Finned tubing provides more surface area and has a better rate of heat dissipation as compared to the traditional tubing system. Finned tubing and finned piping are essential parts of heat exchangers, boiler economizers, coolers and heaters.

You will find fin tube products made of different materials, such as copper, aluminum, steel and bronze. You can use these types of fin tubes for normal heating and cooling applications. However, for complex applications such as cooling applications involving highly corrosive seawater, you must opt for finned tubes of titanium, duplex steel and nickel alloys.

Some important parameters you must consider before purchasing a fin tube are:

1. Required heat dissipation
2. Dimensions of finned pipe: outer diameter, inner diameter and length
3. Material of the fin and finned pipe
4. Fin thickness and spacing

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Buy a welded fin tube from a reputable finned tubing manufacturer

A welded fin tube has its fins fabricated with the base pipe using high frequency welding techniques. Major applications of welded finned tubes happen during the heat recovery process associated with boilers and gas turbines.

I recommend: Tex-Fin manufactures finned tubes for applications such as refinery furnaces, waste heat boilers and direct-fired heaters. These tubes have fins of carbon steel or stainless steel welded to carbon steel, chrome molybdenum and nickel alloy pipes. Armstrong/Chemtec is another manufacturer that offers welded helically finned tubing (WHF) and longitudinally finned tubing (LFT) suitable for tank suction heaters, line heaters and tank internal heaters. You can also buy welded fin tubes at Fintube Technologies, a manufacturer of finned tubes for petrochemical, steel, textile and boiler industries.

Buy an extruded fin tube from a reputable finned tube manufacturer

An extruded fin tube is a highly efficient finned tube suitable for high temperature applications. The extruded fin is robust and resistant to mechanical damage. Extruded fins also provide complete atmospheric corrosion resistance to the base pipe.

I recommend: You can buy a finned copper tube at Enerfin, a reputable manufacturer of extruded fin tubes suitable for applications like cooling or heating units. High Performance Tube is another manufacturer of extruded fins made of different metals and alloys such as titanium, zirconium, stainless steel and copper. Energy Transfer • MDE provides micro finned tubing suitable for cryogenic and biomedical applications. Thermofin supplies extruded fin tubes suitable for heat pipes in HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) applications, air dehumidification in air treatment plants and energy recovery in air exhaust systems.

Buy a specialty or customized fin tube

If standard fin tube products available in the market do not meet your requirements, opt for specialty or customized fin tubing from reputable suppliers.

I recommend: Woolf Aircraft Products manufactures customized fin tubes for turbine engines, aircrafts, diesel engines, tractors, automotive and specialized vehicles. Cain Industries provides customized finned tubing in addition to its standard finned copper tubing. You can also buy customized finned tubes at Heat Exchange Applied Technology, a manufacturer of mini finned tubes for cryogenic applications.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Be careful while cleaning a welded finned pipe, as high-pressure water or steam jets might bend its thin fins.
• •  For better corrosion and damage resistance, use extruded finned tubing.