When to choose steel or stainless steel fins
As a follow up to my blog on steel and stainless steel tubes, steel or stainless steel may also be the best choice for your fins.
Since fins are responsible for most of the heat transfer in your coils, they also come in a variety of materials, including copper, aluminum, steel and stainless steel. The material chosen for fins depends on several factors:
- Desired heat transfer levels
- Compatibility with air, gasses or particulates passing over fins
- Compatibility with other materials used in the coils
- Installation and service requirements
- The budget for the project
Copper fins offer the best heat transfer, while aluminum fins offer good value. Steel fins reduce heat transfer compared to aluminum fins. Compared to both aluminum and steel, stainless steel fins significantly reduce heat transfer.
As I mentioned in my last blog, when selecting materials for your coils, you need to make sure the materials chosen for tubes, fins and other parts of the coil are compatible. When dissimilar metals, like copper tubes and aluminum fins, are used together, galvanic corrosion occurs. Stainless steel fins are often used for hot water coils and steam coils in corrosive environments.
At Emergent Coils we help you select the best materials for your coils. If you are unsure whether steel or stainless steel fins are right for your project, give us a call at 855-Coil-Now.