The petrochemical industry sets very high demands for carbon steel grades used in their production facilities which is unsurprising given that the working environment is potentially such a hazardous one. The industry dictates quality standards for the use of steel in these production plants with the emphasis placed heavily on operational safety. Any material supplied must conform fully with the test criteria specified and such criteria varies dependent on the particular type of steel sought. Chrome Molybdenum is one particular steel type which is popular within the industry.
About Chrome Molybdenum Steel
Also known as Chrome Moly, this particular type of steel is used for a variety of purposes including the fabrication of industrial boilers and pressure vessels. Chrome Moly has two key advantages…
- High temperature tensile strength – chrome moly is an ideal material for use in elevated temperature environments
- Corrosion & Oxidation Resistance- chrome moly offers excellent resistance to the effects of corrosion and oxidation
The steel itself is produced at the steel mill with higher levels of chromium and molybdenum – the chromium provides the corrosion and oxidation resistance whilst the molybdenum offers heat resistance. It is therefore clear to see why such a steel is popular within the oil and gas industry where high working temperature in pressurised conditions are common place.
A387 / SA387
A387/SA387 refers to the ASTM / ASME standards respectively. Both ASTM and ASME set international technical standards for the supply of a wide variety of materials including steel. Equivalent standards include BS (British Standard), DIN (German Standard) and EN (Euro Norm). Different varieties of chrome moly are denoted by the different grades and classes available. Below is an example of different grades and classes supplied to the ASTM standard…
- ASTM A387 Grade 11 Class 2
- ASTM A387 Grade 12 Class 2
- ASTM A387 Grade 22 Class 2
- ASTM A387 Grade 5 Class 2
- ASTM A387 Grade 91 Class 2
- ASTM A387 Grade 9 Class 2
Testing of chrome molybdenum steel plate can be performed at the point of production and can also be arranged by the customer via a third party testing house. Examples of test performed on chrome moly steel include…
- Vacuum treatment
- Product Analysis
- Additional Tension Test
- Charpy V-Notch Impact Test
- Drop Weight Test
- High Temperature Tension Test
- Ultrasonic Examination
- Magnetic Particle Examination
Chrome Moly steel plates are supplied with their own test certification from the mill and each plate is individually stamped which provides full traceability.