks like it could be titanium.




    Last edited by alloy2; 07-24-2016 at 01:01 AM.

  8. #6
    fecual started this thread.
    fecual's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor


    Member since
    Aug 2014
    Posts
    26
    Thanks
    2
    Thanked 27 Times in 9 Posts
    Titanium, that would be super surprising!

  9. #7
    SMF Badges of Honor



    Member since
    Apr 2015
    Posts
    2,072
    Thanks
    615
    Thanked 2,445 Times in 1,092 Posts
    Quote Originally Posted by fecual View Post
    Titanium, that would be super surprising!
    5:03 Saprk test titanium,


  10. The Following 4 Users say Thank You for This Post by alloy2:


  11. #8
    fecual started this thread.
    fecual's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor


    Member since
    Aug 2014
    Posts
    26
    Thanks
    2
    Thanked 27 Times in 9 Posts
    I took a couple more pictures. One of the heat exchanger and other of three triangular pieces from that exchanger, compared to regular stainless. I burned both stainless and the mystery metal with TIG torch without argon.

    https://www.machinerymoverschicago.c...-exchanger.jpg

    https://www.machinerymoverschicago.com/tmp/inconel.jpg

  12. #9
    SMF Badges of Honor



    Member since
    Apr 2015
    Posts
    2,072
    Thanks
    615
    Thanked 2,445 Times in 1,092 Posts
    Quote Originally Posted by fecual View Post
    I took a couple more pictures. One of the heat exchanger and other of three triangular pieces from that exchanger, compared to regular stainless. I burned both stainless and the mystery metal with TIG torch without argon.

    https://www.machinerymoverschicago.c...-exchanger.jpg

    https://www.machinerymoverschicago.com/tmp/inconel.jpg
    Doesn't tell me much, take youre grinder and hit it the sparks are a brilliant white.

    Titanium once exp[osed to the atmospher, a pasivated coating forms almost imediatly, if you do not own a grinder take something sharp and scibe a gouge into the metal the newly eposed metal will form a pasivsated coating almost imediatly.

    Another thing stainless steel will become slightly magnetic at a weld or cut zone if you had made the cut with a plasma torch or simply melted a glob as you have using your tig the metal if it is stainless would become magnetic. Titanium does not share this trait.

    Type III Color Anodize

    Techmetals Type III color titanium anodize (TM- MedaDize Color) produces an oxide layer of variable thickness. This oxide layer reflects and refracts light waves which in turn cause the perception of color to the human eye. Color perception is caused by light interference between the oxide layer and base metal. Observed color is based on the thickness of the TiO2 “oxide” layer that grows during the anodize process. Since the oxide layer thickness can be controlled a wide array of colors can be produced without the use of dyes. Interference color wavelengths are formed by the refraction of light off of and through the thin titanium oxide layer. It is not the oxide itself that is perceived by the viewer, but its effect on light waves.



    Last edited by alloy2; 07-24-2016 at 07:20 PM.

  13. The Following 4 Users say Thank You for This Post by alloy2:


  14. #10
    SMF Badges of Honor

    Member since
    Mar 2017
    Location
    Washington
    Posts
    2
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
    Inconel metals are high strength material with supreme corrosion and oxidation resistance properties. If we go specific form of inconel for ex- let's say its Inconel 625 then its features would be:-



    1.
    prevents attack in alkalis, marine & fresh water and natural salts

    2. Good resistance to oxidizing and non oxidizing media

    3. Prevents pitting and crevice corrosion and SCC

    Learn more about inconel 625 here:
    super-metals.com/alloy/inconel-625/
    Last edited by heanjiametals; 03-28-2017 at 03:16 PM.


  15. Similar threads on the Scrap Metal Forum

    1. Need help identifying this metal
      By erewen in forum A Day in the Life of a Scrapper
      Replies: 7
      Last Post: 03-22-2014, 03:46 PM
    2. need help identifying this metal
      By chrisc in forum Scrap Metal Questions and Answers
      Replies: 23
      Last Post: 08-16-2012, 06:26 AM
    3. The "inconel" impeller RE: 434 pound 617 inconel impeller
      By Shippsrecycling in forum A Day in the Life of a Scrapper
      Replies: 1
      Last Post: 08-12-2011, 12:28 AM
    4. 434 lb. 617 Inconel impeller
      By Shippsrecycling in forum Scrap Metal Prices
      Replies: 5
      Last Post: 08-08-2011, 08:10 AM
    5. INCONEL? what is it? price per lb?
      By Randy_B_Scrappin in forum Scrap Metal Questions and Answers
      Replies: 5
      Last Post: 03-11-2011, 08:30 AM

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

 
Browse the Most Recent Threads
On SMF In THIS CATEGORY.





OR

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  

The Scrap Metal Forum

    The Scrap Metal Forum is the #1 scrap metal recycling community in the world. Here we talk about the scrap metal business, making money, where we connect with other scrappers, scrap yards and more.

SMF on Facebook and Twitter

Twitter Facebook