What Is a Seamless Stainless Steel Condenser Tube?
A Seamless Stainless Steel Condenser Tube is a precision-engineered tube designed for critical heat-exchange duty. Manufactured from a single solid billet through piercing and cold working, it has a homogeneous structure without any welded seam.
This seamless construction eliminates the potential weak zones associated with welds, ensuring maximum structural integrity under extreme pressure. The tubes facilitate optimum thermal conductivity while withstanding corrosive media, making them indispensable in condensers, evaporators and high-pressure shell-and-tube heat exchangers.
Standards we supply condenser tubes to:
- ASTM A249 / ASTM A269 / ASME SA269: austenitic stainless steel tubing for condensers and general corrosive service.
- ASTM A213 / ASME SA213: seamless ferritic and austenitic alloy-steel boiler, superheater and heat-exchanger tubes.
- EN 10216-5: European technical delivery conditions for stainless steel tubes.
- NACE MR0175: available for sour-service applications.
Key Features and Advantages
- Superior Thermal Efficiency: a smooth, uninterrupted internal bore minimizes turbulence and fouling for consistent heat transfer.
- High Pressure & Temperature Resilience: without a longitudinal weld, these tubes offer higher allowable working pressures.
- Exceptional Corrosion Resistance: premium grades such as TP316L, TP317L and duplex steels resist pitting and crevice corrosion in chloride-rich or acidic environments.
- Precision Surface Finish: bright-annealed (BA) or polished finishes reduce scaling and simplify maintenance cycles.
- Enhanced Fatigue Strength: no heat-affected zone (HAZ) gives better resistance to vibration and thermal-expansion stresses.
Product Specifications and Data
Equivalent Grade
| UNS | Common grade name | EN material number | EN steel name | JIS grade | GB/T grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S30400 | 304 | 1.4301 | X5CrNi18-10 | SUS304 | 06Cr19Ni10 / 0Cr18Ni9 |
| S30403 | 304L | 1.4307 | X2CrNi18-9 | SUS304L | 022Cr19Ni10 / 00Cr19Ni10 |
| S30409 | 304H | 1.4948 | X6CrNi18-10 | SUS304HTB (tube) | 07Cr19Ni10 |
| S30908 | 309S | 1.4833 | X12CrNi23-13 | SUS309S | 06Cr23Ni13 / 0Cr23Ni13 |
| S31008 | 310S | 1.4845 | X8CrNi25-21 | SUS310S | 06Cr25Ni20 / 0Cr25Ni20 |
| S31600 | 316 | 1.4401 | X5CrNiMo17-12-2 | SUS316 | 06Cr17Ni12Mo2 / 0Cr17Ni12Mo2 |
| S31603 | 316L | 1.4404 | X2CrNiMo17-12-2 | SUS316L | 022Cr17Ni12Mo2 / 00Cr17Ni14Mo2 |
| S31635 | 316Ti | 1.4571 | X6CrNiMoTi17-12-2 | SUS316Ti | 06Cr17Ni12Mo2Ti |
| S31700 | 317 | – (direct EN match not confirmed) | Not listed in grade index | SUS317 | 06Cr19Ni13Mo3 |
| S31703 | 317L | 1.4438 | X2CrNiMo18-15-4 | SUS317L | 022Cr19Ni13Mo3 / 00Cr19Ni13Mo3 |
| S32100 | 321 | 1.4541 | X6CrNiTi18-10 | SUS321 | 06Cr18Ni11Ti / 0Cr18Ni10Ti |
| S34700 | 347 | 1.4550 | X6CrNiNb18-10 | SUS347 | 06Cr18Ni11Nb / 0Cr18Ni11Nb |
| S32109 | 321H | 1.4940 (approx.) | X7CrNiTi18-10 | SUS321HTB (product suffix to verify) | 07Cr19Ni11Ti |
| S34709 | 347H | 1.4912 (approx.) | X7CrNiNb18-10 | SUS347HTB (product suffix to verify) | 07Cr18Ni11Nb |
Grade correspondence does not make ASTM, ASME, EN, JIS and GB delivery requirements interchangeable. Confirm chemistry, heat treatment, mechanical properties, dimensions, testing and certification against the purchase specification. Approximate or unconfirmed correspondences retain their qualification. See the grade designation index.
