Chemicals and pharma
In chemicals the medium decides the material, not the price. We supply tube and components in stainless, duplex and nickel alloys – with evidence that what was ordered is actually in there.
Why the grade is not a question of price here
A tube that does not withstand the medium does not fail slowly but suddenly. Chlorides cause stress corrosion cracking that is barely visible from outside; acids attack in completely different ways depending on concentration and temperature. Selection therefore begins with the medium, the concentration and the operating temperature – and only then with the size. Choosing a grade one step too low saves little at purchase and costs a multiple when something fails.
What we supply for it
Every part to your drawing, with material certificate and documentation.
Prefabricated piping sections to your drawing or isometric
Bent tube runs that take up or give off heat
The plate in which the boiler tubes end
Headers collect and distribute steam or water in the boiler and in the…
Boiler tubes rarely arrive on site in mill lengths. We supply them…
The gas-tight wall of the furnace
Typical materials
The grade follows medium, temperature and pressure. A data sheet exists for every grade.
Standards and codes
| Area | Code |
|---|---|
| Industrial piping | EN 13480, fluid group 1 for hazardous media |
| Seamless stainless tube | EN 10216-5, delivery condition and testing as specified |
| Welded stainless tube | EN 10217-7, weld testing to the standard |
| Flanges | EN 1092-1 type B1/B2 or ASME B16.5, facing by medium |
| Corrosion testing | EN ISO 3651-2 for intergranular corrosion |
| Evidence | EN 10204 certificate 3.1 or 3.2, analysis and mechanical values |
Typical tasks
Material selection by medium
Chlorides, acids, alkalis and temperature determine the grade. Tell us medium, concentration and operating temperature – we propose the grade and supply the data sheet with it.
Duplex instead of oversizing
Where 1.4404 fails on chlorides, duplex 1.4462 is often the more economical answer than a thicker wall in the wrong grade – higher strength and markedly better chloride resistance.
Surface and cleanliness
Pickled, passivated or with a defined roughness – in pharma and fine chemicals the surface requirement belongs in the order, not in final acceptance.
Protection against mix-ups
Stainless grades look alike. Marking and certificate therefore stay with the part until installation – otherwise a material mix-up only shows up in service.
Chemicals and pharma – frequently asked questions
1.4404 or 1.4571 – which is better?
Both are molybdenum-alloyed and more chloride-resistant than 1.4301. 1.4404 is low-carbon and therefore weldable without stabilisation; 1.4571 is titanium-stabilised and traditionally used at higher temperatures. In Europe 1.4404 is usually chosen today where 1.4571 is not expressly required.
When does duplex pay off?
With chloride-bearing media and wherever stress corrosion cracking threatens – in seawater or process waters, for instance. Duplex 1.4462 has roughly twice the yield strength of austenitic grades, which allows thinner walls. Its temperature limit is markedly lower though, usually to about 250 °C.
What is intergranular corrosion and how is it tested?
Welding can precipitate chromium carbide at the grain boundaries; the depleted zone then corrodes preferentially. Low-carbon grades such as 1.4404 largely avoid this. Testing is to EN ISO 3651-2 and the result belongs in the certificate.
Can you supply pickled and passivated?
Yes, on request. Pickling removes heat tint and scale from the weld, passivation rebuilds the chromium oxide layer. On stainless this is what decides the corrosion resistance of the weld – the requirement belongs in the order.
What do you need for a quotation?
Medium, concentration and operating temperature, pressure, nominal size and wall thickness, the grade you want or that is specified, the surface requirement, quantity and the required certificate to EN 10204.
Chemicals and pharma supply
Tell us what it is about – plant, medium, temperature. We come back with a proposal, a price and a date.