Heat exchanger repair without hot work
Heat exchangers are among the most critical equipment in refineries, chemical plants, power stations and pulp-and-paper mills. Their tube sheets, water boxes, flange faces and end covers suffer galvanic corrosion, cooling-water erosion, chemical attack and scaling. Induscoat rebuilds these geometries and protects them with cold-curing epoxy composites — no welding, no post-weld heat treatment.
The challenge: heat exchanger degradation by galvanic corrosion
Shell-and-tube exchangers combine cupro-nickel, brass, titanium or stainless tubes rolled into a carbon-steel tube sheet. This junction of dissimilar metals, bathed in chloride-rich cooling water, sets up a galvanic couple that gouges the tube sheet and flange face. Over time tubes loosen, leaks appear, and a full re-tubing — let alone exchanger replacement — costs hundreds of thousands of dollars and idles the unit for weeks.
The solution: cold rebuild of tube sheets
Induscoat rebuilds the tube sheet, water box and flange face with a cold-curing metal-rebuild mastic, restores tube-hole sealing, then applies a ceramic-filled epoxy topcoat. The result: an exchanger restored to its original geometry, durably protected against galvanic corrosion, water erosion and chemical attack — with no welding and no heat treatment.
Inspection of tube sheet, water box, flange faces and end covers
Grit blasting to NACE 2 / SSPC-SP10 near-white metal
Geometry rebuild with cold-curing metal-repair mastic
Ceramic-epoxy topcoat + adhesion and thickness testing
Benefits of cold heat-exchanger repair
- Avoids full re-tubing or exchanger replacement
- Stops tube-sheet galvanic corrosion at its source
- No heat — no distortion of tubes or tube sheet
- Restored sealing of tube roll joints
- Broad chemical resistance: seawater, chlorides, acids, hydrocarbons
- Return to service in 24 to 72 hours depending on scope
Systems we apply
Induscoat selects the rebuild mastic and topcoat based on your service fluid (fresh water, seawater, acid, hydrocarbon) and temperature. We apply repair systems, anti-corrosion coatings and our own Induscoat formulations for Canada's most severe services.
Related solutions
These services and products complement the application described above.
Frequently asked questions
Can you repair a tube sheet that is heavily gouged by corrosion?+
Yes. Cold-curing metal-repair mastics can rebuild a gouged tube sheet to several millimetres of depth, restore tube holes and flange faces, then be protected with a ceramic-epoxy coating. A pre-inspection confirms the repair is viable.
Does the exchanger need to be dismantled for repair?+
The shell-side tube sheet and water box can often be repaired with the shell in place, after opening the end cover. Work still requires isolating and draining the exchanger, plus access for grit blasting.
What service temperature do the coatings withstand?+
Standard systems withstand up to 90–120 °C in continuous immersion. High-temperature systems (up to 180 °C and higher in dry contact) are available for steam and process applications. We specify the right system for your actual service.
Which sectors do you serve in Canada?+
Refineries, petrochemical plants, power stations, pulp-and-paper mills, mines and cement plants — in Quebec, Ontario and across Canada.
Go deeper
Our technical notes on the subject — applicable standards, selection criteria and implementation traps.
Heat exchanger corrosion: causes and prevention, component by component
Heat exchanger corrosion is rarely one mechanism. Tubes pit and erode, tube sheets and water boxes suffer galvanic and crevice attack, plate exchangers corrode under their gaskets. This guide maps each component to its mechanisms, the prevention measures that work and the repair options when damage is already there.
10 minTube sheet repair and water box coating: a step-by-step procedure for heat exchangers and condensers
A corroded tube sheet or water box is usually found when the exchanger is opened for a leak or a scheduled outage, with little time to decide. This guide sets out the damage you will meet, how to inspect it, which repair option fits which damage, and the epoxy rebuild and coating procedure step by step, including its limits.
12 minGraphite heat exchanger repair and restoration: repair instead of replace
A leaking graphite heat exchanger is not automatically scrap. Between tube plugging, crack sealing and composite resurfacing, restoration puts years of service back into the unit at a fraction of the cost and lead time of a new one. Here is how to decide — and how the work is actually done.
8 minGalvanic corrosion in heat exchangers: tube sheets, water boxes, prevention and repair
Copper-alloy, stainless or titanium tubes rolled into a carbon-steel tube sheet form a galvanic cell as soon as cooling water fills the channel. This guide covers where the attack occurs, why area ratio and water conductivity set its severity, how to recognise it, and which prevention and repair measures actually work.
9 minTell us about your equipment to repair
Technical recommendation and quote within 24 business hours.
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