Copper pipes are not used very often in the assembly of heating circuits. Their cost is not very attractive to owners of private houses and apartment owners. However, if the installation is done correctly, the high cost of the copper pipeline will be recouped over many years of operation without repair costs.
We will tell you how to choose the right copper pipes for heating. The article we presented shows the features of marking and describes how to connect components. Independent owners will find instructions for assembling heating systems here.
There are two large groups of copper pipes: thick-walled and thin-walled. Pipes included in the first group have increased strength characteristics. They are produced using seamless and welded methods.
Pipes of the second group have found application in shipbuilding, automotive industry, aviation, i.e. where communication systems must be lightweight and highly durable. The cross-section of copper pipes can be either round, rectangular or square. As a rule, profile pipes are not used in heating systems.
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Although copper pipes are known for their strength, they can easily withstand pressure surges, temperature changes, and repeated freezing; they do not withstand mechanical stress well. Therefore, when laying a pipeline, protection against impacts should be provided.
A coolant such as water contains sand and other suspended particles. The result of their impact on soft copper is erosion. To avoid this phenomenon, it is necessary to include water purification filters in the system.
The service life of pipes is also affected by water hardness. The value of this indicator in milligrams below 1.42 and above 3.1 significantly reduces their longevity. This is explained by the fact that chlorine dissolved in water reacts with the oxide film present on the walls of the pipe. The result is durable protective armor.
If the water hardness does not meet the standards, this protective layer begins to deteriorate, then due to the presence of chlorine it is regenerated. If this process is repeated many times, copper resources become depleted.
When connecting the pipeline, overheating, which negatively affects the strength, should be avoided. The flux that remains after soldering must be removed, as it can cause corrosion.
If you need to bend a copper pipe, you need to use a special tool for this. An unsuccessfully bent pipe can be corrected once, and then all that remains is to remove the crumpled section.
The ideal option is to install a heating system from the same pipes. If for some reason this does not work out, you need to use transition fittings - brass or bronze. Adapters made from other materials may not provide electrochemical compatibility.
Copper pipes can be installed even at very low temperatures, so this heating system is a rational solution for regions where cold weather is normal.
To prevent pipes made from other materials from corroding under the influence of copper, a certain sequence of connecting such a combined pipeline relative to the vector of movement of the water flow is needed. Copper pipes must be installed after elements made of other metals.
If you plan to lay pipes inside the wall, you need to use copper pipes in a plastic sheath. It will not only serve as thermal insulation, but will also protect the metal from destruction. Copper pipes and stray currents have a detrimental effect.
Joining copper pipes
Copper pipes are connected using different methods. The most popular 2 approaches to this issue are soldering and assembly using compression or press fittings. Mainly permanent and conditionally detachable connections are made.
In such a pipeline there are practically no additional parts, except for the elements with which devices are connected to the pipeline. To install the system using this method, special tools are required. Without the appropriate qualifications, it is difficult to make a connection by welding or soldering.
The use of fittings facilitates installation, requires less effort and reduces pipeline assembly time. This type of connection can be detachable or permanent.
The detachable connection is made using self-locking, threaded and compression fittings. This method complicates the design; connections must be checked periodically, but even a person without experience can perform the installation.
Permanent crimp connections
In order for manufacturers to produce special fittings that differ in purpose, installation methods, and the material from which they are made.
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Press connections are formed using crimp couplings and shaped fittings with an elastomer seal placed inside them
To assemble a pipeline with permanent connections installed by crimping, you need press pliers. You don’t have to buy them for a one-time job, you can rent them
Press connections are classified as permanent. They are installed once and never disassembled. Their service life is equal to the service life of the pipeline
To form a press connection, you can use manual or electric pliers. Both types of tools are mobile, but the second requires power supply or battery charging
Crimp fittings
Performing crimping using crimping jaws
Press connections in the heating system
Pipeline assembly on site
Based on their purpose, the following fittings exist:
- Bends that are needed for joining pipes of different sections for corner connections.
- Crosses, which are also called tees and are used when installing branches from the main pipeline.
- Couplings used on straight routes to connect copper pipes of different diameters.
- Push-in fittings, which are used when installing automation in a heating system.
For copper pipes, compression fittings made of copper, brass, and bronze are most often chosen. Sometimes brass fittings are treated with nickel to give them extra strength.
