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39
Advantages of a Super
Duplex Stainless Steel for
Various Industries
DAVID R. HASEK
MANAGER, ATI OIL & GAS
ATI Allegheny Ludlum
1300 Pacific Avenue
Natrona Heights, Pennsylvania 15065
USA
T: 724-226-6581
F: 724-226-6452
E: david.hasek@ATImetals.com
Co-author
JOHN J. DUNN
DIRECTOR, ATI OIL & GAS
ATI Allegheny Ludlum
1300 Pacific Avenue
Natrona Heights, Pennsylvania 15065
USA
T: 724-226-6538
F: 724-226-5976
E: john.dunn@ATImetals.com
ABSTRACT
Demand for new duplex stainless
products has been driven primarily
by the developing offshore oil and
gas industry in the North Sea.
Although duplex stainless products
C O R R O S I O N
Page 39
— P A P E R 1 D
have enjoyed great success in the
European markets, only now have
duplex alloys gained more
international attention by fabricators
and end users as a result of the
advantages in strength, corrosion
resistance and in some economic
periods, reduced raw material costs
as compared to traditional austenitic
stainless alloys.
In the late 1980s, further
development led to more highly
alloyed Super Duplex Stainless Steels
(SDSS). These alloys came in the
form of castings, forgings, hot-rolled
long products, wire, seamless tubing,
hot-rolled flat products (i.e. plates),
and more recently, cold-rolled flat
products (sheet and strip). This paper
addresses some applications for flat-
rolled products of one SDSS known
commercially as ZERON ® 100 alloy
(UNS S32760).
Among the advantages of SDSS
alloys over standard 6Mo alloys are
their higher mechanical strength.
This has permitted thinner cross-
sections in the design of pressure
vessels and other process
equipment thereby reducing the
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equipment’s overall weight and
further enhancing the cost
effectiveness.
SDSS continue to build upon an
excellent track record in markets
such as Oil and Gas, Desalination,
and Pollution Control, and therefore
are gaining increased awareness for
other end uses such as in the
Chemical Process Industry. This
trend is projected to continue with
expanded knowledge and availability
in all product forms. Design
engineers have found greater ease
in working with SDSS while meeting
budgetary constraints in a fluctuating
raw materials market.
KEYWORDS
• super duplex stainless steels
• SDSS
• oil and gas
• pollution control
• desalination
• sulfuric acid production
• mining
• chemical process industry
• UNS S32760
• ZERON ® 100
*Zeron® is a registered trademark of Rolled Alloys Ltd.
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40 1D — ADVANTAGES OF A SUPER DUPLEX STAINLESS STEEL FOR VARIOUS INDUSTRIES

INTRODUCTION Table 1. Duplex stainless steel primary families: Lean, Standard, and 25 Cr Super Duplex.
Duplex Stainless Steels (DSS) are
Cr-Ni-Fe alloys which may also
contain molybdenum, copper,
tungsten, and other alloying
elements. Their name is derived
from the fact that they develop a
microstructure containing similar
amounts of austenite and ferrite
phases. DSS are stronger than their
austenitic stainless steel
counterparts when comparing them
in solution annealed conditions.
Similarly, DSS can have corrosion
resistance advantages with regards
to pitting, crevice corrosion, and
especially stress corrosion cracking.
While DSS have enjoyed success in
Europe for a number of years, they
are now gaining more global
attention and acceptance.
DSS can be broken into three
primary families, as shown in Table
1. The balance of this paper will
focus on the end uses for flat-rolled
(UNS S32760), also known as Rolled Alloys, Incorporated product’s application and post weld
ZERON ® 100 SDSS. international supply chain. Wrought heat treatment options.
Just as DSS can have products are available as long Flat-rolled SDSS are generally
advantages over austenitic grades, products (rod, bar, wire seamless produced with finishes suitable for
SDSS can have advantages over pipe, and tube), forged products the end use. Plate is produced with
DSS and 6 Mo super austenitic (fittings, flanges, valves, etc.), and a #1 finish that involves steel shot
alloys. These include: rolled products (Sheet, Strip, and blasting followed by acid pickling.
