Tapered heat exchanger plug design

[NovaStark]

Hi,

I've never really seen any official documentation explaining how to go about designing a tapered plug for heat exchanger plugging. However I have seen companies such as Swagelok provide plug dimensions.

I'd like to if there are any official codes or methodology that goes into calculating the length of a plug, the taper, etc.

For example,

Let's say that I have a tube side design of 1000 psig at 400 degF and a shell side of 600 psig at 1200degF.

For the material I'd basically use the tube material, and based on the ID of the tube, my tapered plug would need a smaller diameter that is less than the tube ID.

But are there any calculations to determine the length of the tube and hence the bigger diameter (side that would be seeing the shell side conditions).

Let's say for now, my failure mechanism is general wall loss or some already identified failure mechanism, so I'm not just plugging for plugging sake.

 

[metengr]

For heat exchangers I have been involved with over the years, the mechanical contractor would purchase tapered mechanical plugs for tube plugging. For higher pressure applications, the plug would be seal welded after being driven into the tube.

 

[EdStainless]

Don't use tapered plugs. You distort the holes and cause leaks in adjacent tube-to-tubesheet locations.
There are mechanical plugs (pop-a-plug) and shape memory plugs (whos name I don't recall).

If you are dealing with high pressure then use tapered plugs, but don't drive them hard, just enough to set them for the weld.

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P.E. Metallurgy, Plymouth Tube