Petroleum Refining

Today’s petroleum refinery is a very complex operation. Its primary purpose is to produce a complete range of motor and industrial fuels. Most of today’s sophisticated refineries also produce feedstocks for petrochemicals and base stocks for lubricating oils.

Austenitic stainless steels and high nickel alloys are used extensively where superior corrosion resistance and high-temperature strength are required. Temperature also has a major impact on the severity of many corrosive environments.

The primary corrosives found include sulfur, naphthenic acid, polythionic acid, chlorides, carbon dioxide, ammonia, cyanides, hydrogen chloride, sulfuric acid, and phenols. Hydrogen, oxygen, and carbon, although themselves not corrosive, can have a negative impact at high temperatures.

Sandmeyer Steel Company’s plate and plate products are used to fabricate various components for refineries including pressure vessels, tanks, heat exchangers, piping systems, flanges, fittings, pumps, and valves. Sandmeyer

Stainless Steels for Refinery Service

• 304L/304 and 304H
• 309S/309H/309 – catalytic recovery systems and recuperators
• 310S/310H/310 – catalytic recovery systems, flares, recuperators, and tube hangers
• 316L/316
• 317L/317
• 321H/321 – polythionic acid service
• 347H/347 – polythionic acid service and fluid catalytic cracking units
• 410
• 410S – columns, distillation trays, heat exchangers, and towers
• Duplex LDX-2101® – hydroprocessing units, sour water strippers, crude units, amine units, FCC and light end recovery, coker, CO₂ removal, brackish or salt water heat exchangers, HRSG boiler feed water heater coils, and fuel gas piping
• Duplex 2205 - hydroprocessing units, sour water strippers, crude units, amine units, FCC and light end recovery, coker, CO₂ removal, brackish or salt water heat exchangers, HRSG boiler feed water heater coils, and fuel gas piping
• Duplex 2507 - hydroprocessing units, sour water strippers, crude units, amine units, FCC and light end recovery, coker, CO₂ removal, brackish or salt water heat exchangers, HRSG boiler feed water heater coils, and fuel gas piping
• Superaustenitic SSC-6MO

Nickel Alloys for Refinery Service

• 330 – flares
• 400 – crude petroleum stills
• 625 – flares and polythionic acid service
• 800H/800HT – steam/hydrocarbon reformers and hydrodealkylation units
• 825 – air cooled heat exchangers and polythionic acid service