Occurrence of metal dusting - referring to failure cases

Twelve years of research on metal dusting at the Max-Planck-Institut for Iron Research have led to comprehensive knowledge on the mechanisms and kinetics of metal dusting and on ways and means for prevention of this corrosion phenomenon, -this knowledge is shortly summarized in this paper. Inspite of this state of understanding, the present opinion in industry is that metal dusting is mysterious and not predictable and cannot be controlled. This paper is intended to show that the occurrence of metal dusting and its reasons can be well understood, by describing and explaining five failure cases.