Most Common Mechanical Failure in Shell & Heat Exchanger Tubes

Heat Exchanger Tubes and shell are much favoured by big plant engineers. This has been since a very long time as shell and heat exchanger tubes require low maintenance and are highly efficient in transferring heat. Stainless steel heat exchangers are surely durable and reliable but at times using these tubes for a long haul can take a toll at these tubes and induce stress.

Mechanical failures can be identified in many forms and consequences. If you can identify these failures than you can prevent it in a timely way. Anand Seamless Ltd, being a leading heat exchanger manufacturer in India, can easily identify these problems and so we are here to help. We have mentioned below the most common mechanical failure, that being a plant engineer, you are surely aware of!

1. Metal Erosion

 
Metal Erosion can affect the quality of your heat exchanger tubes in two ways:

• Metal erosion makes the tubes weaker and more prone to damage.
• The outer layer of the heat exchanger is the protective layer. As the protective layer is overuse, the tubes face a larger risk of damage along with corrosion.

Causes Of Metal Erosion

 
Metal erosion occurs due to the exorbitant speed of the flow and the wearing caused due to the solid in the slurry streams. Also, high temperatures are also responsible to increase the occurrence of metal erosion. Plant engineers can encounter this erosion at the entrance or at the U-tube bends.

Preventing Metal Erosion on Heat Exchanger Tubes

 
It is important to understand the maximum volume of flow a tube can endure while posing no threat to the components transferred. This varies on the types of tubes, their material of construction and also on the component you are transferring. A stainless steel or carbon heat exchanger tubes can easily handle a higher flow of components than a copper shell and heat exchanger tubes. You can select from a range of alloys, depending upon your need of flow and types of components.

2. Fatigue

 
Thermal cycling can induce fatigue in shell and tube heat exchangers. This fatigue can cause cracking in the tubes. The cracks begin with small and light striations but can quickly escalate and grow larger.

Causes of Fatigue

 
There are two reasons behind this fatigue, namely:

• High Stress
• Poor Welding
• Stress-induced through thermal expansion

Preventing Fatigue On Heat Exchanger Tubes

 
Fatigue can be avoided by fabrication. Also, try to adjust your plant’s process in a way that it induces less stress or a induce that the equipment can manage to handle.

Plant engineers favour shell and heat exchanger tubes to make their plant long-lasting as they provide high endurance with minimal maintenance. It can easily transfer heat, thus being multi-purpose. But you need to choose the right kind in the better quality for best results.

Buy From The Leading Heat Exchanger Manufacturer in India!

 
To be certain of the good quality, try getting the heat exchanger tubes from the most trusted and established Heat Exchanger Tube Manufacturer in India. Call Anand Seamless Ltd. We provide a wide range of seamless tubes that are the finest and the most productive in the industry. Contact us now to get a quote.