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| Corrosion and Erosion | ||
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Problem
Materials of construction for a heat exchanger should take into account the corrosive tendencies of fluids and the erosive properties of suspended particles within the fluid. Simply increasing the wall thicknesses of the tubes can extend their life but this is not always practical or possible, particularly if the tubes must have fins bonded to them. However, growing in popularity is the use of specialist materials such as Titanium. Titanium has outstanding corrosion resistance due to its ability to form a tightly adherent protective oxide film upon exposure to air or other oxidizing media. This passive film withstands such aggressive agents as ferric or cupric chloride and will reform after damage to the metal’s surface. Titanium is immune to corrosive attack by salt water marine atmospheres and has exceptional resistance to a broad range of acids, alkalis and industrial chemicals. Titanium and its alloys have proven to be reliable and cost effective in a variety of chemical, industrial, marine and power generation applications for heat transfer. It is the choice of design engineers when requirements exceed the capabilities of stainless steel, nickel and cobalt alloys. It is for these very reasons that Applied Cooling Technology specialise in the design and manufacture of Titanium heat exchangers to a wide variety of industry applications. |
Solution
Applied Cooling Technology have developed and patented a number of longevity solutions for heat exchangers to overcome and protect against the problems associated with corrosion and erosion. The use of a façade plate and tube inserts either at initial manufacture or during a refurbishment or repair programme along with the use of the correct materials for the application can be an extremely cost effective solution. Also, the use of tube plugs to isolate leaking tubes, such as our patented Jiffi-Plugs, will ensure that any repairs carried out will not induce additional stress factors to tube plates and cause complete premature failure. Furthermore, the world leading ElfinMaster finning technology is unmatched for long lasting, cost effective finned heat exchanger solutions. The swaging of fins on to tubes with a tight interference fit to form ElfinBlock finned tube cores is the most suitable production solution for creating extended surface tubes. Not only can ElfinBlock be made using advanced materials such as Titanium, but can also use thick-wall tubes in almost any material, from plastics to ceramics etc. |
 > Above: Eroded sube-ends > Below: Tubeplate Facade (before/after)  |
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