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Been going back and forth on tube sheet rolling - tight fits vs wider clearances
Had a job two months ago at a chemical plant near Houston. We were rolling tubes into a heat exchanger and the prints called for a real tight fit. Like 0.001 inch clearance. Took forever to get each tube seated right. Then last week at a different site in Louisiana, the old timers there told me they always leave a bit more room, like 0.003 to 0.005. Said it lets the tube expand natural during rolling and you get less cracking at the ends. I can see both sides but now I'm second guessing myself. The tight fit feels more solid but man is it a pain. What do yall usually run for clearance?
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