Heat exchanger tube cleaning equipments: What is to be understood?
Posted on: April 29, 2016
It is stated that the process of heat exchanger tube cleaning is quite an expensive, time consuming and tedious one. However, it is imperative to make sure that this equipment functions perfectly. The machinery and equipment can be affected adversely due to high temperatures, especially if any kind of fluctuation is noticed within the temperatures. Since there are stated to be possibilities related to both change and rise in temperatures, it may lead towards the equipments and machinery deteriorating over a period of time, if they are not cleaned and maintained periodically.
Using heat exchanger tube cleaners
The fact is that heat exchange tube clean process can prove to be a tedious task because of the tube’s structure or arrangement, which may make it really tough for anyone to gain proper access to it and get it cleaned. There are traditional cleaning methods used such as having water blasted through the tubes, which might not prove to be useful and successful always. Because of debris being present in the tube, which may not be always eliminated, re-fouling probably may take place very easily.
As water gets blasted through the tubes which are bent in numerous shapes or comes in coiled form, the speed of the blast gets slowed down, thereby making it quite difficult to be thoroughly and properly cleaned. The reason is because, slowing down is likely to allow foul material deposition in specific areas.
Why not traditional methods of cleaning the tube?
Contaminants are said to get accumulated within a short time period after initial cleaning takes place with traditional form of cleaning. Again, constant cleaning cannot be termed to be the solution, since several instances are present, where heat exchanger tubes could possibly stop operating at the time of cleaning, thereby making it tough for the equipment to operate on its own. Moreover, the equipment’s downtime can be somewhat problematic.
Availing proper and timely solutions
A wonderful solution is known to lie in making proper use of the new equipments and tools, which are meant for cleaning specialized equipments. There are several physical cleaners present such as chemical cleaners such as particular types of acids or detergents abrasive balls and scrapping tools, and potential mixture of both physical and chemical cleaners along with water blast being available easily.
At the same time, it is necessary to make sure that cleaners which are being used are found compatible with heat exchanger tubes or not, before cleaning them. For instance, specific types of acids are present which may react negatively along with some metals. It does make good sense to use heat exchanger tubes of metal types or chemical types for the purpose of cleaning. Asking an expert can really help to determine as to which one can help to derive the best possible results.
Finally, when trying to clean heat exchanger tubes, until the person is stringent with the regimen, no cleaner is present which can said to be effective.
When cleaning heat exchanger is concerned, professional experience and safety maintained by the professionals is to be checked when hiring them.
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