Chemical Composition
Typical chemical requirements for the common austenitic grades under ASTM A213/A213M and ASTM A269/A269M. Single values are maximum content unless a range is indicated; for stabilized grades, “5×C min” means minimum titanium or niobium ≥ 5 times the carbon content.
| Grade | C | Mn | P | S | Si | Cr | Ni | Mo | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TP304 | ≤ 0.080 | ≤ 2.00 | ≤ 0.045 | ≤ 0.030 | ≤ 1.00 | 18.00–20.00 | 8.00–11.00 | — | — |
| TP304L | ≤ 0.035 | ≤ 2.00 | ≤ 0.045 | ≤ 0.030 | ≤ 1.00 | 18.00–20.00 | 8.00–12.00 | — | — |
| TP304H | 0.04–0.10 | ≤ 2.00 | ≤ 0.045 | ≤ 0.030 | ≤ 1.00 | 18.00–20.00 | 8.00–11.00 | — | — |
| TP309S | ≤ 0.080 | ≤ 2.00 | ≤ 0.045 | ≤ 0.030 | ≤ 1.00 | 22.00–24.00 | 12.00–15.00 | — | — |
| TP310S | ≤ 0.080 | ≤ 2.00 | ≤ 0.045 | ≤ 0.030 | ≤ 1.00 | 24.00–26.00 | 19.00–22.00 | — | — |
| TP316 | ≤ 0.080 | ≤ 2.00 | ≤ 0.045 | ≤ 0.030 | ≤ 1.00 | 16.00–18.00 | 10.00–14.00 | 2.00–3.00 | — |
| TP316L | ≤ 0.035 | ≤ 2.00 | ≤ 0.045 | ≤ 0.030 | ≤ 1.00 | 16.00–18.00 | 10.00–14.00 | 2.00–3.00 | — |
| TP316Ti | ≤ 0.080 | ≤ 2.00 | ≤ 0.045 | ≤ 0.030 | ≤ 0.75 | 16.00–18.00 | 10.00–14.00 | 2.00–3.00 | Ti: 5×(C+N)–0.70 |
| TP317 | ≤ 0.080 | ≤ 2.00 | ≤ 0.045 | ≤ 0.030 | ≤ 1.00 | 18.00–20.00 | 11.00–15.00 | 3.00–4.00 | — |
| TP317L | ≤ 0.035 | ≤ 2.00 | ≤ 0.045 | ≤ 0.030 | ≤ 1.00 | 18.00–20.00 | 11.00–15.00 | 3.00–4.00 | — |
| TP321 | ≤ 0.080 | ≤ 2.00 | ≤ 0.045 | ≤ 0.030 | ≤ 1.00 | 17.00–19.00 | 9.00–12.00 | — | Ti: 5×(C+N)–0.70 |
| TP321H | 0.04–0.10 | ≤ 2.00 | ≤ 0.045 | ≤ 0.030 | ≤ 1.00 | 17.00–19.00 | 9.00–12.00 | — | Ti: 4x(C+N)–0.70 |
| TP347 | ≤ 0.080 | ≤ 2.00 | ≤ 0.045 | ≤ 0.030 | ≤ 1.00 | 17.00–19.00 | 9.00–12.00 | — | Nb: 10×C–1.10 |
| TP347H | 0.04–0.10 | ≤ 2.00 | ≤ 0.045 | ≤ 0.030 | ≤ 1.00 | 17.00–19.00 | 9.00–13.00 | — | Nb: 8×C–1.10 |
Size Tolerance Chart (Inch)
Permissible variations in outside diameter:
| Specified Outside Diameter (OD) (Inches) | Permissible Variations in OD (± Inches) |
|---|---|
| 1⁄2 to 1 | ±0.005 |
| Over 1 to 1-1⁄2 | ±0.008 |
| Over 1-1⁄2 to 2 | ±0.010 |
| Over 2 to 2-1⁄2 | ±0.012 |
| Over 2-1⁄2 to 3-1⁄2 | ±0.014 |
| Over 3-1⁄2 to 5 | ±0.020 |
Permissible variations in OD and wall thickness:
| Specified Outside Diameter (OD) (Inches) | Specified Wall Thickness (WT) (Inches) | Permissible Variation (± Inches) |
|---|---|---|
| 1⁄2 to 1 (Inclusive) | 0.025 to 0.065(Inclusive) | ±0.010 |
| Over 0.065to 0.134 (Inclusive) | ±0.012 | |
| Over 1 to 1-1⁄2 (Inclusive) | 0.025 to 0.065 (Inclusive) | ±0.010 |
| Over 0.065 to 0.134 (Inclusive) | ±0.012 | |
| Over 1-1⁄2 to 2 (Inclusive) | 0.025 to 0.049 (Inclusive) | ±0.011 |
| Over 0.049 to 0.083 (Inclusive) | ±0.012 | |
| Over 0.083 to 0.148 (Inclusive) | ±0.014 | |
