ASTM A249 Welded Stainless Steel Heat Exchanger Tubes

What is ASTM A249 material?

ASTM A249 is the standard specification for welded, heavily cold-worked austenitic stainless steel tubing. Designed for high-pressure and high-temperature environments, these tubes are commonly used as boiler, superheater, heat exchanger, and condenser tubes in heavy industry and power generation systems. Compared to seamless heat exchanger tubing, they offer advantages such as high dimensional accuracy, uniform wall thickness, consistent heat transfer efficiency, lower production costs, and shorter lead times, making them particularly suitable for large-scale, continuous heat exchanger production projects.

 

Our standardized production process strictly adheres to the ASTM A249 specification, involving the following steps: longitudinal slitting → high-precision forming → automatic TIG or laser welding → in-line weld seam protection → solution annealing (approx. 1040–1100°C) → rapid water or air cooling → straightening → eddy current testing → hydrostatic testing → pickling and passivation → polishing → dimensional inspection.

 

GNEE offers a wide range of ASTM A249 specification tubing to meet the diverse needs of heat exchanger applications, including straight tubes (fixed 6-meter lengths or cut-to-length), U-bent tubes, coiled welded tubes, and Heavily Cold Worked (HCW) tubes. Available materials include TP304/304L, TP316/316L, TP321, TP347H, TP904L, and TP310H; dimensions range from 6.35 mm to 355.6 mm in outside diameter and 0.89 mm to 8.1 mm in wall thickness, with surface finish options such as BA, AP, and electropolishing. We provide global manufacturers of condensers, boilers, and evaporators with services including custom sizing, export packaging, and comprehensive third-party inspection reports.

 

ASTM A249 Stainless Steel Welded Tube Dimensional Tolerances

Size OD	Nominal Wall	Outside Diameter	Length	Wall
1/2" (12.7)	0.065" (1.65)/0.049" (1.25)	+/-0.005 (0.13)	+1/8" (3.18) - 0	+/-10.0%
3/4" (19.1)	0.065" (1.65)/0.049" (1.25)	+/-0.005 (0.13)	+1/8" (3.18) - 0	+/-10.0%
1" (25.4)	0.065" (1.65)/0.049" (1.25)	+/-0.005 (0.13)	+1/8" (3.18) - 0	+/-10.0%
1-1/2" (38.1)	0.065" (1.65)/0.049" (1.25)	+/-0.008" (0.20)	+1/8" (3.18) - 0	+/-10.0%
2" (50.8)	0.065" (1.65)/0.049" (1.25)	+/-0.008" (0.20)	+1/8" (3.18) - 0	+/-10.0%
2-1/2" (63.5)	0.065" (1.65)	+/-0.010" (0.25)	+1/8" (3.18) - 0	+/-10.0%
3" (76.2)	0.065" (1.65)	+/-0.010" (0.25)	+1/8" (3.18) - 0	+/-10.0%
4" (101.6)	0.083" (2.11)	+/-0.015" (0.38)	+1/8" (3.18) - 0	+/-10.0%
6" (152.4)	0.083" (2.11)	+/-0.030" (0.76)	+1" (25.4) - 0	+/-10.0%
6" (152.4)	0.109" (2.77)	+/-0.030" (0.76)	+1" (25.4) - 0	+/-10.0%
8" (203.2)	0.109" (2.77)	+0.061" (1.55)/-0.031" (0.79)	+1" (25.4) - 0	+/-10.0%

 

Stanard Wire Gauge ( Fomerly Imperial Wire Gauge ) SWG
SWG	Wall Thickness	SWG	Wall Thickness
0	0.324	8.23	21	0.032	0.81
1	0.3	7.62	22	0.028	0.71
2	0.276	7.01	23	0.024	0.61
3	0.252	6.4	24	0.022	0.56
4	0.232	5.89	25	0.02	0.51
5	0.212	5.38	26	0.018	0.46
6	0.192	4.88	27	0.0164	0.42
7	0.176	4.47	28	0.0148	0.38
8	0.16	4.06	29	0.0136	0.35
9	0.144	3.66	30	0.0124	0.31
10	0.128	3.25	31	0.0116	0.29
11	0.116	2.95	32	0.0108	0.27
12	0.104	2.64	33	0.01	0.25
13	0.092	2.34	34	0.0092	0.23
14	0.08	2.03	35	0.0084	0.21
15	0.072	1.83	36	0.0076	0.19
16	0.064	1.63	37	0.0068	0.17
17	0.056	1.42	38	0.006	0.15
18	0.048	1.22	39	0.0052	0.13
19	0.04	1.02	40	0.0048	0.12
20	0.036	0.91

