Cleaning Marine Diesel Heat Exchanger

This video shows a hands on example of how to clean a marine diesel heat exchanger on a westerbeke. It's quite simple and easy to follow. Check it out.

Cleaning Heat Exchangers, Vents & Ducts with Dry Ice Blasting

Cleaning the heat exchanger, vents and ducts on the USN Pecos can actually be done using ice blasting technology as well. So, if you find it difficult to clean heat exchanger using water, you now know how to do it fast and efficient.

Heat Exchanger Shellside Cleaning System (NBL Corp.)

This is a video that shows a huge machine that is used to clean a shell and tube heat exchanger. A trailer mounted bundle cleaner with a single hydraulically operated crane to easily position the cleaning head over the bundles. The arm also permits easy loading and unloading of the included hydraulically actuated rollers, which turn the bundles during the cleaning process. NLB Model SSC9200A {Pressure:10,000 PSI (690 bar)}, NLB Model SSC8900A {Pressure:20,000 psi (1380 bar)}.

Refinery Heat Exchanger Tubes Cleaning

Have you seen how a shell and tube heat exchanger is cleaned? Then the video above can best illustrate the process. If you have the jet pressure facility with a pressure up to 200 psi, then you can use it to clear the tubes. However, if you don't have the equipment nor the expertise, then you have to outsource for the service. It might be a wet activity but the reward will be a smoother heat transfer and less pressure drop across the

Alfa Laval Spiral Heat Exchanger for Liquid-Liquid Heating-Cooling

Video shows the conceptual flow paths for an Alfa Laval Spiral Heat Exchanger for Liquid-Liquid Heating-Cooling duty.

Thermal Cleaning of Heat Exchangers, nearly new made possible

Cleaning of heat exchangers polluted with (partly) organic contaminations like cokes, plastic, oil, paint, rubber, food etc. still is a major problem for many companies. The need of parts’ cleaning is found in each and every industrial branch. Some take it as a daily necessity; others consider it an incidental procedure in times of calamity, turnaround or shutdown. Apparently it is just part of the game, but nevertheless it should be done as quickly as possible and as best one can. In most cases this is very often related to the available knowledge of the known cleaning techniques.

Photo 1: Heat exchanger soiled with plastics

As a result of the ever increasing quality of final products, the search for longer running times, the need for better cleaning results and cutting down costs or due to more stringent environmental laws and procedures, most of the traditional methods of cleaning, like chemical or high-pressure cleaning, are sometimes no longer adequate. Maybe the thermal cleaning method can offer the desired solution for your cleaning problem?

Thermal cleaning methods

1. Advantages of thermal cleaning

Vaporizing organic elements only yields some 5 to 10% of the original pollution, which can be easily removed. Moreover, thermal cleaning very intensively removes the broadest range of pollutants in a relatively short period of time, without causing damage to the substrate.

2. Brief introduction to the technique

2.1. The process

Pyrolysis is the thermal conversion of organic materials in an oxygen-poor environment. At a temperature below 400°C (750°F) the organic materials are converted into a homogeneous residue, ready for further controlled processing.

At such high temperatures higher hydrocarbons are decomposed into components with a much lower molecular mass, resulting in pyrolysis gases (ethane, ethene, propane, propylene), pyrolysis oil which contains aromatic components and a carbon-rich residue.

The pyrolysis gas as well as the oil is transformed into carbon dioxide and vapour, because of partial oxidation. This phase is exothermic, at which 40% of the released energy is re-used to decompose the organic material.

A very important factor in the process, together with a steady heating and cooling, is maintaining a constant temperature, in order to prevent damage to the parts that are to be cleaned. This is also important in order to avoid unwanted (waste) gaseous fractions.

3. Pyrolysis ovens

As stated before, this is the only correct thermal cleaning technique for the treatment of soiled heat exchangers. To give you of proper idea, I will describe the general functioning of this type of installation, after which the conditions necessary to guarantee a safe and perfect heat exchanger cleaning will be further examined.

