Rock Like Blockage Removed From Coffee Pipeline

Specialist high pressure water jetting removes carbonised coffee

Summary

This major food manufacturing company originally called on Tube Tech International to assist with a carbonised coffee resin blockage in a manifold pipe. During the pipeline clean at the London factory Tube Tech identified a number of other blockages in heat exchangers and vessels which they were able to clean safely and quickly with their innovative cleaning techniques.

Problem

• 25-metre manifold pipe blocked by rock-like, carbonised coffee resin.
• Traditional cleaning techniques had taken 3 – 10 days, those attempts that did not fail completely only managed to create a small passage through the resin.
• Confined and awkward working area with little headroom.
• Short shutdown period .

Solution

• Bespoke SafeFlex™ flexible lance system was harnessed to some of Tube Tech’s in-house developed descaling heads for not only unblocking but also polishing the interior surfaces of pipes.
• Polishing reduced the “key” and minimised future scaling.
• SafeStop™ anti-lance removal system was implemented to improve safety when working at high water pressures.
• With the higher standard of cleaning achieved by Tube Tech, the client found immediate benefits in improved throughput and heat transfer from the newly-cleaned and polished equipment.

Tube Tech comment

Scott Donson, Sales Manager: “ Our combined system approach did the work in a day and as a result further work was awarded to the team during the plant’s shutdown period. Our in-house developed safety systems allowed us to use safer practices than previous contractors, especially considering the confined and awkward working areas we were faced with. Our recommendation of polishing, reaped tremendous benefit for our client – it not only improved heat transfer but also extended the duration between cleans”.