N S T U D IE S

A P P L IC A T IO
ME TR ODE

Pumped Up High Efficiency 316L Electrodes

Brolit Welding of Bolton, long term Metrode customers, identified our 19.12.3.LHE electrodes (E316L-17)
as the most suitable consumable for heavy section welding required for Sulzer (UK) Pumps of Leeds on
five high pressure pumps.

Believed to be the largest of their type ever manufactured, these HPcp350-315 five stage pumps are used
to control extraction from oil reservoirs by injection of sea water into the oil bearing strata.

Each pump weighs 24 tonnes, with an overall length of 4 metres. Main

sections were 237mm thick, with a 1060mm external diameter.

Barrels and nozzles were forged, rather than cast, from 316L austenitic
stainless steel, to ensure metallurgical soundness. This avoided the ex-
pensive and time-consuming testing of large, complex castings and en-
abled Brolit to undertake their part of the fabrication of each pump in a
pre-planned three week window.

Several of the welds involved welding in a horizontal/vertical position.

Before handover to Sulzer, every weld was dressed smooth to facilitate

liquid penetrant/radiographic examination and to reduce the levels of
Welder at work on the pump barrel at Brolit Welding
at Bolton
stress concentration.

Successful completion depended on careful preparation and the skill and long experience of Brolits coded
welders, qualified to ASME IX and BS EN 287.

But Mike Littler, Managing Director of Brolit, commented on

the significant contribution to productivity made by the use
of Metrode 19.12.3.LHE consumables:

They run smoothly and produce a bead to the desired

shape, with an easily detachable slag, even in the horizontal
position. Being formulated to minimise stop/starts, they pro-
duce maximum efficiency and run-out length, with a high
deposition rate.

One of the completed sea water injection pumps at Sulzer (UK)

N.b. Future supplies of this electrode will be re-designated as Supermet 316LHE Pumps Ltd, Leeds.

Metrode Products Limited Contacts for further information

Hanworth Lane Sales email - sales@metrode.com or fax to +44(0)1932 565168
Chertsey Technical email - technical@metrode.com or fax to +44(0)1932 569449
Surrey Telephone - +44(0)1932 566721
Web Site Path at www.metrode.com
KT16 9LL
All 316L consumabes can be found by keying 316 into the search field.
UK 19.12.3.LHE electrodes are made to special order, check with the sales office.