Identifying inconel metal

I recently got paid for removing a large industrial catalyzing oven. The attached pictures show it being attached to my crane's hook, and later a piece of it in my yard.

What it is is a large catalyzing oven that had titanium dioxide catalyst and was used to burn off industrial paint and clean up the exhaust gases to be EPA compliant.

Inside, there are heavy grates that are non-magnetic. In addition, there is a big accordion-like setup, about 4x4x8 feet long, that looks kind of like an accordion and is also non-magnetic. It is probably a heat exchanger of some kind.

I am suspecting that they may be not stainless but inconel. So, I wanted to know if I can test them without going to a scrap yard with XRF gun. Is there some way to positively identify inconel, like try to melt salt on top of it with an oxidizing flame from a torch and see if it corrodes? Something that can distinguish it from regular stainless?

It looks grey.



Thanks

Looks like it could be titanium.

Originally Posted by fecual

I took a couple more pictures. One of the heat exchanger and other of three triangular pieces from that exchanger, compared to regular stainless. I burned both stainless and the mystery metal with TIG torch without argon.

https://www.machinerymoverschicago.c...-exchanger.jpg

https://www.machinerymoverschicago.com/tmp/inconel.jpg

Doesn't tell me much, take youre grinder and hit it the sparks are a brilliant white.

Titanium once exp[osed to the atmospher, a pasivated coating forms almost imediatly, if you do not own a grinder take something sharp and scibe a gouge into the metal the newly eposed metal will form a pasivsated coating almost imediatly.

Another thing stainless steel will become slightly magnetic at a weld or cut zone if you had made the cut with a plasma torch or simply melted a glob as you have using your tig the metal if it is stainless would become magnetic. Titanium does not share this trait.

Type III Color Anodize

Techmetals Type III color titanium anodize (TM- MedaDize Color) produces an oxide layer of variable thickness. This oxide layer reflects and refracts light waves which in turn cause the perception of color to the human eye. Color perception is caused by light interference between the oxide layer and base metal. Observed color is based on the thickness of the TiO2 “oxide” layer that grows during the anodize process. Since the oxide layer thickness can be controlled a wide array of colors can be produced without the use of dyes. Interference color wavelengths are formed by the refraction of light off of and through the thin titanium oxide layer. It is not the oxide itself that is perceived by the viewer, but its effect on light waves.