Dead legs in gun drilled cooling channels

[GeorgeEllwood]

Hello,
I'm looking into a cooling problem. Some of the potential solutions require gun drilling (~1.4m deep) through stainless steel. In order to create the cooling channel network the deep drilling will create some dead legs in the system. Is there a standard way of blocking off dead legs? I've got a few ideas about plugs etc. but don't want to reinvent the wheel if there is a standard solution out there. The environment will be hostile so polymers are probably not acceptable.
Many thanks
George

 

[MikeHalloran]

When a shell and tube heat exchanger tube develops a leak, it is often put back in service at reduced capacity by plugging both ends of the leaky tube. The plugs usually comprise a flanged cylinder with a tapered bore, and a tapered pin that is driven into the cylinder bore with a big hammer, expanding the cylinder against the tubewall inside the tubesheet.

The plugs are available commercially.



Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

 

[EdStainless]

There are better plugs available that are called pop-a-plug. They use a nut to draw the taper together.
More reliable than drive plugs.
You really need to gun drill? There is no room to remove heat from a surface? Those are going to be very expensive holes.

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Plymouth Tube

 

[GeorgeEllwood]

Thanks for the replies, I'll look into pop-a-plug. Gun drilling looks to be the only viable option at the moment. Thanks
George

 

[tbuelna]

If the diameter of the hole is around 1/2" or less, you can use a Lee plug. Lee plugs are very reliable, easy to install, and can handle high pressures.