📄 PSL1 L210/A Pipeline Steel Plate (GB/T 21237-2018) – Technical Data Sheet
This standard specifies technical requirements for wide and heavy plates of 6mm~50mm thickness for petroleum and natural gas pipelines. L210/A as a PSL1 basic steel grade provides excellent cold formability and weldability.
PSL1 L210/A pipeline steel plate, manufactured in accordance with GB/T 21237-2018, is a widely used low-strength material for oil and gas transmission systems. It is designed for applications where good weldability, stable mechanical performance, and cost efficiency are more important than high strength. In practical use, L210/A is commonly selected for low-pressure pipelines, water transmission lines, and general structural pipe fabrication. Due to its relatively low carbon content and simple chemical composition, the material is easy to form, cut, and weld, making it suitable for large-scale fabrication and on-site construction. Compared with higher grades, L210/A offers a balanced combination of reliability and economy, especially in projects where operating pressure is moderate and strict low-temperature toughness requirements are not critical.
📌 Designation Rules (3.2.1 / 3.2.2)
🔹 Standard Naming (3.2.1)
Example: L415M
L — First letter of "Line" for pipeline
415 — Specified minimum yield strength (MPa)
M — Thermomechanical rolled condition
L210/A: L210 = yield ≥210MPa, no suffix = hot-rolled/normalized/normalized-rolled (PSL1)
🔸 API 5L Common Naming (3.2.2)
Example: X60M
X — Line pipe identifier
60 — Minimum yield strength (ksi)
M — Delivery condition
L210/A corresponds to API 5L Grade A, yield ≥210MPa.
📘 Per Table 1, PSL1 hot-rolled/normalized state = L210/A.
🧪 Chemical Composition (PSL1, ladle & product analysis)
| Grade | Cb (≤%) | Mnb (≤%) | P (≤%) | S (≤%) | V | Nb | Ti | Other restrictions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| L210/A | 0.22 | 0.90 | 0.030 | 0.030 | — | — | — | Cu≤0.50, Ni≤0.50, Cr≤0.50, Mo≤0.15 |
📋 Table 2 Notes:
a Copper max 0.50%; Nickel max 0.50%; Chromium max 0.50%; Molybdenum max 0.15%.
b For each 0.01% reduction in carbon below the specified maximum, manganese may be increased by 0.05% above the specified maximum. For L210/A, max Mn remains 0.90%.
c Unless otherwise agreed, total Nb+V ≤0.06%.
d Total Nb+V+Ti ≤0.15%.
e Unless otherwise agreed.
f Unless otherwise agreed, total Nb+V+Ti ≤0.15%.
g Unless otherwise specified, boron shall not be intentionally added, residual B ≤0.001%.
⚙️ Mechanical & Technological Properties (PSL1 Table 4)
| Steel grade | Rt0.5 (MPa) ≥ | Rm (MPa) ≥ | A50mmc (%) ≥ | 180° bend test | Specimen direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| L210/A | 210 | 335 | 25 | D=2a, no cracks | Transverse |
📋 Table 4 Notes:
a When selecting grades, the purchaser and supplier shall negotiate a suitable tensile property range to ensure finished pipe meets standard requirements.
b Specimen direction shall be determined by the purchaser and stated in the contract. Generally transverse direction.
c Standard gauge length test. Proportional gauge length may be used upon special request. Arbitration: 50mm gauge length, 38mm width specimen.
📐 Min elongation formula: A50mm=1940×S00.2/Rm0.9. Bend former diameter D=2a.
🔄 L210/A vs API 5L Grade A – What's the Difference?
