Inspection of heat exchanger tubes
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The factory is currently manufacturing several heat exchangers, which involve hundreds of tubes. Although they were purchased from a reputable manufacturer, there is still a concern that a few of these tubes might have issues once installed. I would like to ask for advice on how to check them once they arrive
If it is a U-tube, pressure can be applied to each one individually. Other forms are not necessary.
Hydraulic test shall be conducted on each pipe individually, with the test pressure being the higher of those applicable to the shell side.
This one. . . Since you don’t trust the supplier, there’s no other good option. . .
It can be determined whether there is a leak or not by applying pressure to the shell side.
Install it. If it’s a U-shaped tube, you can compress each section individually if you’re worried, but controlling the compression of individual sections isn’t very effective; this can damage the pressure gauge and prevent its pointer from returning to zero. For straight tubes, if there’s a leak, just file the cold air to push the tube out. It’s advisable to check stainless steel heat exchange tubes carefully when they return to the factory, to avoid any tubes with cracks getting mixed in.
Go to the steel pipe factory to check out the workshop conditions, so as to have an idea of the processing process first. If it’s a U-tube, have the manufacturer pressurize it again; it will take just a short time. Straight tube, can generate eddy currents.
Material re-inspection is generally carried out through random sampling on a proportional basis; if issues are found, sampling is increased on a larger scale. Since you don’t trust the quality of the supply, the only option is to test each tube individually. Are a few hundred tubes too many? It's common for a heat exchanger to have hundreds or even thousands of tubes, and the tests still need to be carried out.
Material re-inspection is generally carried out through random sampling on a proportional basis; if issues are found, sampling is increased on a larger scale. Hundreds of tubes have been replaced; to ensure quality, there are no shortcuts.