 

Pressure Rating of A249 Type 304 ERW Tube

Outer Diameter in Inch	Wall Thickness in inches	Theoretical Burst Pressure	Minimum Yield Strength (PSI)	Minimum Tensile Strength (PSI)	Collapse Pressure	Working Pressure
0.375	0.049	26,534	30,000	75,000	6,816	6,634
0.250	0.020	14,286	30,000	75,000	4,416	3,571
0.250	0.035	29,167	30,000	75,000	7,224	7,292
0.250	0.049	48,355	30,000	75,000	9,455	12,089
0.250	0.065	81,250	30,000	75,000	11,544	20,313
0.250	0.028	21,649	30,000	75,000	5,967	5,412
0.375	0.020	8,955	30,000	75,000	3,029	2,239
0.500	0.049	18,284	30,000	75,000	5,304	4,571
0.375	0.028	13,166	30,000	75,000	4,145	3,292
0.375	0.035	17,213	30,000	75,000	5,077	4,303
0.375	0.065	39,796	30,000	75,000	8,597	9,949
0.500	0.020	6,522	30,000	75,000	2,304	1,630
0.500	0.028	9,459	30,000	75,000	3,172	2,365
0.500	0.035	12,209	30,000	75,000	3,906	3,052

 

Referenced Documents:
ASTM Referenced Standards.

A262 Practices for Detecting Susceptibility to Intergranular- lar Attack in Austenitic Stainless Steels.

A480 / A480M Specification for General Requirements for Flat-Rolled Stainless and Heat-Resisting Steel Plate, Sheet, and Strip.

A1016 / A1016M Specification for General Requirements for Ferritic Alloy Steel, Austenitic Alloy Steel, and Stainless Steel Tubes.

E112 Test Methods for Determining Average Grain Size.

E213 Practice for Ultrasonic Examination of Metal Pipe and Tubing.

E273 Practice for Ultrasonic Examination of the WeldZone of Welded Pipe and Tubing.

E527 Practice for Numbering Metals and Alloys in the.Unified Numbering System (UNS).

Click to download the details of ASTM A249.PDF

 

What is the difference between ASTM A249 and ASTM A213?

The primary difference lies in the manufacturing method: ASTM A249 specifies welded tubing, whereas ASTM A213 specifies seamless tubing. A249 is primarily used for boilers, superheaters, heat exchangers, and condensers; it generally offers a cost advantage over seamless tubing of the same specifications and features more uniform wall thickness.

 

GNEE Stainless Steel boasts over 18 years of expertise in the manufacturing and export of stainless steel tubing, with products reaching more than 150 countries and regions across Asia, the Middle East, Europe, North America, Latin America, and Africa-including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Germany, Mexico, Brazil, Vietnam, and South Korea. We have successfully delivered over 100 large-scale projects involving heat exchange equipment for the petrochemical, power generation, and seawater desalination sectors. The company holds ISO, SGS, and third-party PMI testing certifications, complies with authoritative manufacturing standards, and achieves an annual export volume of heat exchanger tubes exceeding 1,200 tons.

 

ASTM A249 Welded Stainless Steel Heat Exchanger Tubes Specification

Material Grade	TP304, TP304L, TP304H, TP316, TP316L, TP316Ti, TP309S, TP310S, TP321, TP321H, TP347, TP347H, etc
Outer Diameter	5.80mm-2032mm (0.23" to 80")
Wall Thickness	0.25mm-28mm (0.01" to 1.125")
Length	Normally fixed length 6m, can as per customer's requirement
Standard	ASTM A312; ASTM A269; ASTM A789; ASTM A790 ect.
Process Method	ERW, EFW etc

 

