I. Core Product Definition
Embedded Fin Tube (also known as G-type finned tube) is a high-efficiency heat exchange element in which fins are permanently bonded to the surface of a base tube using mechanical or metallurgical processes. Its core design involves embedding fins into precisely machined grooves on the outer wall of the base tube and reinforcing their fixation. This eliminates the contact thermal resistance between the fins and the base tube, maximizing the heat exchange surface area without sacrificing structural integrity. It has become a key component in heat exchange systems such as air coolers and waste heat recovery devices.
II. Precision Manufacturing Process and Structural Characteristics
(I) Core Production Process
The manufacturing of embedded finned tubes integrates precision machining and reinforcement bonding technologies, mainly including three mainstream processes:
Wound Embedding Method:Aluminum or copper fin strips are spirally wound onto the surface of a carbon steel, copper, or other base tube under tension to achieve initial fixation.
Groove Embedding Method:Precision spiral grooves are first machined on the surface of the base tube. After embedding the fin strips, a backfilling process is used to lock them in place, forming a mechanical interlocking structure between the fins and the base tube. Integrated Auxiliary Process: Some high-end products adopt a near-extrusion technology to achieve molecular-level bonding between the fins and the base tube under high temperature and pressure, further improving thermal conductivity. The entire manufacturing process involves continuous operations of grooving, inserting, and fixing to ensure a high-strength fit between the fins and the base tube. (II) Structure and Material Combination Base Tube Configuration: Supports various materials such as stainless steel, carbon steel, alloy steel, titanium, copper, and duplex stainless steel, with an outer diameter range of 12.70mm-38.10mm, a wall thickness of not less than 2.11mm, and a length that can extend from 500mm to 20000mm. Fin Parameters: Fin materials are mainly aluminum, copper, and stainless steel, with thicknesses ranging from 0.3mm to 0.65mm, heights from 9.8mm to 16.00mm, and densities adjustable between 236fpm (6fpi) and 433fpm (11fpi). The bare end length can be customized as needed. III. Core Performance Advantages
(I) Outstanding Heat Exchange Efficiency
Through finned surface area expansion and contactless thermal resistance design, heat exchange efficiency is increased by 30%-50% compared to bare tubes. Its dual heat exchange mechanism—conductive heat transfer through the base tube wall and convective heat dissipation through the fin surface—ensures rapid heat transfer. Under the same operating conditions, the combination with 3D corrugated fins can increase turbulence intensity by 50% and the heat transfer coefficient by 22%.
(II) Excellent Structural Strength and Stability
The mechanically embedded interlocking structure ensures a firm connection between the fins and the base tube, capable of withstanding frequent thermal cycles, vibrations, and high-speed airflow impacts, solving the problem of loosening easily in traditional wound fins. It can adapt to a maximum operating temperature of 450°C, far exceeding L-shaped finned tubes, and maintains stable performance even in a metal temperature environment of 750°F (approximately 400°C). (III) Balance between adaptability and economy Although the manufacturing process is more complex than that of ordinary wound finned tubes, the cost-effectiveness over the life cycle is significant: in high-demand scenarios, the service life far exceeds that of conventional heat exchange elements, and frequent maintenance is not required; compared with extruded finned tubes, the cost is lower, providing the optimal solution for scenarios with limited budgets but high performance requirements. (IV) Upgraded weather resistance and corrosion resistance Through material optimization and surface treatment, it can adapt to diverse environments: the stainless steel base tube combined with ceramic coated fins has 20 times the corrosion resistance of 316L stainless steel in a strong acid environment with pH=1; the graphene-reinforced coating not only increases the thermal conductivity by 38%, but also has anti-scaling function. IV. Application Scenarios Across Industries
(I) Energy and Power Sector
* Petrochemical: Embedded finned tubes with spiral fins are used for flue gas waste heat recovery, with a single unit saving energy equivalent to 12,000 tons of standard coal annually.
* Power Generation: Gas turbine inlet coolers using stainless steel finned tubes can reduce air temperature from 35℃ to 15℃, increasing unit efficiency by 12%. In solar thermal power plants, nickel alloy finned tubes operate stably in molten salt systems at 580℃.
* (II) Industrial and Manufacturing Sector
* Air Coolers: In compressor stations and lubricating oil cooling systems, their resistance to high temperatures and vibrations significantly reduces the risk of failure.
* Waste Heat Recovery: Regenerators in furnaces and kilns use these finned tubes to reduce fuel consumption by preheating combustion air. (III) HVAC and Specialty Applications
Large-scale air conditioning: Aluminum-copper composite embedded finned tube assemblies reduce heat exchanger volume by 40% and increase heat transfer flux density by 3 times;
High-end manufacturing: In pharmaceutical reactors, finned tube modules with integrated temperature sensors achieve precise temperature control of ±0.5℃;
Marine engineering: In seawater desalination systems, corrosion-resistant material combinations resist corrosion in high-salt environments.
V. Selection and Usage Recommendations
Process matching: For high-pressure systems (>5MPa), extrusion-like process products are preferred; for corrosive media environments, spiral wound embedded stainless steel finned tubes are recommended;
Maintenance optimization: Using AI thermal imaging to monitor fin degradation can reduce downtime by 30%;
Sustainability: Nano-coated finned tubes in a 10MW waste heat recovery unit can reduce CO₂ emissions by 18 tons per year, meeting the requirements of low-carbon production.