General functioning

The pyrolysis ovens consist of an operating room of 1 to 75 m³, depending on the type. The common maximum dimensions currently are 8m x 3m x 2,5m, but note that even bigger dimensions are also possible.

The objects to be processed are put on a loading cart, which is pulled into the furnace chamber. After closing the door, this chamber is made inert by lowering the oxygen level to 8%. Then the temperature is slowly increased to 420°C (788°F), depending on the character of the objects and the kind and amount of pollution.

The oxygen content of the cheapest oven systems is even not controlled. It is taken for granted that the oxygen will leave the chamber automatically during the gasification. If the temperature increases after all, a lot of water is injected so that the temperature has to fall. These are of course the real paint stripping ovens which are note suitable for the “real” job.

When the temperature required for vaporizing is reached, a slight overpressure leads the released gases towards the afterburner chamber. Here they are processed at high temperature, after which they are removed. Occasionally this air current is used for heat recycling in order to recover a part of the energy.

As a result of the fact that all organic components are gasified because of the heat, only a residue consisting of pigments and inorganic fillers remains after cooling. This is in general 5% of the original pollution volume and can be easily removed by various techniques.

Because the heat is able to reach every spot – also in the middle of tube heat exchangers or between the tubes and the shell of a heat exchanger with fixed shell - thermal cleaning is extremely suitable for heat exchangers. This is impossible with for example only high-pressure cleaning.

Special conditions for the thermal cleaning of heat exchangers

To be sure that the heat exchanger gets the best possible thermal treatment, a number of essential matters have to be respected. Besides a proper oxygen control, there exists a method to monitor the exchanger itself by means of thermocouples at various with the owner agreed spots. It is important to utilize object temperatures instead of chamber temperatures in order to be able to follow the process in the oven correctly.

Another important technical aspect is the presence of an excellent internal circulation unit which takes care of a proper circulation in the oven chamber. Due to this there is a homogeneous temperature on all sides which is essential to avoid temperature differences inside the object to clean.

The newest systems dispose of an internal heat exchanger to cool down with air instead of water. Through this, temperature control has increased considerably; it is almost made possible to steer accurate to a degree. Moreover not having to inject water in the chamber involves less trouble with volatile rust on the parts to clean.

To draw up a proper temperature protocol, it is important to know the exact composition of the material as well as the pollution. In case of doubt, a reliable laboratory analysis can give a decisive answer. The weight of the exchanger, the type of material, the geometry and the type of pollution determine the heating up and cooling down curve and can largely give an indication of the total necessary time in the oven.

Photo 12: After thermal cleaning, note that also the paint will be gone afterwards

Also the pollution itself strongly influences the temperature program to follow. Does the pollution liquefies before it gasifies - like some plastics - or does it remains solid until complete gasification? A laboratory analysis or practical research can also give a decisive answer on this matter, which enables a more correct assessment of the program.

If the pollution liquefies during the heating up, there will be a foreseen phase in the program around the melting point of the pollution. This phase enables the pollution to melt in large measure out of the object to clean. Subsequently the gasification of the remainders can more easily take place and the total cleaning time will be reduced. In case of extreme pollutions of thousands of kilos, even a two-phase treatment can be chosen. A great part of the pollution will than be melted during a first thermal treatment at low temperature. Afterwards the remaining part will be gasified completely during a second treatment to remove the pollution entirely.

Also the type of material used for the construction of the heat exchanger is very important; after all the material determines the maximum temperature for the thermal treatment. Although there are differing opinions concerning the possible thermal cleaning of duplex steel bundles, various tests have revealed that this type of heat exchangers can be properly cleaned using this method. Only the maximum delta T between the different thermocouples is much lower than with exchangers made out of regular steel types, due to the expansion differences between the metals used in duplex steel.

