12/08/2011
Huta Batory steelworks, a subsidiary of Alchemia SA, has produced, on special order, a new kind of alloy steel. The product has very high metallurgical purity and semi-finished products made of it have high mechanical properties.
“The biggest advantage of Alchemia SA is its unique flexibility. We are able to adjust our offer to everyone, even the most demanding customers. We have not only the technological background necessary to introduce innovations, but also the courage and willingness to take on new challenges,” says Marek Misiakiewicz, Vice-President and Director for Investment, Production and Technology at Alchemia SA. “We hope that the new kind of steel will open new markets for us,” he adds.
The new steel*, owing to the 9% nickel content, has a high ductility and toughness (resistance load) in low and very low temperatures – even up to minus 190°C. The specialized production process involves melting the steel in an electric arc furnace (EAF) and vacuum degassing in a VAD device. The obtained large forging ingots weighing about 12 tonnes are designed for the production of flanges and valves which are used in the manufacture of pressure vessels for liquid and compressed gases such as ethylene and liquid nitrogen. These products are used, i.e. in the following industries: mining, for further mechanical processes, and for the construction of pipes with high resistance parameters.
The new product is not the only factor distinguishing Huta Batory’s offer. As one of the few manufacturers in the world, it produces pipes in P91 steel grade for the energy industry, where they are used for the construction of devices operating in temperatures up to +650°C.
*Type I according to the specification of the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) A522/A522M