Integral Low Fin Tube

 

Low Fin (Integral) tubing is a type of extruded tubing that consists of small low fins. The low fin tube is very similar to the extruded "high fin" types but these tubes have the same diameter as the base tube. Low Fin Enhanced tubes can be used in standard shell and tube baffles and tube sheets. The primary advantage for the low fin tube is providing surface enhancement and better heat transfer over smooth tubing.
During the manufacturing process, fin material is tightly wound around the outside of the tube to secure metals-to-metal contact of the base of the fin with the tube.
 
Integral Low Fin Tube has the advantage that it can improve the thermal performance of a Heat Exchanger without the necessity for changing shell size, flow arrangement or the repositioning of piping. The external surface of the tube is increased by the formation of “low fins” by direct extrusion from the material of the base tube.

Advantage

Fine-Fin® provides 2.5 to 3 times the external surface area of bare tube
This yields numerous benefits for the heat transfer equipment

Reduced capital cost for new equipment
Enhanced heat exchange efficiency means less Fine-Fin tubing is required to accomplish the same heat transfer as a bare tube.

Reduced retrofitting cost for existing equipment
Fine-Fin can increase the performance of an existing heat exchanger without the difficult and expensive task of building new shells, heads, nozzles, piping and foundations.

Space, weight & structural savings
Reduced plot space and weight can be extremely valuable in offshore production or high elevation distillation columns. Fine-Fin technology transforms large shell & tube exchangers into compact heat exchangers.

More materials & alloys to select
Fine-Fin is available in a wider range of alloys than traditional low-fin tubing which is restricted to soft metals. This opens a new world of opportunity for enhanced tubing in corrosive service. The more expensive the tube material, the more dramatic the cost savings of Fine-Fin.

Reduced maintenance & life cycle cost
Proper material selection with Fine-Fin can eliminate costly downtime & maintenance. Example: Coastal refineries using once-through seawater cooling systems can benefit by substituting conventional copper nickel tubing with Titanium Fine-Fin tubing. Titanium Fine-Fin is highly resistant to seawater corrosion erosion.
 

Application

The Integral low fin tubes are widely used in chemicalprocess. Especially applicable between air or other gases on the fin-side and a fluid on the tube-side.
When to Consider Integral low fin tube.
Shell side heat transfer is controlling.
Expensive materials of construction are required.
Debottlenecking an existing exchanger.
Retrofitting or upgrading with new tube material.
Meeting a stringent space or weight requirement.
 
FIN TUBE MEETS THE FOLLOWING QUALITY STANDARDS
ASTM B891 Seamless and Welded Titanium and Titanium Alloy Condenser and Heat Exchanger Tubes With Integral Fins
ASTM A1012 Seamless and Welded Ferritic, Austenitic and Duplex Alloy Steel Condenser and Heat Exchanger Tubes with Integral Fins
ASTM B924 Seamless and Welded Nickel Alloy Condenser and Heat Exchanger Tubes with Integral Fins
ASTM B359 Copper and Copper Alloy Seamless Condenser and Heat Exchanger Tubes with Integral Fins.
General Dimensions – Low Fin Tube Smooth Bore

28 FPI 0.889mm average fin height 0.305mm average fin thickness
No.	Plain Section   avg. OD	Plain section avg. wall	Wall Under fin avg	Wall Under Fin Min.	Nominal Root OD	Fin Section ID	Outside Area Ao	Inside Area Ai	Area Ratio Ao/Ai	ID cross Section Area
153528	15.88	1.473	0.889	0.787	14.097	12.319	0.126	0.039	3.252	1.192
154228	15.88	1.651	1.067	0.940	14.097	11.963	0.126	0.037	3.358	1.124
192828	19.05	1.245	0.711	0.635	17.272	15.85-	0.153	0.050	3.074	1.973
193528	19.05	1.473	0.889	0.787	17.272	15.494	0.153	0.049	3.131	0.292
194228	19.05	1.651	1.067	0.940	17.272	15.138	0.153	0.048	3.212	1.800
253528	25.40	1.473	0.889	0.787	24.622	21.844	0.206	0.069	3.004	3.748
253528	25.40	1.651	1.067	0.940	24.622	21.488	0.206	0.067	3.059	3.627

