Views: 1 Author: Wang Publish Time: 2025-04-02 Origin: Site
In the vast landscape of industry, the choice of materials is directly related to the stability and continuity of production. Imagine, in a chemical workshop full of corrosive substances, or rough seas offshore oil exploration platform, which material can rely on excellent performance, to resist the erosion of harsh environments, for the stable operation of production escort? The answer is stainless steel 904L steel pipe. As the mainstay of the industrial field, it plays an indispensable role in many application scenarios with excellent performance.
1. Understanding Stainless Steel 904L steel pipe
1.1 Definition and basic information
Stainless Steel 904L steel pipe belongs to the austenitic stainless steel family, which stands out from other stainless steel materials by virtue of its low carbon content and unique alloy formulation. The name “904L”, the first three digits of the number “904” represents its specific alloy composition, “L” means low carbon, which means that the material in the resistance to intergranular corrosion performance is outstanding. The first three digits “904” represent its specific alloy composition. In international standards, 904L corresponds to
UNS N08904; in domestic standards, it is 015Cr21Ni26Mo5Cu2. 904L steel pipe has an excellent surface finish with a silvery-white luster, a characteristic that not only gives it a more textured appearance, but also reduces the risk of bacterial growth by minimizing the adhesion of impurities in the food and beverage industry.
The outstanding performance of Stainless Steel 904L steel pipe is due to its carefully formulated chemical composition. This is shown in the table below:
Elemental | Content (%) | Role |
Nickel (Ni) | 23.0 - 28.0 | Enhanced corrosion resistance and low-temperature toughness to keep the tube stable in complex environments |
Chromium (Cr) | 19.0 - 23.0 | Forms a dense passivation film that effectively resists oxidation and corrosion |
Molybdenum (Mo) | 4.0 - 5.0 | Enhanced resistance to pitting and crevice corrosion in chloride-containing environments |
Copper (Cu) | 1.0 - 2.0 | Further enhancement of corrosion resistance to reducing acids |
Carbon (C) | ≤0.020 | Reduces the risk of intergranular corrosion and extends material life |
Based on such composition, Stainless Steel 904L steel pipe has good processing performance and can be made into different specifications and shapes through cold and hot processing. During cold working, it can maintain good plasticity and is not easy to produce cracks; during hot working, its organization uniformity is good, which can ensure product quality. In addition, it has excellent welding performance and is compatible with a variety of welding materials, and the strength and corrosion resistance of the weld after welding is comparable to that of the base material, which greatly facilitates on-site construction and equipment manufacturing.
Stainless Steel 904L steel tubing exhibits excellent resistance in a variety of corrosive environments. In sulfuric acid solutions, 904L can withstand higher concentrations and temperatures of sulfuric acid than ordinary stainless steel tubes, resulting in a significantly longer service life. In the marine environment, ordinary stainless steel may appear pitting corrosion and rust phenomenon in a short period of time, while 904L steel pipe can effectively resist the erosion of seawater by virtue of its unique chemical composition, greatly reducing maintenance costs.
Stainless Steel 904L steel pipe not only has strong corrosion resistance, but also excellent mechanical properties. It has high yield strength and tensile strength, and can withstand high pressure and shock load. At the same time, good ductility makes it not easy to crack in the process, suitable for complex molding process. In pipeline laying and other projects, even if encountered vibration and pressure changes, 904L steel pipe can maintain the structural integrity, to ensure stable operation of the system.
Under high temperature environment, Stainless Steel 904L steel pipe has good anti-oxidation and creep resistance, and can be used for a long time under the high temperature of 800℃, and is not easy to be deformed. In low-temperature environment, it still maintains good toughness and is not easy to be brittle, and can be used safely in liquid nitrogen environment at - 196℃.
In chemical industry, Stainless Steel 904L steel pipe is widely used in sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid and other production equipment, as well as storage and transportation pipelines of corrosive chemicals by virtue of its strong corrosion resistance, high temperature resistance, and suitability for a variety of complex media and other characteristics. In the process of sulfuric acid production, Stainless Steel 904L steel pipe can withstand high temperature, high concentration of sulfuric acid corrosion, to ensure the continuity of the production process, to extend the overall service life of the equipment, and to reduce the number of shutdowns due to pipeline corrosion. In addition, in organic synthesis, fertilizer production and other fields, 904L steel pipe can also cope with corrosive media such as hydrofluoric acid, ammonia and other corrosive media, to avoid the safety risks and environmental pollution caused by pipeline leakage.