🇨🇳 GB/T 21237 L210/A
- Standard: Chinese national standard GB/T 21237-2018 (PSL1)
- Yield strength: ≥210 MPa
- Tensile strength: ≥335 MPa
- Carbon (max): 0.22%
- Manganese (max): 0.90%
- Delivery condition: Hot-rolled, normalized, normalized-rolled
- Typical use: Oil & gas pipelines, low-pressure transmission, structural pipes
🇺🇸 API 5L Grade A
- Standard: API Spec 5L (PSL1 / PSL2)
- Yield strength: ≥210 MPa (30,500 psi)
- Tensile strength: ≥335 MPa (48,600 psi)
- Carbon (max): 0.22% (Grade A)
- Manganese (max): 0.90% (Grade A)
- Delivery condition: As-rolled, normalized, TMCP
- Typical use: Low-pressure pipelines, water transmission, structural applications
💡 Bottom line: L210/A (GB/T 21237) is fully equivalent to API 5L Grade A in terms of mechanical properties and chemical composition. The naming differs — "L" stands for "Line" in the Chinese standard, while "X" is used in API 5L — but the material performance is identical. When you need API 5L Grade A steel plates for your project, L210/A from Chinese mills is a direct, cost-effective substitute. Both deliver the same yield strength (210MPa minimum), tensile strength (335MPa minimum), and weldability. Many engineers have successfully used L210/A for API-compliant pipeline projects without any issues.
📜 Supplementary Chemical Requirements (6.1.3 ~ 6.1.6)
✅ 6.1.3 Thickness > 25.0mm — Chemical composition may be agreed between supplier and purchaser for heavy plates up to 50mm.
✅ 6.1.4 Ladle analysis & CE — Supplier provides ladle analysis and carbon equivalent (CE); product analysis upon negotiation.
✅ 6.1.5 Intermediate grades — Intermediate grades between consecutive Table 2 grades may be supplied by agreement.
✅ 6.1.6 Other alloying elements — For L290/X42 and above, other elements may be added. L210/A normally no unconventional microalloys.
🏭 Smelting Method · Delivery Condition (6.3 & 6.4)
🔥 6.3 Smelting process
Oxygen converter or electric furnace. For PSL1 L210/A conventional smelting is acceptable.
📦 6.4 Delivery condition
Hot-rolled (R), normalized (N), normalized-rolled, TMCP (M) or quenched+tempered (Q). L210/A normally hot-rolled or normalized.
📋 Additional notes (6.5.1 & 6.5.2)
6.5.1 Intermediate grade properties (above L290/X42) by agreement. Not applicable to L210/A.
6.5.2 L210/A fully complies with Table 4: Rt0.5 ≥210MPa, Rm ≥335MPa. Transverse specimen direction required in contract.
📏 Dimensions & Other Requirements
Dimensions (Clause 5): Per GB/T 709. Trimmed/untrimmed edges. Thickness tolerance class B.
Grain size (6.6): Not mandatory for PSL1, reference: No.7 or finer.
Non-metallic inclusions (6.7): PSL1 no mandatory values, but clean steel assured.
📋 Summary: Steel plate surfaces must be free of harmful defects like cracks, blisters, and inclusions. Defect removal is permitted within thickness tolerance limits, but welding repair is strictly prohibited.
✅ 6.9.1 The steel plate surface shall be free from cracks, blisters, folds, bubbles, inclusions, and visually detectable laminations that are harmful to use. If such defects exist, they are allowed to be removed. The depth of removal shall not exceed half of the plate thickness tolerance, provided that the minimum allowable thickness of the plate is maintained. The removal area shall be smooth and free of sharp edges.
✅ 6.9.2 Other local imperfections that do not affect the use of the plate are permitted on the steel plate surface, provided that the minimum allowable thickness of the plate is maintained.
✅ 6.9.3 For plates delivered with untrimmed edges, the depth of edge cracks and other defects in the width direction shall not exceed half of the width tolerance, and the minimum width of the plate shall be maintained.
✅ 6.9.4 Upon agreement between the supplier and the purchaser, the defect depth and affected area may be measured in accordance with GB/T 14977.
✅ 6.9.5 Welding repair on the steel plate surface is not permitted.
📋 Ordering content & Inspection rules
📑 Ordering content (Clause 4)
- Standard: GB/T 21237—2018
- Quality level: PSL1
- Grade: L210/A
- Dimensions & thickness precision
- Delivery condition & edge condition
- Specimen direction (transverse)
- Application: gas/oil/fluid
🔬 Inspection rules
Batch: same grade, heat, thickness, rolling schedule. ≤60 tons per batch. Test methods: GB/T 228.1 (tensile), GB/T 232 (bending), GB/T 4336 (chemistry). Rounding per GB/T 8170.