SA387 Gr22 CL2: American Standard Chromium-Molybdenum Alloy Steel Plate For Pressure Vessels

SA387Gr22CL2 is an American standard chromium-molybdenum alloy steel plate for pressure vessels, complying with the standard ASME SA-387/SA-387M.

The meaning of its grade is as follows:

SA: Prefix for specific materials in ASME standards.

387: Standard number, representing the serial number of the steel plate in the ASME Code.

Gr22: Chemical composition grade, indicating the steel plate contains a specific proportion of chromium (Cr) and molybdenum (Mo), with Cr content of approximately 2.25% (range: 2.00%-2.50%) and Mo content of 0.90%-1.10%.

CL2: Heat treatment condition or quality grade, usually indicating the steel plate has undergone normalizing + tempering treatment (Class 2) to ensure uniform structure and stable performance.

The main chemical components of SA387Gr22CL2 steel plate include carbon (C), silicon (Si), manganese (Mn), phosphorus (P), sulfur (S), chromium (Cr), and molybdenum (Mo), with specific contents as follows:

• Carbon (C): 0.05%~0.15%
• Silicon (Si): ≤0.50%
• Manganese (Mn): 0.30%~0.60%
• Phosphorus (P): ≤0.035%
• Sulfur (S): ≤0.035%
• Chromium (Cr): 2.00%~2.50%
• Molybdenum (Mo): 0.90%~1.10%

The content of these elements has a significant impact on the mechanical properties and corrosion resistance of the steel plate.

In the normalized + tempered state, SA387Gr22CL2 steel plate exhibits excellent mechanical properties:

• Tensile strength: 515-690 MPa (ensuring the material's load-bearing capacity in high-pressure environments).
• Yield strength: ≥310 MPa (meeting the structural stability requirements of pressure vessels).
• Elongation after fracture: ≥18% (demonstrating good plastic deformation capacity).
• Reduction of area: ≥45% (indicating the material can absorb energy and is not prone to brittle fracture under stress).
• Low-temperature toughness: Charpy impact energy at -30℃ ≥54 J (average value), ≥47 J (individual value), ensuring safe use in low-temperature environments.
• Cold bending performance: Can be bent 180° without cracks (the bending diameter varies with plate thickness, e.g., d=2.0a when T≤25mm).

High-temperature strength and thermal stability: Can operate continuously at high temperatures (≤500℃) with strong creep resistance, ensuring stable operation of equipment in high-temperature environments.

Corrosion resistance: Resists hydrogen embrittlement, hydrogen corrosion, hydrogen blistering, and sulfide corrosion, suitable for various corrosive medium environments.

Good weldability: Facilitates welding during manufacturing, with reliable weld joint quality, ensuring the tightness and safety of equipment.

Excellent low-temperature toughness: Maintains good impact toughness at relatively low temperatures, ensuring safe use of equipment in low-temperature environments.

With its excellent high-temperature strength, corrosion resistance, and hydrogen corrosion resistance, SA387Gr22CL2 steel plate is widely used in the following fields:

Petrochemical Industry

Manufactures components such as hydroprocessing reactors, desulfurization equipment, converters, high-pressure heat exchangers, and towers.

In crude oil hydrocracking and residue hydrotreating processes, reactors need to withstand high temperatures of 450-550℃ and high-pressure hydrogen environments of 15-20MPa. The high-temperature creep resistance and hydrogen corrosion resistance of SA387Gr22CL2 can meet the requirements of harsh working conditions.

Power Generation Industry

Manufactures components such as boiler pressure vessels, high-temperature pipelines, large thermal power boiler drums, and gas turbine heat recovery steam generators.

In supercritical or ultra-supercritical thermal power boilers, boiler drums need to withstand high temperatures of 480-520℃ and high-pressure steam above 25MPa. The high-temperature creep resistance and fatigue resistance of SA387Gr22CL2 can ensure the long-term safe operation of boiler drums.

Coal Chemical Industry

Manufactures equipment such as shells of gasifiers, methanol synthesis towers, secondary shift converters, and coke drums.

In the coal-to-syngas process, gasifiers need to withstand high temperatures of 500-550℃ and high pressures above 30MPa, with media containing corrosive gases such as H₂, CO, and H₂S. The high-temperature strength and corrosion resistance of SA387Gr22CL2 can guarantee the long-term stable operation of equipment.

Nuclear Power Field

Manufactures key equipment such as nuclear reactor pressure vessels, liquefied gas tanks, and spherical tanks.

Its excellent hydrogen corrosion resistance and high-temperature strength make it an important material in the nuclear power field.

The production process of SA387Gr22CL2 steel plate is complex and refined, mainly including the following links:

Smelting: Adopts electric furnace + LF/VD vacuum secondary refining method to strictly control the purity of molten steel and the accuracy of chemical composition.

Continuous casting: After smelting, the molten steel is cast into steel billets through a continuous caster, and the billets undergo surface cleaning and defect repair.

Rolling: According to the product specification requirements, the billets are rolled through multiple passes to obtain the required shape and size.

Heat treatment: After rolling, heat treatment is performed, including two steps: normalizing and tempering. Normalizing involves heating to above the critical temperature and then cooling in air to refine grains, improve structure, eliminate internal stress, and enhance mechanical properties. Tempering is used to further adjust the mechanical properties and corrosion resistance of the steel.

In summary, SA387Gr22CL2 steel plate is a high-end steel with high strength, wear resistance, high-temperature resistance, and excellent corrosion resistance, having broad application prospects in various fields.

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