Kobe Steel — Xinjiang Meike High-Pressure Compressor Vessels (239–339 Bar)

Lmart manufactured 14 units total — 3rd/4th stage discharge discharge snubbers for Kobe Steel. Built in Q345R, 16MnII, 16MnIII, 16MnIV, Duplex 2205 (after cooler tubes) to GB standards, this project demonstrates Lmart’s capability in process industry equipment.

Client	Kobe Steel (• 神户制钢)
Project	Xinjiang Meike Petrochemical — High-Pressure Compressor Auxiliary Vessels
Equipment	14 units total — 3rd/4th stage discharge & suction snubbers, 4th stage suction separator, 3rd stage discharge intercooler, after cooler, 1st stage suction & discharge snubbers
Design Code	GB
Design Pressure	239–339 Bar (max 339 Bar on 4th stage discharge snubber and 1st stage snubbers)
Key Materials	Q345R, 16MnII, 16MnIII, 16MnIV, Duplex 2205 (after cooler tubes)
Wall Thickness	Up to 63 mm
Unit Weight	706–3,190 kg each

Customer Background

Kobe Steel is a recognized participant in the process industry sector. 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 14 units total — 3rd/4th stage discharge discharge snubbers engineered to GB standards using Q345R, 16MnII, 16MnIII, 16MnIV, Duplex 2205 (after cooler tubes), reflecting the technical demands of the application and the client’s commitment to equipment reliability and regulatory compliance.

Challenges and Engineering Requirements

Design for Harsh Service Environments

Process filters and separators in process industry applications face demanding operating conditions: corrosive media, high particulate loading, elevated temperatures, and pressurized operation. The filter vessel design must accommodate frequent element replacement while maintaining pressure boundary integrity, with internals designed to distribute flow evenly across the filter area and prevent bypass.

Material Selection for Corrosion and Erosion

Q345R, 16MnII, 16MnIII, 16MnIV, Duplex 2205 (after cooler tubes) was selected based on the specific corrosion environment and erosion potential from particulate-laden flow. The material must resist both general corrosion from the process fluid and localized erosion at velocity-change points such as nozzle entries and baffle edges.

Multi-Code Certification

Equipment destined for the target market must satisfy multiple regulatory frameworks simultaneously. GB certification requires documented compliance with design, fabrication, and inspection requirements from each applicable standard — often with different NDT acceptance criteria, material testing requirements, and documentation formats.

Why Kobe Steel Selected Lmart

Precision internals fabrication. Filter vessels require precise internal support structures, seal surfaces, and flow distribution devices. Lmart’s machining and welding capabilities ensure filter elements seat correctly and the vessel achieves uniform flow distribution across the filter area.

Multi-code and multi-market experience. Lmart fabricates filter vessels and separators to ASME, PED, and GB standards for clients across oil & gas, petrochemical, marine, and water treatment industries. This breadth of experience means the engineering team anticipates the specific requirements of each application.

Quality documentation for critical service. Filters in safety-critical or environmental-compliance service require complete traceability and testing documentation. Lmart’s quality system produces documentation packages that satisfy the requirements of end users, EPCs, and regulatory authorities.

Engineering and Manufacturing Solution

Lmart engineered and fabricated 14 units total — 3rd/4th stage discharge discharge snubbers for Kobe Steel to GB using Q345R, 16MnII, 16MnIII, 16MnIV, Duplex 2205 (after cooler tubes). 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 GB 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 GB 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 GB 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 Kobe Steel’s project site, meeting the project schedule requirements.

Results and Business Impact

Lmart successfully delivered 14 units of 14 units total — 3rd/4th stage discharge discharge snubbers to Kobe Steel, meeting the project’s quality, schedule, and documentation requirements. The equipment was manufactured in Q345R, 16MnII, 16MnIII, 16MnIV, Duplex 2205 (after cooler tubes) to GB standards, with full documentation packages accepted by the client and applicable inspection authorities.

This project reinforces Lmart’s position as a qualified manufacturer for process industry 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.”

— Kobe Steel project team (paraphrased from project review)

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