PROJECTS

 

REMOTE PLUGGING & SLEEVING

 

REQUEST: The Scope for the unit was to install 316L SS sleeves and plug predetermined tubes. The sleeves were to protrude to approx. 4” to act as a ferrule and accommodate the refractory to be installed. After NDT testing, it was determined which tubes Spec Tool would plug tubes and which would require sleeve.

 

RESULT: The tubes to be plugged had to be remote plugged at approx. 34’ with Hydraulically set “Break Away” style plugs due to the lack of access to the far end of the vessel. Spec Tool Technicians successfully installed the remote plugs after careful calculations and precise positioning. This was the first time our customer had seen the remote plugging capabilities and it resulted in utilizing the same technology on a separate unit during the same TAR.

Sleeves utilized for installation were 59” with a flared end inserted into the tube and expanded in the tubesheet. The interior flared end was adjusted onsite as per the individual requirements of the tube. Once the flared end was fitted, the sleeve was installed with a 4” stand-off for refractory and expanded inside the tubesheet. The flare on the interior facilitates the heat transfer requirements over the length of the sleeve. Spec Tool completed this crucial process enabling the vessel to operate at peak efficiency.

 

BOILER SLEEVING

 

REQUEST: Spec Tool was contacted by a Power customer with a severe wall loss and tubes dropping out of the drum in 3 boilers and looking for repair options without having to re-tube. After careful review of the units and inspection reports, Spec Tool was able to provide a Hybrid Sleeving solution that would not only cover the area with the most wall loss but also lock-in the sleeve and parent tube to keep the tubes from dropping out.

 

RESULT: Spec Tool went to work making custom Ferrules for the application and custom tooling to account for the “bend” so as to get the longest possible sleeve to ensure the affected area was covered. Spec Tool arrived onsite and installed the sleeves in the 3 boilers and completed the project ahead of schedule. The Hybrid Sleeving solution has extended the life of the units, increased operational efficiencies and enabled our customer to get back online and producing faster than the re-tube and at a fraction of the cost.