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 solid-waste incinerators.
In the power-generation field, alloy 601 is used for superheater tube supports grid barriers and ash handling systems.
The alloy is also used for jet-engine igniters and for combustion-can liners, diffuser assemblies, and containment rings in gas turbines for aircraft, industrial, and vehicular applications
| Chemical Composition Limits | |||||||||
| Weight% | Ni | Cr | Fe | Al | C | Mn | S | Si | C |
| Alloy 601 | 58-63 | 21-25 | Rem | 1-1.7 | 0.10 max | 1.0 max | 0.015 max | 0.50 max | 1.0 max |
Mechanical Properties
| Material Form and Condition | Tensile Strength | Yield Strength | Elongation % | Hardness, HB | |||
| KSI | MPa | KSI | MPa | ||||
| Alloy 601 Bar | Bar Annealed | 80-115 | 550-790 | 30-60 | 205-415 | 70-40 | 60-80 |
| Alloy 601 Sheet | Sheet Annealed | 85-100 | 585-690 | 30-50 | 205-345 | 55-35 | 65-80 |
| Alloy 601 Plate | Plate Annealed | 80-100 | 550-690 | 30-45 | 205-310 | 65-45 | 60-75 |
Corrosion Resistance
The substantial nickel and chromium contents of INCONEL alloy 601 in conjunction with its content of aluminum give the alloy superior resistance to high-temperature corrosion mechanisms. Of particular significance is its resistance to oxidation at temperatures up to 2200°F (1200°C). By virtue of its contents of chromium and aluminum, alloy 601 offers unique resistance to oxide spalling under cyclic thermal conditions.
Available Products and Specifications
INCONEL alloy 601 is designated as UNS N06601 and Werkstoff Number 2.4851. It is approved as a material of construction by the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code. Allowable stresses and rules for Section 1 construction up to 900°F and Section VIII, Division 1 construction up to 1650°F are contained in the latest revision of ASME Code Cases 1500. Standard product forms are pipe, tube, sheet, strip, plate, round bar, flat bar, forging stock, hexagon, and wire. The products are available in a wide range of sizes.
Designations and specifications for INCONEL alloy 601 include the following:
Rod, Bar, Wire, and Forging Stock – ASTM B 166/ASME SB 166 (Rod, Bar, and Wire), DIN 17752 (Bar), DIN 17753 (Wire), DIN 17754 (Forgings), EN10095 (Plate, Sheet, Strip, Bars, Rods and Sections), ISO 9723 (Bar), ISO 9724 (Wire), ISO 9725 (Forgings)
Plate, Sheet, and Strip – ASTM B 168/ ASME SB 168 (Plate, Sheet, and Strip), DIN 17750 (Strip and Sheet), EN10095 (Plate, Sheet, Strip, Bars, Rods and Sections), ISO 6208 (Plate, Sheet, and Strip)
Pipe and Tube – ASTM B 167/ASME SB 167 (Seamless Pipe and Tube), ASTM B 751/ASME SB 751 (Seamless and Welded Tube), ASTM B 775/ASME SB 775 (Seamless and Welded Pipe), ASTM B 829/ASME SB 829 (Seamless Pipe and Tube), DIN 17751 (Tube), ISO 6207 (Tubing)
Others – ASME Code Case 1500, DIN 17742, ISO NW6601
Welding Products – INCONEL Filler Metal 601 – AWS A5.14/ERNiCrFe-11
