Seawater cooling and firewater lines
Piping that resists seawater and refuses to foul
Seawater service punishes materials two ways: chloride attack and biofouling. Cupro nickel answers both — the oxide film resists corrosion and the copper content stops barnacles and mussels settling — while super duplex and titanium take over where velocity, temperature or sand loading go beyond it.
[ 02 ] Selection
How we choose the material for this duty.
- General seawater cooling and firewater mains up to 3.5 m/s: cupro nickel 90/10
- Higher velocity, turbulence or hot brine: cupro nickel 70/30 or 66/30/2/2
- High pressure and structurally loaded seawater piping: super duplex 2507
- Heat transfer surfaces in seawater: titanium Grade 2 tube
- Matching fittings, flanges and transition pieces supplied with the pipe
Grades we would specify.
Questions buyers ask about this duty.
Why cupro nickel instead of stainless steel for seawater?
Austenitic stainless pits and crevice-corrodes in stagnant seawater and fouls heavily. Cupro nickel builds a protective film in flowing seawater and its copper content prevents macrofouling, so cooling lines stay clean without continuous chlorination.
90/10 or 70/30?
90/10 covers general seawater cooling and firewater up to about 3.5 m/s. Move to 70/30 where velocity, turbulence, temperature or sand loading are higher — typically pump discharge, bends and hot brine — and to 66/30/2/2 for MSF desalination heat recovery.
Send the duty, not just the grade.
Tell us the service conditions, the current material and what life you are getting. Our Dubai desk comes back with the grade, the thickness and what is in stock.