 

30 FPI 0.813mm average fin height 0.279mm average fin thickness
No.	Plain Section   avg. OD	Plain section avg. wall	Wall Under Fin avg.	Wall Under Fin Min.	Nominal Root OD	Fin Section ID	Outside Area Ao	Inside Area Ai	Area Ratio Ao/Ai	ID cross Section Area
153530	15.88	1.473	0.889	0.787	14.249	12.471	0.125	0.039	3.186	1.222
154230	15.88	1.651	1.067	0.940	14.249	12.116	0.125	0.038	3.288	1.153
192830	19.05	1.245	0.711	0.635	17.424	16.002	0.152	0.050	3.030	2.011
193530	19.05	1.473	0.889	0.787	17.424	15.646	0.152	0.049	3.106	1.923
194230	19.05	1.651	1.067	0.940	17.424	15.291	0.152	0.048	3.165	1.836
253530	25.40	1.473	0.889	0.787	23.774	21.996	0.205	0.069	2.956	3.800
253530	25.40	1.651	1.067	0.940	23.774	21.641	0.205	0.068	3.009	3.678

 

36 FPI 0.66mm average fin height 0.305mm average fin thickness
No.	Plain Section   avg. OD	Plain section avg. wall	Wall Under Fin avg.	Wall Under Fin Min.	Nominal Root OD	Fin Section ID	Outside Area Ao	Inside Area Ai	Area Ratio Ao/Ai	ID cross Section Area
153536	15.88	1.473	0.889	0.787	14.554	12.776	0.125	0.040	3.114	1.282
154236	15.88	1.651	1.067	0.940	14.554	12.421	0.125	0.039	3.211	1.212
192836	19.05	1.245	0.711	0.635	17.729	16.307	0.152	0.051	2.976	2.088
193536	19.05	1.473	0.889	0.787	17.729	15.951	0.152	0.050	3.049	1.998
194236	19.05	1.651	1.067	0.940	17.729	15.596	0.152	0.049	3.106	1.910
253536	25.40	1.473	0.889	0.787	24.079	22.301	0.205	0.070	2.917	3.906
253536	25.40	1.651	1.067	0.940	24.079	21.946	0.205	0.069	2.969	3.783

General Dimensions – Low Fin Tube with Internal Rib

28 FPI 0.89 average fin height 0.305mm average fin thickness 0.254 average rib height
No.	Plain Section   avg. OD	Plain section avg. wall	Wall Under Fin avg.	Wall Under Fin Min.	Nominal Root OD	Fin Section ID	Outside Area Ao	Inside Area AI	Area Ratio Ao/Ai	ID cross Section Area
192828-201046	19.05	1.245	0.711	0.635	17.272	15.850	0.153	0.059	2.569	1.961
193528-201046	19.05	1.473	0.889	0.787	17.272	15.494	0.153	0.058	2.623	1.871

 

36 FPI 0.66 average fin height 0.305mm average fin thickness 0.254 average rib height
No.	Plain Section   avg. OD	Plain section wall	Wall Under Fin avg.	Wall Under Fin Min.	Nominal Root OD	Fin Section ID	Outside Area Ao	Inside Area AI	Area Ratio Ao/Ai	ID cross Section Area
192536-201046	19.05	1.245avg.	0.635	0.559	17.729	16.459	0.152	0.062	2.463	2.116
192836-201046	19.05	1.245 min	0.711	0.635	17.729	16.307	0.152	0.061	2.488	2.007

 

d= outside diameter of plain end di= inside diameter of plain end dr= root diameter do=diameter over fins di= inside diameter of fin section Xp=wall thickness of plain end Xf=wall thickness under fin Fh=height of fin Fm=fin thickness P=rib pitch Rh=height of rib Ha=helix angle