Foster Wheeler Energy Corporation

Foster Wheeler USA Corporation

Foster Wheeler Development Corporation

Myron T Krawchuk

Joseph W Schroeder

Steve D Mehas

Allen J Malsbury

Alexander Girshik

Joseph C Spoganetz

Anti-vibration spacer elements are located between adjacent elongated heat exchanger tubes for operation at temperatures above ambient in a tubular type heat exchanger. The spacer elements are formed of metal alloys having a shape-memory characteristic and are placed between adjacent rows of elongated tubes in the heat exchanger, such as a steam generator or feed water heater, and are supported from a girth ring in the casing of the heat exchanger. When the heat exchanger operating temperature is increased above a transition temperature (TT) for the spacer metal, such as a temperature between -100.degree. F. and 1000.degree. F., the spacer element increases in its overall effective thickness dimension so as to provide a lateral loading force against the adjacent tube pairs, and thereby dampen and prevent undesired vibrations of the elongated tubes. The invention also provides a method for providing vibration dampening for elongated tubes in heat exchangers operating at -100.degree. to 1000.degree. F.

Anti-vibration spacers used in tubular type heat exchangers

A device for remotely unheading delayed coking drums and method for remotely operating the device. The device includes a head unit for attachment to a lower flange of a coking drum and fastening means by which a plurality of swing bolts are disconnected by remotely operated detensioning equipment, and a platform device which lowers the header unit, moves it laterally to one side, and tips it for cleaning. A chute attached to the platform is brought into engagement with the coke drum lower flange for removal of coke from the drum. Following the coke removal, the chute is removed and the head unit is remotely reconnected to the coker drum lower flange. The invention also discloses a method for remotely operating the unheading device.

Unheading device and method for coking drums

A boiler tube rupture testing apparatus and method in which two segments are inserted into a tube section which sections together form a disc having a outer diameter slightly less than the inner diameter of the tube section. A creep rupture machine is connected to the individual segments for exerting to oppositely directed forces on the segments, respectively. The forces can be selected to simulate the hoop stress applied to the tube section due to internal pressure and can be maintained on the tube section until rupture occurs which will lead to as accurate estimation of the life of the tube.

Rupture testing apparatus for boiler tubes

A fixture for explosively welding a tube to a tubesheet in which a plug extends within a cup which in turn is inserted into a fixture tube. A first explosive extends within the chamber defined by the cup and the plug and a second explosive extends within a bore defined within the plug. The sensitivity of the second explosive is greater than that of the first explosive so that, upon detonation by an externally actuated elongated detonation member, sequential detonation of the second explosive and the first explosive occurs.

Fixture for explosively welding a tube to a tubesheet

A method for removing a tube from an opening in a tubesheet in which a containment plug is placed in the tube at a predetermined distance from the end of the tube and a granular material is placed into a portion of the tube between the plug and the latter tube end. A push rod is applied through the tube end and to said granular material to apply a force to the granular material against the plug to cause the granular material to exert a shear force on the inner wall of the tube of a magnitude to push the tube from the tubesheet opening.

Growing community of inventors

Newton, NJ, United States of America

Myron T Krawchuk