Turbulators Pueblo

What is a turbulator?

• A close wound spring, which is inserted into a tube using a rod.  By forcing the spring into a tube of a smaller diameter, the wire stretches out to a well defined pitch and is forced into contact with the containing tube’s walls.
• The helical wire “roughness” provides enhancement due to flow separation at the wire, inducing fluid mixing in the downstream boundary layer.

Material:

ASTM B159 C51000 TEMPER H08 (Phosphor Bronze Alloy)

In-Tube Turbulator Enhancement

• Turbulators used to enhance heat transfer at low Reynolds numbers (i.e. low flow and/or alternate fluid applications)
  • Increases heat transfer performance at low Reynolds numbers, increases pressure drop at ALL Reynolds numbers (i.e. all flows)
  • Dramatic improvement in glycol operating range; similar or better than response from 2 to 3 pass in RTAC or RTAE.
  • Enables selections to lower fluid temperatures
  • Does not change min/max flow rates

Can tubes be cleaned in place by conventional methods?

• Chemical – YES
• Brush type cleaning – NO
• High pressure/spray type cleaning – unconfirmed but NO is current recommendation.
• Default is to pull turbulators and reinstall new ones when tubes are cleaned by either of the two methods above.
• Service part available from Trane Parts

Turbulator Installation

• Use ½” steel insertion rod, with 0.25” wide slot at end.
  • Rod should be 200mm longer than the shell. 
  • Approximately 2400 or 4200mm.
• Install turbulator on rod so that “tang” fits into slot at end of rod.
• Simply push rod with turbulator into tube to desired length – No rotation
  • There will be some “springback” so push turbulator past exit end of tube.  Release rod and allow springback to occur without restriction.
  • The amount of extension past the tube exit will have to be determined by trial and error.  Target having just enough springback to stretch turbulator to full length of tube without trimming.
  • If necessary, trim at the inlet end of the tube.
    • Flush installation is desirable but not required, except for near 2 pass supply waterbox pass rib.
• Repeat for all tubes in tube bundle.