Many Steam Methane Reformers have long catalyst tubes that expand 8" or more when the heater goes on-line. This large axial expansion has presented problems for creating long lasting seals that effectively seal the air ingress. Flextech has solved this problem with the Reformer Tube Seal, which is widely recognized by its wire-ribbed exterior, which allows the bellows to compress with ease while retaining their shape.

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The Flextech Gang Seal is designed for applications when two or more tubes exit the heater through a shared opening or if the tube spacing is too limited to install a single tube seal.

This particular tube seal is used on an Auxiliary Boiler Economizer manifold. The outer cover is silicone coated fiberglass, which is weatherproof. This picture shows two halves of the tube seal already joined together during installation. Typically, the seal is made as two separate halves, and joined together in the field with staples or thread.

Flextech's Positive Pressure tube seals effectively seal pipe penetrations found in applications such as HRSG units and CO Boilers. They have succeeded in sealing in applications up to 1500°F, +40” W.C. and also handling wide range of thermal motions. The Positive Pressure Tube Seal has effectively replaced metal bellows, packing glands, and other textile expansion boots that have proven to be unsuccessful, or cumbersome to install.

Single Bellows tube seals are designed for tubes with moderate axial thermal growth. The tube seal shown is designed to clamp onto a steel collar (rolled flat bar) around the tube seal penetration and has stapled-up flaps. Each seal can have different closure arrangements and different material compositions.

Cone type tube seals are designed for tubes with minor axial or lateral thermal growth. Cone type tube seals can also be attached to collars (rolled flat bar) or flanged, and can have different closure arrangements and different material compositions. The seal on the right is a seal designed for a flanged connection and has a laced up flap. The flaps can also be stapled together.

Box type tube seals are primarily designed for applications with high lateral motion. These tube seals can also be attached to collars (rolled flat bar) or flanged, and can have different closure arrangements and different material compositions. The seal on the right is a seal designed to be installed on a collar, and has a stapled flap. The flaps can also be stapled together or laced up using the "D rings".

Tadpole seals are used when there is too little room to install a normal seal, and are bolted or screwed to the heater casing. While a normal seal design is superior, as the tadpole seal can only handle axial motion and is not clamped to the tube, it reduces air ingress significantly in cases where a tube seal cannot be installed.