How Cold Cutting Helps Remove Damaged Pipes in Industrial Plants



Industrial operations require pipes and tubes for fluid transportation and heat exchange. However, in the long run, these components may end up being affected by corrosion, erosion, and stress. To eliminate these components, special equipment is required. Cold cutting is a mechanical metal-cutting process that does not involve thermal techniques and is used in specific industrial applications.

Why Do Industrial Plants Need to Remove Damaged Pipes?

Piping and tubing problems can cause malfunctions and process interruptions in plants. Some common reasons for equipment failures are:

  • Corrosion: chemical reactions that degrade the tube wall and cause leaks.

  • Erosion: caused by fluids and solid particles wearing out inner surfaces.

  • Mechanical stresses: vibrations, impacts, and heavy loading leading to cracks and deformations.

  • Blockage:  caused by deposits inside the tube.

Boilers, condensers, and heat exchangers require tubes to be separated without disturbing other elements.

How Does Cold Cutting Help Remove Damaged Tubes?

Cold cutting uses mechanical cutting and not thermal cutting. This helps allow technicians to cut the damaged metal without heating the adjacent metals. This will depend on the machine used and the tube size.

1. Inspect the Damaged Tube

The technicians begin by locating the affected area and examining the material type, outside diameter, wall thickness and accessibility of the tubing. Before cutting begins, they must isolate the equipment, release any stored pressure and follow the site's safety procedures. 

2. Select the Right Tube Cutting Tool

The cutting tool needs to be compatible with the dimensions and usage of the tube. An internal tube cutter cuts through the tube wall from inside and is used to cut tubes installed in the tube sheets of condensers and heat exchangers.

This type of tube cutting tool can work using portable electric or air operated drill motors. In case of heavy boiler tubes having an outside diameter of 2 inches or more, there is an alternative internal tube cutting tool.

3. Cut and Extract the Damaged Tube

After positioning the cutter in the correct place, it proceeds to separate the tubing according to the instructions from the manufacturer. The next step is using the appropriate puller or extraction machine to extract either the cut tubing or the stub.

Separation of these two procedures enables them to select the proper equipment for each process.

4. Prepare the Opening for Replacement

Once the faulty tube has been removed, the tube sheet and its surroundings are checked for damage. The opening is then cleaned up and prepared for the installation of a new tube.

What Should Maintenance Teams Consider?

Prior to the selection of cutting technique, the following factors should be considered:

  • Type of tube, tube diameter and thickness.

  • Working area available and accessibility.

  • Proximity of nearby tubes and other parts.

  • Desired cut quality and the replacement process.

  • Safety considerations at the work site in relation to sparks and mechanical risks.

  • Cold cutting does not mean that there is no risk of sparking.

Conclusion

The removal of defective tubes involves inspecting and selecting appropriate cutting and removal equipment. The cold cutting machine is suitable for some larger applications of pipe cutting. On the other hand, internal tube cutters are used to cut and remove tubes in boilers, condensers and heat exchangers. The Tube Expanders provides tube cutting and removal tools that cater for such specialised applications.

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