Tube Plugging

of Firetube Boilers
BY ROBERT E. FERRELL, SENIOR STAFF ENGINEER
FEATURE

T
he plugging of leaking tubes in firetube boilers • How many tubes can be plugged before affecting com-
has been an industry practice for many years. The bustion in the boiler or the stay requirements?
purpose of plugging is to provide a quick fix. This
allows the boiler to continue operating until it can be shut Before plugging a tube, determine the cause of the
down and the tube replaced. leak. For instance, if the leak is at the tube to tubesheet
It should be understood a plugged tube is a temporary joint, this leak could affect the plug's holding power. If it is
fix. This type of fix is not addressed in any new construc- a through wall leak resulting from corrosion, it implies the
tion code. However, it is addressed in the National Board tube wall strength has been compromised. If the leak is a
Inspection Code (NBIC) through Interpretation through wall leak resulting from a longitudinal heat stress
NBI 95-35.1 (hoop stress) crack – such a crack usually occurs from the
tip of the tube inward across the tubesheet to the waterside
(Figure 1) – the crack may be closed by installing the plug.
However, it will eventually open up again.

Although plugging a tube looks like a relatively simple Figure 1

operation, some considerations must be taken into account:
If you ask an “old salt” boiler inspector (i.e., a navy
• How will the plug be installed? Will it be hammered veteran) about the percentage of tubes allowed to be
into the tube using a tapered plug, or will it be welded plugged, he will without hesitation say 10 percent.
into the tube? Although that is probably true of a watertube boiler on
a US Navy ship, it is not necessarily true of a civilian
• What type of operational cycling will this plug see? firetube boiler. The navy boiler may be over designed to

1
Interpretation NBI 95-35, R-200 Definition of Terms, 1992 Edition with the 1994 Addendum.
Question 1: Is the welding of a plug to seal tubes in a boiler or pressure vessel considered a repair?
Reply 1:Yes

Question 2: Does the NBIC apply to plugging tubes by welding plugs to tubes and/or their joints to tube sheets of tubes that have leaked,
tubes that have corroded to an unacceptable thin wall thickness, and tubes required to be removed from service for operating reasons in boilers
and pressure vessels?
Reply 2: Yes

14 NATIONAL BOARD BULLETIN / FALL 2008 nationalboard.org

 FEATURE
allow for tube plugging, but the civilian firetube boiler is to be used as a stay. Even if there’s no through wall leak,
probably not. most plug suppliers advise boiler owners to puncture the
There are two operational concerns for the boiler tube before installing a plug so that pressure won’t build
when a tube is plugged: the first involves the effects on up in the tube and loosen the plug. Therefore, there will
the waterside pressure boundary or membrane; the sec- always be water on the inside of the tube. This water will
ond is the effects on the combustion process throughout apply a pressure load on the plug, which will transmit
the boiler. across the tube sheet to the next unplugged tube.
The waterside membrane is a concern because the This can be shown using the Power Boiler Code
tube plug creates a flat head segment on the tube sheet. (PFT-31.2) to calculate the tube acting like a stay tube.
An analysis should be done to determine if the new flat The diagrams in (Figure 2) illustrate the load increase on
head segment exceeds the allowable pitch of the stays. surrounding unplugged tubes.
Initially the tube may act as a stay, but there are several Let’s assume the fire tubes are 2-inch OD, 0.095 wall,
problems with that assumption. If there is a through SA-178-A with an allowable tensile stress of
wall leak, the tube will fill with water. This fireside water S= 11400 psi. Thickness of the flat head tubesheet is 0.75
doubles the corrosion rate on the tube, limiting its time inches and the SA- 285-C steel has an allowable tensile of

Plugged Tubes Plugged Tubes Plugged Tubes

Plugged Tubes
Maximum Pitch Exceeded

Figure 2

nationalboard.org NATIONAL BOARD BULLETIN / FALL 2008 15

FEATURE

S= 15700 psi. Calculated pitch for the stays in this flat head
tube sheet is 10 inches. The MAWP is 200 psi.
As shown in Figure 2, the incremental increase in stress
on the surrounding tubes is compounded as the number of
plugged tubes increases. Therefore, a combination of tube
plugs could exceed the code maximum stay pitch.
Sometimes the plug is welded to ensure it doesn’t leak
or blow out and turn into a projectile. When it is welded,
the plug should have a material test report. The welding
must be done in accordance with the jurisdiction’s require-
ments. As shown in Figure 3, the fillet weld may only attach
to the tube. The holding strength of the plug depends on
holding strength of the leaking tube.
When it comes to combustion process, the impact of
Figure 3
plugging tubes results in back pressure of combustion gases
through the boiler. A plugged tube reduces the cross sec-
tional area of the flow path. Reduction in area reduces the
flow through the boiler and increases pressure drop across
the boiler. Increase in pressure reduces the air output of
the blower (forced draft or induced draft). Less air reduces
boiler capacity and contributes to incomplete combustion
that produces carbon monoxide and soot and thus increas-
P + 2 in. (50mm) es the cost of boiler operation. Smaller boilers would be
2 (PFT-27.3) PFT
27.9.2 more sensitive to this impact on combustion because there
P
2 are fewer tubes per pass.
P Although plugging has been an industry practice for
P many years and can be safely applied in accordance with
P P jurisdictional requirements, boiler owners always need
P 2 to remember this fix is temporary, and the condition will
(PFT-27.1)
continue to deteriorate, affecting the pressure boundary
P
p max. stability. They also need to remember this fix immediately
impacts the pressure containing capability of the pressure
boundary and the safe and efficient process of combustion
in the boiler unit. Thus, when convenient, they need to shut
Maximum pitch “p” may measured
down the boiler and replace the tube.
circumferentially and radially only

16 NATIONAL BOARD BULLETIN / FALL 2008 nationalboard.org