Besides all conditions concerning the correct installation technique, a proper knowledge of the used material and an analysis of the pollution, also the know-how of the oven operator is very important. The operator has to know exactly which program to follow in order to have the correct heating up and cooling down process. During the thermal cleaning of a heat exchanger, it is imminent that the material is heated up and cooled down simultaneously to avoid internal tensions. The operator has to make sure that the temperature is steered in such a way that it increases or decreases at the same time on the inside as well as on the outside. This can be done in large measure automatically by means of thermocouple steering in the newest installations, although supervision is still necessary.

Advantages of thermal cleaning for the different types of heat exchangers
The traditional methods for the cleaning of heat exchangers are often very effective and therefore used for many years. Nevertheless there are a number of very specific problems which everyone recognizes. The problem with high-pressure cleaning is the deterioration of the surface as well as the accessibility of the pollution. Remainders involve that your exchanger has to be taken out of production sooner to be cleaned again.

Using chemical cleaning can sometimes take a long time to dissolve the pollution. The availability of the bundle will be postponed. Thermal cleaning on the other hand is very effective and reaches every spot. The results proof that a degree of cleanliness of almost 100% can be reached which results in longer operating times and consequently cost savings.

To be quoted as a good example are the heat exchangers from a naphta cracker which were cleaned with high-pressure every two months. After the first thermal cleaning, they could be used without problems during 2 years; a huge improvement. And there are more.
Hereunder you will find a definitely not complete overview of the different types of heat exchangers, together with the typical advantages and disadvantages of thermal cleaning for each.


Pipe bundles

• With this type of heat exchanger, the contamination can be in or/and around the tubes. High-pressure cleaning has the problem that the water jet can barely reach the very inside of the exchanger to remove the pollution around the tubes. This means that some bits are left behind so the contamination happens more quickly during the production, resulting in a shorter operating time.
• Thermal cleaning destroys the pollution everywhere and therefore gives a much better level of cleanliness which results in a longer operating time. For extreme contamination, often a high-pressure cleaning is used for the first rough cleaning of the bundle, after which thermal cleaning can take place.
• In case of hairpin bundles, thermal cleaning can remove the pollution inside the corners of the tubes easily, where most of the times the problems occur.

Bundles with a fixed shell

• The problem with classic high-pressure cleaning is that there is practically no access to do a cleaning around the tubes. Often chemical cleaning by flushing is used to clean the soiled inside, but the effectiveness is often very poor. Very good results were seen using the thermal cleaning method to remove the pollution around the tubes.
• To get a good temperature control on the inside of the heat exchanger often a blow through system is used to allow a good air ventilation on the inside of the shell. Besides of the heat, you will need a bit of oxygen to get a good oxidation of the pollution. Otherwise you will be confronted with carbonized material after the thermal treatment which is very difficult to remove.
• Like always all organic parts are reduced to ashes, but in this case it is better to use air to remove already a great part of this dust. Using water will leave the remaining ashes very sticky and therefore difficult to remove all of it. After the cleaning by air, a rinsing with water is done, but there still can be the possibility that during the first running hours, dust particles coming from remaining ashes can disturb your process. This normally goes away after a short time. In some cases an endoscopy is done to verify the result of the cleaning on the inside.

Bundles with static mixers (fix or non-fix)

• High-pressure water cleaning has no use here, the penetration degree is zero. Chemical treatment can give results depending on the possibility of a flow on the inside of the used chemical to dilute the pollution enabling it to be removed. In most cases however both traditional methods gave a very poor result, which immediately shows the necessity of the thermal cleaning method.
• First the thermal treatment will be executed to destroy the organic pollution on the inside of the static mixers. Then a combination of water and air is used to remove the dust particles from the inside of the mixers. This is done until the water is clear again, which indicates that most of the ashes are gone.
• No guarantee can be given after the treatment that it is 100% clean, because in case of the use of fix static mixers, no control method can be used to inspect the inside of the tubes. The only control you will have is to see that the water flows trough normally, so the tube is not blocked.
• After the cleaning procedure is done, there also might be the possibility of dust particles in your flow during the first running hours. This is not the case with removable static mixers, because they are removed after the thermal treatment and worked on separately to get them 100% clean.

