Planning guide · Published by Atlantis NDT
Heat exchanger tube inspection: compare scope, coverage and deliverables
Prepare a tube inspection enquiry with material, tube layout, preparation and follow-up requirements clearly defined.
Start with the decision you need to make
Start with the exchanger configuration and the inspection objective rather than requesting a technique by name alone. Tube material, geometry, deposits, accessibility and the condition of interest affect the technical review. Provide the tube sheet layout and previous plugging or replacement history. Agree how the provider will record examined tubes, coverage limitations and locations needing follow-up. A method label and a percentage of tubes are not enough to explain what evidence the owner will receive.
What to check and why it matters
| Decision area | Evidence to prepare | Question to resolve |
|---|---|---|
| Tube population | Identify exchanger and bundle references, tube material and dimensions, layout orientation and known plugging or replacement. Mark uncertain records. | Can every result be placed on the same tube map used by maintenance? |
| Preparation and coverage | Describe cleaning, access and the proposed examination extent. Ask the technical reviewer to identify method limitations and required verification. | How will unexamined or restricted areas be distinguished from examined areas? |
| Results and follow-up | Agree tube-level identifiers, result files, review status and the process for resolving ambiguous findings. Keep disposition decisions with the owner’s authority. | Who selects follow-up work and how is it linked to the original examination? |
Illustrative example · Not a customer case study
Apply the questions to a real-world situation
Hypothetical enquiry: the owner requests inspection of a bundle but the latest tube map omits several plugged tubes. Before mobilization, the team reconciles the map and flags unresolved positions. The provider quotes against the clarified population and states cleaning assumptions. During reporting, inaccessible tubes retain their own status rather than disappearing from the denominator or being counted as acceptable.
Prepare your working brief
Capture what is known and name the unresolved questions. You can use the worksheet without registering or sending information to Atlantis.
- Exchanger details
- List bundle reference, material, tube dimensions and available drawings.
- Tube map
- Describe orientation, numbering and plugging or replacement history.
- Inspection objective
- State the suspected condition and the decision the owner needs to make.
- Preparation
- Assign cleaning, access and availability of the bundle.
- Report and review
- Define coverage records, file formats and follow-up authority.
When you need project-specific support
Request a tube inspection scope review. Confirm the current deliverables and fit for your requirement with the Atlantis team.
Discuss traceable presentation of the results through inspection data visualization. Confirm the current deliverables and fit for your requirement with the Atlantis team.
For a US enquiry, include the project state and time zone, the responsible employer or owner, and the documents governing the work. For other countries, include the relevant recognition or customer requirements. Delivery and availability are confirmed for the engagement.
Request an inspection scope reviewScope and further reading
Technique suitability, examination capability and any tube disposition require application-specific confirmation. This guide does not rank techniques or set plugging criteria.
Continue with the detailed companion guide, Reconciling Tube Identity, Plugging History and Cross-Campaign Records, for a related evidence-handling workflow and its source references. The planning suggestions here are original discussion aids, not approved procedures or reproductions of standards.
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