copper or stainless

[Gottburg]

I'm on a design process of a no critical piping. And I need define if tracing will be copper or stainless.

I need some experience on this matter.

All critical piping will be jacketed (steam, hotoil or tempered water.

thanks in advance,

Gottburg

 

[TD2K]

I've commonly seen stainless steel tubing used for steam tracing applications.

For low pressure steam, copper tubing is an option as it has reasonably good strength. 1/2" 0.035" wall copper (K spec) tubing is good to 200 psig at 400F so IMO it rules out using it at much over 150 psig. You can of course go to thicker wall tubing but you don't nearly as much margin in pressure capacity that you get with using stainless steel tubing.

Stainless steel tubing has a much higher pressure rating (2000+ psi in these sizes) and the higher thermal conductivity copper has isn't an issue IMO with tracing.

The current plant I'm working at uses copper tubing for 55 psig steam. For the 225 psig tracing steam that we will be using in some applications, we've elected to go with stainless steel tubing.

 

[unclesyd]

TD2K has the answer. I think you will need to go the extra mile in S/S fittings for your tracing. We have spent plenty repalcing S/S fittings on tracing lines. Usually the instrument people can tell you the best fitting.

 

[augiedog]

If you have a hydrogen plant whach out for NH3 in the steam - this will rule out copper. Either carbon steel or 304/316 SS is OK