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Transcripción del abstract original del autor: Austenitic stainless steel is used for LNG piping, because of its excellent low-temperature characteristics and stable quality. Due to its large coefficient of linear expansion, however, austenitic stainless steel requires a mechanism, such as bent piping, to absorb thermal contraction, when it is used in LNG facilities. Bent piping raises the construction cost of LNG piping, because it requires additional welding and cold insulation work, a large diameter of pipe to compensate increased pressure loss, and large space for installation such as a large diameter tunnel. Invar alloy has a very low coefficient of linear expansion which is 1/10th that of austenitic stainless steel. Therefore, applying Invar alloy can lead to simple straight LNG piping, reducing its construction cost, for instance by 20% in the case of a large LNG receiving line. Osaka Gas Co., Ltd., Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. and Sumitomo Metal Industries, LTD. developed Invar alloy LNG piping for the purpose of reduction of LNG piping construction costs, and the practical application of an Invar alloy LNG piping was achieved in 2001 for the first time in the world. Following this first application of Invar alloy LNG piping that serves as an interconnection piping to an LNG vaporizer, Invar alloy LNG piping including large diameter one as an interconnection piping to an LNG tank is under construction and will be commissioned in August, 2003.