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Types of tube material used in water cooled oil cooler

Most Common Tube Materials

1. Admiralty Brass (C44300)

• Composition: A copper-zinc alloy (~70% Cu, 29% Zn, 1% Sn) with small amounts of tin and arsenic for corrosion resistance.
• Advantages:
  • Excellent corrosion resistance in fresh water and inhibited coolants, particularly resistant to dezincification.
  • Good thermal conductivity.
  • Good fouling resistance (bacteria and organic growth are less likely to adhere).
  • Cost-effective and widely available.
• Disadvantages:
  • Not suitable for saltwater or highly chlorinated water.
  • Can be susceptible to ammonia stress corrosion cracking.
• Typical Use: The industry standard for most industrial and automotive applications using fresh water or glycol-water coolants.

Copper

• Composition: Nearly pure copper (C12200).
• Advantages:
  • Highest thermal conductivity of all common tube materials, offering superior heat transfer efficiency.
  • Good malleability and ease of fabrication.
• Disadvantages:
  • Softer and less durable than brass or stainless steel.
  • More susceptible to corrosion (e.g., pitting, erosion) in certain water conditions compared to alloyed materials like Admiralty Brass.
• Typical Use: Less common than Admiralty Brass, but used where maximum heat transfer is the primary goal and water quality is well-controlled.

3. 90/10 Copper-Nickel (C70600)

• Composition: Copper alloyed with 10% Nickel and small amounts of Iron and Manganese.
• Advantages:
  • Excellent corrosion resistance, especially in brackish and saltwater environments.
  • Highly resistant to biofouling (resists barnacles, algae).
  • Good erosion resistance from suspended solids in water.
  • Good thermal conductivity, though lower than pure copper or brass.
• Disadvantages:
  • Higher cost than brass or copper.
• Typical Use: The standard material for marine and offshore applications where saltwater is the coolant.

4. Stainless Steel (304/316)

• Composition: Iron-based alloys with Chromium, Nickel, and Molybdenum (in 316).

• 304 SS: 18% Chromium, 8% Nickel
  • 316 SS: 16% Chromium, 10% Nickel, 2% Molybdenum
• Advantages:
  • Superior mechanical strength and pressure tolerance.
  • Excellent corrosion resistance in a very wide range of fluids, particularly 316 SS which is resistant to chlorides.
  • Highly resistant to erosion and abrasion.
• Disadvantages:
  • Significantly lower thermal conductivity (about 1/25th that of copper). This is often offset by using thinner wall tubes.
  • Higher cost.
  • Prone to pitting corrosion in stagnant water or if chlorides are highly concentrated.
• Typical Use:
  • 316 SS: Preferred for corrosive environments, high-pressure systems, or when cooling corrosive oils/synthetics that would attack copper alloys.
  • 304 SS: Used for less aggressive environments where cost is a concern.

5. Titanium

• Composition: Pure titanium (Grade 2) or alloys.
• Advantages:
  • Exceptional corrosion resistance, virtually impervious to saltwater, chlorides, and other highly aggressive chemicals.
  • Very high strength-to-weight ratio.
• Disadvantages:
  • Extremely high cost.
  • Very low thermal conductivity (even worse than stainless steel).
• Typical Use: A premium material used only in highly specialized applications like naval ships, chemical processing plants, and where cooling with seawater or extremely aggressive fluids is mandatory.