Metal & Hybrid Ferrules
Our metal and hybrid ferrules combine high-temperature alloys with advanced ceramic interfaces to deliver superior mechanical strength, thermal shock resistance, and long-term durability. These assemblies are designed to withstand severe thermal cycling, vibration, and corrosive environments, providing a reliable solution where traditional ferrules fall short.
For more information or to receive a quote for these products, contact us today.
Metal Ferrules
Boiler tube failures most often occur at the inlet, weld, or tubesheet area. In lower-temperature units (below 1,650°F), metal ferrules provide a simple and cost-effective method of protecting these critical regions. Used as metal tube inserts, they are installed at the tube inlet and often flared to match the tube ID, helping shield the tube end from corrosion and erosion while guiding process flow smoothly into the tube and transferring heat past the tubesheet.
Metal ferrules perform well in moderate-temperature, mildly abrasive environments. Their OD can be wrapped with ceramic fiber for insulation and to avoid metal-to-metal contact. Custom options include tapered inlets/outlets, flanges, slots, holes, and stop pins, and they can be paired with a ceramic head for added tubesheet protection at higher temperatures.
Material Options:
- Low carbon steel
- 300 series stainless steels
- Hastelloy®
- Inconel® Alloys
Benefits:
- Protects tube ends from corrosion and erosion
- Minimizes stress corrosion cracking and pitting
- Preserves tube-to-sheet joints
- Easy and economical to replace
In applications that exceed 2,300°F or the limitations of metals, an all-ceramic design, such as the Blasch ProLok is recommended.
APPLICATIONS
- Thermal Oxidizers
- Catalyst Cooler
- Hydrogen Reformers
- Condensers
- Falling Film Heat Exchangers
- Nitric Acid
- High Temp – Inconel
- Ammonia Combustion Boilers
- ATR - Auto Thermal Reformer
- Syngas Cooler
Hybrid Metal/Ceramic Ferrules
Blasch’s Hybrid Ceramic/Metal Ferrules are engineered for the demanding environment of secondary reformer waste heat boilers, where tube-end protection, installation efficiency, and long-term reliability are critical. These reformer ferrules combine metallic strength with advanced ceramic protection to address the limitations of traditional designs in syngas service.
Conventional metal ferrules, often produced from high-nickel alloys, are typically installed with cast-in-place refractory at the tubesheet. This approach is labor-intensive, time-consuming, and highly dependent on field conditions and installer skill. Variability in refractory placement, curing, and moisture can compromise performance and extend outage durations.
Blasch’s hybrid solution improves on traditional metal tube inserts by replacing field-cast refractory with precision-engineered, precast ceramic components designed to match the ferrule entrance geometry and tube pitch exactly. Once installed, the refractory system is already complete, eliminating field curing, reducing installation time, and removing uncertainty from the installation process.
Because the ceramic components are precast and moisture-free, ceramic fiber insulation can be incorporated to significantly improve insulating value and reduce heat transfer to the tubesheet. This makes Blasch hybrid ferrules especially effective as syngas ferrules, where thermal efficiency and tubesheet protection are essential to long-term operation.
Blasch Hybrid Ceramic/Metal Ferrules help prevent tube-end corrosion and erosion, minimize stress corrosion cracking and localized pitting, and protect tube-to-tubesheet joints. When used in conjunction with a precast ceramic head, installation time can be dramatically reduced while improving long-term reliability in reforming applications.
Features:
- Tapered inlet and/or outlet
- Precision-engineered design
- Flares, flanges, slots, holes, or stop pins as required
- Optional ceramic fiber wrap
- Can be combined with a precast ceramic head to improve tubesheet protection
RELATED RESOURCES
In this presentation, learn about waste heat boilers, their applications, and what Blasch has to offer that can potentially be both a solution and improvement to your current process. With our shape making capability and 30+ years in the industry, we can help you engineer a ferrule solution to your specific needs.
Guide to Sustainable Optimization in Refineries and Chemical Plants
In this guide, learn how to maximize efficiency, minimize downtime, and reduce costs. This comprehensive resource provides proven strategies and innovative solutions designed for refining, chemical processing, and industrial operations.
