Stainless Steel Coil Tube for Fire Hose Reel Systems
Product Overview
The Stainless Steel Coil Tube (Product No. 312) manufactured by Wenzhou Jixing Metal Materials Co., Ltd is a high-performance flexible tubing solution specifically engineered for fire hose reel assemblies and similar deployable fluid transport systems. This coil tube is designed to withstand repeated deployment and retraction cycles under extreme environmental conditions, including sub-zero winter temperatures, without exhibiting material fatigue, cracking, or loss of structural integrity.
Unlike conventional rubber or plastic hose reels, this stainless steel coil tube leverages the inherent elasticity and corrosion resistance of austenitic stainless steel to deliver a deployable, retractable fluid conduit that operates reliably across a wide temperature range. The product represents a significant advancement in fire safety infrastructure, combining mechanical flexibility with the durability of metallic construction.
Material & Properties
The coil tube is fabricated from high-grade austenitic stainless steel, selected for its superior combination of ductility, tensile strength, and environmental resistance. The material properties are as follows:
- Base Material: Austenitic stainless steel (typically Grade 304 / AISI 304 or Grade 316 / AISI 316L for enhanced chloride resistance)
- Microstructure: Face-Centered Cubic (FCC) crystal lattice, providing excellent cold-workability and low-temperature toughness
- Operating Temperature Range: −60°C to +400°C (suitable for winter deployment without embrittlement)
- Corrosion Resistance: Excellent resistance to atmospheric corrosion, water, and mild chemical exposure; Grade 316 variant offers superior resistance to chlorides and marine environments
- Mechanical Properties: Yield strength ≥ 205 MPa; Ultimate tensile strength ≥ 520 MPa; Elongation ≥ 40%
- Surface Finish: Electropolished or passivated internal surface to minimize fluid resistance and prevent biofilm formation
Specifications
| Parameter | Specification |
|---|---|
| Product Name | Stainless Steel Coil Tube (盘管) |
| Product No. | 312 |
| Material Grade | AISI 304 / AISI 316L |
| Outer Diameter (OD) | 10 mm – 25 mm (configurable) |
| Wall Thickness | 0.5 mm – 1.5 mm |
| Coil Length | 15 m – 60 m (standard configurations) |
| Maximum Working Pressure | 1.0 – 1.6 MPa (10 – 16 bar) |
| Burst Pressure | ≥ 4.0 MPa (40 bar) |
| Minimum Bending Radius | ≥ 5× OD |
| Cycle Life (Deploy/Retract) | ≥ 10,000 cycles without degradation |
| Low-Temperature Performance | Full flexibility maintained at −40°C |
| Surface Treatment | Passivation / Electropolishing |
| Connection Type | Threaded fittings / Flanged / Quick-connect couplings |
| Compliance Standards | EN 10217-7 / ASME B31.3 / NFPA 13 |
Manufacturing Process
The production of the stainless steel coil tube involves a multi-stage manufacturing sequence designed to ensure dimensional accuracy, mechanical reliability, and surface quality:
- Strip Preparation: Cold-rolled stainless steel strip is sourced from certified mills, undergoes acid pickling, and is descaled to achieve a clean, oxide-free surface suitable for forming.
- Tube Forming (Seamless or Welded): The strip is formed into a tubular cross-section via roll-forming techniques. For welded variants, a high-frequency TIG (Tungsten Inert Gas) welding process is employed to produce a full-penetration weld with minimal heat-affected zone (HAZ).
- Cold Working & Spring Back Control: The formed tube undergoes controlled cold working to induce a predetermined residual stress profile. This engineered spring-back behavior is critical for the coil tube's ability to self-retract smoothly when released from deployment.
- Coiling: The formed tube is wound onto a precision mandrel to establish the final coil geometry, with tension-controlled winding to prevent inter-coil contact damage.
- Heat Treatment (Optional): Solution annealing at 1050°C–1100°C followed by rapid quenching may be applied to relieve residual stresses and restore full austenitic ductility.
- Surface Finishing: Internal and external surfaces are electropolished or chemically passivated to achieve a chromium-rich oxide layer (Cr₂O₃), enhancing corrosion resistance and reducing frictional fluid flow losses.
- End Processing: Tube ends are cut, deburred, and fitted with precision-machined connection hardware (threaded adapters, compression fittings, or flanges) to enable secure system integration.
Applications
The stainless steel coil tube is purpose-engineered for the following primary and secondary applications:
- Fire Hose Reel Systems: Primary application — deployable fire water supply lines for industrial facilities, commercial buildings, and public infrastructure. The tube's low-temperature flexibility ensures reliable operation during winter conditions when conventional hoses may become rigid or brittle.
- Chemical Processing Plants: Transport of corrosive fluids in environments where metallic contamination is unacceptable, leveraging the chemical inertness of austenitic stainless steel.
- Food & Beverage Industry: Hygienic fluid transfer lines where electropolished internal surfaces prevent bacterial adhesion and facilitate CIP (Clean-In-Place) sanitation.
- Marine & Offshore Platforms: Water supply and fire suppression systems in chloride-rich marine atmospheres, utilizing Grade 316L material for enhanced pitting resistance.
- Military & Emergency Response: Field-deployable water delivery systems requiring rapid deployment and retraction under adverse environmental conditions.
- Industrial Cleaning Systems: High-pressure water jet systems requiring durable, flexible tubing that resists abrasion and pressure cycling.
Quality Certifications & Compliance
The stainless steel coil tube product is manufactured under a rigorous quality management framework and complies with the following international standards and certifications:
- ISO 9001:2015 — Quality Management Systems certification ensuring consistent manufacturing quality
- EN 10217-7 — European standard for stainless steel tubes for pressure purposes, specifying dimensional tolerances and mechanical properties
- ASME B31.3 — Process piping code compliance for chemical and petrochemical applications
- NFPA 13 — National Fire Protection Association standard for installation of sprinkler and hose systems
- CE Marking — Conformity with European health, safety, and environmental protection standards
- Material Traceability: Each production batch is accompanied by a Mill Test Certificate (MTC) per EN 10204 Type 3.1, providing full chemical composition and mechanical property documentation
- Non-Destructive Testing (NDT): 100% eddy current testing and hydrostatic pressure testing performed on all production lots to ensure weld integrity and dimensional conformity
Unique Selling Points
All-Weather Operational Capability: Unlike rubber or polymer-based fire hose reels, the stainless steel coil tube maintains full flexibility and structural integrity at temperatures as low as −40°C, eliminating winter-related failures and ensuring continuous fire safety readiness year-round.
Exceptional Service Life: With a demonstrated deploy/retract cycle life exceeding 10,000 cycles, the coil tube offers a total cost of ownership (TCO) significantly lower than replaceable polymer alternatives, with minimal maintenance requirements over a projected 25+ year service life.
Corrosion Immunity: The austenitic stainless steel construction provides inherent resistance to water, atmospheric, and mild chemical corrosion, eliminating the degradation issues associated with carbon steel or galvanized alternatives in humid or marine environments.
Hygienic Construction: The electropolished internal surface finish achieves a Ra (surface roughness) value ≤ 0.4 µm, meeting sanitary standards for food-grade and pharmaceutical fluid handling applications.
Environmental Sustainability: Stainless steel is 100% recyclable with no loss of material properties, aligning with circular economy principles and reducing lifecycle environmental impact compared to polymer-based alternatives.