Applied finned tubes are seamless pipes that come with fins in different materials. You will find that finned tubes come in a wide variety of styles.
Usually, an individually finned tube exchanger consists of helical, serrated, wavy or slotted fins that are attached to the tube by way of welding, soldering, tension winding or brazing.
One perk to applied fin tubes is you can join 2 dissimilar materials in order to utilize the advantages of both. Similar metals are also common — say a copper tube with a copper fin.
It depends on the application. Each material has its own advantages and considerations, depending on end use and effect on performance and efficiency.
Before deciding the materials and type of applied fin tube, be aware of the pressure the heat exchanger will operate under — and what working temperature you require.
Pay attention to the environment the tube will operate in. A fin tube with a high count of 15 fins per inch won’t function well in a dirty environment, for example — it will clog in a week and won’t perform well.
Best Practices in Selecting Applied Fin Tubes
Which type of applied fin tube should you use — what materials should it include? That depends on the end product under the following considerations:
Its operating environment
Thermo-physical properties of fluids
Thermo-physical properties of materials
Mechanical/structural design
Amount of heat exchange needed
Cost
Maintenance
