Many industries rely on heat exchangers for heating, cooling, or transforming a liquid into a gas or vice versa. This includes energy (particularly nuclear), chemicals, and food and drink manufacturing. There is a lot to think about though, including the type and size. If the choice is to go with a tubular exchanger, it’s vital to look at how to attach tubes to the tube plate. There are two options; welding or tube expansion.

To help businesses create the perfect heat exchangers, we want to have a closer look at the two methods of attaching tubing to the tube plate. We’ll explore how they work and the pros and cons.

Welding

The first option is to weld the tubing to the tube plate. The goal is to create very strong metallurgical joints. It can be a very effective method, especially if you select the right welding technique and hire experienced welders. The key advantage is it offers fantastic sealing, reducing the risk of leaks. Additionally, the strength means it is suitable for high pressure applications.

While there are some clear advantages, it is also important to consider two drawbacks of welding. Firstly, it is a time consuming process. If you’re dealing with a huge industrial tubular heat exchanger with thousands of tubes, it can take a long time to weld them all in place. Secondly, welding means it is harder to remove and replace tubes.

Expansion

The second option is tube expansion, also known by many experts as rolled. It’s a mechanical process that can create impressive joints. What happens is the tube is fitted into the hole in the plate. The end is then expanding using an expanding die. It creates a tight fit. The advantage here is the speed and low cost. It also means there isn’t a permanent bond like a weld, so it is easier to remove and replace tubes.

Just like with welding though, there are a couple of drawbacks with expansion. Most notably, the joints won’t be as strong. As a result, generally it is only suitable for moderate and low pressure applications. Plus, there is a chance of leaks.

Which to choose?

As you can see, there are situations when it is better to use welding and others when tube expansion is the best option. It depends on key things like the pressure, temperature, type of media you are dealing with, and maintenance requirements.

Interestingly, there are some cases where both expansion and welding are used. It can provide a great combination of higher strength joints with easier maintenance. This is ideal for heat exchangers in many industries.

Do you need to arrange tube expansion?

Multiform Tubes Engineering Ltd is a fantastic company to work with. We can expand different types of tubing with skill and precision. This includes steel tube, aluminium, copper, and more. Additionally, we excel at tube bending and various other techniques.

We have the knowledge and experience to achieve high standards for tube expansion and more. So, if you need expert help with adapting tubing for different applications, speak to us.