Finned Tube Heat Exchanger
Helical, L-foot or extruded fin geometries match the gas-side film coefficient — used in air coolers, economizers and waste-heat recovery.
- Air coolers
- Economizers
- Flue-gas heat recovery
- · Plate / tube material
- · Design pressure & temperature
- · Connection type and size
- · Code and certification
Finned Tube Heat Exchanger Overview
A Finned Tube Heat Exchanger uses extended surface (fins) on the gas side of a tube bundle to compensate for the much lower film coefficient of gases compared with liquids. The fins multiply the effective heat-transfer area by 10× to 25×, allowing economic heat transfer between a process liquid (or condensing steam) and ambient or process air.
Typical fin geometries include helical wrap-on fins, L-foot / LL-foot wound fins, extruded bi-metallic fins (aluminum extruded over a steel tube), and serrated / segmented fins for higher gas-side turbulence. Tubes are arranged in inline or staggered pitch patterns inside a steel casing with axial or centrifugal fans, or natural draft.
Common applications are air-cooled heat exchangers (ACHE), economizers on boilers and gas turbines, flue-gas heat recovery, refrigeration condensers, process gas coolers and HVAC coils.
Operating Conditions
| Tube-side design pressure | Up to 10 MPa (100 bar), service-dependent |
| Design temperature | Up to +400 °C continuous (alloy and fin type dependent) |
| Gas-side velocity | Optimized for low pressure drop and acoustic limits |
| Construction | Air-cooled bundles, finned-tube coils, economizer panels |
Materials of Construction
| Tubes | Carbon steel, stainless, copper, copper-nickel, titanium |
| Fins | Aluminum (1050/1100), carbon steel, stainless, copper |
| Fin attachment | Wrap-on tension, L-foot, embedded G-fin, extruded bi-metallic, welded serrated |
| Casing | Carbon steel painted, galvanized, or stainless for corrosive ambient |
Selection Parameters
Information our engineering team uses to size and quote this unit.
- Gas composition, dust loading and dew point
- Tube-side fluid, pressure, temperature and duty
- Ambient design temperature and altitude
- Allowable footprint and noise level
- Required materials (carbon, stainless, bi-metallic) based on gas chemistry and temperature
RFQ Data Checklist
Send the items below with your inquiry for the fastest accurate quotation.
- Gas analysis (composition, dust, dew point, mass flow)
- Tube-side fluid and full process data
- Inlet/outlet temperatures and required duty
- Site ambient conditions and altitude
- Footprint, noise and power constraints
- Materials and fin geometry preferences
Finned Tube Heat Exchanger Industry Applications
Carbon-steel bare tubes with welded serrated fins, recovering heat from 350 °C flue gas to feed-water.
Lube-oil cooling on a remote gas-compression station with no available cooling water.
Extruded bi-metallic finned-tube bundle on the exhaust duct of a small gas turbine driving an ORC system.
Frequently Asked Questions
Related industries
Other products
Related Guides
Sourcing, verification and next steps
Every unit is engineered to the confirmed duty, materials and inspection scope of the order. Design codes, test certificates and third-party inspection are quoted as options and confirmed per project rather than assumed. See our heat exchanger manufacturing and OEM capability, the quality control and inspection workflow, and the heat exchanger cost guide for what drives price. For a first-pass thermal check, use the heat exchanger sizing calculator, then send your process data for a quotation.
Need a Heat Exchanger for Your Project?
Send your working conditions, drawing or datasheet. Blair will review your request and help confirm the next step.