CLEVELAND TUBE developed the principles of hydraulic tube liner expansion to the satisfaction of Nuclear Electric to enable the restoration by tube lining of nine T/A steam condensers at Hinkley Point Power Station. The cast iron water-boxes could not be removed without danger of damage, so the tube liners were installed through the condenser man-ways either while generating on part load or during turbine/reactor outages.

Our key development of the hydraulic expansion process enables total control of the tube liner during the plastic deformation phase of the expansion cycle. This control ensures a monolithic fit of the liner and parent tube guaranteeing maximum heat transfer and restoring structural integrity. This distinct development has been utilised in air cooled and water cooled steam condensers, fin-fan units, generator coolers, product coolers world-wide.

With the tube lining system, all plugged tubes can be restored to service and defective tubes identified by NDT can be lined as a preventive measure to guard against future tube failures in service.

After plug removal and cleaning of the tube bores, the thin walled metal alloy Tube Liners are installed and hydraulically expanded full-length. The parent tube O.D. remains unaffected by the installation and the expansion cycle is fail-safe by design.

There is no restriction on length. We have successfully installed full-length liners the into the 62 feet (18.9 metres) length condenser tubes of a 500 MW steam condenser for National Power. Liner material is chosen case by case to suit the chemistry and service of the heat exchanger. Materials include: Copper alloys, high grade austenitic stainless steels, nickel alloys, etc. More than 3 million feet of tube liners installed.

For tube restoration, licensing or other enquiries please contact us