Brass elements for connecting copper pipes are cheaper than copper ones, and are not inferior in strength to stainless steel. All fittings, regardless of manufacturer, have dimensions regulated by international standards and are interchangeable.
One-piece connection is a connection using the pressing method. Since copper is very ductile, installation is carried out using press fittings and crimp sleeves. In terms of tightness and strength, such a connection can be compared to soldering, and it is stronger than a compression one.
Visually, press fittings are similar to connectors for capillary soldering. The difference is the presence of an O-ring made of high-quality polymer.
In order to connect pipes using a press fitting, they are cut into pieces of the required length, the ends are cleaned, and calibrated. Afterwards, the ends are pushed into the connector and the joint is clamped using special pliers
When installing a heating system using copper pipes of small and medium diameters, low-temperature soldering is mainly used. Welding is used when large cross-section pipes are used. The pressing method is in demand when installing heated floors.
Compression connectors
To install compression fittings, there is no need for special equipment or the use of open flame. All you need are wrenches, a calibrator mandrel, and a cutter. To make such connections, push-in or compression fittings are required.
There are 2 types of compression fittings - some, with index A, connect hard and semi-hard pipes, others, designated with index B, connect soft and semi-hard pipes. The fitting includes a body, a crimp nut, and a copper crimp ring, which is flattened when pressure is applied to it.
This makes the connection sealed and resistant to vibration fatigue. The connection is made according to the same scheme as when installing press fittings.
The joining ends of the copper pipe segments are cleaned, the section geometry is checked using a gauge, a crimp ring is put on, and the ends of the pipe are inserted into the fitting until it stops. The nut is first tightened by hand, and when the pipe becomes motionless in relation to the connector, they take the tool and tighten it.
Type A crimp fittings are sometimes used not only for connecting pipes made of hard copper, but also for products made of soft copper. In the latter case, a support sleeve is inserted inside to avoid deformation of the pipe ends
The strength of fittings is weakened by temperature instability and pressure surges. After a certain time, the seals wear out. To monitor this weak link in the system, connectors must be located so that they are easily accessible.
Copper pipes cannot be threaded. To connect them with threaded parts, special adapters are produced. Their design provides for the presence of a socket that connects the fitting to the pipe by crimping or soldering and threading on the opposite side.
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Fittings installed by screwing onto a thread are needed for detachable and conditionally detachable connections
Fittings for compression connections are first installed literally by hand, then tightened with a wrench or adjustable wrench
During twisting, ductile copper is deformed as a result of which it creates an almost monolithic connection
Compression connections are used mainly when installing shut-off and control valves - devices that require periodic replacement and repair
Copper pipes and bends are structural elements for creating climate control equipment and plumbing. They differ from others in their anti-corrosion quality, resistance to water hammer, exceptional reliability and resistance to deformation. Widely used for freon air conditioning systems. Can be used in electrical energy, construction and housing and communal services.
Range
In our store you can find any models for freon air conditioning systems, based on diameter, wall thickness and length. Currently, we offer cold-rolled, drawn and pressed copper pipes with a round cross-section. Manufactured according to GOST 617-2006 from electrolytic copper Cu-DHP. The percentage of copper and phosphorus is 99.9% to 0.015%. They have an absolutely smooth inner surface. Typically presented in 15 meter sizes.
Characteristics
Copper tubes and bends from the manufacturer are presented in our store with the following characteristics:
- Operating temperature range - from 200 to 300 degrees;
- Permissible atmospheric pressure - from 100 to 200 atmospheres;
- Burst pressure of copper tubes - from 10 to 40%;
- Wall thickness in inches - from 0.03 to 0.39;
- The service life of copper tubes and bends is more than 70 years;
- Cross-sectional shape - round;
- Wall thickness - thin or thick;
- Method of production of products - cold-rolled or cold-deformed, pressed or hot-deformed;
- The type of winding used is free, layer-by-layer ordered or flat spiral;
- The state of the material is stretched, soft or hard;
- The type of copper pipe for the air conditioner is inch.
They are distinguished by plasticity, duration of uninterrupted operation, flexibility in processing, retention of a given shape, the ability to use connecting fittings, resistance to freezing and defrosting while maintaining integrity. They also have high homogeneity, resistance to chemicals and UV rays.
Where to order and buy?
In our store you can buy a standard copper pipe for freon air conditioning systems or order it according to individual parameters at a low cost. For 10 years, we have been successfully engaged not only in selling products, but also in grinding, flexible and cutting copper pipes according to individual sizes and customer sketches.
