Looking for the expansion of tubes?

The tubes are used in industries to a huge extent. In fact, it is the best medium to move the chemicals and vapour as well as some hazardous gases that cannot be moved by human efforts otherwise. The tubes have proven as a vital part of the production process due to its excellent utility. One can find different types of tubes such as copper, aluminium, steel and iron that are used in various processes. For the industries, all such tubes prove much helpful, and hence they need to be maintained well.

To move the gases and vapour it is much important that there is no leakage in any part of the tube and even at the area of joint. Therefore the experts in the industry suggest the fixing of tubes in a way that there is no such joint is required. Usually, the tubes used in the industries are of the same size and hence one cannot fix both the ends of the tubes together. In such scenario, the user needs to expand the end of one tube so that the end of other tube can be fixed easily. This can be done with the help of tube expanders easily.  It is a device designed in a way that the pressure of the same to the tube can gradually lead to the expansion of the tube end.

The device:

The use of the tubes in the boiler area is common where the material to and from the boiler is carried out. The boiler tube expander can help the user to expand these tubes in the desired way so that the decided task of moving the chemicals is carried out easily. The expansion of the tubes can be done in a limited period with the help of such quality devices.

Get the device:

Getting the device is not a tough task nowadays as the buyer can go for the offline purchase or from an online store. The offline shopping is an easy way of getting the device as in this method the buyer needs to go to the shop, check the device and pay the amount if he likes it and features can match the need of the device. The buyer here can pay the amount in cash and in case of any query get the solution for the same from the seller. It proves as the best option if one wants to have an urgent use. The buyer here may not get the device with the latest features and that too with a discount.

For a buyer who has time and not the urgency of the device, the online store can be the best option. Here the buyer can check the devices with different features and that too at a discounted price before buying any of the devices. The buyer can use digital channels to pay the amount to the store. The store sends the device by courier, and it can be availed to the buyer in a few days at his doorstep.

Educate yourself on the basics on boiler tubes

Introduction to Boilers:

A boiler is a sealed vessel that offers a mode for combustion and changes the heat to water unless it turns into hot water or steam. The steam or hot water which is under pressure is then used for transmitting the heat to different processes.

Water is not only useful but also an inexpensive medium for transmitting heat to a process. Water when converted into steam it increases about 1,600 times in volume produces a force which is explosive like gunpowder. This increases the risk of the equipment and must have regular checks treating it carefully.

Any part of the boiler is the heating surface, the water is on one side, and the hot gasses are on the other. Heating surface is the metal of the boiler which contributes to the production of steam. Heating surface is measured in square meters of a boiler. The efficiency is directly proportional to the heating surface area of a boiler.

The system of a boiler:

There are three types of systems. The steam system, the fuel system, and the feed water system. The duty of the steam system is to control and collect the steam that is formed in the boiler. A piping system helps the steam to pass and reach the point of use.

In the fuel system, all the equipment’s use the fuel to deliver the required heat. Depending on the fuel used in the system the equipment’s are needed for the system. The pressure is controlled by making use of the valves and is tested with the steam pressure devices throughout the system.

In the same way, the feed water system controls and delivers water to the boiler automatically to satisfy the steam requirement. The Feed water is nothing other than the steam that is converted to the supplied water in the boiler.

Maintenance of boiler tools and types of boilers:

Boiler tube tools and boiler tube expanders effectively sustain the requirement of the boiler equipment. Many rolling motors like the tube rollers can assist you with the upkeep of the boilers from time to time.

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In order to keep the pipes clean or maintain it, pipe flange spreader is used. This industrial tool is designed to separate flanges or helps in opening them up. These are the best to separate the heavy metal tools that are attached.

Types of flange spreader:

Primarily they are of two type’s; manual and hydraulic flange spreader. Flanges are used to when there is a need to fix two pipes together of a different section. However, there is a wide range of variety of sizes and types of flanges that can be utilized. A number of options and choices are available online to cater and satisfy according to the requirement of the equipment.

To get these tool, there are numerous offline as well as online options available for a buyer. One can check the local market first in case he is in a hurry to get the device else online portals are also there that can offer quality deals.

Seal to Perfection with boiler tube expanders

Perfect bonds can be ensured by applying the techniques of tube expansion. These methods are widely used in various fields. In this article, we detail you all about boiler tube expanders. Prior to the tube expansion, the operator has to make sure that the expander is clean. Any traces of dirt or grease can result in imperfect bonds.

Tips To Ensure Perfect Expansion:

  • Tubes can be installed with ease when the tube holes are pre rolled. This process can also rectify the imperfections in the hole.
  • In case of dealing with smaller boilers, the tubes should be cut into smaller lengths before inserting into the holes.
  • One end of the tube is to be pinned whereas the other end is rolled. A trimming tool can be employed in removing the excess tube projection.

