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Introduction
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INCONEL® nickel-chromium-iron alloy 601 (UNS N06601/W.Nr. 2.4851) is a general-purpose engineering material for applications that require resistance to heat and corrosion. An outstanding characteristic of INCONEL alloy 601 is its resistance to hightemperature oxidation. The alloy also has good resistance to aqueous corrosion, has high mechanical strength, and is readily formed, machined and welded. The limiting chemical composition of INCONEL alloy 601 is listed in Table 1. The composition is a facecentered-cubic solid solution with a high degree of metallurgical stability. The alloy's nickel base, in conjunction with substantial chromium content, provides resistance to many corrosive media and hightemperature environments. Oxidation resistance is further enhanced by the aluminum content. The properties of INCONEL alloy 601 make it a material of broad utility in such fields as thermal processing, chemical processing, pollution control, aerospace, and power generation. Alloy 601 is a standard material of construction for various types of thermal-processing equipment. Industrial-heating applications include baskets, trays, and fixtures for annealing, carburizing, carbonitriding, nitriding and other heat-treating operations. In industrial furnaces, the alloy is used for radiant tubes, muffles, retorts, flame shields, strand-annealing tubes, woven-wire conveyor belts, chain curtains, burner nozzles, and electrical resistance heating elements. Other thermal-processing applications are thermocouple protection tubes, furnace-atmosphere generators, and infrared radiant screens. Chemical-processing applications for alloy 601 include process heaters, condenser tubes in sour-water strippers, and insulating cans in ammonia reformers. The alloy is also used for combustor components and catalyst grid supports in equipment for nitric acid production. In petrochemical processing, the alloy is used for catalyst regenerators and air preheaters in the manufacture of high-density polyethylene. In pollution-control applications, INCONEL alloy 601 is used for thermal reactors in exhaust systems of gasoline engines and for combustion chambers in
solidwaste incinerators. In the power-generation field, alloy 601 is used for superheater tube supports, grid barriers, and ashhandling systems. The alloy is also used for jet-engine igniters and for combustion-can liners, diffuser assembles, and containment rings in gas turbines for aircraft, industrial, and vehicular applications.
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