Steel high-frequency welded spiral finned tubes, also known as high-frequency resistance welded spiral finned tubes, are key heat transfer components used in industrial heat exchange equipment.
These tubes consist of a steel base tube and a continuously spirally wound steel strip fin. Using high-frequency resistance welding technology, the fin is firmly bonded to the outer surface of the tube to form a continuous metallurgical connection.
By significantly increasing the external heat transfer area, steel spiral finned tubes improve heat dissipation and heat exchange efficiency in gas-to-liquid and gas-to-gas heat transfer applications.
A steel high-frequency welded spiral finned tube typically uses:
The base tube transports the heating or cooling medium, while the spiral fin expands the external heat transfer surface. This design is suitable for heating, cooling, and heat recovery systems involving air, flue gas, steam, water, thermal oil, and other industrial media.
Typical working media include:
Depending on the material, tube dimensions, wall thickness, and engineering design, the tube can be manufactured for pressure levels ranging from approximately 1.6 to 25 MPa.
The base tube acts as the internal flow channel for the working medium. Common materials include:
The material is selected according to the operating temperature, pressure, fluid characteristics, corrosion conditions, and applicable design standards.
The fins are generally made from cold-rolled carbon steel strip or stainless steel strip. The strip is continuously wound around the base tube in a spiral pattern.
Two common fin designs are available:
Solid fins are made from a continuous steel strip without slots or interruptions. They provide:
Solid spiral fins are commonly used in industrial radiators, heating equipment, and clean flue gas applications.
Serrated fins, also called notched or segmented fins, contain regularly spaced slots along the fin edge. These openings disturb the airflow and promote turbulence, which can improve heat transfer performance.
Serrated spiral fins are commonly used in:
The choice between solid and serrated fins depends on the required heat transfer rate, gas cleanliness, pressure drop, fouling tendency, and maintenance requirements.
The fin is continuously attached to the base tube by high-frequency resistance welding. Unlike ordinary mechanically wound fins, the welded structure provides a firm metallurgical bond between the steel strip and the tube wall.
The welded joint is designed to minimize air gaps and thermal contact resistance, helping heat flow efficiently from the base tube to the fin.
The main manufacturing steps are as follows:
The process does not require welding wire, brazing filler metal, or flux. It enables continuous, automated, and high-speed production while maintaining consistent fin spacing and weld quality.
After welding, the finned tubes may be further processed through:
The actual welding temperature and process parameters should be determined according to the material combination, strip thickness, tube dimensions, and production equipment.
The spiral fin substantially increases the external heat transfer area. Depending on the tube diameter, fin height, fin pitch, and application conditions, the external heat transfer area can be approximately 3–8 times greater than that of a plain tube.
The spiral geometry also disturbs the airflow and reduces the thickness of the thermal boundary layer. This can improve gas-side heat transfer and increase the overall thermal performance of the heat exchanger.
In practical applications, the heat dissipation capacity may be approximately 4–7 times higher than that of a comparable plain tube, depending on the design and operating conditions.
High-frequency welding creates a continuous metallurgical connection between the fin and the tube. This helps prevent:
The welded structure also provides good resistance to thermal cycling, mechanical vibration, and repeated heating and cooling.
Compared with ordinary cold-wound or mechanically attached fins, high-frequency welded fins are less likely to become loose due to thermal expansion and contraction.
Steel high-frequency welded spiral finned tubes can be designed for a broad range of industrial conditions.
Typical material-based temperature ranges include:
They can be used with:
The final operating temperature and pressure must be verified based on the selected material, wall thickness, corrosion allowance, welding quality, and relevant engineering standards.
Because the fin greatly increases the heat transfer surface, the required heat exchanger size can often be reduced for the same thermal duty.
Key benefits include:
Under appropriate operating and maintenance conditions, the service life may reach approximately 10–15 years or more, depending on corrosion, temperature cycling, gas composition, and maintenance.
The fin height, fin pitch, fin thickness, tube diameter, and fin design can be customized according to the application.
This allows the tube design to balance heat transfer efficiency, airflow resistance, fouling, cleaning frequency, and overall operating cost.
Steel spiral finned tubes are widely used in industrial heating equipment, including:
Typical applications include:
They can be used in:
High-frequency welded spiral finned tubes are suitable for hot-air drying systems used for:
Common HVAC and heating applications include:
Steel high-frequency welded spiral finned tubes can be customized according to the required heat transfer capacity and operating conditions.
Available customization options include:
For accurate selection, customers should provide the operating temperature, working pressure, fluid type, gas composition, required heat duty, allowable pressure drop, tube dimensions, and quantity.
It is a heat transfer tube made by continuously spirally winding a steel strip around a steel base tube and attaching the fin using high-frequency resistance welding.
Mechanically wound finned tubes depend mainly on physical contact or tension between the fin and tube. High-frequency welded finned tubes use a continuous metallurgical weld, providing stronger bonding and more reliable heat transfer during vibration and thermal cycling.
Yes. They are commonly used in boiler economizers, air preheaters, flue gas heat recovery systems, and industrial waste heat recovery equipment.
Solid fins are generally suitable for cleaner gases and lower pressure-drop requirements. Serrated fins can enhance turbulence and heat transfer, making them suitable for many flue gas and waste heat recovery applications. The final selection depends on gas cleanliness, fouling, pressure drop, and thermal performance requirements.
Yes. Depending on the base tube and fin materials, the finished tubes may be treated by hot-dip galvanizing, high-temperature painting, or other anti-corrosion processes.
| Item | Typical Range or Options |
|---|---|
| Product type | Steel high-frequency welded spiral finned tube |
| Base tube material | 20#, Q235B, 16Mn, 304 stainless steel, and others |
| Fin material | Carbon steel or stainless steel |
| Fin type | Solid or serrated/notched |
| Welding method | High-frequency resistance welding |
| Welding frequency | Approximately 200–500 kHz |
| Pressure range | Approximately 1.6–25 MPa, depending on design |
| Carbon steel service temperature | Up to approximately 450°C, subject to design |
| Stainless steel service temperature | Potentially above 600°C, subject to material and design |
| Heat transfer area increase | Approximately 3–8 times compared with plain tubes |
| Surface treatment | Hot-dip galvanizing, high-temperature paint, or other coatings |
Final specifications must be confirmed according to the project design, material standard, operating conditions, and customer requirements.
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