Outokumpu’s proprietary austenitic 253 MA® grade stainless steel is widely used in thermal power plants as it withstands very high temperatures. Thermax operates in the areas of energy and environment and it is a major player in the design and construction of boilers for thermal power plants in India.
 
Outokumpu has been closely working with Thermax in many of their boiler projects. Thermax has chosen Outokumpu’s 253 MA®. Components manufactured from this high-temperature grade are used for a specific part of the boiler, known as ’impact separators’, installed at the outlet of boiler furnace. In this part of the boiler, temperature can rise above 850 degrees Celsius. Separators remove particles from the flue gas flowing out of the boilers so that they can be recycled and re-used. 
 
Said Rajan Nair, executive vice president at Thermax: “For our project of supplying and commissioning nine circulating fluidised bed combustion boilers for a petrochemical complex in India, we chose Outokumpu’s 253 MA® grade, because of the operating environment in the boilers, which uses petroleum coke and coal as fuel. We have had a long-standing relationship with Outokumpu and we trust their technical capabilities and reliable customer service.”
 
For this project, Outokumpu has given Thermax technical and commercial support even before starting the deliveries of more than 700 tonnes from its mills in Europe. This is the biggest order of 253 MA® in India so far.