In the offshore oil extraction platform, the high salinity and corrosiveness of seawater, as well as the corrosive substances such as hydrogen sulfide and carbon dioxide contained in crude oil, put forward high requirements for equipment materials. Stainless Steel 904L steel pipe, due to its resistance to seawater corrosion and sulfide stress corrosion and cracking, is used in seawater injection systems, crude oil pipelines and other key parts, effectively resisting the erosion of seawater and hazardous substances in crude oil. In refineries, from crude oil distillation to product refining, 904L steel pipe is widely used in high-temperature and high-pressure reaction equipments and pipelines due to its excellent high-temperature resistance, which ensures smooth production and reduces maintenance costs and safety hazards.
The food and beverage industry has strict requirements on the hygiene and corrosion resistance of the production equipment. Stainless Steel 904L steel pipe has smooth surface, is not easy to breed bacteria, and has strong resistance to acid and alkali, which meets the food hygiene standards, so it is widely used in the food processing equipment, beverage brewing and conveying system. In the process of beverage production, 904L steel pipe can withstand the corrosion of various acidic beverages to ensure that the quality of beverages is not affected. In dairy processing, the hygienic characteristics and corrosion resistance of 904L steel pipe ensure the safety and quality stability of milk and other dairy products in the process of storage and transportation.
In the sewage treatment plant, the sewage contains a lot of acid and alkali substances, heavy metal ions and microorganisms, the environment is very harsh. Stainless Steel 904L steel pipe, by virtue of its corrosion resistance, plays an important role in the sewage collection, treatment and discharge system, to effectively cope with the corrosion of sewage, and to prolong the service life of the pipeline and the equipment. In garbage incineration power plant, the high temperature and high corrosive gas produced by garbage incineration cause serious erosion to the equipment. Stainless Steel 904L steel pipe's high temperature and corrosion resistance makes it an ideal material for waste gas treatment system of garbage incineration power plant, which guarantees the stable operation of environmental protection facilities and contributes to the sustainable development of environmental protection industry.
Comparison Program | 904L | 304 | 316L |
Nickel content (%) | 23.0 - 28.0 | 8.0 - 10.5 | 10.0 - 14.0 |
Molybdenum content (%) | 4.0 - 5.0 | - | 2.0 - 3.0 |
Corrosion resistance | Excellent performance in a wide range of highly corrosive environments | General corrosion resistance | Resistant to chloride corrosion |
Mechanical properties | High strength and toughness | Moderate | Moderate |
Costs | High | Relatively low | Moderate |
Carbon steel pipe is less expensive, but its corrosion resistance and service life are far less than that of 904L steel pipe. In a corrosive environment, carbon steel pipe needs to be replaced frequently, and maintenance costs are high, while 904L steel pipe, although the initial investment is higher, but in the long run, it can effectively reduce the overall cost.
Select Stainless Steel 904L steel pipe produced by regular manufacturers to ensure product quality. Check product quality documents, such as chemical composition analysis report, mechanical properties test report. If necessary, conduct third-party testing to verify whether the performance of the steel pipe meets the requirements.
When cutting 904L steel pipe, use a special tool to avoid overheating the material. During welding, choose suitable welding materials and processes to prevent welding defects. When installing, make sure the pipes are connected tightly to avoid leakage.
Clean the surface of the steel pipe regularly to remove dirt and corrosion products. Check the pipe for corrosion, deformation, etc., and find and deal with problems in time. For corrosion-prone parts, protective measures can be taken to extend the service life of the steel pipe.
Stainless steel 904L steel pipe has become an indispensable material in the industrial field due to its excellent corrosion resistance, outstanding mechanical properties and wide range of applications. When selecting and using 904L steel pipe, it is necessary to pay attention to procurement, processing, installation and maintenance to give full play to its advantages. In the journey of industrial construction, you may choose 904L steel pipe reasonably to start the journey of efficient and stable production.