4_tubeComponents of Tube Expanders:

The components and structure of tube expander may vary with the application and type of equipment. A few basic components are detailed below:

  • Rollers: A smooth finish is ensured on the ends of the roller which eliminates stress concentration that takes place after expanding the tube. These devices help in retaining a perfectly circular shape of the inner surface of the tubes after expansion.
  • Mandrel: They aid in rotation of the rollers and are designed to have a tapered shape. Depending upon the application, suitable materials are chosen in their manufacture so as to withstand the operating friction and pressure.
  • Frame: Multiple rollers can be held at equal intervals in a frame. Roller drop can be prevented with this device.
  • Bearing collar: It is aimed at protecting tube ends and tube sheets. This is facilitated by reducing thrust developed in the process of tube expansion to safer levels. This device can be positioned in the forward or backward direction by which the effective length of roller is adjusted.

Types:

To meet the rapidly increasing application, newer designs are entering the market with time. The types of boiler expanders vary with respect to several factors like applications, manufacturers etc.

Straight roll boiler expanders: As the name suggests, they are used in straight roll expansions. A practical example of its application is, re rolling leaking joints.

Flare roll boiler expanders: They are designed to be used specifically in fire tube boilers. In a single operation, rolling and flaring operations can be done.

Single roll beading tube expanders: Simultaneous expansion and formation of beads, each at two opposite extreme ends can be achieved by these devices.

Mandrels: Drum, short and reverse mandrels are the popular types. If the operator can access tube sheet with ease, then the drum mandrels have to be preferred. They are replaced by short mandrels in tight working conditions. If the tubes have to be expanded from the opposite direction, then reverse mandrels are employed.

Use of lubricants and coolants during tube expansion are highly recommended. The lubricant used, has to be highly viscous (a paste style).

Important tools that are must have for a company with a boiler installed in it

Boilers have been serving industries from more than a century and have become a very basic tool for most of the industries where it is used. A boiler is responsible to perform a task, which is not possible by any other equipment. It creates very high amounts of heat and pressure that are important for carrying out some of the processes in industries such as textile mills, chemical plants, Sugar factories, etc. A boiler is very expensive equipment and it is important to take good care of it so that it could keep working for a long time.

Maintaining a boiler is not only important for the long life of boiler, but also it is necessary for maintaining maximum safety in your company premise. If you also want to maintain optimum health of your boiler, you need several specialised equipments and tools which are listed below.

Boiler tube cleaners

Boiler tubes frequently get clogged by sludge, dirt, corroded particles, etc. which lowers the fuel efficiency of the boiler, which leads to economic loss of the company. Additionally, the sludge accumulated in the tubes can cause the tubes to crack, which is also a huge safety threat for the lives and property around the boiler. The cleaning of boilers is done using various cleaning agents and chemicals. Manual cleaning is done for smaller boiler, but for boilers with a large capacity, manual cleaning is not feasible as it will take a very long time for the process. In that case, boiler tube cleaning systems are used, which perform the task in a very small span of time and also in a very efficient manner.

condenser-tube-expanders-741375Boiler tube expanders

Boiler tube expanders are used for increasing the cross section area of the tubes for various purposes. Sometimes, you need to put a small tube in a big area, and for that, you need to expand its cross sectional area. Sometimes, you need to put a new tube in an older tube of same diameter. In that case also, tube expanders are used as they can expand the diameter of the tubes without causing any major damage to the tube sheet. The boiler tube expanders are available in three variants viz. Electrical, pneumatic and hydraulic tube expanders.

Joint testing kits

When there are joints made in two tubes, there are always chances for leakage, which is not only an economic loss but is also a big safety threat. Joint testing kits make sure that the joints are strong, intact and leakage free.

Apart from these, you also need tube pulling tools, tube facing tools, tube cutters, etc. for better maintenance of your boiler. Apart from that, you also need to make sure that your boiler is being operated by a well qualified and well experienced operator, who understands the need for proper operation of such a big machine.

Useful tips for long life of a boiler

Boilers have a significant role in many industries like textile mills, sugar factories, chemical manufacturing plants, pharmaceutical etc. It is the equipment that is used to create high amounts of pressure and temperature that could be used for various operations and processes. The proper working of these industries greatly depends on the working of their boilers.

For proper working of the boilers, it is necessary that you take good care of your boiler. There are three main things that keep a boiler running at its maximum efficiency that are perfect installation, proper operation and regular maintenance. If you take care of all three of them, your boiler will serve you for a really long time without causing any problem.

Perfect installation refers to the installations of all the components and safety devices on a boiler in a proper way, which can be done by a well experienced professional only. For installation of your boiler, you must not settle for less than the best. Installation of a boiler is a matter of life and death and if not installed properly, a boiler can lead to both financial loss and loss of lives too.

Proper operation means that a boiler has to be operated by a knowledgeable professional who knows how to deal with various issues that may emerge during operation of a boiler. He must have a good amount of experience working on the boilers.

