what is deference between pipe and tube?

Answer 1

Tubing size is called out by outside diameter and piping is called out by inside diameter. Likely piping is used in greater length for fluid flow and inside diameter is very important in calculating line losses and flow rates. Copper tubing may be used in shorter lines (to connect components or whole houses) where diameter is less important in calculations because you select what has been shown to be adequate (building codes?).
TUBING is generally used in connection with instrumentation like orifice plate,pressure switches,transmitter and refrigeration piping and equipment like heat exchanger.
Source(s):

http://www.diygokarts.com/articles/pipe-...

Answer 2

jdseth2004 & tronary are both right about tubing being called out by outside diameter, but are wrong about pipe being called out by inside diameter.

Pipe is called out by NPS (nominal pipe size), which is equal to the outside diameter for NPS 14 and larger, but is smaller than the outside diameter for NPS 12 and smaller. For example, NPS 3 pipe is 3.5" OD, NPS 8 is 8.625" OD, NPS 14 is 14.0" OD.

As to the distinction between pipe and tubing, tubing generally is much thinner than pipe, and the inside surface is much smoother than pipe. Tubing thicknesses are generally designated by gauge (10 ga, 12 ga, etc) while pipe thicknesses are usually designated by schedule (sch 40, sch 80, etc). The smaller the gauge, the thicker the tubing; the smaller the schedule, the thinner the pipe.

As to use, tubing is used in situations where there is little or no possibility of damaging the tubing mechanically. Pipe is much more robust and less susceptible to mechanical damage.

Tubing is restricted to small sizes, usually less than 3 or 4 inches down to 1/8" or less. Pipe ranges from 1/8 NPS to as much as 144 NPS.

Answer 3

jdsheth20, the only one with right answer !!! Pipe is measured by I.d. Tube by o.d. This only applies to round tubing. Square and other tube shapes are referred to as structural tubing.

Answer 4

To me, it seems the difference is what each one is used for. Pipe are for moving fluids and tubes are just called that because of their shape. Your might call a pipe a tube if you were specifically refering to its shape.

Answer 5

Essentially the same, however, the common usage has tended toward tubing being bendable and pipe being rather rigid - i.e. copper tubing vs. copper pipe, for instance.

Answer 6

Tube actually refers to the shape of the pipe; but essentially their meanings are interchangeable.

Answer 7

With building materials, it's usually pretty simple: pipe is rigid and tube is flexible. Copper is a good example.

Answer 8

Depends on what you're talking about. But with metal stock, pipe is round, and tube, or tubing is square. "square tubing"

Answer 9

It is a technicality based on dimension. Scientifically, they are the same.

Answer 10

i think their sizes differ....pipes are generally long while tubes are coparitively small