Abstract :

: Finning machines that are widely being used in cooling tower industries for fin tube production have shown problems in the production process that has come up recently. These fin tubes are in turn, used in condensers and heat exchangers as a vital cooling unit in power plants. In a study in a cooling tower industry, major problems such as fin breakage and slip occurring between tube and drive tires were encountered. This was mainly due to grease and dirt in the tube surface which is practically unavoidable, and bent tubes. Here a novel approach to eliminate the problem is perceived, with the utilisation of the fin chips as an abrasive to clean the surface of the tube. This can be done using either compressed air or centrifugal turbines. The method will help both ways to encounter tube slip problems and, utilisation of the waste chip materials as well.