All You Need to Know About Stainless Steel Pipes
What is a Stainless-Steel Pipe?
A pipe is a cylindrical-shaped hollow section made of any material. It is used for the transmission of liquids fluids and gases in commercial, industrial, or residential applications. The application of pipe is not limited to transmission only it is also used for architectural as well as structural purposes.
Stainless steel pipe is a stainless-steel metal pipe that contains nickel and chromium. These elements make stainless steel pipe corrosion-resistant and durable. Chromium reacts with oxygen in the air and forms a thin layer over the surface of the metal preventing corrosion and rusting.
Stainless steel pipe can resist high temperature and also have cryogenic toughness which makes it suitable for use in several industrial applications and different environmental conditions.
What is the difference between Stainless steel Pipes and Tubes?
Here it is important to mention that pipe and tube are not similar. They have a cylindrical hollow shape but they are totally different.
Stainless steel pipes are measured by internal diameter (ID) while Stainless steel tubes are measure using the outer diameter (OD) and wall thickness (WT) as well. One more difference between pipes and tubes is that pipes are used for the transmission of liquids, fluids, and gases while tubes are usually used for structural applications.
What are the Series and Grades of Stainless Steel?
There are several stainless-steel series and the most common are 200, 400, and 300. The 200 series provides less corrosion resistance and used for applications such as sinks etc. The 400 series is highly resistant to abrasion and high temperatures. The 300 series is highly resistant to corrosion and nonmagnetic.
The most commonly used 300 series stainless steel grades for pipes are 304, 304L, 316, and 316L. They are highly resistant to corrosion. The grades with the letter L signify a lower quantity of carbon which makes the stainless steel more resistant to corrosion and durable. The 304 stainless steel is considered food-grade steel.
However, stainless steel can get corroded by Anaerobic and chlorides. The presence of molybdenum in grade 316 and 316L stainless steel reduces the propensity to chlorides.
What are the Advantages of Using Stainless Steel Pipes?
Stainless Steel is one of the most popular materials used around the world for several applications due to its outstanding properties and benefits that it offers such as
- Food strength to weight ratio
- Corrosion resistance
- Durable
- Easy to clean and maintain
- Easy to work with
- Recyclable
- Environmentally friendly
What are the types of Stainless-Steel Pipe?
There are two types of stainless-steel pipes:
1. Seamless: Seamless pipe as the names suggest does not have any seams or welded joint. It is plain and has a shiny smooth surface. It has good strength and can withstand high pressures and temperatures.
2. Welded: Welded pipe as the names suggest has welded seams or joints. They are lightweight, cost-effective, and corrosion-resistant but not suitable for high-pressure applications.
What are the Uses or Applications of Stainless-Steel Pipes?
Due to its versatile and outstanding characteristics, it is used for a wide range of purposes extending from domestic to commercial and industrial. According to the uses of stainless pipe, it is divided into various categories.
- High-Pressure Applications
- Marine etc.
- Hydraulic systems
- Aerospace
- Power generation
- Nuclear power industry
- Sanitary Purpose
- Sewerage systems
- Water pipelines
- Industrial waste
- Transmission of Liquids Fluids and Gases
- Petrochemical
- Chemical processing
- Pharmaceuticals
- Food and beverages industry
- Oil and gas industries
- Pulp and paper
- Water desalination and distillation plants
- Architectural
- Exterior design
- Interior design
- Structural frame
- Structural
- Aircraft's industry
- Aerospace
- Automobile
- Military equipment
- Mining Industry
- Engineering
The seamless and welded pipes both are used for pressure applications but the preferable choice for very high-pressure applications is a seamless pipe. The high-pressure applications include:
This type of application requires high corrosion resistance because all food and waste products are meant to pass through the piping systems. It is easy to clean and maintain. Such applications include
It is used by several industries for the transmission of liquids, fluids, and gases for the manufacturing of different products including
There are several architectural wonders that show the use of pipes in the designs in the most efficient way and having an aesthetic appeal such as
There are several structural applications of stainless-steel pipes used in several different industries for different purposes that require good strength, corrosion resistance, lightweight, and durability. The industries use it for manufacturing different machines or parts thereof such as:
The pipes are also used in several engineering applications that require good strength to weight ratio and durability.