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| A tanker fabricated by INDOX using duplex LDX 2101®. Photo courtesy of INDOX. |
Spanish trucking company HAM is keen to reinforce its robust image, preferring a completely stainless look in its road tankers: the tank surfaces – all stainless steel – bear the company name and logo but are otherwise uncoated.
In 2007, HAM turned to INDOX, the leading European manufacturer of road tankers, with an order of eight tankers for transporting liquefied natural gas (LNG) or liquefied nitrogen. The conventional materials for such tankers, where the load is at -196 degrees Celsius, are austenitic stainless steel EN 1.4301 / ASTM 304 on the inside and painted carbon steel on the outside. (A road tanker for cryogenic materials has a double hull, and only the inner hull comes into contact with the load.) However, INDOX prides itself in, using the company words, “the most innovative and cutting-edge technology” and looked for a new and better materials configuration. “We are always trying to improve quality and cost-efficiency, making lighter tankers for our customers,” says Teo Artigas, Technical Director of INDOX’s cryogenic unit.
Together with their long-time stainless steel supplier Outokumpu, Mr. Artigas’s researchers and engineers had in early 2007 replaced standard 1.4301/304 with continuously cold stressed (CCS®) coil of the same grade from Outokumpu to make the inner hull for cryogenic tank loads. CCS® coil has enhanced properties that make it ideal for tanks and containers, among many other applications: it is stronger, allowing for use of thinner materials, and as such makes for a more economical construction material.
Designing new all-stainless tankers for HAM, INDOX wanted to find an alternative to 1.4301/304 in the outer hull as well. Again Outokumpu helped INDOX to find an optimal solution: INDOX replaced 1.4301/304 with Outokumpu’s proprietary duplex grade LDX 2101®. This grade features very low nickel content, but close to twice the strength of 1.4301/304 and somewhat better corrosion resistance. As a result, INDOX achieved improvements in line with their promise to customers.
LDX 2101® is not applicable to tank loads in temperatures below -40 degrees Celsius, so it cannot replace 1.4301/304 in the inner hull. Here INDOX continues to use 1.4301/304 CCS®.
Mr. Artigas comments on LDX 2101®: “Despite its high strength, working with LDX 2101® has not been difficult, and our experience with it has been positive. LDX 2101® is a good grade for a number of applications in our production, taking into consideration the local and European norms.”
INDOX will complete the delivery of HAM’s eight LNG road tankers in the course of early 2008. These tankers pave the way for the future. “More customers are interested in this type of tankers, so we will continue to use LDX 2101® in new orders,” Mr. Artigas assures.
Project
8 road tankers for Spanish trucking company HAM for the transportation of LNG
Manufacturer
INDOX, a Ros Roca Group company
Tank dimensions and weight
14m in length, 2.5m in diameter. Inner/outer hull weight: 3,000kg / 3,200kg
Tank materials
Inner hull: EN 1.4301 / ASTM 304 CCS®
Outer hull: Duplex LDX 2101® (EN 1.4162)
All material 3mm in thickness
For more information, contact:
Erik Johansson
Product Manager
Outokumpu, S.A., Barcelona, Spain
Tel. +34 933 238 134
Email: erik.johansson(at)outokumpu.com