C26 · Chemical Industry
Stainless Steel Plates for Chemical Raw Materials and Chemical Products Manufacturing: 316L/904L Selection and 10 Part Lists
In chemical raw materials and chemical products manufacturing, we have compiled 10 parts using stainless steel: commonly used 316L / 904L / 2205, with thickness ranging from 0.4–200 mm.
Ten Parts List and Material Recommendations
| Part / Component | Recommended Grade | Specification / Thickness | Surface | Failure Modes | Reference Standards |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reactor, Shell/Head, Reacting | 316L/317L/904L/2205 | 6–50mm | 2B/Acid Wash/Laminate | Corrosion+Intergranular Corrosion+Stress Corrosion | NB/T 47008/47010；GB/T 3280；ASTM A240 |
| Inner Liner, Film Coating | 904L/AL-6XN/254SMO | Coating 2–6mm | 2B/Acid Wash | Base Steel Fails Rapidly After Carbon Steel Penetrates Film | NB/T 47002；ASTM A240 |
| Mixing Shaft/Mixer Blades | 316L/2205 | Shaft Diameter 30–200mm | Surface/2B | Torque+Corrosion Fatigue+Wear | GB/T 1220；GB/T 3280 |
| Shell-Plate Heat Exchanger Tubes | 316L/317L/904L/2507 | Tubes φ10–50mm; Wall Thickness 0.5–2.0mm | Laminate/Ash Wash/Glaze | Pitting Corrosion: Ordinary 316L may fail in half a year in chloride-containing chemical cooling water; 2507 plate + 904L tube bundle results in very low corrosion rate after 18 months | GB/T 151；ASTM A240/A249；GB/T 4334 |
| Shell of Heat Exchanger | 316L/2507/904L | 20-150mm thick | Facing/Acid Washing | Corrosion and fretting corrosion between plate and tube | NB/T 47008；ASTM A240 |
| Plate-fin heat exchanger plates | 304/316L | 0.4–1.0mm | 2B/Patterned | Pointing corrosion, fretting corrosion, and aging of seal gasket | GB/T 3280；NB/T 47004 |
| Fittings, Bends, Throttles | 304L/316L/321/317L/310S | DN15–DN1200；Sch5S–160 | Pickling/2B | Severe Corrosion, Welding Intergranular Corrosion, High Temperature Oxidation | GB/T 12771；GB/T 14976；ASTM A312 |
| Storage Tanks, Tanks Body | 304L/316L/904L | 4–30mm | Pickling/2B | Medium Corrosion+Tank Floor Deposits | NB/T 47003.1；GB/T 3280 |
| Pitting Corrosion Valves (Body/Faucet Stem/Faucet Ball) | CF8/CF8M/316/2205/2507 | DN15–DN600 | Cast Faces/Ground Faces/Dielectric Finish | Valves Seats Erosion + Valve Stem SCC + Crevice Corrosion | GB/T 12224；API 6D；ASTM A351/A995 |
| Flanges/Screws | 304/316/A2-70/A4-70/Dual Phase Steel | DN15–DN600；M8–M36 | Passivation | Electrochemical Corrosion + Cl⁻ Pitting + Hydrogen Embrittlement | GB/T 9115；GB/T 3098.6 |
Table isStandard Configuration.Same part may switch from 304 to 316L or 2205 based on usage conditions, which saves time specifying grades.
Material Selection Tips
- Most common grades in this industry are 316L (7), 904L (5), and 2205 (3). Parentheses indicate the number of affected areas for quoting and material preparation.
- Chloride ions and salts are the most common corrosion sources (pitting, crevice corrosion) (3/10 hits).
- Welded components need to watch out for sensitization and chloride ion stress corrosion cracking (3/10 hits).
- Thickness range 0.4–200 mm: Thin plates are mostly formed parts (consider bending rebound and deep drawing cracks), thick plates are mostly welded structures (consider heat input and sensitization).
Common Issues
Which stainless steel is used most in chemical raw materials and chemical products industries?
Based on the total of these 10 components, 316L (7) appears most frequently, followed by 904L (5), and 2205 (3). Specific to a part still depends on the medium and temperature, for example, stainless countertops that come into contact with salt water should switch from 304 to 316L.
What parts are most prone to failure?
By failure description, typical is "tube bundle in shell-and-tube heat exchangers": pitting corrosion perforation: ordinary 316L can fail after just half a year in chloride-containing chemical cooling water; 2507 tube plate + 904L tube bundle results in extremely low corrosion rate for over 18 months; recommended grades 316L/317L/904L/2507, size φ10–50mm tubes; thickness 0.5–2.0mm. For this type of condition, it's recommended to specify the medium concentration, temperature, and cleaning method on the drawings.
How thick should the material be?
The thickness range in the list is 0.4–200 mm. Thin plates consider forming and surface quality, while thick plates look at welding and structural strength; different manufacturers may have varying values for the same part based on your drawings or operating conditions, so recheck them.
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316L / 2205 Thick Plates and Hot Rolled Coil, Thickness 3–60 mm, For Storage Tanks, Heat Exchangers, And Desulfurization Equipment, Third-Party Inspection Available.
Applications10