BS 3059-2 Grade 360 Boiler Tube Manufacturer & Supplier - USA Piping Solution

We are a knowledgeable national supplier of BS 3059-2 Grade 360 Boiler Tube. This specific British Standard outlines the requirements for carbon steel tubes, both seamless and electric resistance welded (ERW), intended for use at elevated temperatures within boilers, superheaters, and associated pressure equipment. We provide access to a broad range of certified BS 3059-2 Gr 360 tubes, ensuring compliance and reliability for power generation and industrial heating applications. Trust USA Piping Solution for efficient sourcing, technical support, and dependable delivery of your BS 3059-2 Grade 360 Boiler Tube requirements across the United States.

What are BS 3059-2 Grade 360 Boiler Tubes?

The designation BS 3059-2 Grade 360 Boiler Tube refers to tubing manufactured in accordance with Part 2 of the British Standard BS 3059. This part of the standard specifically addresses steel boiler and superheater tubes made from carbon, alloy, and austenitic stainless steels, detailing requirements for tubes with specified elevated temperature properties. Grade 360 identifies a particular carbon steel composition within this standard, recognized for its suitability in moderate-temperature boiler and heat exchanger applications.

Key aspects defined by this standard and grade include:

• British Standard Framework: BS 3059 provides the specific technical requirements, distinct from other international standards like ASTM or EN, though functional equivalents may exist.
• Elevated Temperature Service: The standard is fundamentally concerned with tubes designed to operate reliably under pressure at temperatures found in steam generation and related processes. Grade 360 offers performance suitable for many common boiler and superheater conditions.
• Manufacturing Options: BS 3059-2 covers tubes produced by both Seamless methods (originating from solid billets) and Electric Resistance Welded (ERW) methods (formed from steel strip). The choice between seamless and ERW often depends on specific pressure/temperature demands, code requirements, and economic factors.
• Grade 360 Characteristics: This grade represents a plain carbon steel with controlled chemistry (low carbon, moderate manganese) designed to offer adequate strength at temperature, good thermal conductivity, and suitability for welding and fabrication typical in boiler construction.

Therefore, specifying BS 3059 Part 2 Gr 360 ensures procurement of Carbon Steel Boiler Tubes that meet established British standards for material composition, mechanical properties, manufacturing methods, and testing appropriate for reliable service in steam generation and heat transfer equipment operating at elevated temperatures.

BS 3059-2 Grade 360 Tube Specifications

Ensuring compliance with the detailed technical parameters within BS 3059 Part 2 is essential for the safe and effective use of Grade 360 tubes in boiler and superheater applications. USA Piping Solution supplies materials verified against these critical criteria.

Technical Specifications Overview

• Governing Standard: BS 3059: Part 2 (Specification for steel boiler and superheater tubes - Carbon, alloy and austenitic stainless steel tubes with specified elevated temperature properties). Must be read in conjunction with BS 3059: Part 1 (Specification for carbon steel tubes with specified room temperature properties), where applicable for general requirements.
• Material Designation: Grade 360 (indicating minimum tensile strength in MPa).
• Production Methods: Covers both Seamless and Electric Resistance Welded (ERW) manufacturing processes. The specific method required should be clearly stated.
• Size Range (Outside Diameter - OD): The standard typically covers common boiler tube sizes, often ranging from approximately 0.75 inches (19 mm) up to 4.5 inches (114.3 mm) OD, though the full scope may vary.
• Wall Thickness: Supplied to specified minimum or nominal wall thicknesses, often designated in millimeters (mm) or Standard Wire Gauge (SWG).
• Form: Primarily supplied as Round tubing.
• End Preparation: Usually supplied with Plain Ends (PE), cut square and deburred, suitable for welding into tube sheets or headers. Beveled Ends (BE) may be specified if required for specific welding procedures.
• Length: Available in standard mill lengths or can be supplied cut to precise lengths required for specific boiler or heat exchanger designs.
• Dimensional Tolerances: Defined within BS 3059 Part 1 and Part 2, covering permissible variations in outside diameter, wall thickness, length, and straightness. Tolerances differ slightly between seamless and welded tubes.
• Heat Treatment: Tubes are typically supplied in a condition suitable for the specified properties, often involving normalizing or similar heat treatments depending on the manufacturing route (especially for seamless).

