For many designers, nickel alloys are their default choice for the most demanding applications. These include plate heat exchangers (PHEs), tubing, pipes and pumps exposed to seawater, as well as equipment used in the chemical, petrochemical and pulp and paper. Their exceptional corrosion resistance makes nickel alloys a good solution. However, they might not always be the best solution - in many cases a specialized stainless steel grade could offer the same, or even superior, performance at a considerably lower cost.
This article explains the advantages of Ultra 654 SMO - regarded as the world’s most corrosion resistant stainless steel, and why designers are now recognizing it as an important alternative to Alloy 625. A key advantage is the potential economic savings, with typical cost reductions of 30 to 40%, as well as stable pricing thanks to its low nickel and molybdenum content. An important spin-off benefit is lower density, with a typical reduction of 6% in tonnage when buying large amounts of material.
In addition, switching to Ultra 654 SMO does not mean any loss in performance. In fact, it has a higher resistance to pitting and crevice corrosion than Alloy 625. That is not all, it is stronger than standard austenitic stainless steels and nickel alloys, while having the formability of a conventional austenitic grade.
This article explains the advantages of Ultra 654 SMO - regarded as the world’s most corrosion resistant stainless steel, and why designers are now recognizing it as an important alternative to Alloy 625. A key advantage is the potential economic savings, with typical cost reductions of 30 to 40%, as well as stable pricing thanks to its low nickel and molybdenum content. An important spin-off benefit is lower density, with a typical reduction of 6% in tonnage when buying large amounts of material.
In addition, switching to Ultra 654 SMO does not mean any loss in performance. In fact, it has a higher resistance to pitting and crevice corrosion than Alloy 625. That is not all, it is stronger than standard austenitic stainless steels and nickel alloys, while having the formability of a conventional austenitic grade.