[ Tubes , Pipes , Fittings ]
Gemasolar concentrated solar power plant in Fuentes de Andalucía , Spain , utilises a molten salt heat storage system .
the short-term predictions for the US chemicals industry are for a mild recession in 2023 , caused partly by inflation – especially of fossil fuel prices . Duplex and carbon steel are the two most used types of material for pipes . Duplex is finding increasing use in heat exchangers , transport , cooling pipes and structural components .
Sustainability and circularity ( recycling ) are concepts that will grow ever more important , especially in the petrochemicals industry . One waste-toenergy process , for instance , relies on pyrolysis ( burning in the absence of air ) for the conversion process . The tubes and vessels use materials selected for their oxidation resistance , high strength , thermal cyclic resistance , creep properties and carburisation / crack resistance . These include such grades as the austenitics 253 MA , 309 , 310S and 330 , and INCONEL 610 . To these we may now add Alleima ’ s Sanicro ® 35 grade . In June 2022 , the company announced that it had received an order from a waste-togas plant in Texas to replace failed heat exchanger tubes in 316L with its new alloy .
CCS The CCS industry was estimated at USD 4.2 billion in 2022 , and demand is expected to surge to 9 billion by 2032 , with an annual compound increase of 14 % ( 3 ) . The processes require transportation pipelines that can withstand a wide range of pressure and temperature levels . High levels of
“ The CCS industry was estimated at USD 4.2 billion in 2022 , and demand is expected to surge to 9 billion by 2032 .”
corrosion resistance and toughness , as well as rigorous welding requirements , are needed to resist thermal shocks or extreme cooling , which can cause pipes to crack or rupture . Vallourec , Maruichi and Alleima are all suppliers of CCS tube and pipe products , while Tubacex is developing industry-specific solutions . For instance , Alleima has just received an order of OCTG tubes to be used in a CCS project .
Hydrogen The outlook for hydrogen is even more astonishing : the green hydrogen sector is worth USD 676 million ( in 2022 ) and is expected to grow to 7,314 million by 2027 , a projected 61 % rate of annual compound growth ( 4 ) . More than 200 hydrogen projects are in progress around the world , and demand is coming mainly from power generation , chemical and transport . The importance of hydrogen is not lost to Alleima , who recently acquired Gerling , the German maker of precision tubes and owner of high-pressure control technology used in H refuelling stations . Hydrogen is usually transported in compressed or liquid state . With a boiling point of -252.9 ° C , hydrogen requires pipes and vessels made of an austenitic that can withstand cryogenic conditions , usually 316 ( L ). The steam reforming process for “ grey ” hydrogen also uses nickel alloys .
Semiconductors Semiconductors were in short supply in 2021-2 . Since then , the situation has eased in consumer electronics but persists for certain industries , especially auto . The industry is very global , with different components coming from different locations and a great deal of interdependence . Manufacture is concentrated in China , Taiwan and South Korea , but more capacity is being built in the USA , Thailand and Mexico . Because of the demands of cleanliness and high-precision instrumentation , semiconductor plants are very difficult to construct . Regarding tubes , the requirements are rigorous : resistance to stress cracking and corrosion , mechanical strength , and cleanliness . Maruichi is investing in Texas , USA ,
www . stainless-steel-world . net Stainless Steel World March 2023 17