How do you clean a shell and tube condenser?

Shell and tube heat exchangers require several cleanings during their use. Both freshwater and seawater cooling media contain significant amounts of minerals and contaminants that build up over time, restricting the flow of water through the tube core, reducing its velocity, resulting in a significant reduction in heat transfer efficiency .

The good news is that VRCOOLER CST offers tube cleaners for shell and tube heat exchanger cleaning, the following are basic cleaning guidelines:

The tube core is accessible by removing the heat exchanger end caps, which can be removed from the casing (or tube body).

Afterwards, the tube sheet and outer tube can be cleaned using a hand-held flush hose or spray gun.

Each pipe can be cleaned with a small diameter rod or pipe brush to remove stubborn deposits.

If the pipes are heavily fouled, cleaning agents or chemicals can be used. Rinse with plenty of water after allowing the cleaning medium to sit for a sufficient amount of time.

NOTE: Always check that the cleaning agent used is suitable for the tube pack material.

Thoroughly rinse the die with clean water to remove any cleaning chemical/detergent residue, neutralizing the cleaning solution if necessary.

Reinstall the die into the body, reinstall the end caps in their original orientation and tighten to the recommended torque values.

NOTE: After cleaning, a new "O-ring" seal must be used to ensure water tightness of the interface.