Stainless Steel Heat Exchanger Tube Size Chart.pdf
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When designing or repairing a shell-and-tube heat exchanger, selecting the correct tube size, wall thickness (BWG), and material grade is critical. A mismatch of even 0.1mm can lead to vibration issues, bypass flow, or tube-to-tubesheet joint failure.
This guide provides a comprehensive Stainless Steel Heat Exchanger Tube Size Chart and technical insights to help procurement managers and engineers optimize thermal performance.
What size tube is a standard heat exchanger?
Tubes may range in diameter from 12.7 mm (0.5 in) to 50.8 mm (2 in), but 19.05 mm (0.75 in) and 25.4 mm (1 in) are the most common sizes. The tubes are laid out in triangular or square patterns in the tube sheets.
Stainless Steel Heat Exchanger Tube Size Chart (Standard)
Note: These dimensions strictly follow ASTM A213 and ASTM A249 standards.
| Outside Diameter (OD) - Inch | Outside Diameter (OD) - mm | BWG (Wall Thickness) | Wall Thickness (mm) | Inside Diameter (ID) - mm | Weight ( kg/m - 316L) |
| 1/2" | 12.70 | 20 | 0.89 | 10.92 | 0.26 |
| 1/2" | 12.70 | 18 | 1.24 | 10.22 | 0.35 |
| 5/8" | 15.88 | 20 | 0.89 | 14.10 | 0.33 |
| 5/8" | 15.88 | 18 | 1.24 | 13.40 | 0.45 |
| 3/4" | 19.05 | 18 | 1.24 | 16.57 | 0.55 |
| 3/4" | 19.05 | 16 | 1.65 | 15.75 | 0.72 |
| 1" | 25.40 | 16 | 1.65 | 22.10 | 0.98 |
| 1" | 25.40 | 14 | 2.11 | 21.18 | 1.23 |
| 1 1/4" | 31.75 | 14 | 2.11 | 27.53 | 1.56 |
| 1 1/2" | 38.10 | 12 | 2.77 | 32.56 | 2.45 |
A213 Heat Exchanger Tubes Dimensional Tolerances
| Standard | SIZES OD INCHES | Tolerances Chart | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| O.D. | Wall Thickness | ||||
| PLUS (+) | MINUS (-) | PLUS (+) | MINUS (-) | ||
| ASTM-A-213 | Under 1.000 | .004" | .004" | 20% | 0% |
| ASME-SA-213 | 1.000 to 1.500 | .006" | .005" | 20% | 0% |
| Cold Finished Seamless | 1.501 to 1.999 | .008" | .008" | 22% | 0% |
| Heat Exchanger Tube | 2.000 to 2.499 | .010" | .010" | 22% | 0% |
| Minimum Wall | 2.500 to 2.999 | .012" | .012" | 22% | 0% |
| 3.000 to 4.000 | .015" | .015" | 22% | 0% | |
| 4.001 to 5.000 | .015" | .025" | 22% | 0% | |
Specialized Shapes: U-Bent Tubes
For high-temperature applications where thermal expansion is a concern, U-Bent tubes are the standard.
Bending Radius (R): Minimum 1.5 × OD.
Tolerance: Wall thinning in the bend area is strictly controlled within 10% of the nominal thickness.
Heat Treatment: We provide Stress Relief Annealing on the U-bend area to prevent Stress Corrosion Cracking (SCC), a common failure point in 300-series stainless steel.
Technical Comparison: Material Grades for Heat Exchangers
| Material Grade | Corrosion Resistance | Thermal Conductivity | Best For |
| SS 304/304L | Moderate | 16.2 W/m·K | Low-pressure steam, Pure water |
| SS 316/316L | High (Chlorides) | 15.0 W/m·K | Chemical processing, Brackish water |
| Duplex 2205 | Very High (SCC) | 19.0 W/m·K | Oil & Gas, High-pressure seawater |
| 904L / Super SS | Extreme (Acids) | 13.0 W/m·K | Sulfuric acid, Severe chemical service |
Superheater Tube material supplier in china
When you download a Size Chart.pdf, it gives you the nominal numbers. However, as a high-end supplier, we deliver Precision Tolerances:
OD Tolerance: We maintain ±0.03mm. This ensures that the tube slides perfectly into the tubesheet hole, preventing "tube-bypass" and ensuring a high-quality expanded or welded joint.
Surface Roughness: Our tubes feature Ra ≤ 0.4μm (Bright Annealed). A smoother internal surface reduces the fouling factor by 25%, meaning your heat exchanger stays efficient for longer between cleaning cycles.
Concentricity: High concentricity (uniform wall thickness) prevents "hot spots" and premature tube failure under high-pressure steam conditions.
ASTM A213 Stainless Steel Heat Exchanger Tubes
| SA 213 is a standard Specification for Seamless Ferritic and Austenitic Alloy-Steel Boiler, Super Heater and Heat-Exchanger Tubes | ||||
| ASTM A213 T2 | ASTM A213 T5 | ASTM A213 T5b | ASTM A213 T5c | ASTM A213 T9 |
| ASTM A213 T11 | ASTM A213 T12 | ASTM A213 T17 | ASTM A213 T21 | ASTM A213 T22 |
| ASTM A213 T23 | ASTM A213 T24 | ASTM A213 T36 | ASTM A213 T91 | ASTM A213 T92 |
| ASTM A213 T122 | ASTM A213 T911 | ASTM A213 TP201 | ASTM A213 TP202 | ASTM A213 XM-19 |
| ASTM A213 TP304 | ASTM A213 TP304L | ASTM A213 TP304H | ASTM A213 TP304N | ASTM A213 TP304LN |
| ASTM A213 TP309S | ASTM A213 TP309H | ASTM A213 TP309LMoH | ASTM A213 TP309Cb | ASTM A213 TP309HCb |
| ASTM A213 TP310S | ASTM A213 TP310HCb | ASTM A213 TP310HCbN | ASTM A213 TP316 | ASTM A213 TP316L |
| ASTM A213 TP316L | ASTM A213 TP316H | ASTM A213 TP316Ti | ASTM A213 TP316N | ASTM A213 TP316LN |
| ASTM A213 TP317 | ASTM A213 TP317L | ASTM A213 TP321 | ASTM A213 TP321H | ASTM A213 TP347 |
| ASTM A213 TP347W | ASTM A213 TP347H | ASTM A213 TP347HFG | ASTM A213 TP348 | ASTM A213 TP348H |
| ASTM A213 XM-15 | ASTM A213 800 | ASTM A213 800H | ||
Checklist for Your Next RFQ
To get an accurate quote and the best lead time, ensure your inquiry includes:
OD and Wall Thickness (BWG)
Exact Length (or U-bend radius schedule)
Material Grade (e.g., TP316L)
Standard (e.g., ASTM A249 for welded or A213 for seamless)
Testing Requirements: (e.g., Eddy Current Testing, Hydrotest 20MPa, or Intergranular Corrosion Test).
We offer precision-engineered stainless steel tubes in all BWG sizes with 100% ECT testing.
