Can Copper Tube Be Used in Steam and Steam Condensate Piping Systems?
Everyone knows that copper tube has a proven history in use in a variety of applications, however a common question is “can I use copper tube in a steam system?” Just like in water systems, copper tube has long been used in both steam and steam condensate piping systems. The key to its successful use in either high- or low-pressure steam systems is in choosing the appropriate joining method for the service. Let’s consider the most commonly used joining techniques, soldering and brazing. And let’s relate everything back to Table 4. Pressure-Temperature Ratings of Soldered and Brazed Joints as found in the CDA Copper Tube Handbook. If we look at the ratings for soldered joints we see that there are four alloy designations provided in the first column of Table 4. They are Sn50, Sb5, Alloy E (a proprietary solder containing no lead), and Alloy HB (a proprietary solder containing no lead). In each case the maximum pressure rating from 1/8″ through 12″ (nominal) or standard tube sizes is 15
