This section provides data on the three essential properties of materials required for the design of heat exchangers, namely thermal conductivity, the mean coefficient of expansion (from ambient temperature to required temperature), and the modulus of elasticity. A wide variety of materials is used in practice, and the materials listed in the Standards of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) have been taken as a basis for this report, with a few additions. The Unified Numbering System (UNS) and the Werkstoff-Nummer (WN) or DIN-Norm (DIN) have been given where applicable.

Different data sources give large variations (frequently up to 25%) in the values of these properties at high and/or low temperatures. In particular, significant disagreement between ASME and TEMA (Tubular Exchanger Manufacturers’ Association) tables is frequent. Where alternative sources have been referenced, preferred values have been adopted.

Data for many of the materials are available only at ambient temperatures, and values at other temperatures have been estimated by assuming the temperature variation to be similar for similar materials. Curves of property versus temperature sometimes exhibit maxima and minima, for example, in the thermal conductivity of some chromium steels or of aluminum alloys and in the coefficient of expansion of steels at high temperatures. In such cases it was not possible to extrapolate values from data over a limited temperature range because the point of inflection was unknown.

Values are given for carbon and low alloy steels (Table 1), high chrome steels (Table 2), nickel and nickel alloys (Table 3), copper and copper alloys (Table 4), aluminum alloys (Table 5), and titanium, zirconium, and cast iron (Table 6). Quantities and units used are: ρ, density (g/cm³); TC, thermal conductivity (W/m K); CE, coefficient of expansion (1/K), and ME, modulus of elasticity (GPa) (GPa = 10⁹ Pa; 1 Pa = 1 N/m²; 1 psi = 6.894757×10³ Pa).

Tabular information is given for the following materials: