Quality requirements for boiler tubes

Boiler tubes are a type of seamless tube, manufactured using the same methods as other seamless pipes but with stricter requirements on the steel grades used. Based on usage temperature, boiler tubes are categorized into general boiler tubes and high-pressure boiler tubes. This article will discuss how to control the quality of boiler tubes.

1) Tube Blank Control

The tube blank significantly influences the production of seamless boiler tubes, particularly regarding the stability and purity of the steel's chemical composition. With advancements in metallurgical technology and equipment, the continuous casting and rolling process of tube billets has gained popularity due to its high efficiency, low consumption, high quality, and cost-effectiveness. To ensure surface quality, tube blank factories typically use various testing methods, including magnetic flux leakage detection, ultrasonic phased array flaw detection, or infrared flaw detection, along with surface peeling techniques when defects are identified.

2) Heat Treatment Process Control

Heat treatment is a critical process in the production of seamless steel pipes for boilers. It significantly impacts both the inherent and surface quality of seamless steel pipes, especially alloy seamless steel pipes, and plays a vital role in the performance of high-pressure boiler tubes used in power station boilers. Achieving a stable metallographic structure and maintaining high-quality inner and outer surfaces are indicators of a steel pipe enterprise's manufacturing excellence.

3) Non-Destructive Testing Control

For high-pressure boiler tubes, non-destructive testing is typically performed using eddy current and ultrasonic automatic flaw detection methods. Each steel pipe undergoes eddy current flaw detection to ensure its integrity and quality.

Conclusion

Quality control for boiler tubes involves meticulous monitoring and testing at various stages, including tube blank control, heat treatment process control, and non-destructive testing. These measures ensure that boiler tubes meet the stringent requirements necessary for their intended applications, particularly in high-pressure environments.