Spiral or plate heat exchanger

High-pressure does not give an optimal result here either, and chemical cleaning generates an awful lot of waste. With the classic methods, there are always deposits left on the walls, which means the exchangers become dirty more quickly during production; that's why thermal cleaning is also the most feasible solution here.

Compablocs

Traditional water cleaning is, depending on the pollution, in some cases very difficult even impossible.

• Like with all other heat exchangers, thermal cleaning offers a good possibility to make your Compabloc almost new again using controlled heat and a good rinsing afterwards.

Twisted tube heat exchangers

• Because of the twist in the tubes, the accessibility needed for a good cleaning by water is very poor. You only can clean the outside like this.
• Thermal cleaning offers very good results because of its technical characteristics. All dirt will be removed also from the very inside of this kind of heat exchangers.

Plate heat exchangers

• In most of the cases a chemical treatment is used and has been proven to be very effective to clean the soiled plates of this kind of heat exchangers. High-pressure cleaning is sometimes done, but the risk of damaging is very high.
• Thermal cleaning can be used to remove all kinds of pollution on the plates, like glue, and a polymerized or carbonized pollution, which are difficult to remove with chemicals.
• Thermal cleaning however can not remove scale, while this is inorganic!

Certainly more types of products can be cleaned with the thermal cleaning method like big vessels, pumps, extruder parts, filters, pipelines, reaction vessels and many more. Also all kinds of organic pollution like PP, PE, PS, PC, SAN, PET, PA (also reinforced), PBT, PU, carbonized material, cokes etc. can be removed, which shows that the thermal cleaning method has a very high potential as a substitute or even an improvement for today’s cleaning techniques. In fact in a lot of cases, the thermal cleaning technique offers you the possibility to make your soiled heat exchangers or other parts like new again. This surely is an advantage which can not be ignored. Therefore I hope the information given to you in this article helps you to make the right decision next time a cleaning problem occurs.

For more information, please contact Robert Mol (robert.mol@thermoclean.com), General Manager Thermo-Clean Group or visit: www.thermoclean.com/www.heatexchangercleaning.eu.

Cleaning Shell and Tube Crude Oil Heat Exchangers

As shown previous month about the shell and tube heat exchanger cleaning, here is a company that is an expert in the business. Tube Tech International proved that previous industry standards for cleaning such equipment with U bends were inadequate and, for the first time on this unit, Tube Tech gave not only the straight legs, but also the U sections a complete internal clean. It is actually a little tricky to clean a U tube bend.

Plate Heat Exchanger Cleaning Using Dry Ice

Check this out. It is a faster method of cleaning the plates of the plate and frame heat exchanger. Typical method of cleaning the plates are by soaking it into a tank containing certain concentration of heated acid (maybe using agitated steam). After that, what is normally done is to bring out the plates and jet clean using normal tap water. However, this company used dry ice to clean the plate easily and fast. Such an amazing outcome!!! For more information, visit www.renetech.com.my and
www.cleantech.com.my.

Crude Heat Exchanger Cleaning - Tube Tech International

The video above presents a crude heat exchanger cleaning technique which was developed by Tube Tech International. It basically shows innovative solutions for removing crude fouling within blocked crude heat exchangers on the outer surface of the shell and tube heat exchanger. This method is applicable for cleaning crude heat exchangers in refineries world wide.

To learn more and also to review crude heat exchanger cleaning case studies, visit www.tubetech.com or call +44 (0)1268 786999.

