Titanium heating tubes rely on a complete, compact titanium dioxide passive film to maintain stable anti-corrosion performance. The surface protective layer is thin and brittle; hard friction, sharp collisions and improper hoisting during transportation and installation will scratch or peel the passive film, exposing fresh titanium substrate. Without timely re-passivation repair, these scratch defects turn into permanent corrosion initiation points once immersed in organic acid, brine or alkaline cleaning media. Standardized packaging, handling and assembly procedures can effectively prevent abrasion damage and preserve the integrity of the titanium tube surface.
Special full-coverage packaging is the basic protection measure during transit. Each single titanium heating tube should be individually wrapped with thick soft foam or PTFE cloth, rather than directly stacked in iron boxes without separation. Hard metal brackets, steel wires and other accessories must be packed in separate independent bags to avoid jolting collisions that leave linear scratches on tube surfaces. For long tube assemblies with flanges, wrap thick rubber gaskets on flange edges and weld zones-these areas have naturally thinner passive film and are most vulnerable to impact abrasion. The outer transport wooden box should be filled with foam filler to eliminate internal shaking and friction during long-distance logistics.
Hoisting and moving operations must reject hard metal slings. Many construction teams use steel wire ropes to lift titanium tube bundles, and the sharp steel strands will leave dense spiral abrasion marks on the outer wall under extrusion pressure. Soft wide nylon lifting belts or PTFE-coated canvas slings are mandatory for hoisting. When manually carrying tubes, workers should wear clean soft cotton gloves instead of bare hands or gloves mixed with metal debris; sand and hard particles on palms will produce tiny grinding scratches during gripping. Never drag titanium tubes directly on concrete floors or steel platforms, as rough ground will strip large areas of passive film in a short time.
Internal tank assembly needs isolation protection to prevent contact abrasion. When placing titanium tubes inside reaction tanks, avoid direct contact between the tube body and sharp tank wall protrusions, steel support brackets and agitator components. Replace all rigid metal fixed supports with wide-surface PTFE cushion blocks to form a soft isolation layer. During bolt fastening of flange connections, prevent screwdrivers, wrenches and other metal tools from slipping and scraping the tube outer surface. If multiple heating tube groups are installed together, reserve sufficient gap space to eliminate mutual vibration friction after equipment operation.
Post-installation pre-operation cleaning and inspection can find hidden abrasion defects early. After all assembly work is finished, visually inspect the entire tube surface under sufficient light to mark linear scratches, impact indentations and peel-off areas of the passive film. Minor shallow scratches only need aerated oxygen-rich water immersion for natural re-passivation. Deep wide abrasion grooves must be polished with ultra-fine abrasive paste first, then treated with hydrogen peroxide chemical passivation to rebuild an integrated protective film before feeding process medium into the tank.
Prohibited rough operation behaviors that cause irreversible damage: binding tubes with iron wire, hoisting with steel cables, dragging on hard ground, using unprotected metal supports, and placing sharp tools directly on the tube surface. Establish standardized handling operation specifications for warehouse receiving, transportation and on-site installation to regulate worker operation habits.
表格
| Stage of Operation | Common Abrasion Damage Source | Standard Protective Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Factory packaging & logistics | Direct stacking, hard metal accessory collision, jolt friction | Individual soft foam wrapping, separate accessory packaging, foam-filled outer wooden box |
| Hoisting and handling | Steel wire rope extrusion scratch, ground dragging, bare hand grit friction | Nylon soft lifting belts, cotton gloves, pad foam when placing tubes |
| Tank internal installation | Sharp steel bracket contact, tool slip scratch, tube-to-tube vibration friction | PTFE soft cushion supports, operate tools carefully, reserve enough tube gap |
| Post-installation inspection & repair | Unrepaired scratches turn into corrosion pits in corrosive medium | Visual full inspection; graded polishing and re-passivation for damaged areas |
Brief Summary
Scratches and abrasion on titanium heating tubes during transportation and installation destroy the intact TiO₂ passive film and induce subsequent corrosion failure. Adopting soft packaging, non-metal hoisting tools, PTFE isolation supports and post-installation passivation repair can fully avoid surface damage, retaining the long-term anti-corrosion stability of pure titanium heating tubes.