You can purchase products at home at a favorable price using fast delivery through the online store, points of sale in Moscow and branches in the regions. All the user needs is to contact our managers through a convenient contact form.
When designating products, for example, a copper pipe with a diameter of 8 mm, we mean one of the main parameters of pipes - the outer diameter. Many properties of the future pipeline (working pressure, length, etc.) depend on this indicator. It is necessary to be able to operate with quantities such as inches and millimeters, since according to GOST, they are the main measures of this parameter. The digital equivalent of the values of parameters such as length and diameter is often used in formulas for various calculations.
Today, we can distinguish the following diameters of copper pipes, which, one way or another, appear in the tables:
- External;
- Interior;
- Nominal.
The very need for comparative tables with diameters arose due to different standards in Russia and Europe (All products related to copper pipes:). Since most pipe manufacturers are foreign, the characteristics use inches, while in our territory they operate with mm values, see.
| Ø, inch | Outer diameter + wall thickness, mm |
| 1/4 | 6.35+0.76 |
| 3/8 | 9.52+0.81 |
| 1/2 | 12.7+0.81 |
| 5/8 | 15.9+0.90 |
| 3/4 | 19.05+0.89 |
| 7/8 | 22.23+1.14 |
| 1 | 25.4+1.14 |
| 1 1/8 | 28.58+1.27 |
| 1 3/8 | 34.93+1.40 |
| 1 5/8 | 41.27+1.53 |
| 2 1/8 | 53.98+1.78 |
| 2 5/8 | 66.68+2.03 |
| 3 1/8 | 79.39+2.30 |
| 3 5/8 | 92.08+2.54 |
| 4 1/8 | 104.74+2.80 |
Copper pipe: diameter 15
The most popular, durable and relatively inexpensive copper pipe, diameter 15 mm - 20 mm (or ½ and ¾) is used in Europe and the Russian Federation as the basis for heat exchange networks of the following closed systems:
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- Heating system;
- Refrigeration unit;
- Solar battery;
- Split system.
Another common size, which is designated using a 5/8 copper pipe, the diameter in mm is 16. In addition, there are general concepts such as nominal diameter and wall thickness. It is important to know the nominal diameter when purchasing fittings connecting individual sections of pipeline (also measured in mm and inches). You might also want to.
Copper pipe diameter table
The following comparison table is helpful when you are comparing copper pipe diameters for air conditioners, and is also shown for larger sizes used in heating and cooling applications.
The Regional House of Metal company supplies products such as copper tubes with a diameter of 6 mm or more, in any batches from warehouses in St. Petersburg. If you are interested in, say, copper pipes for air conditioners, then you should. We will quickly collect your order according to your technical requirements and deliver it using our own transport to any point in the Russian Federation, contact us, we are always in touch!
One of the advantages characteristic of copper pipes is the relatively simple installation, which can be done with your own hands after a short practice. However, in this case, the main difficulty is not the arrangement of the connections itself, but the selection of elements according to the cross-section and wall thickness.
It should be noted here that such products began to be actively used in the West, which is why instead of the familiar metric system, the inch system is widely used. This is what often confuses inexperienced craftsmen, and therefore, to solve the problem, we strongly recommend studying this article.
Material characteristics
General properties and production methods
Copper pipes are a material that began to be used for arranging communications quite a long time ago. This was facilitated by the relative ease of metal processing, as well as good performance. This combination of qualities has led to the fact that copper is still actively used today - albeit not on the same scale as steel, cast iron or technological polymers.
Today there are two methods for producing pipes.
Which are of the highest quality, and therefore very popular, do this:
- Copper bar is taken as a raw material. Usually it contains not only copper, but also various additives that improve the performance characteristics of the finished product.
- Next, the block is heated, after which a hollow sleeve with fairly thick walls is formed from it on a piercing mill.
- After this, the liner is sent to a rolling mill, where round rollers process its surface, thinning the walls and passing the part through a calibrating die. The result is, for example, a 1 4-inch copper pipe - depending on what section was set in the machine settings and what workpiece was used.
Note! When producing large-diameter parts, it is possible to reheat the sleeve to facilitate rolling. Naturally, in this case, the cost of producing the part increases.
Welded products are produced much less frequently. In this case, a strip of metal is taken as a workpiece, which is rolled into a tube around a matrix of a certain size. The edges of the strip are welded and the seam is cleaned.