Chemical Composition and Mechanical Properties

The suitability of BS 3059-2 Grade 360 Boiler Tube for elevated temperature service relies on its controlled chemical makeup and guaranteed mechanical strength at operating temperatures (though room temperature properties are typically specified for verification).

Chemical Composition Requirements (% by Weight)

Grade 360 specifies a straightforward carbon-manganese steel composition appropriate for moderate temperature applications.

Element	Grade 360 Requirement (%)	Significance for Boiler Tube Performance
Carbon (C)	0.17 maximum	Controlled for adequate strength and good weldability.
Manganese (Mn)	0.40 – 0.80	Contributes to strength at room and elevated temperatures.
Phosphorus (P)	0.035 maximum	Limited impurity to maintain material integrity and toughness.
Sulfur (S)	0.035 maximum	Restricted impurity to ensure good weld quality and prevent defects.
Silicon (Si)	0.10 – 0.35	Acts as a deoxidizer during steelmaking, contributing to soundness.

This composition provides a balance suitable for general steam generation purposes within its temperature limits.

Mechanical Property Requirements (Minimum Values at Room Temperature)

The standard defines minimum mechanical properties tested at ambient temperature to ensure baseline quality and strength. Elevated temperature properties are implied by the grade designation and application standard.

Property	Minimum Requirement(Grade 360)	Description
Tensile Strength	360 - 500 MPa (approx. 52-72 ksi)	The range of ultimate stress the tube must withstand before fracture.
Yield Strength	235 MPa (approx. 34 ksi)	The stress level at which permanent deformation begins.
Elongation (% on L₀=5.65√S₀)	24%	A measure of the tube's ductility, indicating its ability to stretch before breaking.

Mandatory Testing Requirements (Examples from BS 3059):
To verify quality and integrity, the standard mandates several tests:

• Tensile Test: Confirms yield strength, tensile strength, and elongation meet specified minimums.
• Flattening Test: A section of tube is compressed between plates to a defined height. Must show no cracks or flaws, verifying ductility and weld integrity (for ERW tubes).
• Flaring Test (for Seamless): The tube end must be flared over a cone without splitting, demonstrating formability.
• Bend Test (Optional/Supplementary): May be required to further assess ductility.
• Hydrostatic Test or NDE: Each tube must be pressure tested hydrostatically or subjected to an equivalent non-destructive electrical test (e.g., eddy current) to ensure leak tightness.

Successful completion of these tests confirms the tube meets the quality requirements for BS 3059 Grade 360 service.

Manufacturing Processes: Seamless vs. ERW Boiler Tubes

BS 3059 Part 2 allows for boiler tubes to be produced using either seamless or electric resistance welded methods. Understanding the difference is helpful for selection:

• Seamless (SMLS) Boiler Tubes:
• Process: Starts with a solid round steel billet heated to high temperatures. The billet is then pierced to create a hollow shell, which is subsequently elongated and rolled down to the final tube dimensions without any welding involved.
• Characteristics:
• No weld seam, providing complete homogeneity of the material structure.
• Often preferred for the highest pressure and temperature applications or where absolute structural uniformity is paramount.
• Manufacturing process can sometimes limit the range of very thin walls achievable compared to ERW.
• Generally involves higher production costs compared to ERW.
• Electric Resistance Welded (ERW) Boiler Tubes:
• Process: Begins with flat steel strip (skelp) of the correct grade and thickness. The strip is roll-formed into a cylindrical shape, and the abutting edges are heated using high-frequency electric current and forged together under pressure to create a longitudinal weld seam. No filler metal is added. Post-weld heat treatment (like normalizing) is typically applied to refine the structure of the weld and heat-affected zone.
• Characteristics:
• Contains a longitudinal weld seam. Modern ERW processes produce high-integrity welds, but the seam represents a microstructural difference from the base metal.
• Excellent dimensional control, particularly wall thickness uniformity, is achievable.
• Often a more cost-effective manufacturing route compared to seamless production.
• Widely used and proven reliable in numerous boiler and heat exchanger applications within appropriate design parameters.