Air Fin Cleaner Heat Exchanger Cleaning

Do you know how an air fin heat exchanger can be cleaned? Well, check this out. MB Technical Innovations (MBTI) from Terneuzen, a companybased in the Netherlands have developed this innovative cleaning equipment. Whilst the "Air Fin Cleaner" has principally been designed for the cleaning of heat exchanger air fins, this machine can be adapted to suit many applications requiring precise, controlled, high pressure hydro cleaning. The MBTI Air Fin Cleaner can either be electric or air powered, dependent on the client's requirements. In principle, the "Air Fin Cleaner" system applies controlled volumes of water or other cleaning media at high pressure through a specially constructed spray head, over the surfaces to be cleaned. Whilst the technique is very suited to delicate alloy air fins of a heat exchanger cooling bank, this air or electric powered cleaning device has many more capabilities in the industrial world. For further details, visit: http://airfincleaner.com

Better Heat Exchanger Cleaning Through Technology

Maintenance of a platform's Waste Heat Recovery Unit (WHRU) and similar shell and tube heat exchangers can be an extremely dangerous process. It needs to be disconnected, taken off line, and moved to shore for repair. Shell and tube heat exchangers are made of coiled tubes and can become fouled with carbon deposits. The traditional methods for clearing the blockage include bypassing the fouled unit, cutting off bends and cleaning the tubes, then re-welding the U-bends, and complete unit replacement.

The old methods are becoming more outmoded due to advancements in technology. It is inefficient to bypass the unit. Just as it would be less efficient to run your car with 2 cylinders not firing. This inefficiency, of course, also increases operational costs. It is time consuming and costly to cut the U-bends and re-weld them. Sometimes it can be difficult or impossible to get access to reattach them.

Some of these new methods include the ability to clean areas with limited access, and clear deposits from U-bends without ever removing them. This can sometimes be done without even taking the unit offline, and usually takes less time and results in a higher degree of defouling. In fact, many units can be restored to near-factory efficiency. For big refineries, petro-chemical plants, or power plants, this can amount to six figure savings.

The U-bends themselves also retain many deposits, and continue to be a bottleneck to the system. Full replacement carries the cost of completely replacing equipment that, other than the heat exchanger tube fouling, is still in working order. This method also requires the unit be taken offline for the full duration of replacement. obviously this carries a heavy expense and serious loss of production.

Traditional heat exchanger cleaning methods and heat exchanger cleaning equipment have changed very little over the last few decades. Pressure jetting is still the primary means used by many companies, but it is slow, inefficient, and ultimately very costly. Additionally, many companies are skeptical of newer methods, falling back on the "that's the way it's always been done," chain of logic. They are also weary of trying new techniques that are not as "proven" to be effective. Finally, many have long term tube cleaning contracts that do not allow for a change in heat exchanger cleaning technique, unless the contractor were to adopt the new methods.

Newer heat exchanger cleaning equipment and techniques are more technologically advanced, and by extension, require a higher skilled laborer than old style pressure jetting. These new developments include the ability to clean tight radius bends, clean units while keeping them in place, and even while keeping them online. It has also resulted in faster, more efficient cleaning. Many tube bundles can now be cleaned more effectively than with pressure jetting, and jobs that used to take days may now take only a few hours. Difficult to access units are now accessible with these new technologies.

Some of the technology that has been developed includes special nozzles that can be used on tight bends, laser cleaning, and new "smart" metals that respond to changes in density and pressure to prevent damage to the tubes. With these methods, jobs can be finished with less downtime, because cleaning and descaling can be done more quickly. Equipment is also less likely to be damaged in the process. Many of these new processes are safer, create less waste, use no chemicals, and have a significantly reduced environmental impact.

Photo credited to http://www.linde-gas.com.cn/International/Web/LG/CN/likelgcn.nsf/repositorybyalias/ind_other_dry_clean2/$file/ind_other_dry_Cryoclean2.jpg

Heat exchanger tubes before cleaning using a video inspection pipe camera

Very interesting technology of evaluating the condition of heat exchanger tubing. Check out the video below:

These random tubes was part of an internal inspection to determine the condition prior to mechanical cleaning to remove the hard deposits of the exchanger tubes and later re-inspected after the cleaning to verify removal of the hard deposits. Maverick Inspection Ltd in Sherwood Park, Alberta, Canada has been in the oil and gas industry working for over 16 years.

