Storage conditions of carbon steel pipes

A) Choosing the Appropriate Site and Warehouse

Site Selection:

The storage site or warehouse should be clean, well-drained, and away from factories and mines that produce harmful gases or dust.

Remove weeds and debris from the site to maintain cleanliness.

Storage Precautions:

Avoid stacking with materials such as acids, alkalis, salts, and cement that can corrode steel.

Different varieties of steel should be stacked separately to prevent confusion and contact corrosion.

Outdoor Storage:

Large sections, rails, steel plates, large-diameter steel pipes, and forgings can be stored outdoors.

Covered Storage:

Small and medium-sized sections, wire rods, steel bars, medium-diameter steel pipes, steel wires, and wire ropes can be stored in a well-ventilated shed, but they must be covered and padded.

Indoor Storage:

Small steels, thin steel plates, steel strips, silicon steel sheets, small-diameter or thin-walled steel pipes, and high-value, easily corroded metal products should be stored indoors.

Warehouse Selection:

Choose a warehouse based on geographical conditions. A typical closed warehouse with a roof, walls, tight doors and windows, and ventilation is generally suitable.

Ventilation and Moisture Control:

Ensure the warehouse is ventilated on sunny days and closed on rainy days to prevent moisture buildup, maintaining a suitable storage environment.

B) Reasonable Stacking and First-In, First-Out (FIFO) Principle

Stacking Principles:

Stack materials by variety and specification, ensuring stability and safety.

Different materials should be stacked separately to prevent confusion and corrosion.

Corrosive Items:

Do not store corrosive items near steel stacks.

Stack Foundation:

The base of the stack should be elevated, firm, and flat to prevent dampness and deformation.

FIFO Implementation:

Stack materials according to storage order to facilitate the FIFO principle.

Outdoor Stacking:

Place wooden mats or strips under section steel stacked outdoors, ensuring the stacking surface is slightly inclined for drainage and material straightness.

Stacking Height:

For manual handling, the height should not exceed 1.2 meters; for mechanical handling, 1.5 meters; and the stack width should not exceed 2.5 meters.

Stack Channels:

Maintain a 0.5-meter inspection channel between stacks and a 1.5-2.0 meter access channel depending on material size and transportation equipment.

Elevated Stacking:

Raise the stack base if on a concrete floor by 0.1 meters, on mud by 0.2-0.5 meters, on an open field cement floor by 0.3-0.5 meters, and on a sand-mud surface by 0.5-0.7 meters.

Specific Material Stacking:

Angle steel and channel steel should be stored with the opening facing down, and I-beams should be placed vertically.

C) Maintaining Cleanliness and Material Maintenance

Pre-storage Care:

Prevent rain or impurities from contaminating materials before storage. Use appropriate cleaning methods like wire brushes for high hardness materials and cloth or cotton for low hardness materials.

Frequent Inspections:

Regularly check stored materials for rust and remove any rust layers promptly.

Protective Coating:

Generally, steel surfaces do not require oiling after cleaning, except for high-quality steel, alloy thin steel plates, thin-walled pipes, and alloy steel pipes, which should be coated with anti-rust oil after derusting.

Use Corroded Steel Promptly:

Steel with significant corrosion should be used as soon as possible after rust removal to prevent further deterioration.