Onstream chemical cleaning of cooling water heat exchangers

[kevlar49]

Hi, Does anyone have experience with onstream inhibited acid cleaning of cooling water heat exchangers. We suspect that these cooling water/wet gas compressor heat exchangers are fouling due to calcium carbonate deposits made worse by low flow conditions and high elevation (pump head limits).

Does anyone have experience with rhodamine or similar inhibitors? Does anyone have advice for avoiding problems during the cleaning procedure? AB Clean is the contractor suggested to do it. They plan to use rhodamine (not sure of the concentration yet) and temporarily drop the pH to 4-6. I am hoping to get them to just treat this exchanger and avoid sending over to the cooling water tower.

 

[EdStainless]

1. Make sure that you all of the metals in your system. You don't want to fix one problem and cause 3 others.
2. Open units and inspect and take samples. Make sure that you KNOW what is fouling the tubes. Make sure that the cleaning proposed will remove it. And make sure that there is a test to indicate when you have reached the end point. Time is not an indication of cleaning, chemical tests are.

I have seen people clean systems with a tank truck and aux pump. There should be continuous circulation. There is no need to run full flow and you are right in not wanting this in your tower. Unless it need descaling also.

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