Maintenance of a boiler is the most crucial part of using a boiler in an industry. If regular maintenance is not carried out, a boiler will lose its efficiency leading to financially loss as well as might pose threat to lives. Maintenance has two basic parts- cleaning and repairs. Cleaning of boiler is done to clean the tubes and shell of the boiler to keep it free from dirt, sludge and dirt. This sludge and dirt get accumulated on the inner walls of the shell and tubes of the boiler and lower its efficiency. Chemical and tube cleaning systems are used for cleaning of boiler. For smaller boilers, cleaning is done manually, but for boilers that are bigger in size, manual cleaning is not possible, hence tube cleaning systems are used for that.

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The second phase of boiler maintenance includes a thorough inspection of all the components of the boiler like safety valves, pressure release valves, pressure gauge, temperature gauge, water level indicator, feed pumps, feed valves, etc. for any malfunction or defects. If any defects are found in the components, they are immediately repaired or replaced to restore the proper working of the boiler. For example, if a boiler tube gets damaged beyond repairs, it is expanded using tube expander tools to increase it diameter without damaging it. Once the desired diameter is achieved, another tube of same diameter is inserted inside the expanded tube and the working of that tube is restored.

Factors that affect the long life of a boiler

Buying a boiler involves a lot of research, efforts and, of course, money. Once you have invested money in boilers, the next step is proper installation of boiler. Proper installation is necessary for maximum efficiency and long life of the boiler. If the installation of boiler is not done correctly, then it will not be able to serve its main purpose. No matter how much money you have invested in your new boiler, if it is not installed correctly, it is futile to put such a big amount of money in it. Apart from bad efficiency, an incorrectly installed boiler is also a fatal danger for life and property of the company in which it is installed.

For proper installation of boilers, you must hire a specialist for the job. It might cost you some money, but it is worth. If you think that by not hiring a specialist, you can save some money, then you are completely wrong as you will have to pay for that later in terms of higher fuel consumption and damage to the equipments. Additionally, if you buy a boiler from a good company, the cost of boiler includes the installation cost too.

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The boiler installation professionals have specialised set of tools and equipments such as tube installation tools, which ensure perfect installation. After your boiler has been correctly installed, it is up to you how you operate and maintain it. If you follow proper operation and maintenance procedures, then your boiler will serve you for a long time without causing any problem.

Here are some tools that you must have with you if you want to operate your boiler in an effective manner.

Tube cleaning tools- Tube cleaning is one of the most important tasks during maintenance of boilers. It ensures that the passage for water inside the tubes is free from any sludge or dirt so that it could deliver maximum output. There are many tube cleaning systems available in the market such as electric and pneumatic tube cleaners.

Tube expansion tools- Sometimes tubes of a boiler get damaged and need replacement. In that case, the damaged tube is expanded using tube expansion tools so that a new tube of same size could be inserted in to the damaged tube.

Joint testing kits- If tubes of your boiler have joints, then this can be very useful tool. A joint testing kit is used to ensure that there is no leakage in the joints of the tubes as any leakage will lead to lower efficiency and even hazardous accidents.

Tube facing tools- For joining tubes perfectly, you will need to face the tube ends in a manner that there is no chance of any leakage. This could be done using tube facing tools.

Apart from these tools, you also need an efficient and well experienced operating and maintenance staff so that they could take good care of your boiler equipment.

Utility of tool accessories

For servicing any tube or industrial applications, tube tools are used. On the other side of the coin, the tube expanders are used to increase the diameter of metal tubing. In terms of composition, several individual sections of steel tend to place around a steel shaft, and on the ends of it, wedge shaped nuts are attached. The assembling is held together by a spring attached at each end. In fact, the tube expander tool is available in a couple of sizes and the sizes range from small to large in most of the cases. The larger size would benefit the exhaust pipes whereas the small ones are most likely to fit the small copper tubing. In fact, several benefits are there when one tends to use a small tube expander tool with copper tubing.

It finds its use mainly in plumbing applications. Normally, when plumbing work is undertaken, long length of tubing can be used which can be incorporated into a tube expander that paves it to be nicely fitted around the other piece before the soldering takes place properly. No fittings or couplings are required as well as the joints tend to be tight. It becomes necessary to heat the tube expander to aid in the expansion process. If direct heat is applied to the tube, it would be more palpable and the expander will need not work so hard with too much force being applied. However, it becomes more imperative when deciding to use heat that the expander needs to be removed. In addition, it is not at all that a bad idea to spray inside of the tube with lubricant. Some of the other advantages of tube expander tools:

  • It contributes to increase in production rates.
  • The tube joints are controlled in a better way, longer tool life along with ease of operation.

The choice of the tube expander tool tends to be based on certain technical parameters – the basic data being the dimensions of the tube along with the depth of rolling. The machines are driven by torque control, which is the case of electrical or pneumatic ones.

In addition to this, there are a lot of tube tools which can be categorized as per the application. Typical examples in this regard are tube cleaners, tube testers, tube plugs along with tube removers. The uses of all these devices are not limited to industrial or HVAC heating and air. One can consider the hospitals as well as the universities as prime examples.

Since the complexities of these tube tools are immense, one needs to understand the specifications of the device before opting for one. The web would be a perfect platform where you can study in details about what sort of tool will serve you purpose in the best possible way. In addition to this, one can see for themselves the positive reviews about each tool.