The choice between Seamless Boiler Tube and ERW Boiler Tube to BS 3059-2 Gr 360 depends on factors like the specific design code requirements, operating pressure and temperature, criticality of the service, historical preference, and economic considerations. Both methods can produce high-quality tubes meeting the standard's requirements when manufactured correctly.

Key Applications and Industrial Usage

BS 3059-2 Grade 360 Boiler Tube is specifically intended for heat transfer applications involving steam generation and related processes at elevated temperatures. Its primary uses include:

• Boilers: Forming the core tubing components within water-tube and fire-tube boilers where water is heated to produce steam. This includes generating banks, water walls, and convection sections.
• Superheaters: Used in sections of boilers designed to raise the temperature of steam above its saturation point, increasing thermal efficiency. Grade 360 is suitable for lower-to-moderate temperature superheater elements.
• Economizers: Incorporated into heat recovery systems that use hot flue gases to preheat boiler feedwater, improving overall boiler efficiency.
• Heat Exchangers: Employed in various types of heat exchangers operating within similar temperature and pressure ranges, facilitating heat transfer between fluids.
• Power Generation Plants: A fundamental component in conventional fossil fuel power plants (coal, gas, oil) for steam generation circuits.
• Industrial Process Heating: Used in industrial boilers and heating systems providing steam or hot fluids for various manufacturing processes.
• Waste Heat Recovery Units: Found in systems designed to capture and utilize waste heat from industrial processes or engines for steam generation or heating.

The selection of Grade 360 implies the operating conditions (pressure, temperature) fall within the suitable range for this straightforward carbon steel, balancing performance requirements with material cost. Higher temperatures or pressures would necessitate alloy steel grades also covered within BS 3059 or other relevant standards.

BS 3059-2 Grade 360 Size Chart and Weight Chart

This chart provides nominal dimensions based on common pipe schedules and calculated weights for representative sizes often used for BS 3059-2 Grade 360 Boiler Tube. Note that boiler tubes are often specified by OD and minimum wall thickness (e.g., in mm or SWG) rather than NPS/Schedule, but this provides a reference. Weights are estimates.

NPS (in)	OD (in)	Schedule	Wall Thk (in)	Weight (lbs/ft)	Weight ( kg/m )	Notes
1/2"	0.840	40 (STD)	0.109	0.85	1.27
1/2"	0.840	80 (XS)	0.147	1.09	1.62
3/4"	1.050	40 (STD)	0.113	1.13	1.68
3/4"	1.050	80 (XS)	0.154	1.48	2.20
1"	1.315	40 (STD)	0.133	1.68	2.50	Common Size
1"	1.315	80 (XS)	0.179	2.17	3.24
1.25"	1.660	40 (STD)	0.140	2.27	3.38
1.25"	1.660	80 (XS)	0.191	3.00	4.46
1.50"	1.900	40 (STD)	0.145	2.72	4.05
1.50"	1.900	80 (XS)	0.200	3.63	5.40
2"	2.375	40 (STD)	0.154	3.66	5.44	Common Size
2"	2.375	80 (XS)	0.218	5.03	7.48	Heavy Wall
2.50"	2.875	40 (STD)	0.203	5.80	8.63
2.50"	2.875	80 (XS)	0.276	7.67	11.41
3"	3.500	40 (STD)	0.216	7.58	11.29
3"	3.500	80 (XS)	0.300	10.26	15.27
4"	4.500	40 (STD)	0.237	10.80	16.07	Common Size
4"	4.500	80 (XS)	0.337	15.00	22.32

Disclaimer: This table uses NPS/Schedule for reference; actual boiler tubes are often ordered by OD/minimum wall. Weights are theoretical and vary with tolerances.

Certification and Compliance Assurance

Verifying that boiler tubes meet the rigorous requirements of BS 3059 Part 2 is essential for safety and performance in high-temperature, pressure environments. USA Piping Solution ensures materials are supplied with appropriate validation.

