The Standard of Boiler tube

What is a boiler tube?

A boiler tube is a type of steel tube. Boiler tubes are generally made of seamless pipes, so boiler tubes are also seamless pipes. However, due to the requirements of the use environment of boiler tubes, the selection of materials is relatively strict, and the steel type is different from seamless pipes.

A boiler tube refers to a steel material with two ends open and a hollow section, and its length is relatively large compared to the periphery. According to the production method, it can be divided into seamless steel tubes and welded steel tubes. The specifications of steel tubes are expressed by external dimensions (such as outer diameter or side length) and wall thickness. Its size range is very wide, from capillaries with very small diameters to large-diameter tubes with diameters of several meters. Steel tubes can be used for pipelines, thermal equipment, mechanical industry, petroleum geological exploration, containers, chemical industry and special purposes.

Types of boiler tube standards

1.GB standard

GB standard is a technical standard for boiler tubes formulated by China, mainly including several specific specifications such as GB/T3087, GB/T5310, GB/T6479, etc. Among them, GB/T3087 is applicable to seamless steel pipes for low and medium pressure boilers, GB/T5310 is applicable to high pressure, high temperature and corrosion resistant seamless steel pipes for boilers, and GB/T6479 is applicable to high pressure and high temperature seamless steel pipes for chemical equipment.

(1) GB5310-2017 "Seamless Steel Pipes for High Pressure Boilers"

This standard specifies the relevant technical requirements, inspection methods and allowable deviations for seamless steel pipes for high pressure boilers. This standard applies to seamless steel pipes with a wall thickness of 2.0 to 65 mm and an outer diameter of Φ12.5 to 650 mm, and is used to manufacture pipes and equipment for various high pressure boilers and ultra-high pressure boilers.

(2) GB3087-2018 "Seamless Steel Pipes for Low and Medium Pressure Boilers"

This standard specifies the technical requirements, inspection methods and allowable deviations for seamless steel pipes for low and medium pressure boilers. This standard applies to seamless steel pipes with a wall thickness of 2.0 to 35 mm and an outer diameter of Φ10 to 426 mm, and is used to manufacture pipes and equipment for various low and medium pressure boilers. (3) GB/T 20409-2006 "Technical Delivery Conditions for Seamless Steel Tubes for High-Pressure Boiler Outer Riser"

This standard specifies the technical delivery conditions for seamless steel tubes for high-pressure boiler outer riser tubes, including the material, mechanical properties, chemical composition, dimensions and allowable deviations of the steel tubes. This standard is applicable to the production of seamless steel tubes for high-pressure boiler outer riser tubes.

2. ASTM Standards

ASTM standards strive to allow engineers around the world to use the same terms and symbols, the same measurement system and the same experimental methods, and to ensure the quality of the products. They are one of the most commonly used boiler tube standards in the world. Common ASTM standards include A106, A179, A192, etc.

(1) ASTM A192/A192M

This is the standard specification for seamless carbon steel boiler tubes for high-pressure service, involving minimum wall thickness, and is suitable for seamless carbon steel boilers and superheater tubes for high-pressure service. The standard specifies the specifications, dimensions, chemical composition, mechanical properties, heat treatment, hardness requirements, non-destructive testing and other technical requirements of steel pipes.

(2) ASTM A210/A210M

This standard covers seamless carbon steel pipes for medium and low pressure boilers and superheaters. It is suitable for manufacturing pipes for medium and low pressure boilers and specifies the chemical composition, mechanical properties, dimensions and other requirements of the materials.

3. EN standard

EN standard is a technical standard for boiler pipes formulated in Europe. Similar to ASTM standard, it also unifies the design and selection standards of engineers around the world mainly through terminology, symbols, measurement systems and experimental methods. Common EN standards include EN10216-2, EN10216-3, EN10216-4, etc.

(1) EN10216-2

This is the technical delivery conditions for seamless steel pipes for pressure purposes, especially the requirements for non-alloy steel and alloy steel pipes with high temperature performance. This standard is applicable to boiler pipes for high temperature service.

(2) EN10216-5

This standard specifies the technical delivery conditions for seamless steel pipes for pressure purposes, especially the requirements for stainless steel pipes.

(3) EN10297

This is the standard for seamless steel tubes for mechanical and general engineering purposes. Although it is not specifically for boiler tubes, some of its requirements may be applicable to the production of boiler tubes.

(4) EN 15420

This is the European standard for gas boilers and is related to the safety and performance of boiler tubes.

(5) EN 483

This is the standard for non-destructive testing of welded joints. Although it is not a material standard directly for boiler tubes, boiler tubes need to be non-destructively tested during the manufacturing process to ensure their quality and safety.

In addition to the above-mentioned mainstream boiler tube standards, there are other standards such as JIS standards and DIN standards, but these standards have relatively few application scenarios.

It should be noted that in actual engineering and material selection, appropriate standards and materials should be selected according to specific circumstances. Moreover, the quality of the same boiler tube produced by different manufacturers may be different. Products with reliable quality should be selected to ensure the safety and effectiveness of use.

Things to note about boiler tubes

1. During the selection and use of boilers, suitable boiler tube materials should be selected according to factors such as boiler model and use conditions, and they should be manufactured and inspected in accordance with relevant standards.

2. All boiler tubes should be subjected to water pressure test and hydrogenation test to ensure their sealing and corrosion resistance.

3. During the installation and maintenance of boiler tubes, attention should be paid to the tightness and sealing of pipeline connections to prevent leakage and pollution.

Summary

In short, boiler tubes are a vital component of boilers, and their quality and safety directly affect the operation effect and production efficiency of boilers. Therefore, strengthening the standardized management and quality control of boiler tubes is an important measure to ensure the safety and stable operation of boilers.