ASTM A249 pipe Chemical Composition 

Element	TP304	TP304L	TP316	TP316L	TP321	TP347
Carbon, max	0.08	0.030	0.08	0.030	0.08	0.08
Manganese, max	2.00	2.00	2.00	2.00	2.00	2.00
Phosphorus, max	0.045	0.045	0.045	0.045	0.045	0.045
Sulfur, max	0.030	0.030	0.030	0.030	0.030	0.030
Silicon, max	1.00	1.00	1.00	1.00	1.00	1.00
Chromium	18.0–20.0	18.0–20.0	16.0–18.0	16.0–18.0	17.0–19.0	17.0–19.0
Nickel	8.0–11.0	8.0–12.0	10.0–14.0	10.0–14.0	9.0–12.0	9.0–12.0
Molybdenum	-	-	2.0–3.0	2.0–3.0	-	-
Titanium	-	-	-	-	5×C min	-
Niobium (Cb)	-	-	-	-	-	10×C min
Iron	Bal	Bal	Bal	Bal	Bal	Bal

 

ASTM A249 ERW Tube Mechanical Properties

Grade	UNS	Tensile Min, ksi (MPa)	Yield Min, ksi (MPa)	Elong., %	Rockwell Max	Vickers Max
TP304	S30400	75 (515)	30 (205)	35	B90	200
TP304L	S30403	70 (485)	25 (170)	35	B90	200
TP304H	S30409	75 (515)	30 (205)	35	B90	200
TP304N	S30451	80 (550)	35 (240)	35	B90	200
TP309S	S30908	75 (515)	30 (205)	35	B90	200
TP310S	S31008	75 (515)	30 (205)	35	B90	200
TP316	S31600	75 (515)	30 (205)	35	B90	200
TP316L	S31603	70 (485)	25 (170)	35	B90	200
TP316H	S31609	75 (515)	30 (205)	35	B90	200
TP321	S32100	75 (515)	30 (205)	35	B90	200
TP321H	S32109	75 (515)	30 (205)	35	B90	200
TP347	S34700	75 (515)	30 (205)	35	B90	200
TP347H	S34709	75 (515)	30 (205)	35	B90	200

 

Quality Control

Eddy Current Testing (ECT): 100% eddy current inspection of every tube to detect minute defects on both inner and outer surfaces.
Hydrostatic Test: Each tube is held at the specified pressure for a minimum of 5–10 seconds.
Dimensional Inspection: Measurement of outside diameter (OD), wall thickness (WT), and roundness using digital micrometers and go/no-go gauges.
Flaring & Flattening Tests: Verification of material ductility to ensure integrity during on-site flaring connections.
Intergranular Corrosion (IGC) Test: ASTM A262 testing performed on materials such as TP316L and TP321.

 

High-Quality Packaging

End Protection: High-strength plastic caps are fitted to both ends to prevent dust from entering the inner walls and to protect the ends from impact-induced deformation.
Surface Wrapping:
Bright Annealed (BA) tubes: Individually sleeved in plastic bags, then packed in layers.
Pickled (AP) tubes: Fully wrapped in waterproof woven fabric or VCI anti-rust film.
Reinforced Wooden Crates: For heat exchanger tubes, GNEE mandates the use of fumigation-free plywood crates (compliant with ISPM-15 international export standards).

 

FAQ

What is the difference between ASTM A249 and ASTM A269?

ASTM A249 covers welded tubes explicitly for high-temperature/critical uses like boilers and heat exchangers, requiring the weld to be cold-worked before annealing. ASTM A269 covers both seamless and welded tubing used for general corrosion-resistance, with no cold-working required and no mandatory tensile testing.

 

What is the maximum pressure for ASTM A249 tubes?

ASTM A249 does not define a single maximum pressure. Because these welded tubes are primarily used for heat exchangers, superheaters, and boilers, the maximum pressure depends on the tube's outside diameter, wall thickness, alloy grade (e.g., 304, 316L), and operating temperature.

 

ASTM A249 TP304 vs TP316L: Which is better?

Neither grade is universally "better"; TP316L is superior for harsh chemical and marine environments due to its molybdenum content, while TP304 is the industry standard for less corrosive, high-temperature service and offers a 30–40% lower material cost.

 

How is the weld bead removed in ASTM A249 tubes?

The weld bead on ⁠ASTM A249 tubes is removed using scarfing (for the external bead) and bead rolling/drawing or ⁠internal scarfing (for the internal bead) while the tubing is still on the mill. This operation takes place immediately after the welding process, and the tube is then cold-worked and heat-treated.

 

Does ASTM A249 require hydrostatic testing?

ASTM A249 does not strictly require hydrostatic testing as the only option; it requires each tube to undergo either a hydrostatic test or a nondestructive electric (eddy current) test. The purchaser typically specifies which of the two testing methods is to be used.