Advanced Stainless Steel Solutions for the Chemical and Fertilizer Industries

Abstract With over 150 years of metallurgical expertise, Industeel offers a comprehensive range of steel grades designed to meet the stringent requirements of urea, phosphate, and ammonia production environments. These steels, including specialized austenitic and duplex stainless steels, exhibit strong corrosion resistance, mechanical properties, and weldability. Industeel's commitment to innovation is supported by its dedicated R&D center, which continuously develops new products and processes to enhance performance and meet customer needs. The first part of this technical paper will gather the latest insights on the selection of special stainless steels for environments involving nitric acid and sulfuric acid encountered in the chemical and fertilizers industries, focusing on the most severe conditions in terms of temperature and acid concentrations. It will delve into the properties of these advanced steel grades which make them suitable for use in highly aggressive chemical settings considering both corrosion and mechanical aspects. Guidance on welding parameters and filler materials will be provided in the presentation. These special stainless steel grades are now produced using an innovative vertical continuous caster in one of the French plants of Industeel. The second part of the paper will show how this cutting-edge technology represents a significant advancement in stainless steel production improving the overall efficiency of the production process. The vertical casting technology will be described, and special attention will be given to the benefits of this innovative development on the metallurgical features of the steels and carbon footprint reduction.