| Over 2 to 2-1⁄2 (Inclusive) | 0.032 to 0.065 (Inclusive) | ±0.013 |
| Over 0.065 to 0.109 (Inclusive) | ±0.015 | |
| Over 0.109 to 0.165 (Inclusive) | ±0.017 | |
| Over 2-1⁄2 to 3-1⁄2 (Inclusive) | 0.032 to 0.165 (Inclusive) | ±0.020 |
| Over 0.165 to 0.220 (Inclusive) | ±0.025 | |
| Over 3-1⁄2 to 5 (Inclusive) | 0.083 to 0.165 (Inclusive) | ±0.025 |
| Over 0.165 to 0.220 (Inclusive) | ±0.030 |
Note on ovality: for thin-walled tubing (wall 3% or less of the specified OD), the OD tolerance applies to the mean of the extreme diameter readings; the difference between maximum and minimum OD at any cross-section must not exceed twice the ±tolerance shown.
Length Tolerance
- For tubes ordered to a specific cut length: +1/8 in. (3 mm) / −0.
Disclaimer: dimensional data above are summarized from the applicable ASTM product standard and ASTM A1016/A1016M general requirements. The full and most current specification document must always be consulted for official design and procurement purposes.
Common Industrial Applications
Seamless condenser tubes are the standard where zero-leakage and durability are required:
Power Generation
Main steam-turbine condensers and feedwater heaters.
Oil, Gas & Refining
Offshore heat exchangers and refinery cooling systems (NACE MR0175 available).
Chemical Processing
Handling of aggressive organic and inorganic acids.
Desalination & HVAC
High-corrosion-resistance seawater brine heaters, large chillers and industrial evaporators.
Frequently Asked Questions
What sizes are available for ASTM A269 stainless steel condenser tube?
The overall range is OD 6–257 mm; WT 0.5–35 mm. Requirements outside this range are reviewed against mill capability on request.
Which specification governs ASTM A269 stainless steel condenser tube?
ASTM A269 / ASME SA269 is the governing specification for ASTM A269 stainless steel condenser tube. The edition in force at order time is stated on the quotation and purchase order; chemistry, mechanical properties, heat treatment, dimensions and testing are reported against the ordered standard and material heat.
What inspection documents are provided?
Each order is documented with a mill test certificate stating heat chemistry and mechanical test results. EN 10204 3.1 certification, hydrostatic testing, eddy-current or ultrasonic inspection and PMI are performed when specified in the purchase order.
Ready to Request a Quotation?
For a seamless stainless steel condenser tube quotation, send the standard and grade (e.g. ASTM A269 TP316L), outside diameter, wall thickness, length, quantity, surface finish (BA/annealed/pickled) and required inspection documents. We will confirm the available size combination and delivery terms in the quotation.
