Air-Cooler Bundles
Have it your way – replacement-in-kind or upgraded!
Altex can build you a replacement air-cooler(aerial fin-tube) bundle matching original equipment manufacturer drawings.
Or maybe the original design is not meeting your needs – we can upgrade the design to:
- Increase cooling capacity for flows, temperatures, and/or duty
- Upgrade metallurgy
- Solve performance issues – fouling, corrosion, freezing
- Re-rate design temperature and pressures
Re-tubing air-cooler bundles is a great alternative if you have the time! This can be performed economically in our shop or via our field service team.
Altex has built and repaired hundreds of air-cooled bundles over the past 20 years in our two divisions – shop fabrication and field services. Additionally, we can provide the spare parts needed to keep your coolers running:
- Header plugs, taper tube plugs
- Louvres, linkages, actuators
- Fans and anti-rotation devices
- Motors
- Drive components – Bearings, shafts, sheeves, belts, guards
- Bug screens, hail guards, doors, floors
- Instrumentation - Averaging RTD, thermo-couples, transmitters, vibration switches & sensors
- Heating coils – steam and glycol
- Space heaters – gas and electrical
Design and Construction:
Our custom design and construction process ensures optimal thermal performance and structural reliability for every retube and bundle replacement project.
- ASME U, S, R, NB certified
- Canadian CRNs
- HTRI design in-house by our thermal engineering team
- Plug or cover-plate header-boxes
- Split headers, sloped headers
- L-Fin, embedded, or extruded fin-tubes
In-House Engineering Software:
We leverage proprietary in-house engineering tools to streamline analysis, enhance precision, and ensure ASME code compliance throughout the design lifecycle.
- HTRI thermal design/rating program
- AutoCAD and SolidWorks – 3D Models
- RISA 3-D, STAAD PRO structural analysis
- Finite element analysis
- PV Elite
Materials of Construction:
We utilize a wide range of industry-approved materials, selected to meet service-specific requirements and enhance durability under varying process conditions.
- Carbon Steel - SA-214, SA-179, SA-192, etc.
- Chrome-Moly - 1/2-Cr, 1-1/4Cr, 2-1/4Cr, 5Cr, 9Cr, 13Cr
- Stainless Steel - 304, 309, 316, 317, 321, 400 series, etc
- Duplex - S32205, S31803
- Super Duplex - S32750, S32760
- Nickel alloys - Incoloy®, Hastelloy®, Inconel®, C-276, C-22, N06625, N08825, Alloy 59, C2000, etc.
- Clad or overlayed tubesheets with above metallurgies
From retubing to complete bundle replacements, Altex offers fast, precise, and dependable services that restore your equipment’s performance while minimizing downtime. Count on our team for expert diagnostics and long-lasting solutions.
FAQs
What does bundle replacement and retubing involve for air cooled heat exchangers?
 Bundle replacement and retubing involve removing worn or damaged tube bundles and installing new or upgraded bundles to restore performance, improve heat transfer, and extend the service life of the unit.
How do I know if my heat exchanger needs a tube bundle replacement or repair?
 Signs include tube leaks, reduced thermal efficiency, fouling, corrosion, vibration damage, or frequent maintenance issues. When performance drops or operating costs rise, bundle replacement can offer a more reliable long term solution than repeated repairs.
What types of tube bundles can be replaced or retubed?
 Tube bundles can be replaced across fixed tube sheets, U tube designs, floating head configurations, removable bundles, and retrofit designs. Options include high efficiency finned tubes, specialty alloys, and corrosion resistant materials.
Can bundle replacement projects be customized for specific operating conditions?
 Yes. Tube bundles can be engineered to match process temperatures, pressures, fouling tendencies, corrosion risks, and mechanical requirements. Material selection and design are tailored to deliver reliable, long term performance.
What are the advantages of retubing compared to full unit replacement?
Retubing retains the existing exchanger frame and structure, reducing cost and lead time. It restores heat transfer capability, prevents unplanned downtime, and allows upgrades to tube material or design without replacing the entire unit.
