【Weekly Topic】Cause analysis and treatment methods for heat exchanger failure?
Thread Content
In production units, heat exchangers (for heating and cooling) are essential to ensure the progress of reactions and distillation； As the production duration increases, it becomes apparent that the heat exchange efficiency of the heat exchanger deteriorates over time, causing certain difficulties in normal production ； Please share what you know about the reasons that lead to a decrease in the heat exchange efficiency of heat exchangers What solutions and optimization methods are you aware of? Active participants in the user community will receive a reward of 5-10 wealth points, while those who submit excellent responses will get 15-30 wealth points as a reward! A best responder will be selected for each weekly topic! All sailors are welcome to participate actively! Looking forward to everyone's opinions!
The fundamental reason for poor heat exchange performance in heat exchangers, in my opinion, is pipe blockage; whether it’s in the tube side or the shell side, blockage in either area will affect the heat exchange efficiency! ! ! !
The solution is to disassemble the heat exchanger for cleaning!
If the quality of the circulating water does not meet the standards, it is prone to scaling, as well as blockages caused by sediment and other debris. Backwashing should be carried out regularly; if that is not effective, the heat exchanger should be opened and cleaned using a high-pressure water gun. In addition, the heat exchanger must be protected against corrosion, and the quality of the circulating water must be ensured to be satisfactory.
Both the tube side and the shell side can become clogged, thereby reducing the heat exchange area. Even in the absence of blockages, scaling and corrosion on the circulating water side, as well as polymers on the material side, can affect the heat exchange efficiency. Different treatment methods are employed depending on the specific situation; for the tube side, high-pressure water jet cleaning is the simplest approach, while for the shell side, chemical cleaning is preferred
This post was last edited by mountain16 on 2015-7-26 at 17:36. After being in use for a long time, heat exchangers will definitely experience the following issues: 1. Blockage: Whether it’s the process fluid or the heat source (or cold source), these can cause partial blockage of the heat exchanger, or a layer of deposits can form on the tubes, thereby reducing the effective heat exchange area and affecting the efficiency of heat exchange. Solution: For pipe systems, if the medium does not react with water, it is recommended to use a high-pressure cleaning gun for cleaning. If the medium reacts with water, a solvent should be used for preliminary cleaning to remove water before proceeding with the actual cleaning. For the shell side, it is recommended to use chemical cleaning or replace the tube bundle directly. 2. Leakage: Prolonged use causes the medium inside the heat exchanger to continuously erode the tubes, or the medium itself may cause corrosion, leading to thinner tube walls and even the formation of pores. This results in direct mixing of the cold and hot fluids, thereby reducing the efficiency of heat exchange. Solution: Perform patch welding or replace the tube bundle
The reply was very professional; the original poster should **reward** it
That’s a classic statement; I hope we’ll have the chance to communicate in the future.