AFC(fin Tube) Cleaning


Cleaning technology for fin tube heat exchangers

  • A technology is introduced to perfectly clean air coolers in oil refineries and chemical plants without damaging the equipment.

■ Summary of finned tubes cleaning

  • The cleaning process is performed online during normal operation of the device.
  • There is no need to stop the process operation.
  • Scale and contaminants are removed from the outer tube surface, and thermal efficiency (heat transfer) is improved. If multiple fans are processed, some of them can be turned off. As a result, the process outlet temperature is reduced, production speed is increased, and    the variable speed motor reduces operating energy consumption.

 

  1. There is no material damage to the fin tube due to high-pressure water washing.
  2. Fin made of aluminum and copper alloy due to CO2 cleaning does not cause thermal shock to the tube.
  3. Do not use alkaline cleaning solution, otherwise the fin tube will corrode. Does not cause chemical damage.
  4. The cleaning wastewater has low COD and neutral pH without polluting the surroundings. You can treat your own wastewater without any additional treatment.
  5. Does not contain harmful chemicals (no negative environmental impact)
  6. Does not damage tubes, fins, electric motors, or measuring instruments.
  7. Verified and proven in many industrial sites.
  8. Remove all contaminants and corrosive elements.
  9. It has a stable pH chemical composition and does not react with any metal materials (aluminum, iron, copper alloy, etc.).

 

Key Benefits

Ø Increased cooling performance and process efficiency

Ø Increase production volume and increase production yield

Ø Extend the process life of the device

Ø Energy savings due to reduced fan power (in variable speed and pitch control motors)

Ø Reduced temperature profile of column O/H and easy temperature control

Ø Reduce maintenance costs

 

The cleaning process is safe and environmentally friendly (runs ON-Line or OFF-Line)

  • Developed through years of R/D and field experience.
  • The detergent is not a hazardous chemical, is non-toxic, non-hazardous, and non-corrosive.
    It is non-flammable.
  • There is no damage to any metal materials, motors, or instruments.
  • The detergent is dispersed between the fin tubes, and the cleaning appears as steam during operation.

 

Why You Need to Keep Your AFC Clean

  • Fin tubes with contaminants attached reduce the cooling efficiency of the heat exchanger.
  • Cham Clean cleaning agents and methods safely and thoroughly remove attached contaminants.
    Remove it.
  • After cleaning, the cooling equipment starts operating at an optimal level, resulting in
    It brings several financial benefits.
  • Clean heat exchangers require less energy, so fans can be turned off or run more slowly.
    You can do it.
  • Extends equipment life and most importantly increases production
    It is.
  • Deposits are exposed to moisture and polluted air for long periods of time, causing surface corrosion of the fins.

 

■Cleaning procedure

Preparation work

• Check the specifications and condition of the fin tube and calculate the amount of detergent to be used.

  In the case of on-line cleaning, the cleaning procedure is planned by considering the operating conditions. (Turn off some of the fans and perform partial cleaning in stages.)

• The cleaning work team obtains permits for the process safety work instructions and cleaning procedures, and prepares cleaning equipment and cleaning agents.

• Prepare cleaning agents and utilities (water, power) for cleaning, and install barricades around the device and in the work area. Install scaffolds if necessary.

• A water pool is installed at the bottom of the fin tube bundle to apply the circulating cleaning method of the detergent.

• Wear safety glasses, mask, and protective clothing when performing cleaning work.

• Before starting the cleaning process, turn off the fan motor and turn off the power breaker.

  Lock the local switch and attach an Off Tag.

Cleaning work

1. Spray the detergent diluted in water through the nozzle at low pressure across the entire surface of the upper part of the fin tube bundle, allowing it to flow downwards, sufficiently wetting the fin tubes and dissolving impurities in the water pool below. 

 Let it flow down.

2. When the upper cleaning agent spray is completed, the lower fine tube containing remaining impurities is spray cleaned with a circulating cleaning agent. At this time, the spray nozzle

  The pressure should be applied in a wide spray at low pressure to avoid damaging the fin. 

  The cleaning status is checked visually in real time.

3. Rinsing

   When the cleaning operation of the fin tubes is completed, low-pressure water is sprayed to remove any remaining

   Removes detergents and contaminants,

 Washing liquids and water are treated according to regulations. Generally, they are environmentally friendly . 

  The composed detergent does not present any difficulties in wastewater treatment, and is discharged into the Sewer (OWS) and sent to the wastewater treatment process for treatment.

Analysis and evaluation of cleaning results and temperature trends by Ecos-R1

Cleaning of the fin tube should be free from damage by physical and chemical methods, and it is desirable to use a technique that works on the entire tube to dissolve and remove contaminants.

