Milford chronicle., 1962-11-02
Moior Breok Through
In Steel Announced
BY LUkens Steel Co.

A major economic breakthrough
in speciality steel was announced
recently by the nations third
largest producer of plate steels.
Lukens Steel Co. revealed it is
marketing plate steel for low
temperature service priced at 80
per cent less than steels currently
available for comparable capabili-
ties. 1t will sell for less than 10
cents per pound.
Designated "Lukens LT-75," the
newly improved carbon-manganes
silicon steel is designed for service
at rs degrees below zero (A), ac-
cOrding to John H. Faunce, Jr.,
vice president for market and COM
mercial development.
Lukens LT-75 should prove a
boon to manufacturers and users
of storage tanks for liquefied
cases." Faunce said. at is the re-
suit of continuing research and
metallurgical development pro-
gram at Lukens to produce special
duty plate Steels to fill specific
industrial needs"
In the case of ''LT-75," the need
was that of the liquefied petroleum
and anhydrous ammonia gas in
dustries for an economical plate
steel with exceptional toughness at
sub-zero temperatures.
The new steel has b e n
thoroughly field-tested in a CO.
operative trial with Chicago Bridge
and Iron Co., Faunce said.
A commercial order for 1905 tons
was successfully fabricated by c.
B. and l. into low-temperature
service vessels prior to introduc-
ton of LT-75 to the general mar
ket. The Chicago firm has placed
orders for several hundred addi-
tional tons since the trials.
The unique qualities of this steel
were achieved through a careful
balance of chemistry and precisely
controlled heat treatment 1t has
been produced in normalized con-
dition with 10000 psi minimum
tensile strength and in quenched
and tempered condition with S0,-
600 psi minimum tensile strength.
Lukens LT-75 can be Charpy i'm
pact tested; minimum average
longitudinal values are Is ft-lbs.
V-notch or keyhole) down to
minus rs degrees (F).
Faunce pointed out that sales of
liquefied petroleum gas, W h C h
serves the needs of millions of
homes, farms and Industries to
which utility pipelines are eco
nomically inaccessible, grew from
two billion gallons in 1916 to ap-
proximately nine billion gallons
this year
AT the same time sales of an
hydrous ammonia, widely used
agricultural fertilizer, have grown
from 726,000 tons in 1916 to about
five million tons this year and are
still growing.
Until recently" the Lukens ex-
ecutive said, these gases have
been liquefied by pressure in the
area of $50 psi and stord in tanks
of heavy gauge carbon steel. Sew
eral manufacturers have. utilized
low-t m p erature liquefaction
(from minus 28 degrees to minus
65 degrees (F.) J. /.
But because of the large
quantities of steel required for
tankage." Faunce said, these pro-
ducers have been reluctant to pay
the price of steels available, but
over-qualified, for the servic e.
Dukens Its was developed to
answer this problem"
The new steel is available in a
wide range of thicknesses in both
plates and heads - saucer-shaped
enclosures for tanks and process
vessels.
Lukens has been a pioneer in
the development of plate steel for
tn booming cryogenics storage
vessel market The company is the
leading producer of Nine Nickel,
an alloy which can withstand tenn
peratures as low as 800 degrees
below zero CD, and is widely