Raw water condensers experience accelerated tube wall erosion due to both particulates and entry-zone turbulence causing premature through-wall failures, plugged tubes, and lost condenser efficiency.
Tube sheet protective coatings and off-the-shelf tube guards can be ineffective and, in some cases, accelerate tube wear. This can cause costly equipment damage and downtime.
The problem
Bare Tube - Multiphase Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) modeling of cooling water flow into shell-tube heat exchanger. Model shows several known system particulates flowing through specific condenser tube entry zones. Note multiple strikes by particulates on bare tubesheet face and in the rolled / transition zone of the tube where turbulence is high.
We engineer and manufacture tube guards specific to your application.
Our tube guards are designed to protect the high turbulence entry zone from particulate and flow damage. We leverage computational fluid dynamic modeling (CFD) to optimize fluid flow into your specific condenser tube bundle. Design considerations include tube guard material selection based on system chemistry and environment.
We quantify tube guard performance through functional testing in the MasterTek Flow Test Loop. This flow loop is configured to your specific flow, geometry, and field conditions.
The solution
Optimized – Same CFD analysis, but with MasterTek tube inserts specifically designed for client application. Note barrier protection of tubesheet face and rolled zone strikes as well as centralization of particulates in water flow post insert, reducing impact damage in the transition zone.
If you’ve read this far, there’s a good chance we can help you
Click the “Discover More” button to fill out a short questionnaire. This helps us to efficiently evaluate your condenser situation, so we can ascertain if it is something we can help with or not. We’ll reach out to you with our evaluation and response, and if applicable, schedule a video meeting with the founders and engineers, Warren and Joe, to go from there.
Proven results
Helping Plants Reduce (And Most Often Eliminate) Complications Caused by Tube Wall Erosion.
No one wants to be the guinea pig, but you don’t have to be.
MasterTek Flow has already proven itself with not just one power plant, but with multiple. For their customers in nuclear, this has resulted in millions of revenue retained that would have been lost due to tube-erosion induced shutdowns. MasterTek has created a process to model and simulate flow problems using computational fluid dynamics. In addition, they developed a modular mockup test loop of a heat exchanger condenser unit that can be customized to your plant’s tube bundle, spacing, and flow rate.
Extensive diagnostics and customer-specific testing
Warren and Joe, the founders and lead engineers of MasterTek Flow, believe in diagnosis before prescription. They trust in data and rigorous, customer-specific testing. Why guess when you can test?
Long-term relationship mindset and exceptional customer service
MasterTek takes the time to make sure you get the best solution for your specific plant’s situation. They don’t just focus on getting the right solution on the front end, they are available whenever you need them in case you have any issues or questions. In addition, Warren and Joe often say that the next product or solution they come up with will likely come from listening to their customers.
Quick turnaround
Instead of getting custom tube models to test in weeks or months, MasterTek Flow’s use of additive manufacturing helps MasterTek Flow get design samples into real world tests in a matter of days.
Long-term relationship mindset and exceptional customer service
We don't just sell a product. We sell a solution and a customer service commitment. We are available whenever you need us and are committed to providing a long term partnership for your tube wall erosion needs. We listen to our customers and do what it takes to solving problems.
Quick turnaround
We work closely with our customers to gather necessary operational design inputs to incorporate into modeling and tube guard design. We utilize additive manufacturing to facilitate sample testing prior to molding and production runs.
Proven results
Helping Plants Reduce Complications Caused by Tube Wall Erosion.
MasterTek Flow has a proven process for designing and manufacturing tube guards for high specification applications. For years, our tube guards have reduced tube wall erosion in industry heat exchanger/condensers extending life of plant equipment and reducing operating down-time based on costly through wall wear.
Our computational fluid dynamic modeling, tube guard design, and simulated test loop verification ensure you receive a unique solution to your specific application. We take the guesswork and risk out of the process so your plant receives a customized solution to your plant’s configuration, environmental, and operational inputs.
Extensive diagnostics and customer-specific testing
We believe in diagnosis before prescription. We trust in data and rigorous, customer-specific testing. Why guess when you can test?
Most tube inserts are generic, off-the-shelf products and actually cause reduced condenser efficiency.
We always focus on diagnosis before prescription, and our inserts are designed to your plants exact specifications.
To ensure we get the designs just right, we created the MasterTek Flow Test Loop.
How it works
This is the MasterTek Flow Test Loop, a modular mock up of a heat exchanger condenser unit just like what you’d find at a plant, only smaller.
