TPi March 2016

products & developments

Carbon steel products stocked for quick delivery

carbon steel pipe and tubulars are held in covered warehouses at premises near Glasgow, UK. This allows the company to service the needs of customers quickly and efficiently, to dispatch pipes immediately to anywhere in the world without the lead times normally associated with steel mill deliveries.

installed in August and September of the same year. Once the project is up and running the initial production rate is expected to be 24,000 barrels of oil per day. Tube Developments states that its reputation for quality, reliability and value has allowed it to establish itself in international markets covering Europe, Australia, USA, Africa, India, the Middle East and Asia. Thousands of tonnes of

While 2015 was a challenging time for companies in the steel industry and in particular within the oil and gas sector, Tube Developments was involved in a number of major projects. The company successfully supplied the high yield tubulars for the tie-in spools on the Solan Project in the North Sea. The completion of the subsea storage tanks, topsides and jacket in 2014 was followed with the facilities being

Tube Developments Ltd – UK info@tubedev.com www.tubedev.com

Materials for increase in durability and reduction in energy use

wall. Physical appearance of the tubes indicates a potential for additional years of service. Due to the extended lifetime, maintenance costs and furnace downtime have been significantly reduced. Additional benefit is realised through an increased throughput of the furnace. Kanthal APM is an iron-chromium- aluminium (FeCrAl) powder metallurgical dispersion strengthened alloy used in a wide range of resistance and high- temperature applications. Kanthal APMT is an advanced powder metallurgical dispersion strengthened, ferritic iron- chromium-aluminium alloy (FeCrAlMo alloy). Both alloys are recommended for continuous use up to 1,250°C (2,280°F) in oxidising and reducing environments. Kanthal APMT is a further development of Kanthal APM, designed for especially demanding applications. The alloys form a protective and non- scaling Al 2 O 3 surface oxide when exposed to high temperature, which gives good protection in most furnace and combustion environments, ie oxidising, sulphidising and carburising, as well as against attacks from deposits of coke and ash. Sandvik Materials Technology – Sweden www.kanthal.com

for my SER burners in the Sunbeam furnace were ordered in January 2010 and installed in April of 2010, so we are looking at over five years’ steady operation, vs something like 18 months with the previous stainless steel tubes. I bought another furnace that is the same as the one we are running now. When we get it installed I will be looking to use the Kanthal APM tubes.” The main benefits from the replacement with Kanthal APM tubes at Atlantic Heat Treating are durability and reduced maintenance. The tubes have been operating for more than five years with no issues with respect to surface corrosion or deformation of the tube

Atlantic Heat Treating Ltd contacted Sandvik with concerns about the relatively short lifetime of existing SER radiant tubes in its gas-fired Sunbeam furnace, which were failing after around 18 months of service. Sandvik provided replacement tubes manufactured using Kanthal APM extruded material that were sized to work with the existing burner design and to be a direct replacement for the previous stainless alloy tubes. “The burners that are using the Kanthal APM tubes are the best I have ever seen,” said Jon Matthews, owner of Atlantic Heat Treating Ltd. “The tubes

A photo taken by the customer shows the orientation and condition of the APM tubes that have been in operation in the furnace for more than five years with no signs of material degradation

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Tube Products International March 2016

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