ASTM A179 High-Temperature Boiler Tube, Heat Exchanger Tube

ASTM A179/ASME SA179 High-temperature boiler tube is a seamless steel tube, which is specially used for cold-drawn seamless low-carbon steel tube standards for heat transfer equipment such as heat exchangers and condensers, and is suitable for medium and low temperature boiler systems. ASTM A179 boiler tubes are manufactured by cold drawing process and have the characteristics of high precision, high finish, high wear resistance, etc.

ASTM A179 high-temperature boiler tube use temperature:

The use temperature of ASTM A179 high temperature boiler tube depends on the material and specifications of the steel tube. Generally, the use temperature range of this type of steel tube is -200°C to 450°C. Within this temperature range, the steel tube can maintain good mechanical properties and corrosion resistance. It should be noted that the actual use temperature should be selected according to the specific equipment and process requirements to ensure the safety and reliability of the steel tube.

Reasons for temperature limit:
Low-carbon steel composition (C≤0.18%): oxidation resistance and strength decrease rapidly at high temperatures.
Cold drawing + annealing process: Although annealing (≥650℃) can eliminate stress, long-term use in an environment close to 500℃ may cause the material to soften.

Analysis of applicable working conditions:
Medium and low temperature heat transfer: Applicable to heat exchange systems of water, steam, oil and other media, such as boiler water-cooled walls, economizers, condensers, etc.

Not suitable for extreme high temperature and high pressure: Compared with ASTM A106 (≤650℃) or ASTM A335 (≤700℃), ASTM A179 has lower temperature resistance and is not suitable for supercritical boilers or high-temperature oil and gas pipelines.

Features of ASTM A179 boiler tubes:

1. Low carbon content
Carbon content (C): 0.06%~0.18%, ensuring good weldability and plasticity.
Manganese content (Mn): 0.27%~0.63%, improving strength without affecting toughness.
Low sulfur and phosphorus (S≤0.035%, P≤0.035%), reducing brittle tendency.

2. Cold drawing precision processing
The cold drawing process is used to ensure the high strength, high dimensional accuracy and surface finish of the steel pipe.
Applicable to thin-walled tubes (1~20mm) to improve heat transfer efficiency.

3. High temperature resistance
It has good creep resistance and oxidation resistance at high temperatures and can work in high temperature environments for a long time.

4. Good mechanical properties
Tensile strength: ≥325 MPa
Yield strength: ≥180 MPa
Elongation: ≥35%, indicating that the material has excellent plastic deformation ability.

It still has high strength and toughness at high temperatures and can withstand working stress under high pressure and high temperature. Annealing treatment (≥650℃) is required after cold drawing to eliminate residual stress, hardness ≤72 HRB, and ensure processing performance.

5. Corrosion resistance and oxidation resistance
Applicable to water, steam, oil and other media, with good corrosion resistance in medium and low temperature (≤450℃) environment.

Advantages of ASTM A179 boiler tubes:

1. Efficient heat transfer
The cold drawing process makes the inner wall of the steel tube smooth, reduces fluid resistance and improves heat exchange efficiency.
Applicable to key heat transfer components such as boiler water-cooled walls, economizers, and condensers.

2. Excellent processing performance
The low carbon steel composition makes it easy to weld, bend, and flare, suitable for complex piping system installation.
The low hardness after cold drawing (≤72 HRB) facilitates subsequent mechanical processing.

3. High economic efficiency
Compared with alloy steel pipes (such as A335 P11/P22), A179 has lower cost and is suitable for medium and low pressure boiler systems.

4. Standardized production
Complies with ASTM/ASME SA179 standards, ensuring global versatility and suitable for export markets.

5. Wide applicability
Mainly used for heat exchangers, condensers, and low-pressure boiler pipelines, and can also be used in chemical, food processing and other industries.

Application areas of ASTM A179 boiler tubes:

‌Boiler industry‌: used to manufacture superheaters, reheaters, economizers and other components of high-temperature and high-pressure boilers.
‌Petrochemical industry‌: used to manufacture high-temperature heat exchangers, cracking furnaces, furnaces and other equipment.
‌Nuclear industry‌: used to manufacture heat exchangers, steam generators and other components of nuclear power plants.
‌Aerospace‌: used to manufacture high-temperature components such as jet engines and turbines.

Comparison with other boiler tube standards:

ASTM A179: Applicable to environments with temperatures ≤450℃, mainly used for heat exchangers and condensers.
Features: low carbon steel, cold-drawn precision tubes.

ASTM A106: Applicable to environments with temperatures ≤650℃, mainly used for high-temperature and high-pressure pipelines.
Features: higher carbon content and greater strength.

ASTM A335: Applicable to environments with temperatures ≤700℃, mainly used for supercritical boilers.
Features: chromium-molybdenum alloy, resistant to high temperature and high pressure.

Typical applications of cold-drawn seamless steel tubes:
Cold-drawn seamless tubes are often used in: precision instruments, boiler tubes, heat exchanger tubes, hydraulic applications, fluid transmission lines, bearing tubes, mining applications, automotive applications and general engineering applications.

Conclusion:

ASTM A179 boiler tubes are ideal for heat exchangers, condensers and medium and low pressure boiler systems due to their low carbon content, cold-drawn precision processing, high temperature resistance, excellent plasticity and economy. Its high dimensional accuracy, easy processing and standardized production make it widely used in chemical, electric power, HVAC and other fields.

Read more: ASTM A192 Seamless Steel Pipe or Which material is used for boiler tubes?