Sizing High-Flow Tubes
- Equalize IN and OUT flow areas to maximize flow rates.
- We stock over 150 sizes of thin wall stainless tubing so flow can be maximized. See the available sizes here.
- We build stepped and custom tubes to your specification. More information here.
To calculate equal IN/OUT flow areas:
Area (IN) = Area (OUT) =
Channel Diameter x .707
Example:
.437″ dia. channel x .707 = .309″
.309″ is the diameter that splits the 7/16″ water line into 2 Equal parts
Test Data
- For a 7/16″ water line, the ideal tube O.D. and I.D. should be close to .309″
- The HF312T with an O.D. of .312″ and I.D. of .288″ is close. (See a complete list of tubes here)
- Larger or smaller tubes will restrict the inlet/outlet areas and reduce flow rates. (see test data below)
| Tube Size | OD | ID | GPM | ||
| The tube that balances IN/OUT areas produces the most flow | 4TW | 0.238 | 0.208 | 4.41 | |
 | HF312T | 0.312 | 0.288 | 5.41 | |
| HF375T | 0.365 | 0.34 | 4.38 | ||
| * See a complete list of tubes here. | |||||
Learn about how stepped tubes can improve flow here