Application of Duplex Stainless Steel in Petroleum Refining

Introduction

Duplex stainless steel is a type of stainless steel with a two-phase microstructure composed of grains of ferritic and austenitic stainless steel. This material has better corrosion resistance than regular austenitic and ferritic stainless steel. It is widely used in various industries, such as oil and gas drilling and production, throughout the world.

Oil & gas industry

The oil and gas drilling industry has become increasingly reliant on the use of duplex stainless steel. The material has a wide range of applications, including subsea umbilicals, platform risers and flowlines, offshore structures and pipelines, as well as processing equipment and tools.

Due to the harsh conditions associated with oil and gas drilling, the ability of the material to resist corrosion and maintain its superior strength is of great importance. The material is extremely resistant to stress corrosion cracking in chloride-containing environments, such as seawater. This makes the material ideal for use in the offshore sector, where it is used for riser pipes, flow tubes and splash zone structures.

The material is also used in the production of oil and gas. It can be used for pipelines, wellheads, pumps, vessels and valves. Additionally, duplex stainless steel is often used in refinery equipment, such as heat exchangers, columns, reactors, flanges and valves.

Conclusion

Duplex stainless steel is a material that is widely utilized in the oil and gas industry for a variety of applications. Its superior corrosion resistance, high toughness and strength make it an ideal material for use in offshore structures and processing equipment. Its use in the industry is likely to increase as the demand for reliable and cost-effective materials continues to grow.

Duplex stainless steel is a kind of stainless steel with balanced austenite and ferrite structure after the solution treatment, compared with common austenitic stainless steel, it has not only strong corrosion resistance and good weldability, but also higher strength and a certain degree of plasticity. It makes duplex stainless steel become the best material for oil refinery equipment.

In the oil refining process, there are several use situations of duplex stainless steel: 1. Oil refinery equipment and tubes. Due to its high mechanical strength, excellent corrosion resistance and weldability, as well as the required long-term high temperature resistance, it is widely used in the manufacture of oil refining equipment such as oil pipelines, evaporators, superheaters, air coolers and oil storage tanks, etc.; 2. Heat exchange equipment. The low thermal expansion coefficient and the large and medium temperature working range of duplex stainless steel make it an ideal thermal exchange shell material for power plants, oil refining plants, and petrochemical plants; 3. Flammable and explosive equipment. The ability to resist corrosion and stress corrosion cracking of duplex stainless steel under various severe conditions makes it an ideal material for the production of oil refining flammable and explosive equipment; 4. Pressure vessels and tanks. Duplex stainless steel has excellent corrosion resistance and can be used in coastal plants and other high-salt and high-chlorine environments to help extend the service life of containers.

The above four application scenarios of duplex stainless steel in petroleum refining process have been introduced. In conclusion, Duplex stainless steel has become the best choice for most oil refinery equipment due to its excellent performance, which greatly improves the overall efficiency of the refinery.