Further processing largely determines the properties of the material:
- Unannealed pipes are more durable, but at the same time more rigid and less convenient for installation. After manufacturing, they are not subjected to heat treatment, due to which the internal structure of the metal remains unchanged.
- If, after production, the workpieces undergo an annealing procedure, then the internal crystal lattice of copper is partially modified. On the one hand, this leads to a slight loss of strength and a decrease in the melting point, but on the other hand, the product becomes flexible, which greatly simplifies installation.
Note! Annealed copper pipe 5-8 inches (and sometimes parts with a larger cross-section) can be supplied in coils of significant footage. Unannealed varieties are almost always supplied individually, since attempting to bend them can result in permanent deformation.
Advantages
Among the advantages of copper pipes are the following:
- Firstly, the material is practically not subject to corrosion.. Even with prolonged contact with liquid under fairly harsh conditions (temperature changes, salinity, presence of carbon dioxide), only a patina (a characteristic green coating) may appear. This coating does not affect the operational properties of the structure.
Note! Experts do not recommend cleaning patina from areas hidden from our view: it is chemically inert, and therefore acts as an additional protective layer. Naturally, such instructions are informal, but they are very effective.
- Another plus is the smooth inner surface. Build-ups do not form inside (as, for example, in cast iron or steel products), and therefore even a fairly thin 8mm copper pipe retains its permeability throughout its entire service life.
- The advantages include high ductility with good heat resistance. It is for this reason that copper is used in various heat exchangers: the material is guaranteed not to melt (even the thinnest wall can withstand up to +250 0 C without signs of deformation), and its flexibility allows you to design a rather complex layout.
- Finally, the advantages include a wide range. You can select a part for almost any task, since the list of available diameters amounts to more than a dozen values.
If we talk about the disadvantages, then the most significant for us will be the high price. Neither copper heating pipes nor copper plumbing can be called budget solutions.
However, good performance indicators along with an attractive appearance compensate for this shortcoming. Therefore, if possible, pay once and don’t think about the functioning of the system anymore.
Size chart
Main sections and translation methods
As we noted above, most often the pipe cross-section is indicated in fractions of an English inch. This is difficult only at first glance, because once you figure it out, you can literally “on the fly” convert these values, selecting a part in accordance with the task.
The calculations are quite simple:
- So, the value of one inch is approximately 25 mm (actually 25.4 mm, but such accuracy is needed only in very rare cases).
- Now, to find out, for example, the diameter in mm of a copper pipe of 1 4 inches, we multiply 25 by 1/4. As a result, we get a value of 6.25 mm.
Advice! In this way, only an approximate value can be obtained, since deviations are usually explained by different wall thicknesses for different sizes. However, this accuracy is enough for everyday needs.
The complete table of copper pipe diameters is given below:
| Section, inches | Outer diameter, mm | Wall thickness, mm |
| 1/4 | 6,4 | 0,6 |
| 3/8 | 9,5 | 0,7 |
| 1/2 | 12,7 | 0,9 |
| 5/8 | 15,9 | 1,02 |
| 3/4 | 19,05 | 1,02 |
| 7/8 | 22,2 | 1,1 |
| 1 1/8 | 28,6 | 1,3 |
| 1 3/8 | 35,0 | 1,4 |
| 2 1/8 | 54 | 1,78 |
| 2 5/8 | 66,7 | 2,03 |
| 3 1/8 | 79,4 | 2,5 |
| 4 1/8 | 104,7 | 2,8 |
Note! Sometimes the pipe marking does not indicate inches, but the cross-section and wall thickness in millimeters. For example, a 6x1 copper pipe has a diameter of 6 mm and a wall of 1 mm.
Product weight
Knowing these data, you can quite easily calculate the mass of a linear meter to calculate the load on supporting structures:
M = (D - S) * S * 3.14 * p/1000, where
- M – specific gravity of the pipe (kg/m.m).
- D – outer diameter, mm.
- S – wall thickness, mm.
- P – copper density, 8.9 g/cm3.
Therefore, if we have a copper pipe 1 1 8, then:
M = (28.6 – 1.3) * 1.3 * 3.14 * 8.9/1000 = 752 g/m.
As in the case of the cross-section, the figures are quite approximate, but they are quite sufficient to assess the situation.
Use of pipes of different diameters
The range of applications for copper products is quite wide:
- Copper pipe 10 mm or less is used for installation of internal heat exchangers in heating and air conditioning systems. The small diameter of such pipes ensures maximum operating efficiency of such devices due to good energy transfer.
