Business targets
The R&D team implements a portfolio of projects aimed at improving plates quality.
One of the projects is a premium plate that is resistant to hydrogen-induced cracking (HIC). These sheets are used to produce pipes and pressure vessels used to store or transport hydrogen containing products. Cracking is caused by diffusion of atomic hydrogen into the body of a plate during operation with the subsequent formation of molecular hydrogen. The purpose of this project is to obtain a plate with a structure corresponding to 1 point (Manesmann) with the declared parameters of ultimate strength, yield strength and resistivity to cracks.
Implementation features
Resistance to hydrogen-induced cracking is achieved through formation of a special type of structures that prevent diffusion of atomic hydrogen.
A similar structure in low-carbon steel grades can be obtained by thermo-mechanical processing allowing structure of the steel adopt ferite-bainitic or, to a greater extent, bainitic structure.
Another major factor affecting HIC is the presence of axial segregation in the slab. Elimination of such defects is possible though soft reduction modes selected with mathematical simulation and through optimal chemical composition.