Order
| Product | ERW carbon steel heat exchanger and condenser tube |
| Standard | ASTM A214M / ASME SA214 (metric issue) |
| Size | 25.4 mm OD × 1.65 mm wall, ordered as minimum wall (m.w.) |
| Length | 18,288 mm (60 ft), single lengths |
| Quantity | 1,500 pieces · 27,432 m · ≈ 26.5 t |
| Weld | ERW; inside and outside burr removed in line after welding |
| Heat treatment | Post-weld at 1,650 °F (900 °C) minimum, carried in the bright-anneal pass |
| Surface | Bright annealed in protective atmosphere, no pickling |
| Certificate | EN 10204 3.1, heat-number traceable |
| Status | Confirmed; strip width released to the ERW mill |
Specification
| Item | Standard | Size | Qty | Length | Unit weight | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ERW heat exchanger / condenser tube | ASTM A214M / ASME SA214 | 25.4 × 1.65 mm | 1,500 pcs | 18,288 mm | 17.67 kg | 26,510 kg |
Packing and Loading
18,288 mm is longer than the inside of a 40 ft container, about 12,032 mm. These tubes load on 40 ft flat racks or by breakbulk, strapped in lifts with end caps and timber dunnage between layers. A 60 ft thin-wall tube supported only at its ends sags in the middle, so cradle spacing follows the tube's own stiffness, not the rack's fixing points. Lift weights are agreed with the forwarder before strapping - re-slinging a 60 ft lift at the quay is an expensive way to find out.
Inspection and Certification
Every tube is eddy-current tested before packing, with parameters recorded per coil, and the batch carries the flattening and flaring specimens called for under the A450 general requirements. Dimensions are checked on the finished tube rather than the strip: outside diameter, wall at the weld and at 90° to it, and straightness over the full length. Each tube is stencilled with standard, size and heat number clear of the cut line, and the shipment goes out with an EN 10204 3.1 certificate tracing every bundle to its ladle.
FAQ
What is ASTM A214 tube used for?
Heat exchangers and condensers - shell-and-tube bundles, chillers, feedwater heaters, and air-cooled units where the tube is expanded or welded into a tube sheet. It is a low-carbon ERW tube, not a pressure-piping grade, and not intended for boiler furnace walls or high-temperature superheater service.
Does A214 have grades like A106 or A335?
No. A214 is a single grade with no suffix. Carbon is capped at 0.18% and manganese at 0.55%, which keeps the tube soft enough to roll into a tube sheet without cracking. A214M is the metric issue of the same specification, and this order is placed against it.
Why specify inside burr removal?
Weld flash on the bore scrapes tube-sheet and baffle holes during bundle assembly, holds the tube off the hole wall when expanded, and traps deposits on the water side. Cutting it in line keeps the bore clean before annealing, which is not possible if the burr comes off after the surface finish is set.
Bright annealed or pickled - does it matter?
Bright annealing needs no acid. Pickling thin wall adds hydrogen-charge risk, leaves rinse water inside a 60 ft bore, and gives a less even finish along the length. On condenser service the bright surface is also easier to inspect and produces a more predictable eddy-current signal.
Why 18,288 mm lengths?
18,288 mm is 60 ft, a standard condenser bundle length. Single pieces remove circumferential welds inside the water box, where leaks usually start. The cost is handling: the length will not fit a 40 ft container, so it ships by flat rack or breakbulk.
What documentation comes with the tubes?
An EN 10204 3.1 mill certificate with heat numbers matched to the stencil, the eddy-current record, and the flattening and flaring results for the batch. Third-party inspection and a dimensional report can be added if the buyer's procedure asks for them before release.