Ceramic tube to replace an Inconnel Tube

What type of wear are you experiencing? Is it abrasive wear from the material being moved inside the tube or is it mechanical wear from the auger making contact with the tube wall?

Depending on the root cause of the wear, you may want to look at other alternatives to replacing the Inconnel tube with ceramic. That sounds like an expensive proposition. You may want to evaluate the auger material if it is galling or causing wear due to contact with the tube wall. It is possible that the solution is in the auger and not the tube. Have you looked into any type of surface treatment of the tube wall? Surface treatment with Stellite material may be a viable option.

We manufacture cast metal alloy components for combustion engine and other applications that require tolerance to high temperatures with superior corrosion and wear resistance. We are unable to make the tube with the dimensions you noted; however, we have a metallurgical department that frequently analyses wear issues and makes recommendations for material selection. We may be able to offer suggestions for addressing your problem if additional information can be provided.

<Surface treatment with Stellite material may be a viable option.>

This is THE answer.For Superb Heat resistance and Abrasion Resistance get a roll of Hardfacing wire type 801-01 from BAMhttp://www.bam.net.cn/CoredWire.htm . Send MAIL TO Minston:< <minston@bam.net.cn> for a quick supply. Referred by me.Bam also supples high temp alloy Tubes-but I feel you could do with a standard AISI304/316 TUBE-all sizes available.SS is so much safer than Brittle Ceramics.

The next post berates this sound advice as VOODOO

Conversely, INCONEL as a tip material for Augur is VOODOO solution.

Inconel-you would use at Gas Turbine hottest blade tips, Rocket exhausts, Reentry NoseCones----

Dear TLD2,

Someone gave you wrong and impractical advice.

If the augur is Inconel (please correct your spelling) is a wonderful superalloy with Nickel base which is ideally suited to your application. Switching over to any other material would be akin to adopting voodoo magic rather than solid, proven and highly reliable materials science/technology.

Aerospace applications exist in today's immensely competitive world where Inconel parts are made to run at much highe temperatures -believe it or not, those high temperatures are near, very near to the melting point of this magical alloy. The trick lies in 'water-cooling'. This trick is so commonly used in plasma technology, that we routinely handle tempertures 3 times to 100 times higher than yours.

Also, a realistic look at costing will open up your eyes before you part with your gold tube for a brass one.... a ceramic tube of the size you mention will cost you the earth, moon and a piece of the sky too. Try and get a quotation. Also from design engineering point of view -yours is an application where either the tube wears out or the augur. If the tube is ceramic, your may need to replace the augur very often... however if both are made from Inconel, they should be giving you best possible lifespan.

If not, you need to 'plasma nitride' both the augur and the inner diameter of the Inconel tube. Upto 10 times longer lifespans can be achieved. Look into it please.

Regards

Plasmaspecialist

Hello Plasmaspecialist - "If the augur is Inconel (please correct your spelling)" - I haven't got a dictionary to hand but I believe auger is right. Augur is a prophet (not profit ) of some kind. And St. Agur is an excellent French cheese!

Codey

Codemaster and others,

You peaked my curiosity so I Encartated and Googled, Auger and Inconnel. Got this for auger:

auger or augur? Do not confuse the spelling of auger and augur, which sound similar. Auger is only used as a noun, denoting a tool for boring holes. Augur can be used as a noun, denoting a foreteller of the future, or as a verb, meaning "indicate what will happen in the future": This does not augur well for the company's expansion plans.

For Googled Inconnel, I found several sites with the spelling both ways, one "N" or two, pretty much your choice.

As for the other recomendations, looks like I have a lot more research to do. Thanks to ALL for your coments.(or should I say recommendations and comments???)

Speaking of spelling, that should be 'piqued my curiosity'

Thanks for that TLD2. I'd jumped to the conclusion that Plasma was referring to the spelling of auger but when I re-read it, of course it's equally likely he meant Inconel (or both).

Cheers....Codey

Hey TLD2:

There are makers of cast ceramics that can produced a special ceramics to meet your application.

We have made ceramic lined inconnell tubes (up to 48" dia). We have done this for high wear and corrosion. The metal tube helps to stabilze the more fragile ceramic. The ceramic handles the wear, heat and corrosion better. In some cases the inconnel can be relined after the ceramic wears out. Just an Idea. Write me back for more info.

Hi Codey,

Of course you are right, thanks for pointing out the typo.

Regds

Plasmaspecialist

In sub-sea drilling and exploration we see Inconel a lot, as well as Hastelloy; another 'super-alloy'.

There are dozens of variations for each. Without knowing your application I can offer no more than that.