Aluminium 6060 T66/1050H14 Heat failure question
Hello All,
Long time lurker, first time poster!
I have recently been carrying out some fire tests and a question has resulted from those tests on a particular component. I have a spray bar made, in the first instance, from a 1050 aluminium pipe 8mm dia, 1mm wall section as a prototype because we have it in stock and it's easy to hand form. This has survived 6 tests where it was exposed to a maximum of 500oC rising from ambient in approximately 4 minutes.
The production items were going to be 6060 T66 but, on discharging the extinguishers this alloy shattered into quite a number of pieces. there are clear fractures in the metal and where it was less exposed it is bubbling/rupturing on the surface
There isn't a great pressure in the spray bar, estimated low single figures (<3BAR).
Can this be simply explained? I'm happy to continue to production with the 1050 or change to steel but would like to know what has caused this to happen.
Thanks for any assistance offered.
Bob