SEA-CURE super ferritic stainless steel tubing is known for robust corrosion resistance in:
Power plant condensers and heat exchangers Petrochemical and chemical processing Marine and desalination
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Special Topic: Tubes and Pipes
Stainless Steel Pipes and Tubes: Back to Basics
Newer technologies and innovation are seemingly instantaneous. Change is everywhere and happening yesterday. A return to basics often sprouts fresh ideas and previously unseen initiatives that weather shifting global economic conditions and geopolitical uncertainties. This article will go back to basics and examine the differences between stainless steel piping and stainless steel tubing.
By Kristen Charles, Stainless Steel World Americas
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Introduction
Proper material selection is essential before any project begins. While both stainless steel pipes and tubes are critical to many projects, their purposes are quite effective but different. Stainless steel pipe and tube might look similar but they are not interchangeable and often have clearly defined functions.
Size
Pipe size is typically identified and ordered by Nominal Pipe Size( NPS) and sized according to its interior capacity, or inside diameter( ID), and not the outside diameter( OD). Engineers employ this standard when designing projects to measure the volume the pipe can transport. Steel pipe is measured according to its wall thickness( W) and is enumerated as a“ Schedule”. The higher
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the Schedule, the thicker the pipe wall will be. Likewise, the Schedule’ s thickness increases as the size of the pipe increases. For example, a one-inch NPS Schedule 40 pipe wall is thinner than a three-inch NPS Schedule 40 pipe wall. Different-sized pipes can have the same schedule number but can have different wall thickness. A pipe’ s dimensions helps determine its liquid capacity. Most stainless steel pipes are available in values such as Sch. STD., Sch. XS, Sch. XXS or Sch. 40.
The size of steel tube can be ordered using ID and W, but it is typically calculated using outside( OD) diameter and wall thickness. A tube’ s strength is determined by its wall thickness, which is demarcated by a gauge number. The smaller the gauge number, the larger the OD. Steel tube is frequently employed for smaller diameters that require stringent tolerances.
Configuration
A stainless pipe’ s construction is round; thus, a pipe’ s cross section is round with a hollow center. A piping system’ s construction facilitates the transfer of liquids, gases, powder, pellets, and steam. This can be determined by calculating the OD outer diameter minus 2 times wall thickness( or schedule). Steel tube configuration can be round, like steel pipe, as well as rectangular, square, or oval. A tube’ s hollow section is estimated by calculating the OD with wall thickness. Tube dimensions are conveyed in inches or millimeters and indicate a hollow section’ s true dimensional value.
While pipes and tubes can be produced in numerous ways, including cut, bent or fabricated, pipes are applied in a wider range of applications and steel tubes are utilized for smaller diameters.
Because of its various square, round, and rectangle configurations, steel tubing has the flexibility to be telescoped and can endure a tremendous amount of force.
Applications
Piping systems are used primarily as a means of transporting various agents like fluids, gases, and steam, so capacity is critical. A pipe’ s circular configuration allows for a higher level of pro-
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SEA-CURE super ferritic stainless steel tubing is known for robust corrosion resistance in:
Power plant condensers and heat exchangers Petrochemical and chemical processing Marine and desalination
SEA-CURE: a product you trust from a supplier you trust
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12 Stainless Steel World Americas- April 2025 | www. ssw-americas. com
SSWAM april 2025. indd 12 23-04-2025 17:26