Plate). Due to processing difficulties, Lighter gage cold-rolled products
• Higher strength only recently were flat-rolled coil can be produced in finishes that are
• High resistance to pitting and products available in the form of common in the stainless steel
crevice corrosion (vs. DSS) continuous plate and cold-rolled industry. Even precision rolled light
• Excellent resistance to sheet. ATI Allegheny Ludlum, in gage strip (0.3 mm) has been
chloride stress corrosion working with Weir Materials, commercially produced by ATI
cracking developed a commercial product in Allegheny Ludlum.
• Improved sulfide stress the form of ZERON ® 100 flat-rolled ATI Allegheny Ludlum’s quality
corrosion resistance (vs. DSS) sheet and strip as well as quarto standards and systems along with
• Lower raw material costs (vs. plate. This subsequently afforded the production and testing methods
6 Mo alloys). the supply of welded pipe and tube employed to manufacture coiled
to the market place. UNS S32760 (including CMP, Sheet,
Welded pipe and tube can have and Strip) have been audited by and
PRODUCTS MADE FROM advantages over seamless have been granted NORSOK M-650
FLAT-ROLLED SDSS products, such as the availability of accreditation [1,2] . This stringent
Cast and wrought products have longer lengths, better wall thickness Norwegian Oil and Gas Quality
been commercially available in uniformity and potential for lower Standard is often mandated by the
SDSS from companies like Weir costs. While thin walled seam welds Offshore Oil and Gas Industry.
Materials, who have produced are generally made autogenously Mechanical testing tends to
ZERON ® 100 since the mid 1980s. and get subsequently annealed, show somewhat higher properties
Today RA Materials have assumed thicker sections can be welded with as cold-rolled thicknesses are
the trade name of ZERON® 100 and either a matching or over matching reduced. Microstructural differences
will supply the product through filler wire, depending on the end are also observed on lighter gages,
*Zeron® is a registered trademark of Rolled Alloys Ltd.
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1D — ADVANTAGES OF A SUPER DUPLEX STAINLESS STEEL FOR VARIOUS INDUSTRIES
as the amount of ferrite tends to be
increased. This phenomenon is the
result of faster cooling of thin
sections which avoids reformation
of austenite after solution annealing.
This is a commonly observed
phenomenon in 22 Cr duplex
stainless (UNS S31803 / 32205) as
well. Generally, it is not a problem
for a fabricator, and does not
jeopardize the end use, but can be
an attribute where increased
strength is desirable. For this reason,
provisions in specifications are
generally made for duplex stainless
grades that reflect the strength
differences between plate, cold-
rolled sheet, and light gage strip.
END USES FOR FLAT-ROLLED
SDSS
Oil and Gas
For years, UNS S32760 has been
used in offshore topsides and sub-
sea applications in the Oil and Gas
Industry. On offshore platforms,
SDSS are employed in process
equipment such as vessels, piping,
and tubing. Examples of some of
the processing equipment include
produced water separators,
manifolds, sub-sea flow lines, risers,
seawater cooling pipework, and
heat exchangers. SDSS has also
been used in process pipework,
pumps and valves, and for
desalination units to generate
drinking water for the occupants of
these platforms. Additionally, it can
find use in certain structural
portions, such as connecting
bridgework, due to its high
strength-to-weight ratio and
excellent chloride resistance.
In sub-sea applications, an
umbilical line (made up of a number
of tubes and / or cables) is used to
control the operations of the wells
and manifolds by supplying
hydraulic and electrical power, as
well as chemicals to enhance and
maintain the flow of oil and natural
gas, and inhibit corrosion.
C O R R O S I O N S O L U T I O N S
Page 41
Traditionally, in high-pressure
applications, seamless SDSS tubing
is employed in such umbilicals.
