Overview

Stainless Steel Grade 310 is a medium carbon austenitic stainless steel, for high-temperature applications. Stainless Steel Grade 310 contains 25% chromium and 20% nickel, making them highly resistant to oxidation and corrosion. The high chromium and medium nickel content make these steels capable of applications in reducing sulfur atmospheres containing Hydrogen Sulfide. This grade is widely used in moderately carburizing atmospheres, as encountered in petrochemical environments. For more severe carburizing atmospheres other heat-resisting alloys should be selected. The grade is often used in cryogenic applications, due to its toughness and low magnetic permeability.

In common with other austenitic stainless steel, these grades cannot be hardened by heat treatment. They can be hardened by cold work, but this is rarely practiced. This Grade is used to make pipes, tubes, fittings, flanges, etc. In this article, we are going to highlight the applications and various other details about Stainless Steel 310 Pipes.

Stainless Steel 310 Pipes are available in various forms like SS 310 Seamless Pipes, Welded Pipes, ERW Pipes, etc.

Applications

Stainless Steel 310H Pipes are used in fluidized bed combustors, kilns, petroleum refining, and steam boilers, coal gasifier internal components, lead pots, thermowells, burners, and combustion chambers, retorts, muffles, annealing covers, saggers, food processing equipment, cryogenic structures.

Fabrication

Grades 310 Pipes are forged in the temperature range 975 – 1175 degree C. Heavy work is carried out down to 1050 degree C and a light ﬁnish is applied to the bottom of the range. After forging annealing is recommended to relieve all stresses from the forging process. The alloys can be readily cold formed by standard methods and equipment.

Machinability

Grades 310 Tubes are similar in machinability to type 304. Work hardening can be a problem and it is normal to remove the work-hardened layer by using slow speeds and heavy cuts, with sharp tools and good lubrication. Powerful machines and heavy, rigid tools are used.

Welding

SS 310 welded Pipes are welded with matching electrodes and ﬁller metals. The pipes are readily welded by SMAW (manual), GMAW (MIG), GTAW (TIG) and SAW. Electrodes to AWS A5.4 E310-XX and A 5.22 E310T-X, and ﬁller metal AWS A5.9 ER310 are used. Argon is shielding gas. Preheat and post heat are not required, but for corrosion service in liquids, a full post-weld solution annealing treatment is essential. Pickling and passivation of the surface to remove high-temperature oxides are essential to restore full aqueous corrosion resistance after welding. This treatment is not required for high-temperature service, but welding slag should be thoroughly removed.

Heat Treatment and Heat Resistance

SS 310 Pipes are solution annealed by heating to temperature range 1040 -1065 degree C, holding at temperature until thoroughly soaked, then water quenching. Grades 310 has good resistance to oxidation in intermittent service in the air up to 1035 degree C and 1050 degree C in continuous service. The pipes are resistant to oxidation, sulfidation, and carburization.