How to clean a heat exchanger tube bundle (urgent)
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The tube bundle of the fixed-tube-sheet heat exchanger is stuck with melted polyethylene resin, and it’s stuck very firmly – even high-pressure water (1000 kilograms) isn’t enough to remove it. Do anyone have any good solutions? Polyethylene plant
I checked online and found that the melting point of polyethylene resin is between 130°C and 145°C; it is insoluble in water, but slightly soluble in hydrocarbons, toluene, etc. It seems that using steam to blow on it doesn’t work either
A corrosion inhibitor needs to be added, and circulation is achieved using a pump.
Use dilute hydrochloric acid with some corrosion inhibitors, circulate it, and then circulate clean water.
Use dilute hydrochloric acid with some corrosion inhibitors, circulate it, and then circulate clean water.
Find a professional high-pressure water jet cleaning team. In the past, my polypropylene heat exchanger tube bundles were completely blocked, and they were cleared using high-pressure water jets – with a pressure of around 1500KG to 2000KG. It was very easy, and the installation time was short, about 3 days, including the removal of the end caps.
Weld a swivel head using rebar, and use a high-power electric motor. It is capable of unclogging the tube bundle.
If the pressure of the high-pressure cleaner is not sufficient, you can try hiring a professional high-pressure cleaning service, such as Blue Star Cleaning. If alkaline cleaning is carried out before disassembling the equipment, the efficiency of high-pressure cleaning should be improved.