Duplex VS Carbon Steel Pipe

Steel is an indispensable part of our lives, which is extensively used in infrastructure, transport, energy, packaging and consumer durable industries.And one of the popular form of duplex and carbon steel is pipe and tube.

In this article, the focus will be on the differences between carbon steel and duplex steel.

Carbon Steel Pipe Features

Steel can be classified into 3 fundamental groups: carbon steel, low alloy steel and high alloy steels. Carbon steel is consist of iron, less than 1.7% carbon, less than 1.65% manganese, incidental amounts of silicon, aluminium and limits on impurities such as chromium, cobalt, nickel etc. Carbon steel is the most common pipe material in power, chemical and hydrocarbon industries as it is featured good flow characteristic and fire resistance and is low in initial cost. The mostobvious disadvantage of carbon steel is its low corrosion resistance, but galvanising can provide it required internal and external protection.

Duplex Steel Pipe Features

Duplex steel pipe was originally created to combat corrosion problems caused by chloride-bearing cooling waters and other aggressive chemical process fluids. Duplex steel combines the advantages of ferritic and austenitic steel: extreme high strength, resistance against stress corrosion cracking and degrading corrosion resistance, which making it especially suitable to resist the extreme forces found on platform riser.

Difference Between Duplex and Carbon Steel

Duplex steel is high in chromium which acts as a protective layer against corrosion and rust.

Carbon steel has a high carbon content, so it will corrode and rust quickly when exposed to moisture. However, carbon steel is stronger and more durable then duplex steel.