ASME SA179 Extruded Finned Tube with Al1060 Fins for Waste Heat Recovery Units

ASME SA179 Extruded Finned Tube with Al1060 Fins for Waste Heat Recovery Units

1. Product Overview

Our ASME SA179 Extruded Finned Tube with Al1060 Fins is a premium bimetallic heat transfer component built for steady, long-cycle industrial thermal exchange service. It integrates a pressure-bearing seamless carbon steel base tube and high-thermal-conductivity pure aluminum fins by means of cold extrusion rolling. This forming method removes intermittent air gaps that frequently compromise the performance of strip-wound, L-foot or G-type embedded finned tubes.

The inner load-carrying base tube is fabricated in full compliance with ASME SA179, covering seamless cold-drawn low-carbon steel tubing designed for heat exchanger and condenser service. This substrate offers dependable ductility, stable mechanical properties and reliable pressure containment for internal circulating media including hot water, saturated steam and non-corrosive process fluids.

The continuous spiral outer fins are cold extruded from an Al1060 commercially pure aluminum sleeve. Leveraging aluminum’s exceptional thermal conductivity, heat is rapidly dissipated from the steel base out into the cross-flow air stream. Under controlled heavy rolling pressure, the helical fins and their root base form one integral structure that mechanically interlocks firmly against the outer surface of the carbon steel core. This construction also blankets the exterior of the base tube, offering an extra barrier against ambient corrosion and extending the service lifespan of the whole heat transfer element.

Distinct from G-type embedded fins and L-type wrapped fin solutions, extruded fin geometry retains ultra-low interfacial thermal resistance even after countless heating and cooling cycles. It guards against gradual performance decay caused by fin loosening or delamination during sustained operation.

2. Base Tube: ASME SA179 Seamless Cold Drawn Tube

(1). Chemical Composition (%, max unless range)

Remarks: ASME SA179, seamless cold drawn carbon steel for heat exchangers and condensers; MTC available per EN 10204 3.1 / ASTM standard as requested.

(2). Mechanical Properties (Room Temperature)

3. The Advantages of Combining ASME SA179 Seamless Base Tubes with Al1060 Extruded Aluminum Fins

Reliable pressure containment from ASME SA179 base tube ASME SA179 is a widely recognised specification for seamless cold-drawn carbon steel tubes dedicated to heat exchange equipment. This grade delivers consistent tensile strength and yield strength to safely sustain internal working pressure. Every base tube undergoes mandatory non-destructive and dimensional checks, suitable for conveying pressurised hot water, steam and clean process fluid inside the bore. It possesses good ductility and fatigue resistance under cyclic thermal load, characteristics that pure aluminum tubing cannot provide.

Superior air-side heat transfer performance of Al1060 pure aluminium fins Al1060 is commercially pure aluminium distinguished by outstanding thermal conductivity. Compared with steel fins, aluminium transfers heat to the surrounding airflow far more efficiently. For air coolers and waste heat recovery operating scenarios, Al1060 fins dramatically expand the available heat exchange area and lift overall heat rejection capacity. This grade also features excellent malleability, an essential property for extrusion forming to produce uniform, crack-free continuous spiral fins.

Mechanically locked tube-fin bonding cuts down contact thermal resistance During extrusion production, the Al1060 aluminium sleeve is cold rolled and plastically extruded onto the outer surface of the ASME SA179 carbon steel tube. The tight mechanical interlocking eliminates voids between fins and the base tube. In contrast to L-type wrapped fins or manually inserted embedded fins, this bimetallic assembly preserves low contact thermal resistance through repeated thermal cycling. Interfacial heat loss is minimised, and heat transfer efficiency will not deteriorate noticeably over years of continuous service.

Outer aluminium cladding protects the carbon steel substrate The extruded Al1060 fin root fully covers the outer wall of the carbon steel base tube. The steel core is isolated from direct contact with humid ambient air, airborne dust and salt-laden coastal atmosphere. It lowers the probability of external rusting and atmospheric corrosion on the base tube, thereby prolonging the usable life of the finished finned tube bundle.

Balanced economy between mechanical strength and thermal output Adopting all-steel fins pushes up material costs sharply, while bare carbon steel fins are prone to rapid surface rust outdoors. This bimetallic design circumvents both drawbacks: the robust carbon steel seamless core takes responsibility for pressure containment and internal media service, while low-cost, high-conductivity Al1060 aluminium handles air-side heat dissipation. It achieves targeted engineering performance without unnecessary over-specification, delivering an attractive total cost of ownership.

High production adaptability and stable dimensional accuracy ASME SA179 seamless tubes can be supplied across a broad selection of outer diameters and wall thicknesses. Soft, ductile Al1060 aluminium can be extruded into a wide spectrum of fin heights and FPI (fins per inch). Our technical team can tailor all fin parameters according to the required heat duty, to fit custom designs for air coolers, process heaters and waste heat recovery units.

4. Typical Applications

This extruded fin tube configuration finds extensive deployment across a broad range of industrial fields:

• Air coolers & forced-draft air heaters
• Waste heat recovery units and flue gas heat recovery systems
• Auxiliary heat exchangers for thermal and power stations
• Process cooling and heating bundles for light chemical plants
• Industrial HVAC heating and cooling packages
• Outdoor and coastal installations where atmospheric rust prevention is required