• BS 3059-2 Conformance: All tubing supplied under this designation is certified by the manufacturer to fully comply with BS 3059 Part 2 for Grade 360. This includes adherence to chemical composition limits, manufacturing process controls (Seamless or ERW), specified mechanical properties (tensile, yield, elongation), dimensional tolerances, and successful completion of all mandatory tests (flattening, flare, hydrostatic/NDE).
• Mill Test Certification (MTC): Comprehensive Mill Test Certificates are provided, typically conforming to standards like EN 10204 3.1. These certificates offer complete traceability through heat numbers and document the actual results obtained during chemical analysis and mechanical testing, providing critical quality verification.
• ISO 9001 Quality Management: Our internal processes operate under an ISO 9001 certified framework, ensuring consistent procedures for supplier evaluation, material verification, and order processing.
• Standard Marking Practices: Tubes are marked according to the requirements of the standard and industry practice, usually including:
• Manufacturer's identification
• BS 3059 Pt 2 standard reference
• Grade 360 designation
• Manufacturing method (e.g., SMLS or ERW)
• Dimensions (OD x Wall)
• Heat number or traceability code.

This focus on certification provides the necessary assurance for using these tubes in critical boiler and superheater construction and repair.

Why Choose USA Piping Solution for BS 3059-2 Gr 360 Tubes?

Selecting a supplier familiar with international boiler tube standards like BS 3059 offers tangible benefits. USA Piping Solution provides compelling reasons to be your source for BS 3059-2 Grade 360 Boiler Tube:

• Standard Expertise: Our team understands the specific requirements of BS 3059-2 Grade 360, ensuring we source and supply fully compliant materials suitable for boiler and elevated temperature service.
• Global Sourcing Network: While BS standards originate in the UK, we leverage our established relationships with qualified international mills capable of producing high-quality tubes to this specification.
• Inventory Access & Logistics: We maintain access to diverse boiler tube inventories and operate an efficient nationwide logistics network to ensure timely delivery of your requirements.
• Quality Verification: We prioritize sourcing from reputable manufacturers and meticulously review mill certifications (MTCs) to confirm adherence to all standard parameters.
• Processing Capabilities: We offer precision cutting-to-length services, delivering tubes ready for installation or further fabrication.
• Dedicated Customer Service: Our experienced sales and support staff are committed to providing prompt responses, accurate technical information, and efficient management of your orders.

Why USA Piping Solution for SAE J524 Tubing?

Choosing a supplier familiar with the specifics of hydraulic tubing standards is important. USA Piping Solution offers distinct advantages for your SAE J524 Seamless Hydraulic Tubing needs:

• Focused Expertise: We understand the critical nature of SAE J524 requirements – seamless integrity, precise dimensions, surface quality, and superior formability – essential for reliable hydraulic systems.
• Domestic Inventory: Maintaining significant stock of common J524 seamless sizes in the US allows for faster fulfillment compared to typical mill lead times.
• Efficient Distribution: Our logistics network is set up for dependable and timely delivery across the United States.
• Quality Sourcing: We partner with established mills known for consistently producing high-quality seamless hydraulic tubing compliant with the J524 standard.
• Precision Cutting: We offer cut-to-length services, providing tubing prepared for your specific bending and flaring needs.
• Dedicated Service: Our team is focused on providing prompt responses, accurate information, and efficient processing for all J524 tubing inquiries and orders.

Related Boiler Tube and Pipe Products

USA Piping Solution offers a wide selection of tubes and pipes suitable for various temperature and pressure conditions, including several common boiler tube specifications:

Comparing the operating conditions (temperature, pressure) and governing design codes against the capabilities of each standard is essential for proper material selection. Our team can assist with this evaluation.

Fulfill Your BS 3059-2 Grade 360 Boiler Tube Requirements

For boiler, superheater, and heat exchanger applications requiring reliable carbon steel tubes compliant with British Standards for elevated temperature service, select BS 3059-2 Grade 360 Boiler Tube sourced through USA Piping Solution. We provide access to certified seamless and ERW tubes manufactured to meet the demands of steam generation and heat transfer equipment. Ensure the performance and longevity of your pressure equipment with quality materials.

Contact USA Piping Solution today to discuss your specific BS 3059-2 Grade 360 Boiler Tube needs. We will provide a comprehensive and competitive quotation based on your project requirements.

Request Your BS 3059-2 Gr 360 Tube Quote Now!