- Products from 10 to 25 mm are used for installation of water pipelines. 1 2 inch copper pipe is one of the most commonly used pipes when installing a water supply system. The same goes for 3/4″ parts.
- Varieties up to 40-45 mm are used for drainage systems. Despite their relatively small diameter, they provide effective drainage due to their high permeability.
- Copper pipe 3 8, as well as thicker varieties, are also well suited for heating systems. The high heat resistance of the material, together with the excellent thermal conductivity of thin walls, allows you to heat a room with minimal energy consumption.
- The thickest bends from the water-carrying main, and also as decorative and protective elements, for example, casings for semi-open wiring.
Conclusion
Using the information presented above, you can quite easily determine the diameter in mm of a 1 2 inch copper pipe, calculate the specific gravity of such a product, and understand whether it is suitable for the task facing us. However, over time, the skill will appear, and you simply won’t have to do the calculations.
Copper pipes, although a fairly expensive material, are widely used in the construction of various pipelines. The main characteristics of copper pipes include durability, the ability to be used at any temperature of the flowing liquid, and non-susceptibility to corrosion and other aggressive environments. In order for the pipeline to serve for a long time without interruptions, it is necessary to select the correct diameter of the copper pipe.
Types of copper pipes
Copper pipes can be classified according to several criteria:
- According to the manufacturing method, they are divided into the following types:
- Annealed pipes are produced by heat treatment. They are characterized by increased elasticity, which determines the scope of their application. In most cases, temperature-treated pipes are installed in air conditioning systems, heated floors, and refrigeration units. The main disadvantage of annealed pipes is the reduction in the strength of the material as a result of processing. Annealed pipes are produced in different diameters and are mainly sold in coils up to 50 m long;
To increase the strength index, annealed pipes can be manufactured with a protective shell.
- non-annealed pipes are highly durable, but less elastic. They are mainly used when installing heating, water supply, gas supply or sewerage systems. Unannealed pipes are also manufactured in different diameters and, as a rule, are supplied in lengths of up to 5 m;
- section type. Copper pipes can be produced in round or rectangular shapes. The latter are widely used for drainage systems;
- sizes. For various pipelines, it is necessary to correctly select not only the outer and inner diameters, but also the thickness of the pipe wall.
Rules for selecting pipes for various systems
Each pipeline has special characteristics, so when choosing pipes, all parameters should be taken into account.
Selection of pipes for water supply and wastewater systems
The diameter of the pipe in the heating system cannot be greater than the outlet diameter of the heating equipment.
Copper pipes in the heating system are described in detail in the video.
Selection of pipes for gas supply
Depending on the pressure in the system, gas pipelines are divided into the following types:
- with low pressure (less than 0.005 MPa);
- with average pressure (0.005 MPa - 0.3 MPa);
- with high pressure (more than 0.3 MPa).
Copper pipes are allowed to be used exclusively for the installation of gas pipelines with low and medium pressure, that is, for domestic gas pipelines.
According to regulatory documents, copper pipes are used for pipeline laying:
- with a diameter of no more than 15.9 cm;
- wall thickness up to 5 mm.
A more accurate calculation of the diameter is made exclusively by specialists.
Copper pipe marking
To determine the technical characteristics of the selected pipes, it is enough to correctly read the markings, which are applied in accordance with GOST 617-19.
The label must indicate:
- method used in manufacturing (D - drawn, G - pressed, and so on);
- cross-section of the manufactured pipe (for example, KR - round);
- accuracy in production (N – normal, P – increased);
- type (M - soft, P - semi-hard, and so on);
- outer diameter (the diameters of all copper pipes are indicated in mm. It is unacceptable to indicate the diameters of copper pipes in inches);
- wall thickness (in mm);
- length of the segment;
- grade of copper used for manufacturing.
For example, DKRNM 12*1*3000 M2:
- D – drawn pipe;
- KR - has a round cross-section;
- N – has normal accuracy;
- M – soft;
- outer diameter 12 mm;
- pipe wall thickness is 1 mm;
- pipe length 300 mm;
- The pipe is made of M2 grade copper.
The selection of pipe diameters for pipelines is carried out based on system parameters: length, pressure, temperature, diagram, and so on. In order not to carry out calculations using complex mathematical formulas on your own, you can use the recommendations developed by specialists or seek help from professionals.