The first application of one of the new high performance stainless steels, a 6% molybdenum austenitic stainless, in a power plant condenser application took place in 1973. Since that time, additional grades have been developed and more installations made; by the end of 1998, nearly one hundred million feet of high performance stainless steel condenser tubing had been installed in 190 condensers worldwide. Throughout this development, a survey program was carried out to monitor power plant experience and practice with this new class of materials. This survey shows that these materials are providing the electric power industry with a new condenser tube option suitable for a wide variety of cooling water conditions. This paper provides an overview of the profile of usage with respect to power plant and cooling water characteristics, and a description of the advantages that have been associated with these new materials. Examples of problems, their frequency of occurrence, and their solutions are also provided.
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