BASF South Korea — Phthalic Anhydride Storage Tank & Process Vessels

Lmart delivered a 24-tonne phthalic anhydride storage tank and seven stainless steel process vessels for BASF's chemical plant in South Korea. All equipment was fabricated to ASME code with KEMCO and KOSHA Korean regulatory certifications, using 304L and 316L stainless steel for chemical compatibility.

Client	BASF
Owner	BASF South Korea
Project	Phthalic Anhydride Plant — Storage Tank & Process Vessels
Equipment	1 × PA Storage Tank TK1530 (DN 4,000 × 16 mm × 10,000 mm, 24,000 kg) • 1 × V1121 (DN 1,400, 1,348 kg) • 1 × V-1221 (DN 1,000, 781 kg) • 1 × V-1110 (DN 800, 437 kg) • 1 × V-1222 (DN 800, 386 kg) • 2 × V-1230/31 (DN 323.8, 194 kg each) • 1 × V-1232 (DN 273, 141 kg)
Design Code	ASME KEMCO / ASME KOSHA
Key Materials	SA240 304L, SA240 316L

Customer Background

BASF is a recognized participant in the industrial gas and specialty chemicals sector based in South Korea. The company’s operations involve process equipment that must meet stringent safety, quality, and performance standards demanded by the industry and regulatory authorities.

This project required 1 × PA Storage Tank TK1530 • 1 × V1121 • 1 × V-1221 • 1 × V-1110 • 1 × V-1222 • 2 × V-1230/31 • 1 × V-1232 engineered to ASME KEMCO / ASME KOSHA standards using SA240 304L, SA240 316L, reflecting the technical demands of the application and the client’s commitment to equipment reliability and regulatory compliance.

Challenges and Engineering Requirements

Design for Multiple Operating Conditions

The vessels in this project must withstand the full range of operating conditions specified by the process design: normal operation, startup/shutdown transients, and upset conditions. ASME KEMCO / ASME KOSHA requires the designer to evaluate each load case and ensure the vessel wall thickness, nozzle reinforcement, and support design are adequate for the governing condition. Where vessels operate under vacuum or external pressure, buckling analysis adds another layer of engineering complexity.

Material Traceability and Quality Documentation

Construction in SA240 304L, SA240 316L requires complete material traceability from the steel mill to the finished vessel. Every plate, forging, pipe fitting, and welding consumable must be traceable to its mill certificate, with chemical composition and mechanical properties verified against the code requirements. The selection of SA240 304L, SA240 316L addresses the corrosion environment specific to industrial gas and specialty chemicals service conditions.

Fabrication Sequence and Workshop Logistics

Producing 1 vessels to ASME KEMCO / ASME KOSHA standards requires careful production planning. Shell rolling, head forming, nozzle preparation, fit-up, welding, post-weld heat treatment (where required), NDE, and final hydrostatic testing must be sequenced to optimize workshop loading while maintaining material segregation and inspection hold points.

Why BASF Selected Lmart

ASME and international certifications. Lmart holds ASME U stamps along with PED, ML (Chinese A-class), and multiple classification society approvals. This breadth of certification means BASF can source vessels certified to the applicable code without engaging separate manufacturers for different regulatory jurisdictions.

Heavy fabrication capacity. With workshop crane capacity up to 200 tonnes and the ability to handle vessels up to 6 m diameter, Lmart manufactures equipment ranging from small process vessels to large storage tanks and columns — all within a single facility.

Proven track record with global end users. Lmart has delivered equipment to BASF and similar clients in the industrial gas and specialty chemicals sector, demonstrating consistent quality and on-time delivery performance across multiple projects.

Engineering and Manufacturing Solution

Lmart engineered and fabricated 1 × PA Storage Tank TK1530 • 1 × V1121 • 1 × V-1221 • 1 × V-1110 • 1 × V-1222 • 2 × V-1230/31 • 1 × V-1232 for BASF to ASME KEMCO / ASME KOSHA using SA240 304L, SA240 316L. The scope of supply included complete detail design, material procurement, fabrication, inspection, testing, and documentation.

Key engineering considerations for this project included thermal-hydraulic performance optimization, material selection for the specific process environment, and compliance with ASME KEMCO / ASME KOSHA requirements for design, fabrication, and inspection.

The equipment was manufactured at Lmart’s Zhangjiagang facility, which provides full-cycle fabrication capabilities including plate rolling, head forming, machining, welding (SAW, GTAW, SMAW), post-weld heat treatment, and NDE — all under a single quality management system.

Quality Control and Project Execution

All equipment was manufactured under Lmart’s ISO 9001-certified quality management system with the following key inspection milestones:

• Material verification: Incoming inspection of all plates, forgings, and fittings against mill certificates; PMI spot checks on alloy materials
• Welding quality: All welding performed by qualified welders using approved WPS/PQR; NDE per ASME KEMCO / ASME KOSHA requirements including RT/UT on pressure-retaining welds
• Dimensional inspection: In-process dimensional checks at shell rolling, head forming, and final assembly stages
• Pressure testing: Hydrostatic test to ASME KEMCO / ASME KOSHA requirements, witnessed by the authorized inspector and/or client representative
• Documentation package: Complete data book including material certificates, weld maps, NDE reports, dimensional records, and test certificates

Equipment was delivered to BASF’s project site in South Korea, meeting the project schedule requirements.

Results and Business Impact

Lmart successfully delivered 1 units of 1 × PA Storage Tank TK1530 • 1 × V1121 • 1 × V-1221 • 1 × V-1110 • 1 × V-1222 • 2 × V-1230/31 • 1 × V-1232 to BASF, meeting the project’s quality, schedule, and documentation requirements. The equipment was manufactured in SA240 304L, SA240 316L to ASME KEMCO / ASME KOSHA standards, with full documentation packages accepted by the client and applicable inspection authorities.

This project reinforces Lmart’s position as a qualified manufacturer for industrial gas and specialty chemicals applications, demonstrating the company’s ability to deliver equipment that meets international quality and certification standards.

Customer Voice

“The equipment was delivered on schedule and the documentation package was complete. The quality of fabrication met our inspection requirements.”

— BASF project team (paraphrased from project review)

Note: Lmart respects client confidentiality. Specific contact references are available upon request during the qualification process.