Stainless steel pipes are becoming increasingly popular as household drinking water pipes. These are what we now refer to as food – grade stainless steel pipes. However, not all 304 stainless steel is suitable for use as drinking water pipes. In the market, many 304 stainless steel decorative pipes are wrongly used as drinking water pipes, with some unscrupulous sellers passing off inferior products to deceive consumers. Today, let’s explore the differences between 304 stainless steel decorative pipes and hygienic food – grade 304 stainless steel water pipes.
Different Production Processes
The sanitary food – grade 304 stainless steel water pipe has a wall thickness ranging from 0.6mm to 0.8mm. The allowable deviation is no more than ±10% of the nominal wall thickness. Moreover, it demands high – quality welding seams. Additionally, it has strict performance requirements for flattening, flaring, bending, and tensile testing. The test water pressure should be above 2.5Mpa. The production speed is generally 1.5 meters per minute. During production, online eddy current flaw detection is mandatory, and sometimes a hydrostatic test is also required.
In contrast, the wall thickness of 304 stainless steel decorative pipes is not clearly specified. The quality requirements for their welds are relatively low, and there are no definite requirements regarding the pressure they can withstand. As a result, their production is much faster, with an efficiency that can reach 20 meters per minute.
Different Adopted Standards
Hygienic food – grade stainless steel water pipes adhere to the standard GB/T29038 – 2012. The heavy metal migration amounts of these pipes are within the acceptable limits. After long – term use, they won’t accumulate scale or get contaminated by bacteria. Thus, you don’t have to worry about water quality degradation, and they can also prevent secondary water pollution.
On the other hand, 304 stainless steel decorative pipes follow the standard GB/T18705 – 2002. For this reason, they are not suitable for direct contact with food and should not be used as drinking water pipes.