Pressure Vessel Steel

​​Introduction​​

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Container steels are specialized materials engineered for manufacturing pressure vessels, storage tanks, and equipment operating in extreme temperatures (-196°C to +600°C) or corrosive environments. These steels are critical in industries such as oil and gas, petrochemicals, nuclear energy, and cryogenic storage. Key attributes include high strength, excellent weldability, corrosion resistance, and low-temperature toughness.

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General Equivalent Grade of Pressure Vessel Steel​

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Below is a comprehensive matrix of globally recognized container steel grades, categorized by application and temperature range:

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Technical Specifications​​

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​​1. Chemical Composition & Mechanical Properties​​

• ​​Low-Temperature Grades (e.g., 16MnDR):​​
  • ​​C:​​ ≤0.20%, ​​Mn:​​ 1.20–1.60%, ​​Si:​​ 0.15–0.50%
  • ​​Yield Strength (ReL):​​ 265–315 MPa (thickness-dependent)
  • ​​Impact Toughness:​​ ≥47J at -40°C (Charpy V-Notch).
• ​​High-Temperature Grades (e.g., 12Cr2Mo1VR):​​
  • ​​Cr:​​ 2.00–2.50%, ​​Mo:​​ 0.90–1.20%
  • ​​Tensile Strength (Rm):​​ 570–720 MPa (at 600°C).
  • ​​Hydrogen Resistance:​​ HIC/SSCC tested for sour service.

​​2. Heat Treatment & Processing​​

• ​​Delivery Conditions:​​
  • Normalized (N), Normalized + Tempered (NT), or Quenched & Tempered (QT) for enhanced grain refinement.
• ​​Advanced Manufacturing:​​
  • ​​Smelting:​​ EAF/BOF with LF/VOD refining for ultra-low S/P (≤0.005%).
  • ​​TMCP (Thermo-Mechanical Controlled Processing):​​ Optimizes thickness uniformity in plates up to 200mm.

​​3. Testing & Certification​​

• ​​NDT (Non-Destructive Testing):​​
  • Ultrasonic Testing (UT) for plates >20mm (per GB/T 2970 or NB/T 47013.3).
  • HIC/SSCC testing for hydrogen-containing environments.
• ​​Certifications:​​ Compliant with ASME, PED, ISO 9328, and GB/T 713.

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Applications​​

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​​1. Energy & Petrochemicals​​

• ​​LNG Infrastructure:​​ 16MnDR for -162°C LNG storage (thickness: 16–50mm).
• ​​Hydrogenation Reactors:​​ 12Cr2Mo1VR with 120mm thickness, validated at 470°C.
• ​​Offshore Platforms:​​ SA516 Gr.70 (Q345R equivalent) for marine corrosion resistance.

​​2. Power & Nuclear​​

• ​​Nuclear Pressure Vessels:​​ 07MnNiCrMoVDR (-196°C impact toughness ≥80J).
• ​​Boiler Components:​​ 15CrMoR for high-temperature steam pipelines (550°C).

​​3. Chemical Processing​​

• ​​Acetic Acid Reactors:​​ SA387 Gr.11 CL2 (15CrMoR equivalent) with anti-corrosion cladding.

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Selection Guide​

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Selection Criteria​​

• ​​Low-Temperature:​​ 16MnDR (-40°C) or 09MnNiDR (-70°C).
• ​​High-Temperature/Hydrogen Service:​​ 12Cr2Mo1VR (HIC-resistant) or 14Cr1MoR (sulfide corrosion resistance).
• ​​Marine/High-Corrosion:​​ SA516 Gr.70 (offshore) or duplex steels (e.g., S32205) for chloride-rich environments.

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Production & Customization​​

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​​1. Manufacturing Capabilities​​

• ​​Dimensions:​​ Thickness 8–200mm, width 1,500–4,100mm.
• ​​Special Processing:​​
  • ​​Z-Directional Properties:​​ Z15/Z25/Z35 certification for anti-lamellar tearing.
  • ​​Precision Cutting:​​ Plasma, laser, or waterjet cutting for complex geometries.

​​2. Quality Assurance​​

• ​​Traceability:​​ Mill test certificates (MTC) with heat-specific chemical/mechanical data.
• ​​Inventory:​​ 10,000+ tons of ready stock for urgent orders (15-day lead time).

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