Refinery Heat Exchanger Tubes Cleaning

Heat Exchanger Tube Bundles Inspection

Heat exchangers are used by many industries, especially in oil refineries and chemical plants. Their purpose is to exchange heat from one place to another, usually from one liquid to another liquid. The continued efficiency of this device demands regular heat exchanger inspection to determine whether or not the integrity of the equipment.

Where are Heat Exchangers Found?

Most homes also have a heat exchanger of some kind. The most common household heat exchanger can be found in a refrigerator. In hot countries air conditioners are common; another kind of heat exchanger. Cars contain them too - the radiator removes the excess heat from the radiator fluid by making use of the natural airflow caused by the car's forward progress.

A similar principle applies in large industry where heat needs to be transferred from one place to another. The most common type of heat exchanger found in oil refineries and other large plants is the "shell and tube heat exchanger".

This design employs a large shell, usually a very large diameter tube that can withstand high pressures. It contains a bundle of tubes inside. The heat exchanged is from two different fluids. One fluid flows through the shell of the exchanger while the other flows through the tube bundle. The two fluids do not make direct contact with each other, but the difference in their respective heat values is changed through the indirect contact that is made.

A shell and tube heat exchanger is a complex design. The internal tubes are often of differing types and design in order to achieve different results. Some tubes may be plain while others may be finned horizontally or longitudinally. The tubes may also be composed of different materials and different thermal conductivity. They may be made from stainless steel, carbon steel, brass, copper or cupronickel, for example.

Because of their complex nature it is necessary to have a regular the equipment regularly inspected. This can determine the wall thickness of the tubes, which are subject to pitting and corrosion as well as erosion over time. The condition of the entire tube bundle can be charted and evaluated through a highly detailed inspection using a device called an Internal Rotary Inspection System.

The Internal Rotary Inspection System works through ultrasonic testing and it is non-destructive in nature. The Internal Rotary Inspection System probe has to be inserted into a tube which is then filled with water.

The Internal Rotary Inspection System probe has a small mirror that rotates and focuses an ultrasonic beam onto the wall of the tube. The mirror rotation is driven by a small turbine, which in turn is driven by water pressure as it is pumped into the tube. The Internal Rotary Inspection System probe is slowly pulled out of the tube at a rate of about one inch or 25 millimetres per second, recording the condition of the internal wall of the tube as it progresses.

The results gained from a heat exchanger inspection using an Internal Rotary Inspection System probe is generally extremely accurate. Its accuracy can be as good as to within .005 inches, or .13 millimetres. Of course, in order to gain this level of accuracy it is necessary for the heat exchanger tubes to be thoroughly cleaned down to bare metal prior to the inspection.

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Photo credited to http://picture617.bloguez.com/picture617/page190/

C. J. Rose writes on the subject of tube bundle and heat exchanger cleaning and onshore/offshore environmental safety for Sureclean, global industrial waste management experts. Topics include HP & UHP water jetting, tank/vessel cleaning, vacuum transfer/pumping, industrial painting, asbestos management/removal, HVAC/duct management, NORM management. For videos see http://www.sureclean.com/video.

Do You Really Need Fireplace Heat Exchanger Cleaning Equipment?

Before deciding whether heat exchanger cleaning equipment is something you need, it's best to take a step back and make sure you know exactly what a fireplace heat exchanger is. Simply put, it's a device used to make sure no cool air from outside of your home is brought inside when the fireplace returns air it's using from inside your home. So what happens when your heat exchanger breaks or gets built up with gunk and dirt? The fireplace becomes quite ineffective and starts actually cooling your house rather than heating it, the opposite of your intent.

This is where the cleaning equipment comes in to play! The tools are used to clean the exchanger making it possible for your fireplace to function properly at all times, keeping your house as warm as you'd like it to be. Unfortunately, finding the right cleaning gear can be kind of intimidating when it comes time to determine whether it's what you need, or whether there's another problem with the fireplace. Before investing in heat exchanger cleaning equipment make sure you're experiencing the right signs for the need, instead of signs of some other kind of trouble.

