Buyer guide · approx. 5 min read

Heat exchangers and condensers – tubes, U-tubes and tube bundles

In short: heat exchangers need tight-tolerance seamless or welded tubes. Typical choices by medium and temperature:

• stainless: TP304L / TP316L (ASTM A213, A269 or EN 10216-5);
• elevated-temperature: 16Mo3 / 13CrMo4-5 (EN 10216-2);
• aggressive media: duplex or nickel alloys.

Tubes are supplied in straight lengths or U-bent. For re-tubing, heat-exchanger plugs, gaskets and bolting are available too.

This guide is for maintenance teams, heat-exchanger manufacturers and buyers planning shutdowns.

What makes heat-exchanger tubing special?

• Tight tolerances. The tube goes into the tube sheet, so OD and wall tolerances are strict.
• Bending. For U-tubes, wall thinning and ovality at the bend must be controlled.
• Corrosion on both sides. The tube is in contact with media inside and out.
• Downtime. Re-tubing is usually shutdown work, so scheduling and preparation are decisive.

Material overview

The complete package

• Heat-exchanger tubes straight or U-bent to the bundle geometry.
• Installation: welded into the tube sheet with qualified procedures (service).
• Passivation: for stainless tubes.
• Heat-exchanger plugs to seal damaged tubes.
• Gaskets and bolting for cover and flange joints.

Buyer checklist

1. Tube list: OD × wall, length, quantity.
2. For U-tubes, the list of bend radii.
3. Material and standard.
4. Tolerance and surface.
5. Testing: e.g. eddy-current or pressure test, if specified.
6. Certificate and deadline (shutdown).

Common mistakes

• Incomplete bend list, so tubes cannot be prefabricated.
• Tube tolerance not matched to the bundle.
• Purchasing started too late before the shutdown.

Frequently asked questions

Request a quote

Send the bundle drawing or tube list. We quote tubes, bending and related items in one offer.

Related: Stainless steel pipes · Boiler & high-temperature pipes · Heat-exchanger tube service · Flange bolting