Seam welded SDSS umbilical tubing
made from cold-rolled UNS S32760
strip can provide the benefit of much
longer segment lengths between
orbital welds, as compared to the
seamless tubing. This provides a
significant advantage to the
umbilical manufacturer by reducing
the number of orbital welds required
and hence, the total weld time to
fabricate these multi-tube lines.
Another benefit of producing seam
welded tubing from cold-rolled
SDSS strip is the consistency of the
wall dimensions which are very
tightly controlled when the strip is
cold--rolled.
The continuous seam weld in
this tubing is solution annealed then
rapidly quenched, so as to eliminate
the possibility of deleterious phases
at the weld and in the Heat Affected
Zones (HAZ). The seam welded
tubing must meet the same criteria
as seamless tubes for umbilical
applications. To that end, seam
welded UNS S32760 tubes have
satisfied mechanical tests, corrosion
tests (i.e. ASTM G48 and ASTM
A923), and manipulation tests such
as the flare test and reverse
flattening test (ASTM A370), along
with accumulated strain tests and
Figure 1. Schematic of a flue gas desulfurization (FGD) system.
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burst tests, and for this reason has
been granted NORSOK M-650
accreditation [1,3]. In burst tests run
to failure, it should be noted that the
failure occurred in the base metal
and not in the seam weld, the orbital
weld, nor in the heat affected zone.
Another sub-sea application is
the line pipe or flexible flow line,
used to transport oil and natural gas
from wells located in deep and ultra-
deep water. These flow lines utilize
high-strength SDSS to combat the
crushing pressures of deepwater
while providing corrosion resistance
against the effect of sour oil and gas
on the interior and seawater on the
exterior. Today, SDSS are the choice
to provide the increased strength
required not only for deeper water,
but also higher well stream
pressures. SDSS strip is also a
candidate for marine banding straps
and buckles used to attach
buoyancy modules or strakes to
these flow line risers or to secure
pipes to saddles. The yield strength
of the SDSS strip surpasses that of
the nickel alloy UNS N06625 which
is widely used in these applications.
Pollution Control
The burning of coal to generate
electricity in power plants across the
globe produces undesirable by-
products such as NO x , SO 2,
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42 1D — ADVANTAGES OF A SUPER DUPLEX STAINLESS STEEL FOR VARIOUS INDUSTRIES
particulates, and other pollutants
that contaminate the environment.
Pollution control legislation by world
governments has mandated a
significant reduction in emissions
from these power plants. The most
effective way to significantly reduce
emissions of SO 2, and in some
cases mercury, is through the use
Figure 2. Iso-corrosion curves (0.1 mm/y) for some stainless steels in suphuric acid.
Figure 3. Pin erosion rig test results in a simulated flue gas desulfurization (FGD) slurry.
C O R R O S I O N
4:25 PM Page 42
of Flue Gas Desulfurization (FGD).
There are several FGD methods
available; examples include various
dry scrubbing methods, sea water
scrubbing, and wet scrubbing with
lime or limestone. The majority of
the scrubbers currently being
installed use the wet limestone
technology. This method is best
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S O L U T I O N S C O N F E R E N C E
suited to scrubbing the high volume
of flue gas emitted by large power
plants. A schematic of an FGD
system is shown in Figure 1.
Material choices for an FGD
system are extremely important
because the corrosive conditions
are so complex, with many factors
contributing to the severity of the
environment. The selection of an
appropriate material will depend on
the operating parameters of the
system, the type of coal being
burned, as well as the environment
surrounding the specific
components. The most important
corrosive species generated during
the combustion of coal are chlorides
and fluorides along with sulfur
bearing species. Contributing to the
corrosive environment is the
temperature, acid dew point, pH,
crevice forming deposits, erosion,
etc. Typically, several alloys are used
in a system, which will be matched
to the conditions under which a
component is operating.
Fortunately, extensive operating
experience has been generated
which can be used as a guide to
selecting appropriate materials of
construction.
