Silcosteel

[gtwy]

I work in the oil refining industry where EPA regs are mandating on certain equipment such as flares, TRS analyzers with ranges as high as 500,000 ppm TRS.
Our cal cylinders are generally 35% H2S at 2000 psi. The other day a cylinder regulator failed open exposing the low pressure side (and sample system) to bottle pressure.
I wasn't present at the event, but I did see the valve poppet after the regulator was torn down. It was coated w/ a powdery scale. Also looked like the poppet (I'm assuming SS) was pitted.

We have been ordering silcosteel regulators(this one was not) and I was wondering if there is a limit to the functionality of silcosteel? We generally use silcosteel tubing on sample systems for accuracy/ response time but not so much as a mechanism to protect the underlying stainless steel.

 

[moltenmetal]

Too thin a coating to be reliable for long-term corrosion resistance, though it is very effective at reducing surface activity for sampling equipment.

 

[EdStainless]

We used Ni alloy regulators on H2S service.
The flows were small so the regs were small.

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P.E. Metallurgy, Plymouth Tube