Dear Mr. Srinivasan, Since the tubes are already in service for 9 years, don't you think it is advisable to carry out detailed metallographic examination by retiring one or two tubes from service in addition to what you have suggested? Regards, Kochappan.

I want to thank you all for your valuable advise with regards to the "Best Practice" for inspection of the Reformer Heater tubes. Unfortunately, yesterday 2005-11-08 one of the tubes on the east cell ruptured from what appears to be a vertical through wall crack approximately five feet up the tube from the bottom and approx.12 inches in length. I have not yet been able to enter the heater but the excessive heat has damaged the external steel panel of the heater. Management are contemplating completely retubing the heater in 2006, but the earliest delivery for the tubes from a supplier in Germany is one year. What is your opinion on this delivery time ? Are there any other reliable suppliers that can produce these tubes (120) off in a shorter time ? Is this the best replacement material or is there better on the world market ? Thanks in Advance for your repiles. Ian Haynes Senior Inspector Trinidad & Tobago.

Ian You can contact Nitin Castings Ltd Thane Mumbai India. Contact person: Mr T.R.V Kochappan whio is on this forum discussion in the same topic. I do not off hand remember the telephone and e-mail addresses of Nitin Castings Ltd. You can get this info in web site. He will be able to help you if Nitin can supply your tubes in this time frame. Commercial and tehchnical specification you can correspond on e-mail on Nitin casing web site Trust this is of help to you C.V.Srinivasan Nishi Engineers Pvt Ltd India Nov 10 E-mail: nishi @vsnl.com >I want to thank you all for your valuable advise with >regards to the "Best Practice" for inspection of the >Reformer Heater tubes. > >Unfortunately, yesterday 2005-11-08 one of the tubes on the >east cell ruptured from what appears to be a vertical >through wall crack approximately five feet up the tube from >the bottom and approx.12 inches in length. > >I have not yet been able to enter the heater but the >excessive heat has damaged the external steel panel of the >heater. > >Management are contemplating completely retubing the heater >in 2006, but the earliest delivery for the tubes from a >supplier in Germany is one year. > >What is your opinion on this delivery time ? Are there any >other reliable suppliers that can produce these tubes (120) >off in a shorter time ? Is this the best replacement >material or is there better on the world market ? > >Thanks in Advance for your repiles. > >Ian Haynes >Senior Inspector >Trinidad & Tobago.