A steel pipe or tube for pressure vessels having excellent quench crack resistance is provided. The steel pipe or tube for pressure vessels comprises: a specific chemical composition; and a metallic microstructure in which an average grain size of prior austenite grains is 500 μm or less, and an area fraction of microstructures other than ferrite is 50% or more.

A process for treating a centrifugal compressor wheel includes a combination of cold expansion of at least part of the bore of the wheel to induce residual compressive stresses in a region around the bore, and surface peening at least parts of the compressor wheel such as the back disk and portions of the blades.

A method for producing a steel material for line pipes which has a tensile strength of 570 MPa or more, a compressive strength of 440 MPa or more, and a thickness of 30 mm or more, the method including heating a steel having a specific composition to a temperature of 1000° C. to 1200° C.; performing hot rolling such that a cumulative rolling reduction ratio in a non-recrystallization temperature range is 60% or more, a cumulative rolling reduction ratio in a temperature range of (a rolling finish temperature +20° C.) or less is 50% or more, and a rolling finish temperature is the Ar.sub.3 transformation point or more and 790° C. or less; and subsequently performing accelerated cooling from a cooling start temperature of the Ar.sub.3 transformation point or more, at a cooling rate of 10° C./s or more, until the temperature of a surface of a steel plate reaches 300° C. to 500° C.

A method for the autofrettage of a workpiece may involve arranging the workpiece between a first securing means and a second securing means, and applying high-pressure fluid to an internal volume of the workpiece that is formed between the first and second securing means. A die or ram may be driven into the internal volume through an inlet in the first securing means. Consequently, as a result of the ram being advanced, not only is a fluid pressure generated in the internal volume, but also the workpiece is mechanically autofrettaged by way of the ram. A device may be employed to perform such hydromechanical autofrettage of the workpiece.

A method for the autofrettage of a workpiece may involve arranging the workpiece between a first securing means and a second securing means, and applying high-pressure fluid to an internal volume of the workpiece that is formed between the first and second securing means. A die or ram may be driven into the internal volume through an inlet in the first securing means. Consequently, as a result of the ram being advanced, not only is a fluid pressure generated in the internal volume, but also the workpiece is mechanically autofrettaged by way of the ram. A device may be employed to perform such hydromechanical autofrettage of the workpiece.

A device for strengthening a straight pipe, including a first positioning mold, a second positioning mold, a split mold, a rounding mold, a first cavity and a second cavity. A method for strengthening a straight pipe is further provided. The split mold is adjusted to position the pipe. The pipe is inserted into the first and second positioning molds. First and second sealing rings are arranged in an inner cavity of the pipe. Hydraulic oil is injected into the first cavity to expand the pipe to perform an expanding deformation. When the hydraulic oil is unloaded, the split mold moves towards an axis of the first positioning mold to perform a reducing deformation. After the expanding and reducing deformations, the pipe is transported into the rounding mold, and hydraulic oil is injected into the second cavity to expand the pipe to perform the rounding.

The present invention provides a pressure vessel for hydrogen in which the development of cracking in the pressure vessel for hydrogen can be effectively inhibited and that is excellent in terms of safety, reliability, and durability. The present invention pertains to a pressure vessel for hydrogen in which a plastic region is present on the inner face side of a hydrogen pressure vessel main body, an elastic region is present on the outer face side, and compressive residual stress is generated on the inner face, wherein preferably: the equivalent plastic strain remaining on the inner surface of the hydrogen pressure vessel main body is 1% or below; the plastic region on the inner face side measures 50% or less of the wall thickness in the radial direction of the hydrogen pressure vessel main body; and the steel used has a tensile strength of at least 725 MPa.

The present invention provides a pressure vessel for hydrogen in which the development of cracking in the pressure vessel for hydrogen can be effectively inhibited and that is excellent in terms of safety, reliability, and durability. The present invention pertains to a pressure vessel for hydrogen in which a plastic region is present on the inner face side of a hydrogen pressure vessel main body, an elastic region is present on the outer face side, and compressive residual stress is generated on the inner face, wherein preferably: the equivalent plastic strain remaining on the inner surface of the hydrogen pressure vessel main body is 1% or below; the plastic region on the inner face side measures 50% or less of the wall thickness in the radial direction of the hydrogen pressure vessel main body; and the steel used has a tensile strength of at least 725 MPa.

A device for strengthening a straight pipe, including a first positioning mold, a second positioning mold, a split mold, a rounding mold, a first cavity and a second cavity. A method for strengthening a straight pipe is further provided. The split mold is adjusted to position the pipe. The pipe is inserted into the first and second positioning molds. First and second sealing rings are arranged in an inner cavity of the pipe. Hydraulic oil is injected into the first cavity to expand the pipe to perform an expanding deformation. When the hydraulic oil is unloaded, the split mold moves towards an axis of the first positioning mold to perform a reducing deformation. After the expanding and reducing deformations, the pipe is transported into the rounding mold, and hydraulic oil is injected into the second cavity to expand the pipe to perform the rounding.

A method is disclosed for pressure forming a metal preform including shock annealing of the preform and subsequently preheating the preform prior to pressure forming. Shock annealing may be carried out as differential shock annealing in which different regions of the preform are annealed to different degrees. Preheating may be carried out by differentially preheating, optionally shock preheating, different regions of the preform for preheating at least those regions of the preform which will be subject to elevated expansion during pressure forming. Shock annealing by induction heating can lower energy consumption, reduce processing times and allow for larger expansion of the preform.