The excellent corrosion
resistance of UNS S32760,
combined with its high-strength
makes it suitable for a wide range
of applications in FGD scrubbers.
UNS S32760 is highly resistant to
halides, and thus, is an excellent
choice for absorber components.
The alloy also has good resistance
to sulfuric acid, which makes it a
viable candidate for outlet ducting
where chlorides carry over and acid
condensation are a concern. The
resistance of UNS S32760 to
sulfuric acid is shown in Figure 2.
The high-strength and hardness
of the alloy result in excellent erosion
and erosion corrosion resistance of
the alloy, making UNS S32760 an
ideal candidate for slurry piping,
pumps, and agitators. Erosion
testing results for a simulated FGD
slurry can be seen in Figure 3.
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1D — ADVANTAGES OF A SUPER DUPLEX STAINLESS STEEL FOR VARIOUS INDUSTRIES 43

A partial experience list for Table 2. Partial experience list for applications of UNS S32760 in flue gas
applications of UNS S32760 in FGD desulfurization (FGD) systems.
systems is shown in Table 2. UNS
S32760 has been used successfully
for the slurry pumps, gas distribution
plates, and agitator stools at the
Drax FGD plant in the UK. These
pumps are lasting 30,000 to 40,000
hours between major overhauls. The
slurry centrifuges at Ratcliffe FGD
plant were supplied in UNS S32760.
After two years operation, they are
in excellent condition. After a short
time of operation, the GRP slurry
return lines at Ratcliffe FGD plant
were suffering severe erosion. These
have now been replaced with spools Table 3. Pipe wall thickness calculated per ASME B31.3, internal pressure 100 bars
in UNS S32760 and have given no (1450 psi), at 40°C (100°F).
further problems.

Desalination
The desalination market is another
key area of use for SDSS. ZERON ®
100 SDSS is being used in
increasing quantities for the high-
pressure seawater intake and reject
brine pipework in Sea Water
Reverse Osmosis (SWRO)
desalination plants which
traditionally employed 6Mo and
904L austenitic alloys.
The initial driving force behind
the change was the extra strength
of SDSS over the austenitic stainless
alloys, which allowed the reduction
in wall thickness and schedule size
in certain sizes of pipe. Initially,
ZERON ® 100 also replaced a
number of lower alloy systems that
were experiencing extensive
corrosion as detailed by G. Byrne et
al [4] . With the escalation of raw
material costs, SDSS became the
choice of the industry.
A typical SWRO plant will work
at 70 bar (1015 psi) and will use
Schedule 40S NB pipework. By
changing from an austenitic
stainless steel to a SDSS, material
savings as evidenced in Table 3, can
be achieved.
In recent years, technology has
allowed for a rapid increase in the
size and output of SWRO
desalination plants and so the
C O R R O S I O N S O L U T I O N S
savings have become more and
more important in the viability of
these larger projects.
Recent work by Miyasaka[5] has
concluded that SDSS are required
for warm seawater and perform very
well when compared to the 6Mo
alloys. Additionally it is thought that
SDSS can be cost effective for use
as 0.3 mm welded, thin walled
tubes for Multiple Effect Distillation
(MED) and Multiple Stage Flash
(MSF) desalination plants, and
development is underway.
Sulfuric Acid Production
With the good acid corrosion
resistance of UNS S32760 (as
shown in Figure 2) and its availability
in the form of flat rolled products,
tube, pipe, and a variety of other
forms, its use should be considered
in sulfuric acid plants. Applications
include vessels, pipework systems,
valves, pumps, and fasteners. UNS
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S32760 already has been used by
many manufacturers of specialized
equipment in sulfuric acid
environments for applications such
as agitators, stirrers, and
centrifuges. The high-strength and
excellent fatigue resistance make it
very cost effective for these and
other rotating applications.
Additionally, it is ideal for use in tube
and shell heat exchangers. The
excellent resistance of UNS S32760
to chlorides means that it can
confidently be used for heat
exchangers using seawater or
brackish water as a cooling medium.
