Seamless Stainless Steel Boiler Tube

Water and steam have to travel through boiler, superheater and reheater circuits inside a wall that will not fail under pressure, and the seamless stainless steel boiler tube is built for that duty. With no longitudinal weld, the wall is continuous along the length, and the tube is ordered by outside diameter, wall thickness and length to suit the pressure-part design. ASTM A213 is a common specification for applicable stainless grades, and austenitic options such as TP304H, TP321H and TP347H suit elevated-temperature service where creep strength matters. Grade selection should reflect design metal temperature, steam conditions and the fireside atmosphere, including deposits and repeated heating cycles. For replacement work, confirm the existing grade, minimum wall and end preparation against the equipment drawings, and state heat treatment, tolerances and inspection documents on the order so the boiler tube can be verified against the design.

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At a glance — Boiler Tube Tube

Specification	ASTM A213 — the edition cited on the PO governs
Ordering basis	OD × wall × length, wall basis stated (minimum or average)
Sourcing range	OD 6 – 257 mm · wall 0.5 – 35 mm · length ≤ 18 m; each standard × OD × wall × length × condition confirmed in writing
Condition	Solution annealed; pickled & passivated, bright annealed or polished
Documents	EN 10204 3.1 MTC as standard (3.2 on request); hydrostatic or NDT electric test on every length

Sourcing capability, not a stock list — availability, MOQ and lead time are stated in the written quotation.

On this page

01Sizes 02Standards 03Chemistry 04Properties 05Dimensions 06Testing & MTC 07Applications 08Selection 09FAQ 10Related

Sizes, Wall Basis and Ordering

Two figures are kept apart here: the overall sourcing range — what we can supply ex-stock or source mill-direct — and the confirmed combination for your order (standard × OD × wall × length × manufacturing condition). The tables state the first; the written quotation fixes the second.

Supply combinations by outside diameter

OD band, mm	Wall range, mm	Supply route (ex-stock / mill-direct)	Order status
≤ 25	0.5 – 3.0	Cold-drawn / cold-pilgered	In stock · 3–7 days / mill-direct · 25–35 days
> 25 – 60	0.8 – 6.0	Cold-drawn	In stock · 3–7 days / mill-direct · 25–35 days
> 60 – 114.3	1.5 – 10.0	Cold-drawn; hot-finished above 8 mm wall	In stock · 3–7 days / mill-direct · 25–35 days
> 114.3 – 219.1	2.5 – 20.0	Hot-finished; cold-finished on request	In stock · 3–7 days / mill-direct · 25–35 days
> 219.1 – 257	4.0 – 35.0	Hot-finished (extruded)	In stock · 3–7 days / mill-direct · 25–35 days

Stock items are marked In stock; everything else is mill-direct with a stated lead time. Wall figures give the range that can be drawn or rolled for that OD band; the ordered wall is always stated with its basis. Above 225 mm OD the tabulated dimensional bands no longer apply and the basis is agreed in writing before the order is accepted.

Ordering options

Item	What can be ordered
Outside diameter	6 – 257 mm — drawn to the ordered OD, not to NPS
Wall thickness	0.5 – 35 mm — minimum or average basis, stated on the order
Length	Random 5–7 m, fixed up to 18 m, or cut to length
Ends	Plain, bevelled, or capped for export packing
Surface	Pickled and passivated, bright annealed, or polished
Delivery condition	Solution annealed; hardness and grain size reported on request

Sizes at the edge of a band, and anything above 225 mm OD, are quoted after technical review. If your enquiry is written in NPS and schedule, the quotation will restate it as OD × wall so both sides work from the same numbers.

Ordering Standards: A213 vs A269

Both specifications can describe the same tube, but they do not ask for the same evidence. A213 is the primary specification for this page: each tube carries an integrity test and the wall is ordered on a stated basis. A269 is the adjacent specification, and whether it applies depends on the test regime and the design code. Which one applies is a purchasing decision — state it on the enquiry.

Item	ASTM A213	ASTM A269
Scope	Tube for heat exchangers, condensers, boilers and superheaters	General-purpose tube and pressure tubing; scope depends on the edition
Ordering basis	OD × wall × length, wall basis stated	OD × wall × length; average or minimum wall as agreed
Wall basis	Minimum wall unless the order states average	Average wall unless minimum is specified
Testing	Integrity test on every length, plus flattening, flare or bend as specified	Integrity test and product analysis; tension per lot
Typical use	Heat transfer and pressure parts	Instrumentation, process lines and general corrosion service

Duplex and super duplex tube is ordered to A789, which carries the same testing logic as A213 but its own chemistry and mechanical tables. Nickel alloys follow the B-series: state the specification and edition, because mechanical values differ between B622, B163, B407, B444 and B167.

