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The Advantages of Stainless Steel Capillary Tubing

Stainless steel capillary tubing, known for its high precision and seamless design, is utilized in a variety of instrumentation measurement applications. Constructed with a heavy wall and small diameter (usually 1/8" or less), this tubing is essential in critical applications, ranging from nuclear reactors to aerospace resistojets.

Advances in the life sciences sector have led to the development of smaller assemblies that operate under higher pressures. Ultra-small diameter capillary tubing is essential for the performance of High Performance and Ultra-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC and UPLC) equipment. This tubing, often with outer diameters less than 1/16th inch (1.59 mm), is integral to many critical uses. Moreover, seamless capillary tubing enhances sampling efficiencies in crucial applications.

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Stainless Steel Capillary Tubing Vital Applications

HPLC is one of the most versatile analytical tools in laboratories, though it presents challenges like band broadening, poor resolution, and undesirable peak shapes. When choosing tubing for HPLC applications, it is important to consider:

  • Optimal material
  • Appropriate size
  • Proper tubing preparation (flat, burr-free end, and centered thru-hole cut)

Smooth-bore capillaries are often necessary to minimize Newtonian flow through the sample loop, ensuring better sample readings.

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Specialized Manufacturing Techniques

Certain manufacturing techniques are crucial for maintaining product cleanliness in these applications. Impurities such as oil, grease, and other foreign materials from the manufacturing process can lead to cross-contamination and inaccurate sample readings. Conventional tubing often requires additional on-site cleaning before installation. To reduce cross-contamination risks and save time, special processes have been developed where tubing undergoes high-pressure and high-temperature cleaning immediately after manufacturing, removing residual impurities. This process ensures tubing with fewer impurities, maintaining sample integrity and providing consistently reliable results.

Stainless Steel Capillary Tubing Advantages

High-quality seamless capillary tubing is made from a single homogeneous piece of steel with a continuous, uninterrupted grain structure, making it ideal for applications requiring consistent material throughout the tubing. Welds and mechanical fittings can create discontinuities that may lead to crevice corrosion and mechanical failure.

High-quality stainless steel forms a passive protective layer on the surface in the presence of oxygen. Poor heat treatment and welding can disrupt this layer by altering the chemical composition in the Heat Affected Zone (HAZ), as different alloying elements have varying melting points.

Stainless Steel Capillary Tubing Applications

High-precision capillary tubing is used in numerous instrumentation systems, including:

  • HPLC tubing
  • UPLC tubing
  • Coriolis tubing
  • Remote seal pressure transmitter tubing
  • Sheath tubing
  • Hydraulic tubing

Certain applications require long lengths of stainless steel coil tubing where joints (welds or fittings) are not acceptable over extended runs. However, many critical capillary applications demand short lengths of tubing.

Other high-precision devices utilizing this type of capillary tubing include:

  • Manometers
  • Flow meters
  • Pressure meters & sensors
  • Differential pressure transducers
  • Pressure, level, flow, and temperature transmitters
  • Bourdon-tube gauges
  • Coriolis flow meters

Conclusion

Stainless steel capillary tubing‘s high precision, seamless design, and resistance to impurities make it indispensable in numerous critical applications. Its consistent material quality and ability to maintain sample integrity under high pressures and small diameters highlight its versatility and reliability in various high-performance and ultra-performance instrumentation systems.

stainless steel capillary tube
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Stainless steel seamless capillary tubing

The Advantages of Stainless Steel Capillary Tubing

Stainless steel capillary tubing, known for its high precision and seamless design, is utilized in a variety of instrumentation measurement applications. Constructed with a heavy wall and small diameter (usually 1/8″ or less), this tubing is essential in critical applications, ranging from nuclear reactors to aerospace resistojets.

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