ASTM B111 / ASME SB111 / Copper and Copper Alloy Seamless Condenser Tubes Supplier & Distributor

This specification covers seamless tube and ferrule stock of copper and various copper alloys up to 3⅛ in, inclusive, in diameter, for use in surface condensers, evaporators, and heat exchangers. Tubes for this application are normally made from the following coppers or copper alloys:

When all the elements in Table 1 are analyzed, their sum shall be as shown in the following table:

Each tube shall stand, without showing evidence of leakage, an internal hydrostatic pressure sufficient to subject the material to a fiber stress of 7000 psi, determined by the following equation for thin hollow cylinders under tension. The tube need not be tested at a hydrostatic pressure of over 1000 psi unless so specified.

P = 2St / (D - 0.8t)

where:

P = hydrostatic pressure, psig

t = thickness of tube wall, in

D = outside diameter of the tube, in

S = allowable stress of the material, psi

Straightness Tolerances

The properties and chemical compositions enumerated in this specification shall, in case of disagreement, be determined in accordance with the following ASTM methods:

Q1: What is the difference between ASTM B111 and ASME SB111?
A: ASME SB111 is identical in technical content to ASTM B111, but it is the version adopted by the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code. For pressure vessel and heat exchanger construction requiring ASME code stamping, SB111 is the required specification. For general commercial applications, ASTM B111 is typically sufficient.

Q2: Which C12200 temper should I order for U-bending?
A: For extensive bending, tube expanding, or flaring, you must order the annealed (O61) temper. Table 2 shows that H55 and H80 tempers have higher strength (36-45 ksi tensile) but do not specify elongation, indicating they are not intended for severe forming. O61 temper for C12200 is not listed in Table 2 because for pure copper, tensile requirements vary by temper, but the annealed condition is standard for forming operations.

Q3: What is the hydrostatic test pressure for ASTM B111 tubes?
A: The specification requires each tube to withstand a fiber stress of 7,000 psi without leakage. The test pressure is calculated using P = 2St / (D - 0.8t). However, the test pressure need not exceed 1,000 psig unless specified by the purchaser.

Q4: Are there grain size requirements for annealed tubes?
A: Yes, for many alloys. The specification references ASTM E112 for grain size testing. While the page does not list specific grain size ranges, the standard generally requires average grain size between 0.010-0.045 mm for annealed tempers of many copper alloys, similar to other specifications like JIS H3300.

Q5: What is the warning about mercury (Section 1.2) about?
A: The warning references a mercurous nitrate test (ASTM B154) which is used to detect residual stresses that could lead to stress corrosion cracking. Mercury is a health hazard. This test is specified for certain copper alloys, particularly those susceptible to season cracking (like admiralty brass), to verify proper stress relief after forming.

Q6: What is the typical density of C12200 copper tube?
A: According to Table X1.1, the density of C12200 (and other pure coppers like C10200) is 0.323 lb/in³ (approximately 8.94 g/cm³). This is important for weight calculations in heat exchanger design.

Q7: Can C70600 (90/10 copper-nickel) be welded?
A: Yes, but with restrictions. Note ^B in Table 1 states: "When the product is for subsequent welding applications, and so specified by the purchaser, zinc shall be 0.50% max, lead 0.02% max, phosphorus 0.02% max, sulfur 0.02% max, and carbon 0.05% max." Always specify welding requirements to your supplier to ensure proper chemistry.

Q8: What is the expansion requirement for C70600 annealed tubes?
A: Table 3 shows that for C70600 O61 (annealed) temper, the tube must expand to 30% of its original outside diameter without cracking. This ensures adequate ductility for tube expansion into tubesheets during heat exchanger fabrication.

Q9: How do I interpret the diameter tolerance table (Table 6)?
A: For a 1.000" OD tube with 0.049" wall thickness, the tolerance is ±0.004" (from the "0.049 and Over" column, "Over 0.740-1.000, incl" row). For tighter tolerances, you must negotiate with the manufacturer, as annealed tempers do not have standard tolerances listed.

Q10: Is this standard suitable for seawater applications?
A: For seawater, select specific alloys. C70600, C71500, and C71640 are copper-nickel alloys specifically designed for seawater service with excellent erosion-corrosion resistance. C12200 (pure copper) is not recommended for direct seawater due to potential pitting and erosion-corrosion. C68700 (aluminum brass) is also suitable for seawater, particularly in condenser applications.

Poor packaging destroys even the best copper heat exchanger tube. As a professional copper heat exchanger tube factory serving copper heat exchanger tube USA, Europe, UAE, Saudi Arabia, and India, we follow military-grade export packaging standards to ensure zero damage during sea or air freight.

Our Standard Packaging Process:

For U-Bundle Orders: U tube heat exchanger and U tube bundle heat exchanger are placed in dedicated steel jigs inside the crate to prevent bending radius distortion.

Our Certifications & Compliance:

ASTM B111 pdf and ASME SB111 pdf full traceability.

ISO 9001:2015 quality management system.

Third-party inspection accepted: SGS, BV, Lloyds, or TUV.

Copper heat exchanger tube life expectancy testing reports available upon request.

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