Chemical Composition (Boiler Tube Heat-Analysis Limits)

Chemical composition, % by weight:

Grade	C	Mn	P	S	Si	Cr	Ni	Mo	Ti
TP304 (S30400)	≤ 0.08	≤ 2.00	≤ 0.045	≤ 0.030	≤ 1.00	18.0–20.0	8.0–11.0	—	—
TP316L (S31603)	≤ 0.035	≤ 2.00	≤ 0.045	≤ 0.030	≤ 1.00	16.0–18.0	10.0–14.0	2.00–3.00	—
TP321 (S32100)	≤ 0.08	≤ 2.00	≤ 0.045	≤ 0.030	≤ 1.00	17.0–19.0	9.0–12.0	—	≥ 5×(C+N), ≤ 0.70
TP310S (S31008)	≤ 0.08	≤ 2.00	≤ 0.045	≤ 0.030	≤ 1.00	24.0–26.0	19.0–22.0	—	—

Values are the heat-analysis limits of the specification named above. Product analysis on the finished tube or pipe may differ within the tolerances the standard permits, and the actual heat analysis is printed on the mill test certificate.

Mechanical Properties and Physical Data

Mechanical properties:

Tensile and yield values are specification minima at room temperature; hardness and grain size are reported when the purchase order asks for them. Design values at service temperature must be taken from the applicable code, not from this table.

Permissible Variations in Dimensions (A213)

Dimensional acceptance follows the tables of the primary specification — A1016/A1016M for A213 and A789 tube. The bands below are the ones buyers ask about most; the edition cited on the purchase order governs, and measured values are recorded on the mill test certificate.

Outside diameter

Outside diameter, mm	Permissible variation
≤ 25	± 0.10 mm
> 25 – 40	± 0.15 mm
> 40 – 50	± 0.20 mm
> 50 – 100	± 0.38 mm
> 100 – 200	± 0.76 mm
> 200 – 225	± 1.14 mm
> 225 – 257	Not tabulated — agreed in writing

Variations apply to the individual measurement, not to the average of the length. For U-bent tube the bend radius and leg length tolerances are agreed separately.

Wall thickness

Condition	Permissible variation
Cold-finished, minimum-wall basis	± 10 % of ordered wall, no point below the minimum
Cold-finished, average-wall basis	± 10 % of ordered wall on the average of the length
Hot-finished	+ 22.5 % / − 0 % of ordered wall

The basis must match the design calculation. A tube ordered on minimum wall and a tube ordered on average wall are not interchangeable, even at the same nominal size.

Fixed lengths: + 3 mm / − 0 mm. Random lengths 5–7 m unless a fixed length is ordered; straightness 1 in 600, and end squareness is inspected before packing.

Inspection, Testing and Mill Test Certificates

Three groups of evidence are separated here, because only the first is inside the base price. Anything in the second and third groups has to be written on the purchase order — it cannot be added after the mill test certificate has been issued.

Group	Content	How it is triggered
1 — Included	Chemical analysis, tensile test, flattening or bend test, hydrostatic or nondestructive electric test, dimensional check, EN 10204 3.1 certificate	Standard supply; no extra instruction needed
2 — Written on the PO	Ultrasonic or eddy-current testing to a stated acceptance level, PMI on each heat, intergranular corrosion test, grain size, hardness survey, 3.2 certificate	Must appear on the purchase order; priced per order
3 — Third party	TPI witness (SGS, BV, TÜV, Lloyd's), destructive sampling, third-party laboratory, packing inspection, pre-shipment photographs	Arranged per order; extends the lead time

The test route is not interchangeable after the fact: if the certificate has to show ultrasonic testing, say so on the enquiry, because a hydrostatic-only pipe cannot be re-certified as ultrasonically tested.

