By Jeff Weigang
PVQ steel plate has a long-standing reputation in the industry. It is used on pressure vessels and boilers because of its ability to withstand high levels of pressure. Without using PVQ steel plate, you run the risk that the metal is incapable of withstanding the pressure - and that's when you end up with a leak or a blowout.
PVQ stands for pressure vessel quality, so it gives you a good idea as to what it's being used for. This alloy is extremely corrosion resistant as well. It allows you to use the material in water and in areas where there are a lot of chemicals without worrying about corrosion. It provides you with a high value so that you know that the material is going to last a significant amount of time.
You don't want to use a metal in any situation, especially when it comes to vessels and boilers, which will buckle under pressure or corrode easily.
What's unique about PVQ is that it is a medium carbon alloy. It contains a variety of elements at the highest ASTM standards in order to provide the added pressure strength. Such elements include manganese, Sulfur, phosphorus, and silicon. Each of these elements help to deliver the strength that the metal needs to perform.
Gases and liquids are often placed into containers under pressure. It is this pressure that makes it so important to have PVQ steel plate. If it was an ambient pressure, you would likely be able to use other materials. However, the pressurized nature is what requires you to think differently about the materials.
Everything about PVQ steel plate is built to withstand the pressure. It's what allows you to build a vessel (or a boiler) and not have to worry about any kind of issue. After all, you want to store liquids and gases inside of a pressurized container without worrying about it exploding, leaking, or causing some other problem.
Buying PVQ Steel Plate
You cannot order steel plate and assume that it is pressure vessel quality. Instead, you have to be specific about what you want. Further, you need to identify the grade, which includes A285, TC128 and A516. Each one of the gray differ in terms of mechanical properties. The tensile load as well as the yield and elongation are going to be different. This means that you need to identify what you are manufacturing and what is going to be stored inside of it prior to choosing the grade of steel plate that you need for your project.
Take the time to talk to a steel supplier so that you can learn more about the different grades that are available and what the mechanical properties are of each. It will make it easier for you to select the right PVQ steel plate.
Ranger Steel has always strived to form personal relationships with customers in a wide variety of industries. The industries we serve are as follows: ship building, oil and gas, mining, light and heavy commercial and industrial construction; service centers; as well as fabricators for heavy plate, vessel and heat exchangers, storage tanks, bridges, electrical transmission, and railcars.