Intensification of Tube Plugging Based on Simulation Results

A new tube plugging process is described and studied on a lengthwise rolling mill installed on PRP-140 of the Sinara Pipe Plant. The deformation of a shell on a plug in a lengthwise rolling mill is studied using the finite-element method. The behavior of the dimensionless parameters characterizing the deformation of the metal in the groove tapers with variation in the elongation ratio of the shell is established. The effect of the ovality and kinematic tension of the shell on its deformation during plugging is analyzed through computer-aided simulation. It is established that applying kinematic tension and preovalization to the shell increases the elongation ratio by 37%, decreases the variation in wall thickness, and extends the range of tube grades produced with an automatic tube rolling mill.