The water comes in through the upstream water box.
The water then flows through the tube sheet(seen on the right) which houses tube inserts specifically modeled to your plant’s tube bundle specifications, spacing, and flow rate.
We can model up to 15 ft. per second in both an operational forward flow and backflow shutdown conditions to ensure your tube inserts stay in place no matter what.
As the water flows from the upstream water box through the tube sheet and into the downstream box we’re able to measure the differential pressure across the tube sheet, each of the water boxes, as well as flow into the tube sheet.
Benefits
1.
We’re engineers driven by a deep desire to solve problems. We know how frustrating it can be to have a recurring problem that you know there’s a way to solve, and we can help.
Solve a huge recurring problem
2.
When unplanned complications happen it can be really disruptive to the life of engineers. We know, because we’ve been there. We love helping reduce the amount of nights engineers have to work at 3am to fix an issue.
Peace of mind
3.
Depending on the plant, complications can cost hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of dollars in lost potential revenue. By preventing tube-erosion induced complications, we keep plants generating revenue.
Prevent potentialhuge revenue losses
4.
The off-the-shelf tube inserts on the market not only wear out once a quarter in most cases, they often result in decreased flow efficiency as well as progressive decrease in efficiency every time they shutdown. Our custom-engineered inserts are designed to your plant’s specifications in order to make sure your flow efficiency is working optimally. In some cases, our inserts have been known to even improve default flow efficiency.
Prevent Condenser Flow Inefficiency
Client Testimonials
We engineer multiple iterations of tube inserts for your heat exchanger condenser to find the most efficient geometry for your tubes.
Created using additive manufacturing. Get samples in days instead of weeks or months
About us
MasterTek Flow was formed as a partnership between Warren Brandon (left) and Joe Edwards (right), both career high specification energy market professionals.
While listening to power generation customers who continually had issues with raw water condenser tube erosion, the pair set out to solve the problem through a more engineered and customer centric process. The result was development of the first client specific tube guard.
Now with countless tube guards installed and multiple uniquely engineered designs, MasterTek has made a considerable difference in extending condenser tube life and reducing unplanned down-powers and outages. This has resulted in savings of lost power generation revenue and costly equipment wear and tear.
Since then, MasterTek Flow has gone on to repeat this success with other power plants, saving customers time and revenue.
If you’re working with large condensers using any type of raw water and encountering tube-erosion complications, schedule a time to talk with us to learn more about how we can help you.
About us
MasterTek Flow was formed as a partnership between Warren Brandon (left) and Joe Edwards (right), both career high specification energy market professionals.
While listening to power generation customers who continually had issues with raw water condenser tube erosion, the pair set out to solve the problem through a more engineered and customer centric process. The result was development of the first client specific tube guard.
Now with countless tube guards installed and multiple uniquely engineered designs, MasterTek has made a considerable difference in extending condenser tube life and reducing unplanned down-powers and outages. This has resulted in savings of lost power generation revenue and costly equipment wear and tear.
MasterTek Flow has gone on to repeat this success with other power plants, saving customers time and revenue.
If you’re working with large condensers using any type of raw water and encountering tube-erosion complications, schedule a time to talk with us to learn more about how we can help you.
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We engineer and manufacture tube guards specific to your application.
Our tube guards are designed to protect the high turbulence entry zone from particulate and flow damage. We leverage computational fluid dynamic modeling (CFD) to optimize fluid flow into your specific condenser tube bundle. Design considerations include tube guard material selection based on system chemistry and environment.
We quantify tube guard performance through functional testing in the MasterTek Flow Test Loop. This flow loop is configured to your specific flow, geometry, and field conditions.
The solution
Optimized – Same CFD analysis, but with MasterTek tube inserts specifically designed for client application. Note barrier protection of tubesheet face and rolled zone strikes as well as centralization of particulates in water flow post insert, reducing impact damage in the transition zone.
Raw water condensers experience accelerated tube wall erosion due to both particulates and entry-zone turbulence causing premature through-wall failures, plugged tubes, and lost condenser efficiency.
Tube sheet protective coatings and off-the-shelf tube guards can be ineffective and, in some cases, accelerate tube wear. This can cause costly equipment damage and downtime.
The problem
Bare Tube - Multiphase Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) modeling of cooling water flow into shell-tube heat exchanger. Model shows several known system particulates flowing through specific condenser tube entry zones. Note multiple strikes by particulates on bare tubesheet face and in the rolled / transition zone of the tube where turbulence is high.