Pressure vessels are closed containers which house liquids or gases at a pressure that is significantly different to ambient pressure. Safety and reliability are of critical importance to pressure vessels and as such, their production is controlled and regularly tested for quality. Pressure vessels can be fabricated from a range of materials, such as pressure vessel steel which is a type of steel which is specifically engineered to meet the stringent regulations regarding the manufacture of pressure vessels.

What is Pressure Vessel Steel

Pressure vessel steel has high toughness, tensile strength, notch toughness, ductility and fatigue characteristics. Pressure vessel steel is used in a broad variety of markets, found in domestic water storage tanks, pneumatic reservoirs,  compression chambers, LNG tankers,  petrochemical facilities amongst others.

What is Pressure Vessel Steel Used For?

Pressure vessel steel is used to house a range of substances at various temperatures and volumes. It is often used in various applications in the oil industry (including both offshore and onshore), the petrochemical industry and the gas production industry. These companies demand extremely high standards in terms of testing, quality and conditions of supply.

Pressure vessel steel is used for aboveground storage tanks which are used to store fuels, chemicals and petrochemicals. They are also used for belowground storage tanks and are used for storing chemicals and fuels which are partially stored beneath the ground. Pressure vessel steel is also used in railroad tank cars which transport chemicals, fuels and liquids from production locations to storage and usage locations.

How Pressure Vessels are Made

Most pressure vessels are usually made with carbon steel or stainless steel. The pressure vessel steel parts are welded together to make cylinders or spheres. To stop mechanical compromise in the welding process, some specific precautions are needed to ascertain the properties of the pressure vessel steel used in the forged parts. These precautions mean that the mechanical strength of the materials is enhanced as well the overall finished pressure vessel.

Pressure vessels are also made using a partially load-bearing liner which is made from ceramic, metal or a polymer. This liner assists in bearing the load of the interior pressure and safeguards the vessel steel from the substance within whilst also preventing leaking. Pressure vessels adhere to stringent manufacturing standards whilst being produced.

Pressure Vessel Steel from Masteel

At Masteel, we supply a range of pressure vessel steel for a variety of applications. ASTM A537 pressure vessel steel is used for fusion-welded pressure vessels. These plates are normalized, quenched and tempered to achieve increased yields and tensile strengths.

ASTM A516 pressure vessel steel has superb notch toughness levels. There are a range of grades supplied which have different thicknesses and tensile strengths which work to suit specific customer needs.

ASTM A285 pressure vessel steels are highly weldable and have thicknesses of up to 50mm which helps maintain internal robustness. Because this pressure vessel steel has low tensile strength, it is restricted to low-pressure, temperature controlled vessels.

If you would like to find out more about pressure vessel steel from Masteel, contact us today.