STAINLESS STEEL FAMILY — HIGH-TEMPERATURE

SS310 Tube Sheet

The highest chromium and nickel content in the standard stainless family gives 310 the best oxidation resistance of any austenitic grade — the reach before moving to Inconel or Incoloy for extreme continuous high-temperature exposure.

UNS S31000 ASTM A240 / A480 High Cr/Ni

Chemical Composition

ElementMin %Max %
Chromium (Cr)24.026.0
Nickel (Ni)19.022.0
Silicon (Si)1.50
Carbon (C)0.25

Mechanical Properties

PropertyTypical Value
Tensile Strength515 MPa min
Yield Strength (0.2% offset)205 MPa min
Elongation40% min
Continuous Oxidation Resistance~1035-1150°C

Equivalent Grades

StandardDesignation
ASTM / UNSS31000
EN / DIN1.4841
JISSUS310S (low-carbon variant)

A Necessary Caveat on Temperature Numbers

Oxidation resistance ≠ pressure-part allowable temperature: 310's ~1035-1150°C figure describes how long the material resists scaling in air, not how much pressure it can safely hold at that temperature. Allowable stress falls sharply with temperature for any austenitic grade, so the actual maximum design temperature for a pressure-retaining tube sheet is set by the code's allowable stress table, not the oxidation limit. Always confirm the governing ASME/TEMA allowable stress at your specific design temperature.

Available Product Forms

SS310 is most often specified as a U-Tube Tube Sheet for furnace, kiln-adjacent, and high-temperature process gas equipment.

Applications

Furnace components, heat-treating equipment, and high-temperature process gas heat exchangers where extreme oxidation resistance is the primary driver rather than pressure-boundary strength at temperature.

Advantages & Limitations

Advantages

  • Best oxidation resistance in the standard stainless family
  • Good resistance to carburizing and sulfur-bearing atmospheres
  • Lower cost than nickel alloys for equivalent oxidation duty

Limitations

  • Allowable stress at high temperature is limited despite oxidation resistance
  • No chloride advantage — still no molybdenum
  • 310S (lower carbon) generally preferred for welded applications

FAQ

310S, with its lower carbon content, is generally preferred for welded applications for the same sensitization-avoidance reason 304L is preferred over 304. See the SS310S datasheet for the low-carbon variant.

Only within limits — 310 handles oxidation well but has lower allowable stress at extreme temperature and less resistance to certain aggressive atmospheres than Inconel. It's a cost-effective step below Inconel, not a full substitute for the most demanding services.

310 is typically sourced to order given its specialist high-temperature demand profile — send your specification and quantity for a confirmed lead time.

Why Specify With NPRO India

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Every enquiry is checked against governing code, material compatibility and manufacturing feasibility before a quote is issued. Use our product, material, grade and standards guides to freeze the RFQ — then confirm with engineering.

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