SleevePro - Sleeve / Liner Expansion
The SleevePro system allows for great low-end pressure control, often required for expansion of thin wall sleeves (ferrules) or liners (full-length sleeves) into existing parent tubes. It’s also ideal for expansion of tubes into fins or extruded materials.
SleevePro power supplies come in two primary configurations, the SP-1 (15,000psi) system and the SP-2 (30,000psi) system. Each come standard in a compact chassis with full digital operation consisting of 5 operating modes including strain control. Optionally, each is also available in a taller (JR-7 size) chassis, a fully pneumatic operating mode, and/or in a watertight case for ultimate portability
The SP-1 system, rated for 15,000psi max operating pressure, is ideally suited for most sleeve/liner expansion projects. Its low-pressure control allows for fast and reliable expansion of CuNi, Carbon, and Stainless sleeves/liners, as well as most tube-to-fin applications.
SleevePro SP-1 (15K)
The SP-2 system, rated at 30,000 psi max output, is ideally suited for sleeve expansion when using exotic materials that consistently require pressures above 12,000-15,000 psi for optimal expansion. This may include Inconel, Hastelloy, or Duplex sleeves. The SP-2 allows operators to maintain great pressure control at low end, while offering a maximum output that far exceeds the capabilities of the SP-1.
SleevePro SP-2 (30K)
The Power Supplies
The Tooling
SleevePro power supplies can be used with any of HydroPro’s hydraulic expansion tools, including HydroPro and Fastool tooling. Typical sleeve/ferrule expansion utilizes HydroPro Standard Tooling, while full length liners can long sleeves may utilize modified tool designs.
Fin-Fan type units can be lined using a specially designed header box tool that ensures maximum expansion between tubesheets is achieved. This is completed by the tool being secured to the header box and then sealing on the ID of the tube, inside the tubesheet area.
Full length liner expansion is best performed using a tool that seals on the liner ID, within the tubesheet area, to ensure maximum pressure and dwell are achieved within the desired expansion area. OD chucks cannot guarantee consistent intimate contact between sheets, because when water pressure builds, the tube stretches as the chucks are “pushed” outward by water pressure. During proper hydraulic expansion, tube material is drawn into the expansion area as the tube grows radially.
Sleeves / Ferrules / Liners
Depending on the operation, Sleeves and Liners serve multiple purposes. Typically, they’re used to prevent erosion or corrosion in service units, but they can also be used to “patch” leaks in order to keep the tube in service.
New Sleeve Prior to Installation
Sleeve After use in TLE
How it Works
SleevePro Hydraulic Expansion Technology works by hydro-forming a sleeve or liner into an existing tube. Using water ensures the tube intimately forms to the existing tube (parent tube) and offers new life to thinning, eroded, or corroded tubes while maintaining maximum thermal efficiency.