technical case study
Case Study: Walkway Material Selection – Chile A plant in Chile needed a 30-year walkway solution over a highly corrosive area. Options included: • Mild Steel: Lowest upfront cost, coated. Requires maintenance • 3CR12: Unpainted, cleaned every 15 years with high- pressure water. • Lean Duplex: Higher cost, superior performance. Lower weight requirements reduce initial cost. Findings: • 3CR12: ~50% of mild steel cost • Lean Duplex: ~77% of mild steel cost • End-of-life material value affects total LCC Summary • Stainless steels include over 200 grades designed for specific uses. • They offer excellent corrosion resistance with strong LCC advantages. • Hydrometallurgical plants are highly specialised and complex. • Always consult with experts for material selection
Grade 316 is only suitable for scenario A, while grade 654 SMO performs well in all cases. Though this alloy performs best, cost remains a key consideration in selection. Important Warnings • Iso-corrosion diagrams are based on laboratory data. • Real-world conditions often vary. • Always validate material selection under operational conditions. • Consider erosion resistance alongside corrosion resistance. Hydrometallurgical slurries are abrasive. Erosion is a combined effect of wear-induced corrosion and corrosion- induced wear. Lab tests show similar erosion resistance in grades 316L, 904L, and 2205. Grades 2507 and Lean Duplex 2101 show higher erosion resistance and should be tested in the field, as erosion rates vary with flow rates and pressures. Life Cycle Costing (LCC) LCC accounts for acquisition, fabrication, installation, operation, maintenance, downtime, and replacement costs. Material resale or recycling value at end-of-life can be deducted from total cost.
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Issue 3 – 2025
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