TubePlate Thinning

Although the method detailed on the Tubeplate Cracking page is very successful when carried out on low pressure boilers, the same cannot be said when carried out on high pressure boilers (in excess of 175 p.s.i.). CH Thompson decided to investigate this problem.

One common factor was realised in all cases investigated - All these boilers had combustion chamber tubeplates 25mm thick or more. Again the problem of poor heat transfer prevailed. Theoretically, the solution to the problem was that the tubeplate thickness should be reduced to allow the more rapid transmission of the increased gas temperature through the tubeplate. This however left four questions to be answered:

Can the tubeplate be reduced in the thickness and in situ within B.S. 2790?

Will the modifications be accepted by the insurance companies?

Can CH Thompson develop a machine to reduce the thickness without removing any smoke tubes, within the confines of the boiler, and guarantee accuracy?

Will the boiler still maintain the original output after this modification?

The answer to all these questions is YES! -

The first boiler in the UK was modified by CH Thompson in 1979. Since then, many boilers have been modified in this way by our company.