What is ASTM A213 Type 316L heat exchanger tubing?
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Are you looking for corrosion-resistant tubing for your heat exchanger project in a marine environment? ASTM A213 Type 316L heat exchanger tubing is a high-quality austenitic stainless steel solution widely used in furnaces, boilers, chemical plants, and the petrochemical industry. For procurement professionals, understanding its material specifications, dimensions, tolerances, and market trends is crucial for cost-effective and reliable purchasing.
What is ASTM A213 Type 316L heat exchanger tubing?
ASTM A213 Type 316L is a low-carbon, austenitic stainless steel seamless tubing used for high-temperature, high-pressure applications like boilers, superheaters, and heat exchangers, offering superior corrosion resistance, especially to pitting in chloride environments, due to its molybdenum content and reduced carbon for better weldability. It's known for excellent strength at elevated temperatures, hygiene, and suitability for harsh chemical or marine environments.
Advantages of ASTM A213 Type 316L Tubing
Excellent Corrosion Resistance
ASTM A213 SS 316L tubes contain 2.0–3.0% molybdenum, which is a core advantage over 304 tubing; in a 3.5% NaCl seawater environment, the pitting corrosion rate is ≤0.0015 mm/year, 7–10 times lower than that of 304 tubing. It exhibits excellent resistance to chloride-induced pitting corrosion, crevice corrosion, and uniform corrosion, making it suitable for corrosive media such as seawater, dilute sulfuric acid, and chemical wastewater.
Low Carbon Content Prevents Intergranular Corrosion
ASTM A213 TP316L stainless steel chrome moly tubes have a maximum carbon content of ≤0.03%, preventing the precipitation of Cr₂₃C₆ carbides at grain boundaries when heated within the sensitization temperature range of 450–850℃. Welded joints maintain high corrosion resistance without post-weld heat treatment, making them far superior to standard 316 tubing in welding applications.
Excellent High and Low Temperature Performance
ASTM A213 grade 316L boiler tubes can be continuously used at temperatures up to 870℃, and for short periods up to 925℃, exhibiting stable mechanical properties in high-temperature flue gas and heat transfer systems. Furthermore, it does not experience brittle fracture at temperatures as low as -270℃, making it suitable for cryogenic fluid transport applications such as liquefied natural gas (LNG).
Long Service Life and Cost-Effective
In marine engineering, chemical, and offshore platform applications, ASTM A213 TP316L round tubes have a service life 3-5 times longer than 304 stainless steel tubes; low maintenance costs and reduced replacement frequency offset the initial purchase cost, resulting in long-term cost savings for users.
ASTM A213 304L 316L Stainless Steel Pipe/ Tube Specification
Looking for A213 Material for boilers?
We supply ASME SA 213 Heat Exchanger, Condenser & Super Heater Tubes in Coiled, U bend and Straight form
Product Name: ASTM A213 304L 316L Stainless Steel Pipe/ Tube
Type: Seamless Cold Drawn Tubes, Hot Finished Seamless Pipes, Welded Pipes, Fabricated Pipes
Grades: ASTM A213 TP304, TP304L, TP304H, TP321H, TP321, TP316, TP316L, TP316Ti, TP310S, TP347, TP347H
Size: 1/8" NB to 24" NB, 1/4" OD to 24" OD sizes stainless steel seamless tubes also available
Length: Up to 6 meters, custom cut lengths
Thickness: 1mm to 20mm, SCH 5/5S, 10/10S, 20/20S, 40/40S, 80/80S, 120/120S, 160/160S as per ANSI B36.19/36.10
Finish: No.1 Pickled Finish, No.4 finish, BA Finish, Electropolished Seamless Pipes
Chemical Composition:
According to ASTM E1086-14/ASTM A751-14a (ICP-OES) & ASTM E1019-11.
Equipment: HX-103-40 Fixed metal analysis spectrometer.
| Grade | UNS
Design |
Composition % | ||||||||||||||
| C | Mn | P | S | Si | Cr | Ni | Mo | Ti | Nb | N | Cu | Ce | B | PREN | ||
| TP316L | S31603 | 0.023 | 0.90 | 0.033 | 0.001 | 0.41 | 16.79 | 10.13 | 2.54 | 0.061 | 26.15 | |||||
Tensile Requirements
According to ASTM A370-17.
Equipment: LX-202-07 Universal testing machine.
| Grade | UNS | Tensile Strength, [MPa] | Yield strength, [MPa] | Elongation in 2 in. or 50mm, %A, B | Hardness | |
| Designation | HRB | |||||
| TP316L | S31603 | 238/232 | 570/580 | 56/56 | 75/77 | … |
A213 SS Round Tube Heat Treatment
| Heat Treatment Process | Description |
|---|---|
| Solution Annealing | 1050°C to 1150°C |
| Annealing | 1040°C and 1150°C |
| Quenching | 1040°C to 1150°C |
| Stress Relieving | 450°C to 650°C |
Inspection & Testing
One flattening test and one flaring test shall be made on specimens from each end of one finished tube for each heat lot. Other tests and inspection include: tensile test, hardness test, eddy-current test, dimensional inspection and visual examination.
ASTM A213 Tube Price List
| Price list | Price in USD |
|---|---|
| ASTM A213 Stainless Steel Tube, Size: 6.35*204*0.25 | US $ 0.15 |
| ASTM A213 Stainless Steel Tube, Size: 5*0.25 | US $ 25.00 |