What the mill test certificate records

Heat number	The melt the item came from, traceable to the raw-material certificate
Grade and specification	Grade designation plus the standard and edition the order cites
Chemical analysis	Actual values for each element, not the range
Mechanical results	Tensile, yield, elongation and hardness as tested
Test route	Hydrostatic or nondestructive electric test, plus any agreed NDT with the method reference
Heat treatment	Solution-annealing temperature range and cooling method
Dimensions	Ordered OD, wall and length, with the measured values on request

Boiler Tube Tube Applications and Points to Confirm

Each application below names the duty the grade is normally chosen for, and what should be settled before the order is placed — the third column decides whether this grade is the right one:

Industry	Typical duty
Power generation	Heat transfer and pressure service
Petrochemical & refining	Heat transfer and pressure service
Chemical processing	Heat transfer and pressure service
Desalination	Heat transfer and pressure service

Points to confirm before ordering

Medium, concentration and chloride content — the figures that decide whether this grade holds
Design temperature and pressure, including upset and cleaning cycles
Whether the joint is welded, and the post-weld condition required
Inspection and document scope: NDT level, PMI, third-party witness

Send the medium, concentration, temperature, pressure and chloride level, and we will confirm the grade — or propose the next one up if the margin is narrow.

Grade Selection: Boiler Tube vs TP316L

Property	Boiler Tube	TP316L
PREN, typical	18	24
Molybdenum	—	2.00–3.00
Yield strength, min.	≥ 170 MPa	≥ 170 MPa
Service temperature	≈ 425 °C	≈ 450 °C
Choose when	General corrosion service, welded assemblies, cost-sensitive projects	Lower alloy content is enough for the duty

PREN is indicative only and is calculated from the composition ranges above — it is not an acceptance value. Where the duty sits between two grades, the deciding factors are usually chloride content, temperature and whether the joint is welded.

Frequently Asked Questions

What sizes can be supplied in Boiler Tube tube?

The overall sourcing range is OD 6 – 257 mm, wall 0.5 – 35 mm, length 18 m. The band table shows the wall range normally held or supplied for each OD band; the exact combination of standard, OD, wall, length and manufacturing condition is confirmed in the quotation. Sizes at the edge of a band are quoted after technical review.

Is this page a stock list?

In part. Stocked sizes are marked In stock and ship in 3–7 days; everything else is mill-direct with a 25–35 day lead time, confirmed per item in the quote.

Should the wall be ordered minimum or average?

Either, but it must be stated. A213-type tube is normally ordered on a minimum-wall basis, which is what the tolerance table in the dimensional section assumes. If your design code calls for average wall, say so on the enquiry and the quotation changes basis.

Which specification applies — A213 or A269?

ASTM A213 is the primary specification for this tube and the one the page describes. ASTM A269 is the adjacent specification; whether it applies depends on the ordered form, the test regime and the design code. State the standard and edition on the enquiry and the certificate will cite the same one.

Which tests and documents are included?

Mandatory: one integrity test per length (hydrostatic or nondestructive electric), tensile test per lot, dimensional check and an EN 10204 3.1 mill test certificate. Optional and only when written on the order: ultrasonic or eddy-current testing to a stated level, PMI, intergranular corrosion test, grain size, third-party witness and 3.2 certification.

How does Boiler Tube compare with TP316L?

TP316L is the usual comparison grade. Boiler Tube carries PREN of about 18 against 24 for TP316L, with a minimum yield of 170 MPa. The change is normally made when the duty — chloride level, temperature or pressure — leaves TP316L without margin over the design life.

Request a Boiler Tube Tube Quotation

Send: specification and edition, OD or NPS, wall and wall basis, length, quantity, surface finish, inspection scope and documents, and destination port. The quotation will restate the confirmed size combination, delivery condition, documents included and lead time for Boiler Tube Tube.

Request a Boiler Tube Tube quotation

Related Product Forms and Grades

Other forms and neighbouring grades, each with its own specification — confirm the applicable standard on every order:

TP316L seamless tube — TP316L — the grade normally compared with Boiler Tube on this duty
TP316L seamless pipe — TP316L — the grade normally compared with Boiler Tube on this duty
TP304 seamless tube — UNS S30400 · W-Nr 1.4301
TP304 seamless pipe — UNS S30400 · W-Nr 1.4301
Contact the sales team — Sizes outside the range, non-standard lengths and third-party inspection

Technical data compiled from the ASTM/ASME specification tables cited above and from published mill data. Page reviewed by the Xinzhe technical team, 09–11-2026. All values must be confirmed against the edition current at the time of order and against the heat certificate.