During their operating life tubular heat exchangers are often subject to inlet tube end erosion.

This erosion occurs over the first few " of the tube end, often reducing the tube wall sufficiently enough to require the tube to be plugged. Installing a metallic tube sleeve through the eroded area of the tube end mitigates the effects of this erosion allowing the tube to be returned to service, extending the life of the heat exchanger and postponing costly retubing or bundle replacement.

Sleeving may also be implemented in a program to reclaim previously plugged tubes and increase exchanger surface area.

Metallic Tube sleeves may be installed using conventional tube expanders or EST’s Hydra-Loc hydraulic expansion techniques.

Sleeves expand into intimate contact with the host tube, Metallic sleeves are more easily removed than glued in plastic sleeves.

The process is faster than conventional roller expansion techniques.

The process allows the sleeve to expand and conform to the actual contours.