What this finned tube is
This unit is a round pipe with fins formed on the outside, so the surface that meets the flue gas or the air is many times larger than that of a plain pipe of the same bore. Tube body and fins are made from aluminum, copper or steel, and the pairing is chosen for the fluid, the working temperature and the corrosion risk. Common builds are carbon steel, copper, stainless steel, copper-aluminum and alloy, with the fins extruded, serrated, spiral or high-frequency welded.
Where this finned tube is used
It goes into heat exchangers and heat recovery units: boiler and economiser banks, power generation and metallurgy plant, fluid and hydraulic pipework, chemical plant, air coolers and process heaters. In each case the tube is built to the drawing, with the fin pitch, the fin height, the length and the end fittings set by the exchanger it has to fit.
How to choose this finned tube
Start with the duty, because the fluid and the temperature decide whether the tube body should be aluminum, copper or steel, and whether the fins can be the same material. Then fix the bore and the fin together: the tube outside diameter runs from 25 mm to 165 mm, the fin pitch from 1 mm to 50 mm and the fin height from 5 mm to 50 mm, and a tight pitch gives more surface while a wider pitch stays clean where the gas carries dust. Finally agree the length and the end connections.
What to confirm before you order this finned tube
Confirm the material of the tube and of the fins, the outside diameter and wall, the length, the fin pitch and the fin height. Confirm as well whether the ends need plain, threaded or welded connections, because those operations change the price and the lead time of the finned tube as much as the tube itself does. Samples are available so the fit can be checked before a production run starts, and lead time runs from about 31 days for the first 500 pieces.
