ASTM A192 Carbon Steel Seamless Tube for Air Heater Application

ASTM A192 Carbon Steel Seamless Tubes for Air Heater Application

ASTM A192 carbon steel tube is a high-pressure seamless carbon steel boiler tube produced according to the standard specifications established by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM). ASTM A192 carbon steel tubes must be manufactured using seamless processes and undergo appropriate heat treatment to ensure their performance meets standard requirements. Hot processed steel tubes do not require heat treatment, while cold processed steel tubes require heat treatment at 1200 ° F (650 ° C) or higher after final cold processing. ASME SA192 is the adopted version of the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code. While technical requirements are essentially the same as ASTM A192, certification and marking must comply with ASME specifications. SA192 is commonly cited in pressure equipment manufacturing.

ASTM A192 carbon steel tubes has strict requirements of the chemical composition to ensure their strength, toughness, and corrosion resistance. The carbon (C) content is between 0.06% and 0.18%, and low carbon content helps to improve the toughness and welding performance of the steel tube; The content of silicon (Si) should not exceed 0.25%. Silicon mainly plays a role in deoxidation in steel, which can improve the strength and hardness of steel; Manganese (Mn) content ranges from 0.27% to 0.63%. Manganese can enhance the strength and hardness of steel, refine grain size, and improve the wear resistance and fatigue resistance of steel tubes; The maximum content of phosphorus (P) is limited to below 0.035%; The maximum content of sulfur (S) is limited to below 0.035%. Strictly controlling the content of phosphorus and sulfur impurities can effectively avoid defects such as brittle fracture in steel tubes caused by excessive impurities.

ASTM A192 / ASME SA192 Carbon Steel Chemical Composition

Comparison of ASTM A192 and other Carbon Steel Tube and Pipe Materials

• VS ASTM A106 Gr.B: ASTM A106 Gr.B carbon steel pipe is commonly used for high-temperature, high-pressure piping, but it's not specifically designed for the minimum wall thickness required for boilers/superheaters. ASTM A106 Gr.B carbon steel pipe typically has thicker walls than A192 of the same specification, offering higher pressure-bearing capacity but slightly lower heat transfer and higher cost. ASTM A106 Gr.B carbon steel pipe is commonly used in boiler main steam lines and feedwater lines, while ASTM A192 carbon steel pipe is specifically designed for superheaters and boiler heat exchanger bundles, where thin walls are required for efficient heat transfer.
• VS ASTM A210 Gr.A1: ASTM A210 Gr.A1 is a medium-carbon manganese steel seamless tube used in boilers and superheaters. Due to its higher carbon content, its strength and hardness surpass A192, and it is primarily used in applications requiring higher strength.

Required Tests and Inspections for ASTM A192 Carbon Steel Pipe

• Tensile Testing: This is performed on samples taken from each batch of steel tube to verify tensile strength, yield strength, and elongation.
• Hardness Testing: This is typically performed on each tube or batch.
• Hydraulic Pressure Testing: This is mandatory for every tube. The test pressure is very high and maintained for at least 5 seconds to ensure there is no leakage or permanent deformation, ensuring safety under pressure.
• Non-destructive Testing: The standard typically requires eddy current testing or ultrasonic testing (or a combination of both) to detect longitudinal defects, and this must be performed on every tube.

ASTM A192 Carbon Steel Seamless Tube Application

• High pressure boiler components: ASTM A192 carbon steel tubes are commonly used for key components such as heating surface tubes, headers, and economizers in high-pressure boilers. These components need to withstand high temperature and high pressure steam or hot water, so steel tubes are required to have excellent resistance to high temperature and high pressure.
• Superheater and reheater: ASTM A192 carbon steel tubes are used to transport high-temperature and high-pressure steam in the superheater and reheater, ensuring effective circulation and energy conversion of steam in the boiler system.
• Petrochemical industry: ASTM A192 carbon steel tubes also play an important role in the petrochemical industry. They are used in high-temperature and high-pressure fluid transmission systems, such as steam pipelines, heaters, etc., to ensure the smooth progress of the production process.
• Power industry: ASTM A192 carbon steel pipes are widely used in the manufacturing of power plant boilers. As the main structural components of boilers, they bear high temperature and high pressure steam pressure, ensuring the safe and stable operation of power plant boilers.