Used in USNRC-RDT Standards

Designation: A 179/A 179M – 90a (Reapproved 2001)

Standard Specification for

Seamless Cold-Drawn Low-Carbon Steel Heat-Exchanger
and Condenser Tubes1
This standard is issued under the fixed designation A 179/A 179M; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year
of original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval.
A superscript epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.

1. Scope 3.1.7 Test report required (Certification Section of Specifi-

1.1 This specification2 covers minimum-wall-thickness, cation A 450/A 450M),
seamless cold-drawn low-carbon steel tubes for tubular heat 3.1.8 Specification number, and
exchangers, condensers, and similar heat transfer apparatus. 3.1.9 Special requirements.
1.2 This specification covers tubes 1⁄8 to 3 in. [3.2 to 76.2 4. General Requirements
mm], inclusive, in outside diameter.
4.1 Material furnished under this specification shall con-
NOTE 1—Tubing smaller in outside diameter and having a thinner wall form to the applicable requirements of the current edition of
than indicated in this specification is available. Mechanical property
Specification A 450/A 450M, unless otherwise provided
requirements do not apply to tubing smaller than 1⁄8 in. [3.2 mm] in outside
diameter or with a wall thickness under 0.015 in. [0.4 mm]. herein.
1.3 The values stated in either inch-pound units or SI units 5. Manufacture
are to be regarded separately as standard. Within the text, the 5.1 Tubes shall be made by the seamless process and shall
SI units are shown in brackets. The values stated in each be cold drawn.
system are not exact equivalents; therefore, each system must
be used independently of the other. Combining values from the 6. Heat Treatment
two systems may result in nonconformance with the specifi- 6.1 Tubes shall be heat treated after the final cold draw pass
cation. The inch-pound units shall apply unless the “M” at a temperature of 1200°F [650°C] or higher.
designation of this specification is specified in the order.
7. Surface Condition
2. Referenced Documents
7.1 Finished tubes shall be free of scale. A slight amount of
2.1 ASTM Standards: oxidation will not be considered as scale.
A 450/A 450M Specification for General Requirements for
Carbon, Ferritic Alloy, and Austenitic Alloy Steel Tubes3 8. Chemical Composition
8.1 The steel shall conform to the following requirements as
3. Ordering Information
to chemical composition:
3.1 Orders for material under this specification should Carbon, % 0.06–0.18
include the following, as required, to describe the desired Manganese, % 0.27–0.63
material adequately: Phosphorus, max, % 0.035
Sulfur, max, % 0.035
3.1.1 Quantity (feet, metres, or number of lengths),
3.1.2 Name of material (seamless tubes), 8.2 Supplying an alloy grade that specifically requires the
3.1.3 Manufacture (cold-drawn), addition of any element other than those listed in 8.1 is not
3.1.4 Size (outside diameter and minimum wall thickness), permitted.
3.1.5 Length (specific or random),
3.1.6 Optional requirements (product analysis, Section 9, 9. Product Analysis
flange test, 11.3), 9.1 When requested on the purchase order, a product analy-
sis shall be made by the supplier from one tube per 250 pieces
1
or when tubes are identified by heat, one tube per heat shall be
This specification is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee A01 on Steel,
Stainless Steel, and Related Alloys and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee
analyzed. The chemical composition thus determined shall
A01.09 on Carbon Steel Tubular Products. conform to the requirements specified.
Current edition approved July 27, 1990. Published September 1990. Originally 9.2 If the original test for product analysis fails, retests of
published as A 179 – 35 T. Last previous edition A 179/A 179M – 90. two additional billets or tubes shall be made. Both retests, for
2
For ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code applications see related Specifi-
cation SA-179 in Section II of that Code. the elements in question, shall meet the requirements of the
3
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 01.01. specification; otherwise all remaining material in the heat or lot

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1
 A 179/A 179M – 90a (2001)
(Note 2) shall be rejected or, at the option of the producer, each 11.4 Hardness Test—Rockwell hardness tests shall be made
billet or tube may be individually tested for acceptance. Billets on specimens from two tubes from each lot. The term lot
or tubes which do not meet the requirements of the specifica- applies to all tubes, prior to cutting, of the same nominal
tion shall be rejected. diameter and wall thickness which are produced from the same
heat of steel. When final heat treatment is in a batch-type
NOTE 2—A lot consists of 250 tubes.
furnace, a lot shall include only those tubes of the same size
10. Hardness Requirements and the same heat which are heat treated in the same furnace
10.1 The tubes shall have a hardness number not exceeding charge. When the final heat treatment is in a continuous
72 HRB. furnace, a lot shall include all tubes of the same size and heat,
heat treated in the same furnace at the same temperature, time
11. Mechanical Tests Required at heat, and furnace speed.
11.1 Flattening Test—One flattening test shall be made on 11.5 Hydrostatic Test—Each tube shall be subjected to the
specimens from each of two tubes from each lot (Note 2) or hydrostatic test, or, instead of this test, a nondestructive electric
fraction thereof. test may be used when specified by the purchaser.
11.2 Flaring Test—One flaring test shall be made on speci-
mens from each of two tubes from each lot (Note 2) or fraction 12. Product Marking
thereof. 12.1 In addition to the marking prescribed in Specification
11.3 Flange Test—When specified as a substitute for the A 450/A 450M, the marking shall include the name and order
flaring test, for tubes having a wall thickness (actual mean number of the purchaser.
wall) less than 10 % of the outside diameter, one test shall be
made on specimens from each of two tubes from each lot (Note 13. Keywords
2) or fraction thereof. For tubes other than specified above, the 13.1 cold drawn tube; condenser tubes; heat exchanger
flange test shall not be required. tubes; low carbon steel; seamless tube

EXPLANATORY NOTES

NOTE 1—For purposes of design, the following tensile properties may Tensile strength, min, ksi [MPa] 47 [325]
be assumed: Yield strength, min, ksi [MPa] 26 [180]
Elongation in 2 in. or 50 mm, min, % 35

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