These signs include suddenly feeling much colder in the room than usual, especially when the difference seems to have taken place literally overnight. Also make sure that everything else seems to be working right on the unit. Finally, you may want to consult a professional so they can tell you whether you need such cleaning equipment or not. There's a chance the professional can simply take care of the problem for you right then and there, or even rent you the proper heat exchanger cleaning equipment.

If the tools are something you end up having to purchase, don't do so without comparison shopping first. Make sure you find the best deal possible for the highest quality. You'll also want to verify what the return policies are (in case the equipment is something you don't really end up needing or it doesn't work) and whether or not parts on the equipment can be easily replaced.

Sanno Zaye covers more about heat exchanger cleaning equipment at Heat Exchanger Equipment.

Refinery Heat Exchanger Tubes Cleaning

This video presents how a typical high pressure tubes cleaning process seems like. Check it out.

Better Heat Exchanger Cleaning Through Technology

Maintenance of a platform's Waste Heat Recovery Unit (WHRU) and similar shell and tube heat exchangers can be an extremely dangerous process. It needs to be disconnected, taken off line, and moved to shore for repair. Shell and tube heat exchangers are made of coiled tubes and can become fouled with carbon deposits. The traditional methods for clearing the blockage include bypassing the fouled unit, cutting off bends and cleaning the tubes, then re-welding the U-bends, and complete unit replacement.

The old methods are becoming more outmoded due to advancements in technology. It is inefficient to bypass the unit. Just as it would be less efficient to run your car with 2 cylinders not firing. This inefficiency, of course, also increases operational costs. It is time consuming and costly to cut the U-bends and re-weld them. Sometimes it can be difficult or impossible to get access to reattach them.

Some of these new methods include the ability to clean areas with limited access, and clear deposits from U-bends without ever removing them. This can sometimes be done without even taking the unit offline, and usually takes less time and results in a higher degree of defouling. In fact, many units can be restored to near-factory efficiency. For big refineries, petro-chemical plants, or power plants, this can amount to six figure savings.

The U-bends themselves also retain many deposits, and continue to be a bottleneck to the system. Full replacement carries the cost of completely replacing equipment that, other than the heat exchanger tube fouling, is still in working order. This method also requires the unit be taken offline for the full duration of replacement. obviously this carries a heavy expense and serious loss of production.

Traditional heat exchanger cleaning methods and heat exchanger cleaning equipment have changed very little over the last few decades. Pressure jetting is still the primary means used by many companies, but it is slow, inefficient, and ultimately very costly. Additionally, many companies are skeptical of newer methods, falling back on the "that's the way it's always been done," chain of logic. They are also weary of trying new techniques that are not as "proven" to be effective. Finally, many have long term tube cleaning contracts that do not allow for a change in heat exchanger cleaning technique, unless the contractor were to adopt the new methods.

Newer heat exchanger cleaning equipment and techniques are more technologically advanced, and by extension, require a higher skilled laborer than old style pressure jetting. These new developments include the ability to clean tight radius bends, clean units while keeping them in place, and even while keeping them online. It has also resulted in faster, more efficient cleaning. Many tube bundles can now be cleaned more effectively than with pressure jetting, and jobs that used to take days may now take only a few hours. Difficult to access units are now accessible with these new technologies.

Some of the technology that has been developed includes special nozzles that can be used on tight bends, laser cleaning, and new "smart" metals that respond to changes in density and pressure to prevent damage to the tubes. With these methods, jobs can be finished with less downtime, because cleaning and descaling can be done more quickly. Equipment is also less likely to be damaged in the process. Many of these new processes are safer, create less waste, use no chemicals, and have a significantly reduced environmental impact.

Alex Parry writes about heat exchanger safety at his heat exchanger cleaning equipment site

Cleaning Shell and Tube Crude Oil Heat Exchangers

Tube Tech International proved that previous industry standards for cleaning such equipment with U bends were inadequate and, for the first time on this unit, Tube Tech gave not only the straight legs, but also the U sections a complete internal clean.

