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.