UNS S32760 can be
particularly effective in the high
temperature heat recovery sections
of sulfuric acid plants. In one field
test, a spool of UNS S32760 was
exposed for 18 months in
concentrated acid at 200°C (392°F).
The corrosion rate was <0.2
mm/year. The end user has
*Zeron® is a registered trademark of Rolled Alloys Ltd.
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44 1D — ADVANTAGES OF A SUPER DUPLEX STAINLESS STEEL FOR VARIOUS INDUSTRIES
subsequently fitted a UNS S32760
filter in front of a sulfuric acid pump
operating at high temperatures
~200°C (~392°F). After 18 months
in service, the filter is in excellent
condition. This is a substantial
improvement over the 310 stainless
steel filter used previously [6].
Mining
The excellent acid corrosion
resistance and erosion resistance
properties of UNS S32760 can also
be used in the mining sector.
There have been many
applications in acid leaching
extraction processes, and to date,
the alloy has been used in the
mining and extraction of nickel (from
oxide or sulfide ores), gold, uranium,
zinc, and also copper. The alloy has
been used in pumps, pipework,
sparge pipes, and vessels in North
America, South America, and
Australasia with excellent results.
The same properties also allow
for its use in the production of potash
where excellent experience has been
gained in plants in both Canada and
the United States. The UNS S32760
pumps have given excellent service.
In Canada, mixtures of KCl and NaCl
(~300 g/l) are handled at about 80°C
(176°F), with some sand. The fluids
in United States potash mines also
contain H 2S, which increases the
C O R R O S I O N S O L U T I O N S
Page 44
aggressiveness, but UNS S32760 is
still performing well[7].
CONCLUSIONS
Many industries have found the
benefits of Super Duplex Stainless
Steels in some of the most
aggressive environments. The
improved availability of flat-rolled
products such as plate, strip, and
sheet, compliment a full list of other
product forms. This has opened the
door to new applications in a variety
of industries where SDSS products
can provide solutions through
improved strength, enhanced
corrosion resistance, operating cost
reductions, and even shortened
deliveries [8]. a
REFERENCES
1. “Qualification of Manufacturers
of Special Materials”,
NORSOK Standard M-650,
Rev. 3, April 2004.
2. “NORSOK Accreditation for
Hot and Cold Rolled Strip
Produced from Continuous
Coil,” ATI Allegheny Ludlum,
QTR 1562-1, Rev.1, Alloy
Zeron ®100 (UNS S32760),
December 6, 2007.
3. “NORSOK Accreditation for
Laser Seam Welded and
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C O N F E R E N C E
Annealed Super Duplex
Stainless Steel Tubing for
Umbilical Service,” Webco
Industries, Inc., QTR W004,
Rev. 1, Alloy Zeron ®100 (UNS
S32760), May 3, 2007.
4. G. Byrne, R. Francis, G.
Warburton, R. J. Bullock, and
C. Kuzler, “The Selection
Design, Fabrication and
Performance of ZERON 100 in
SWRO Applications,” IDA
Conference, 2003.
5. M. Miyasaka, “Designing
Pumps to Combat Seawater
Corrosion”, Yakura Ebara
Research Co. Ltd., Japan,
The International Desalination
and Water Reuse Quarterly,
Volume 18, No. 1, p 33-38,
May 2008.
6. “The Performance of ZERON
100 Super Duplex Stainless
Steel in Sulfuric Acid,” RA
Materials Internal Report,
TN1290R4.
7. “ZERON 100 Super Duplex
Stainless Steel in the Mining
Industry,” RA Materials
Internal Report, TN1346R3.
8. D. Hasek, G. Warburton, J.
Dunn, and C. Stinner,
“Applications for a Flat Rolled
Super Duplex Stainless Steel,”
Stainless Steel World
Conference 2008.
*Zeron® is a registered trademark of Rolled Alloys Ltd.
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