Heat Exchanger Tubes Cleaning Basics

Clean your heat exchanger tube is a job everyone can do if they know how to do it. If you are a handy type of person, then you should have no problems with this task.
There are several methods for cleaning the heat exchanger tubes. Here are some of them; one of them is the use of chemicals for cleaning. Another is the use of water with high pressure in the system. The final method is to use mechanical cleaning with brushes of balls scrapers and abrasives. These are the best ways to clean the tubes.

Regular cleaning of the heat exchanger tubes should be the life of the whole unit. It helps to work at the heat exchanger maximum efficiency.

Many people use heat exchangers for heating swimming pools in nowadays. With the ability to clean by its own, heat exchanger tubes would be a good way to save money and your operating system.

It would be helpful to the clean the tubes of the heat exchanger every few months. At least check to see if they need to be cleaned. If they do not need to be cleaned, make sure that they are thoroughly cleaned twice a year.

To properly clean the heat exchanger tubes, they must be removed from the system. Remove all in bulk, near the ends of the pipes and inside of them. Use a brush and press down to the tubes as cleaning begins. The brush should be good strong nylon bristles. This help to resolve and remove all the material such as scale and debris in the tubes.

During the brushing process you will find material adhered to the wall of the heat exchanger tube. A plastic of metal scraper, will help eliminate, those unwanted thing stuck to the tube wall. Be careful not to damage the tube. Don’t use anything that is harder than the tube.

Try not to scratch the wall of the heat exchanger tubes in which the tube could not work. This will scratch the tube internally. This means, a plastic scraper is a good tool to be used.

As a final step, of cleaning the heat exchanger tubes, you can use jets to force out all loosen particles, which have been missed with the previous methods. If you have deposits of calcium in the tubes then you need chemicals to eliminate them.
Now you have the basics for cleaning your exchanger tubes. Collect as much information as possible before you do this work.

Chemical Cleaning - Methods and Applications

Chemical cleaning is a method relevant in freeing walls and surfaces of various equipment, heat exchangers, pipelines, vessels and kettles from unwanted residues and bacterial contaminants. It is also essential in water purification, treatment, disinfection and conditioning. With varying methods to its name, several industries benefit from the procedure.

The most important facets of chemical cleaning gear on providing environment-friendly alternatives to consumers. No matter where it is applied, the aim is to primarily free the surface from contaminants. Below are the different methods listed under this cleaning process.

Chlorine dioxide method

Biofilms and legionella are two of the most common microbes that reside in water. Biofilms are residences or havens for organisms that contaminate products in water solutions. Legionnaires disease is caused by legionella or a Gram negative bacterium.

With the aid of chlorine dioxide, the biofilm or legionella may be removed from the water system. It is a favored technique because it has the capacity to prevent future formation of contaminants plus it can also be used in both hot and cold water systems. Chlorine is proven to have a safer solubility in water and has the capability to destroy THM precursors. It also increases coagulation while it destroys phenols. It is not hazardous to health and does not have any distinct smell.

Ultraviolet radiation

Another proven chemical cleaning process for water disinfection is the ultraviolet or UV radiation. Aside from water, it may also disinfect air and solid surfaces contaminated by microbes. Its capacity to disinfect was reported since biology and light waves were introduced in the fields of science research.

Ultraviolet radiation has several advantages. It is considered safe because there is no need to monitor any dangerous chemicals thus the results of disinfection are quickly attained. Any household or business establishment does not need to spend a lot since the initial system and operating costs are very minimal. It does not change the taste and smell of water as well plus they are easily installed and maintained.

Ozone purification

Ozone is one molecule that contains three atoms of oxygen and is naturally produced by a series of chemical reactions. It may come from the ultraviolet rays of the sun as well as from waterfalls and thunderstorms. It is also a chemical cleaning process used in wide areas of water treatment and purification. It is used in potable water treatments and in the broader municipal wastewater sites. It is also being widely recognized in several industries.

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