【Ten Years of Rapid Development in Chemical Processing Equipment】2584–2025: Filling the gap in China’s field of ultra-thick hydrogen-resistant steels; Wugang’s 195 mm thick Q345R (R-HIC) steel plates resistant to hydrogen-induced cracking

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Let’s give praise and support to the achievements made in China’s chemical engineering technology and equipment; your participation in discussions is the greatest encouragement. **********************【Ten Years of Progress in Chemical Engineering Equipment】A continuously updated summary post is available – feel free to join the discussions: https://bbs.hcbbs.com/thread-3576046-1-1.html ***************** Recently, a new batch of Q345R(R-HIC) steel plates with a thickness of 195 mm, developed independently by Wugang Company under the Hebei Iron and Steel Group, was successfully delivered to customers. These plates will be used in a petrochemical project in the Middle East that involves hydrogen desulfurization towers with a capacity of millions of tons per year. The development of this product has filled a gap in China’s field of ultra-thick hydrogen-resistant steels; its innovative hydrogen-trap control technology provides a \"Hebei Iron and Steel solution\" for the safe upgrading of petrochemical equipment. Q345R(R-HIC) is a steel grade commonly used for medium and low-temperature pressure vessels in petrochemical equipment under hydrogen-rich environments; it boasts excellent resistance to hydrogen-induced damage while maintaining the mechanical properties of regular Q345R steel plates. Among them, thick Q345R (R-HIC) steel plates are widely used in the construction of key equipment in the energy sector, such as hydrogenation reactors, large storage tanks, and deep-sea oil and gas facilities, due to their excellent performance in high-pressure and hydrogen-corrosion environments. Fuyang Iron and Steel focuses on the industry demands arising from the global petrochemical sector’s shift toward higher temperatures and pressures, as well as lower carbon emissions and greater efficiency. It delves deeply into the field of special steels, working to develop a product portfolio that is \"purer, more corrosion-resistant, and more intelligent,\" in order to serve as a \"foundation for safety\" in high-pressure hydrogen environments for advanced equipment. The technical R&D team at Wugang met the stringent requirements of its clients for steel used in million-ton-scale petrochemical cyclic hydrogen desulfurization towers, such as a \"zero hydrogen embrittlement risk\" and full life-cycle management. Drawing on years of experience in developing container steel, they continuously optimized the production processes by employing ultra-pure steel manufacturing methods, precise control of steel microstructure, and intelligent inspection systems, to ensure that high-quality heavy-gauge, high-weight steel plates were delivered to clients. Its innovative hydrogen-trap control technology, by precisely designing the microstructural layout within the steel plate, prevents hydrogen-induced cracking at its source, thereby significantly enhancing the resistance of ultra-thick hydrogen-exposed steel plates to brittle fracture under high-pressure and high-hydrogen conditions. This provides a crucial material guarantee for the safe operation of petrochemical equipment in extreme operating conditions.