Saturday 30 September 2023

Tube Cleaner Pro: Efficient Heat Exchanger Tube Cleaning Solutions

Heat exchangers are vital components in many firms like food processing units, power plants and sugar refineries. If you feel that the leakage and the intermixing of channels are the only major problems associated with the heat exchangers, then you are absolutely mistaken. The scales formed in the tubes are also a major concern. Being heat insulators, the scales formed in the heat exchanger tubes don't conduct heat. This results in a drastic decline in the efficiency of the firm and a huge increase in the demand of the fuel input. Regular cleaning and inspection of the heat exchanger tubes can save you a few bucks. Bring in a brand new 
heat exchanger tube cleaner into your firm today.

Tube Cleaning Methods:

The tools employed in various cleaning methods are detailed below.

Air or water propelled system:

• Balls (abrasive or non abrasive): Abrasives are small, irregular and hard granules. When the abrasive ball is rolled inside the tubes, cleaning action takes place. These balls are used to clean the tubes which have light to moderate deposits. If you are cleaning a U bend section, they can be of great help to you.

• Plastic scrubbers: They are meant to be used only when you have to clean soft deposits. These scrubbers cause least damage to the surface of the tube while cleaning.

• Nylon brushes: As the name suggests, the bristles of this brush are made from nylon. They are flexible and ensure maximum contact with the cleaning surface. If you have to clean heavy soft deposits, undoubtedly, a nylon brush would be a great choice. 







Mechanical system:

  • In this type of cleaning, we employ a flexible shaft which is coupled to a driving shaft. Any complex design of the tube can be cleaned with ease as the shaft is flexible. The end of this shaft is connected to a cleaning tool or brush. The above mentioned brushes can well be used with this shaft. Apart from the brushes, the following tools can also be employed:
 
  • • Metal brushes/cutters/buffers: When connected to the rotating shaft, they generate the power to clean the scales. When you fail to remove the hard deposits by using the above quoted brushes, then it’s time for you to try these cleaning tools.
  • ​• Drill bits: Prefer these tools only when you have to deal with very hard deposits.

​Water pressure system:

  • ​In this method of cleaning, apart from using a cleaning tool, water jets at high velocity are made to impact the cleaning area. This can flush out the deposits. The following tools are widely employed in the water pressure system:
 
  • Bronze bladed cleaners: They are used mostly to remove the hard scale deposits. We have to consider the metallurgy of the tube while employing these tools. The bronze bladed cleaners are meant to be used only for the tubes made of copper, nickel and brass.
 
  • Steel bladed cleaners: They are meant to remove the hard scale deposits from the tubes made of stainless steel or titanium. They are designed to be oversized so as to make maximum contact with the tube surface.