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Application of 304 stainless steel pipe in petrochemical field
In the petrochemical industry, 304 stainless steel pipes play a crucial role in various applications. These include the use of stainless steel plates for storage tanks and heat exchanger casings, stainless steel composite plates for reactor and tower shells, as well as stainless steel tubes for furnace tubes and material transportation in heat exchangers. Additionally, stainless steel forgings and internal components of towers are also widely used.
The primary requirements for stainless steel in this sector are corrosion resistance—especially against chlorides, sulfides, and other corrosive salts—as well as performance under high and low temperature conditions. For crude oil exploration and development, stainless steel must be resistant to carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide. In terms of material selection, 304 is commonly used, with plate thickness typically ranging from 6 to 22 mm, mainly for constructing polymer storage tanks and heat exchanger shells. Some internal components of reactors and towers may use grades like 316L or TP347, with thicknesses between 2 to 6 mm. When it comes to liquid transport vehicles such as train tankers carrying glacial acetic acid, 304 and 316 stainless steel sheets are usually chosen.
Urea plants often rely on 316L stainless steel for its superior corrosion resistance. According to recent data, China's petrochemical industry consumes approximately 70,000 tons of stainless steel annually. This includes 10,000 tons of stainless steel plates (8 mm or thicker), 15,000 tons of stainless steel composite plates, 40,000 tons of seamless stainless steel pipes, and 5,000 tons of welded stainless steel pipes.
Despite its importance, domestic stainless steel is not yet widely adopted in the petrochemical field. One major reason is that Chinese enterprises have not yet established a comprehensive standard system to meet the industry's growing needs. There is also a lack of coordination among plates, pipes, forgings, and welding materials, which limits the production capacity of stainless steel pipes. Moreover, the petrochemical industry requires large-diameter, thick-walled pipes and medium-to-thick wide plates, but domestic production capabilities in these areas remain limited. The quality of stainless steel products is also inconsistent, and the development of new varieties has not kept pace with the evolving demands of the industry.
Due to these limitations, many required stainless steel products cannot be produced domestically. For example, China currently lacks the capability to manufacture wide and thick plates with a width of up to 4 meters, forcing companies to import equipment containing such materials. Additionally, there is a noticeable gap in product innovation between domestic and foreign stainless steel manufacturers. While some European companies launch over a dozen new stainless steel grades each year, Chinese firms still lag behind in this area. This highlights the need for further investment in R&D, quality control, and standardization to better support the petrochemical industry's long-term growth.