About Tube Inserts
Tube inserts are used in shell & tube type heat exchangers to provide protection to the tubes. The inserts are placed at the ends of heat exchanger tubes to:
- Protect them from inlet-end erosion
- Corrosion
- Impingement
- To induce fluid fall on the ID of a tube in the case of a falling fluid type exchanger
- To transfer extremely high heat past the tube sheet to the exchanger tubes.
Our Range of Tube Inserts
VP Engineers is a leading global manufacturer of tube inserts. Our range includes:
- Threaded tube inserts
- Square tube inserts
- Round tube inserts
- Threaded inserts for metal tube
- Threaded square tube inserts
- Metal tube inserts
- Rectangular tube inserts
- Threaded round tube inserts
Who Uses Tube Inserts?
Any production process that requires the use of heat exchangers will benefit from the use of tube inserts. Tube inserts improve the tube side performance of heat exchangers by modifying the flow stream characteristics to enhance heat transfer. If you use heat exchangers, tube inserts will improve the efficiency and increase tube life, both of which will produce substantial production and cost benefits.
Why Use Tube Inserts?
The following problems are common in shell & tube type exchangers:
- Tube-end erosion/corrosion
- Stress corrosion cracking
- Crevice corrosion
- Localized pitting
- Ammonia grooving
- Improper tube expansion
- Weakened tube-to-tube sheet joints
Tube inserts are the most efficient and cost-effective way of preventing these problems from affecting pipeline flow and the resulting production loss.
Our Tube Insert Range
Our tube insert range includes:
- Plastic inserts made from nylon (polyamide), LDPE and PP. These are available with two types of head designs:
- Bonnet Heads: These are used in cases of the tube projecting slightly outside the tube sheet. The projection is protected in a way that high-velocity impingement does not affect the tube mouths, thereby ensuring increased tube and mouth end life.
- Flared Heads: These are used when the tube does not project outside the tube sheet.
Plastic inserts are typically preferred for power plant surface condensers. Nylon inserts may be used for temperatures up to 150°C for temperatures of up to 250°C, we offer PTFE inserts. Various types of plastic inserts are available for temperatures of up to 800°C.
- Metal inserts made from SS 304 /310/316/ 317 /321/347/ 410 / duplex, hastalloy, Cu-Ni 90/10, Cu-Ni 70/30, titanium, zirconium, inconel 600, zirconium 702, aluminium brass, admiralty brass and aluminium bronze. Ceramic inserts made of high alumina and refractory alumina are also available.
- Ferrous inserts: These are typically used for high-temperature applications
- Non-ferrous inserts: These are used for extremely high-temperature applications with temperatures of 900°C where tube sheet warping is a major problem. The use of high-temperature ceramic paper adds to the level of protection.
- Tube plugs are designed to protect tube ends during storage and transportation and also for coating. These plugs are of 2 types:
- Tapper plugs which are used for high-temperature applications.
- Pressure plugs made of LDPE, PP, brass cupro-nickel, etc.; both solid and hollow are available for different tube sizes.
- Projectiles are used to scrape off deposits from the inner surface of surface condenser tubes. The deposits, which are the result of water deposits that affect heat transfer result in poor condenser performance.
- Made of various materials, the projectiles have blades that are rounded at the tip and perfectly positioned to remove the deposits through the inner length of the tube.
- The use of these projectiles is efficient and very economical as compared to other cleaning options.
We are rated as the best heat exchanger ferrules manufacturer in India. Contact us for more information on our range and for any guidance you may require in finding the right tube inserts for your needs.