I. Core Product Definition
Embedded Fin Tube (also known as G-type finned tube) is a high-efficiency heat exchange element in which fins are permanently bonded to the surface of a base tube using mechanical or metallurgical processes. Its core design involves embedding fins into precisely machined grooves on the outer wall of the base tube and reinforcing their fixation. This eliminates the contact thermal resistance between the fins and the base tube, maximizing the heat exchange surface area without sacrificing structural integrity. It has become a key component in heat exchange systems such as air coolers and waste heat recovery devices.
II. Precision Manufacturing Process and Structural Characteristics
(I) Core Production Process
The manufacturing of embedded finned tubes integrates precision machining and reinforcement bonding technologies, mainly including three mainstream processes:
Wound Embedding Method:Aluminum or copper fin strips are spirally wound onto the surface of a carbon steel, copper, or other base tube under tension to achieve initial fixation.
Groove Embedding Method:Precision spiral grooves are first machined on the surface of the base tube. After embedding the fin strips, a backfilling process is used to lock them in place, forming a mechanical interlocking structure between the fins and the base tube. Integrated Auxiliary Process: Some high-end products adopt a near-extrusion technology to achieve molecular-level bonding between the fins and the base tube under high temperature and pressure, further improving thermal conductivity. The entire manufacturing process involves continuous operations of grooving, inserting, and fixing to ensure a high-strength fit between the fins and the base tube. (II) Structure and Material Combination Base Tube Configuration: Supports various materials such as stainless steel, carbon steel, alloy steel, titanium, copper, and duplex stainless steel, with an outer diameter range of 12.70mm-38.10mm, a wall thickness of not less than 2.11mm, and a length that can extend from 500mm to 20000mm. Fin Parameters: Fin materials are mainly aluminum, copper, and stainless steel, with thicknesses ranging from 0.3mm to 0.65mm, heights from 9.8mm to 16.00mm, and densities adjustable between 236fpm (6fpi) and 433fpm (11fpi). The bare end length can be customized as needed. III. Core Performance Advantages
(I) Outstanding Heat Exchange Efficiency
Through finned surface area expansion and contactless thermal resistance design, heat exchange efficiency is increased by 30%-50% compared to bare tubes. Its dual heat exchange mechanism—conductive heat transfer through the base tube wall and convective heat dissipation through the fin surface—ensures rapid heat transfer. Under the same operating conditions, the combination with 3D corrugated fins can increase turbulence intensity by 50% and the heat transfer coefficient by 22%.
(II) Excellent Structural Strength and Stability
The mechanically embedded interlocking structure ensures a firm connection between the fins and the base tube, capable of withstanding frequent thermal cycles, vibrations, and high-speed airflow impacts, solving the problem of loosening easily in traditional wound fins. It can adapt to a maximum operating temperature of 450°C, far exceeding L-shaped finned tubes, and maintains stable performance even in a metal temperature environment of 750°F (approximately 400°C). (III) Balance between adaptability and economy Although the manufacturing process is more complex than that of ordinary wound finned tubes, the cost-effectiveness over the life cycle is significant: in high-demand scenarios, the service life far exceeds that of conventional heat exchange elements, and frequent maintenance is not required; compared with extruded finned tubes, the cost is lower, providing the optimal solution for scenarios with limited budgets but high performance requirements. (IV) Upgraded weather resistance and corrosion resistance Through material optimization and surface treatment, it can adapt to diverse environments: the stainless steel base tube combined with ceramic coated fins has 20 times the corrosion resistance of 316L stainless steel in a strong acid environment with pH=1; the graphene-reinforced coating not only increases the thermal conductivity by 38%, but also has anti-scaling function. IV. Application Scenarios Across Industries
(I) Energy and Power Sector
* Petrochemical: Embedded finned tubes with spiral fins are used for flue gas waste heat recovery, with a single unit saving energy equivalent to 12,000 tons of standard coal annually.
* Power Generation: Gas turbine inlet coolers using stainless steel finned tubes can reduce air temperature from 35℃ to 15℃, increasing unit efficiency by 12%. In solar thermal power plants, nickel alloy finned tubes operate stably in molten salt systems at 580℃.
* (II) Industrial and Manufacturing Sector
* Air Coolers: In compressor stations and lubricating oil cooling systems, their resistance to high temperatures and vibrations significantly reduces the risk of failure.
* Waste Heat Recovery: Regenerators in furnaces and kilns use these finned tubes to reduce fuel consumption by preheating combustion air. (III) HVAC and Specialty Applications
Large-scale air conditioning: Aluminum-copper composite embedded finned tube assemblies reduce heat exchanger volume by 40% and increase heat transfer flux density by 3 times;
High-end manufacturing: In pharmaceutical reactors, finned tube modules with integrated temperature sensors achieve precise temperature control of ±0.5℃;
Marine engineering: In seawater desalination systems, corrosion-resistant material combinations resist corrosion in high-salt environments.
V. Selection and Usage Recommendations
Process matching: For high-pressure systems (>5MPa), extrusion-like process products are preferred; for corrosive media environments, spiral wound embedded stainless steel finned tubes are recommended;
Maintenance optimization: Using AI thermal imaging to monitor fin degradation can reduce downtime by 30%;
Sustainability: Nano-coated finned tubes in a 10MW waste heat recovery unit can reduce CO₂ emissions by 18 tons per year, meeting the requirements of low-carbon production.
