Mechanical Tube Plugs, Fast and Simple
Maintenance managers need to get heat exchanger tube plugging done quickly and correctly the first time, allowing focus to stay on the critical path. Torq N’ Seal® Mechanical Tube Plugs are fast, simple, and effective, so you can move to the next task with confidence every time.
Tube plugging has evolved over the years with the industry. The original tube plugs were tapered tube plugs, simple cones of metal where the small side of the cone fits inside the tube and the large side does not. The tapered tube plug is pressed into the tube until the taper pushes against the inside surface of the tube, creating a small sealing surface between the two. At this point the tapered plugs would be hammered in to secure the seal, a wildly uncertain process that risks damaging the tubesheet ligaments and can often cause other leaks to develop in adjacent tubes. Or the plugs could be welded, a bit more certain but time-consuming, highly safety conscious, requiring highly skilled personnel, and risking additional leakers from the heat affected zone. Tapered tube plugs provide too much difficulty and too much uncertainty.
As a result, several alternative tube plugs were developed to help improve certain factors of heat exchanger tube plugging. Explosive plugging became popular, setting off a charge that would expand a plug inside the tube as the hot combustion gases expanded to escape. But the safety concerns around storing and using explosives on site, as well as damage caused by misuse, created more problems than it solved. Hydraulic plugs were another strategy that gained popularity, using a hydraulic puller to expand a plug. But the highly technical process and fine tuning of parts made it so only expertly trained personnel could execute it correctly. And the risk of having the wrong parts or making a mistake would cause significant, unacceptable setbacks.
Torq N’ Seal® Mechanical Tube Plugs provide the simplicity of a tapered plug with the confidence of an explosive or hydraulic plug.
Safe. Let’s start with the most important factor in any job, personnel and equipment safety. Torq N’ Seal® Mechanical Plugs are the safest method available. Welding tapered plugs carries significant risks like any welding job, fumes, heat and flame. And hydraulic plugs carry a similar risk, the hydraulic ram exerts a tremendous amount of force to expand the plug and will crush anything in its way, human or machine. The one-piece design of the Torq N’ Seal® plug uses highly controlled mechanical leverage from a simple torque wrench to expand the plug. This means that the point of force is only at the expansion zone of the plug, which is safely located within the tube. Ensure a safe installation every time with the Torq N’ Seal® Mechanical Tube Plugs.
Effective. Once safety is considered, the next question becomes getting the job done correctly. Torq N’ Seal® Mechanical Tube Plugs seal tubes up to 7,000 psi, far exceeding all relevant standards in tube plugging. The wide sealing surface helps overcome any defects as the plug expands and bites into the tube. Thus, your team can torque, seal, and move on to the next of their many outage tasks with confidence.
Fast and Simple. Once a safe and effective process is established, the game becomes all about speed. And Torq N’ Seal® Mechanical Tube Plugs are installed faster and with more ease than any other high pressure plug on the market. Simply affix the plug to a torque wrench and rotate clockwise until it clicks, DONE. Pull free from the plug and you are immediately ready to install the next one, it takes about 30 seconds per plug. Welded plugs take a deft touch and time to be effective and cool. Hydraulic plugs need to be screwed on and off the hydraulic equipment for each plug, eating time and frustrating maintenance personnel. Both welded and hydraulic plugs require specialized tooling that must be maintained properly over time and setup correctly. Only the Torq N’ Seal® Mechanical Tube Plugs offer a solution that is both fast and easy to use.
For some jobs, it’s all about the right tool. Try Torq N’ Seal® Mechanical Tube Plugs on your next plugging project and experience the fast, simple, and effective innovation for yourself. Our engineers have decades of experience in tube plugging and are available 24/7 by web, phone, and email. Mention code ‘BIC2024’ to receive free sample plugs to test on your next project.