The fin tube cleaning should be free from damage by physical and chemical methods, and it is preferable to dissolve and remove the deposits by acting on all the tube rows of the bundle

​■ Summary of finned tubes cleaning

  • Cleaning is performed On-Line during normal operation of the unit, there is no need to shut it down.
  • Removal of scale and fouling from external tube surface, forced and induced type coolers, thereby increasing thermal efficiency (heat transfer). If several fans are running, you can turn off some of them.

 As a result, reducing process outlet temperature, increasing production rate and in case of variable speed motors reducing operating energy consumption (fan power).

 

  1. No jet water (no physical damage to fins)
  2. No dry-Ice (no thermal shock to tubes and fins, especially to aluminum or copper fins)
  3. No use foam or soap (no caustic stress corrosion and chemical damage)
  4. No clean-up and disposal to WWT(lowest COD & neutral pH)
  5. No harmful chemicals (no negative environmental impact)
  6. No damage to tubes, fins, electrical motors, instrumentation.
  7. Evaluated and proven results in industrial filed
  8. Removes all debris and corrosive elements
  9. pH balanced chemical formula that dose not react with all metal materials (Aluminum, copper, steel and its alloy)

Major Benefits

Ø Improved cooling performance and unit efficiency

     Increase of throughput / production (Increase product yield)

Ø Prolonged unit life

Ø Energy saving by reduced fan power (in a variable speed & pitch control motors)

Ø Reduce temperature profile of the column O/H and easy to control

Ø Reduced maintenance costs

 

Cleaning Process is SAFE and Environmental Friendly

On-Line, Off-Line execution

 

  • Developed over years of R&D and field experience
  • Cleaning chemicals are Non-toxic, Non-hazardous,
    Non-corrosive, non-poisonous, non-flammable,
    Non-transport regulated
  • No damage to metallurgy, electrical motors, instrumentation
  • Chemicals completely dispersed, appear like steam
    (When on-line cleaning)
  • Chemicals are compatible with all types of air coolers  

 

Why should we keep AFC clean?

  • Dirty fin tubes reduce the cooling efficiency of heat exchangers
  • Cham Clean cleaning agent & methods removes deposits safely and thoroughly.
  • After cleaning the cooling equipment begins to operate at optimal levels and the result bring multiple financial benefits.
  • Clean exchangers result in less energy requirements allowing fans to be turned off or run more slowly.
  • Equipment life is extended and most importantly, production can be increased
  • Deposit is long-term exposure to air pollution and moisture causes the surface corrosion deepening of Fin.

■ Chemical Cleaning Procedure

preparation

• Check the specifications and conditions of fin tube, and calculates the amount of chemicals. In the case of on-line cleaning, the cleaning procedure is planned considering the operation condition. (turn off part of fan and perform partial cleaning stepwise)

• The cleaning work team obtains a permit for the safety work instructions and cleaning procedures of the process, and prepares the cleaning tools and cleaning agent.

• Prepare a cleaning agent and a utility (water, power) for cleaning, and install a barricade around the unit and work space. If necessary, install a scaffold.

     Install the water pool under the fin tube bundle for the

     circulating cleaning method of the cleaning agent.

• Wear safety goggles, masks and protective clothing when cleaning.

• Before starting the cleaning operation, turn off the fan motor power breaker and local switch and attach off tag. Further, disconnect or tie the fan belt pulleys.

Cleaning Step

1. Spray cleaner down over the entire surface of the top of the fin tube bundle with low pressure to let it flow down and allow the fin tube to wet in enough to dissolve the contaminants and flow down to the water pool below.

2. When the upper spray cleaning is completed, the lower pin tube bundle should be spray-cleaned in the same way.

    The cleaning state is carried out while visually confirmed in real time.

Rinsing

   When finishing of the fin tubes is completed, low pressure water is sprayed to remove any residual cleaning agent and impurities, Cleaning chemical and wash water are treated according to regulations.

   In general, eco-friendly our cleaning agents are not difficult to treat wastewater. They are drained to Sewer (OWS) and sent to the wastewater treatment process.

 

            ■ Fin Tube cleaning result and effect evaluation

                 by temperature trend

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Customer Message

“The individual banks cleaning looks effective by the significant reduction in max outlet temperature.

  I am convinced this is an important step to bringing down the D-103 accumulator temperature (Also shown).

Thank you for the hard work during this period. “This results has served us well to identify potential applications for this chemical cleaning.”

 

 

Gallery

Waterproof canvas and water pool (Preparation for circulating cleaning)

Top and bottom cleaning

On line cleaning

Rising and drain