Copper-Nickel Tubes

If your business operates in harsh environments, such as the marine, offshore oil and gas, the highest-grade copper nickel pipe from Special Metal Alloys will ensure unmatched performance, durability, and dependability in salt water environments.

For applications in marine engineering, seawater desalination units, naval condensers, shipping, oil and gas plants, oil coolers,steam generators, drill components, seawater pump components, valve actuator stems, floating production storage units, and seawater piping systems, copper-nickel pipe offers significant advantages over other metals.

This is due to a thin protective film that forms on its surface when exposed to natural seawater, making it exceptionally corrosive resistant and impervious to biofouling and macrofouling in salt water environments.

This protective skin starts forming within days of coming into contact with clean seawater, contributing to its excellent corrosion resistance, and fully matures over 2 – 3 months.

Special Metal Alloys, based in the UK, reliably supply both seamless and welded grade 90/10 and grade 70/30 copper-based nickel tubing, produced to comply with the various manufacturing standards, including ASTM and EN. Our tubing is available in a large range of wall thicknesses, such as SCH 10 – 80; lengths from 6m to 12m; and outer diameters from 3mm to 600mm.

We get our seawater piping stock from reputable mills and supply major contractors across different industries globally, all while ensuring unmatched turnaround times.

The selection of grade, strength, choice of seamless or welded pipe, and the dimensions will depend on the specific application and cost considerations.

Seamless pipe and greater wall thickness are needed for high-pressure seawater piping applications and power generation, while welded pipe or thinner walls are more cost-effective in lower-pressure conditions that still require outstanding corrosion resistance.

Let us help you find the best solutions to your copper-nickel tube applications. Contact us for specialist advice and competitive prices. Get an online quote, email us at sales@specialmetalalloys.co.uk or call us at +44 (0)7305 752346 or +44 (0)161 278 2386.

What are copper-nickel tubes used for?

Copper-based nickel tubes of various grades are now used for a vast number of applications in almost every industry, mainly because of their durability and exceptional corrosion resistance in saltwater. This is not surprising, as they were specifically developed to withstand the harsh marine and seawater conditions.

Specific applications include marine engineering, seawater desalination units, naval condensers, shipping, oil and gas plants, oil coolers, steam generators, drill components, seawater pump components, valve actuator stems, floating production storage units, and seawater piping systems.

What are the special benefits of copper-nickel tubing?

Exceptional corrosion resistance to flowing seawater, heated deaerated saltwater, and chemical fluids

The alloy composition, in particular the 90/10 and 70/30 grades, is highly resistant to sulfides, chlorides, and chloride crevice corrosion, hydrogen embrittlement, and high total dissolved solids (TDS). It is also more resistant to ammonia stress cracking than most other copper alloys.
Nickel enhances the strength, durability, and corrosion resistance of copper, resulting in superior resistance to stress corrosion cracking, crevice corrosion, pitting corrosion, and cracking.
The protective film creates a corrosion barrier between the tube’s surface and the seawater.
Small, but significant additions of manganese and iron optimise the flow of seawater, further reducing corrosion.
These tubes are highly suitable for carrying heated deaerated seawater and salt water, which is used in boiler feed water systems and oil production, and in electrochemical corrosion experiments, to reduce corrosion of metal components.
Copper nickel pipes are highly suitable as brake tubing in vehicles and machinery.
Of the copper-nickel alloys, 90/10 Cu/Ni is the most widely used for heat exchanger tubes, braking tubing, and clad steel water boxes.

Resistance to biofouling and macrofouling

Its inherent resistance to biofouling and macrofouling reduces the need for biocide and cleaning routines.
Copper-nickel alloys naturally create antimicrobial touch surfaces on tubing exteriors by releasing copper ions that are toxic to macrofouling marine organisms, which, together with the protective film that forms, prevent these organisms from attaching themselves to the surface of the tubes.
The drag force in pumps, valves, condensers, and piping systems is significantly lower because the buildup of marine organisms and surface roughness is minimised.

Heat transfer properties

The high thermal conductivity of copper-nickel alloys allows for rapid heat exchange that is necessary in heat exchangers, condensers, evaporators, reheaters, and desalination plants, including multi-stage flash and multiple-effect distillation plants.
They are particularly effective in heat recovery, particularly in seawater systems.
It has exceptional abilities to transfer heat from a high-temperature source to another system, such as in a final heat recovery exchanger that captures and reuses waste heat to improve energy efficiency and reduce costs.
In the final heat rejection section of seawater desalination, copper nickel alloys remove excess heat from the process, playing a crucial role in its efficient operation.

Excellent ductility

Copper-nickel tubing has excellent ductility, allowing it to be easily formed into complex piping systems with bends and curves, even in cast seawater pumps, without cracking or breaking.
Its ductility enables the tubing to withstand the mechanical stress of flowing hot de-aerated seawater and hydraulic fluids without showing metal fatigue and significantly improves its durability under harsh conditions.
Its ability to absorb vibrations and mechanical stress without cracking is crucial in situations where the tubing is subjected to varying loads or movements.
Because it can easily be shaped and formed without sophisticated tools or processes, the installation and fabrication costs can be reduced.

Which conditions should be avoided when using copper-nickel tubes?

Polluted, stagnant water can react with the alloy to create sulphides that cause pitting.

Care should be taken to avoid prolonged exposure to stagnant water, particularly during hydro-testing and commissioning of the system.