Managing High-Temperature Carburization in Hydrocarbon Processing: A Comparative Study of Nickel-Iron-Chromium Alloys

Carburization - the inward diffusion of carbon and precipitation of chromium-rich carbides at grain boundaries - is the dominant life limiter for furnace hardware in ethylene pyrolysis, steam reforming and refinery hydrocarbon service at 800-1100 degC. This comparative study of Incoloy 800H, Alloy 330, Inconel 601 and Inconel 602 CA reviews the carbon-transport mechanism, explains how nickel, silicon, chromium and aluminum block or slow carbon ingress, and provides tabulated attack-rate comparisons plus a practical alloy-selection framework.