Vertical Falling Film evaporator cleaning system improves safety
Robotic Cleaning System avoids dangerous man entry
Summary
Looking for an innovative completely remote evaporator tube cleaning system an international Synfuels plant were referred to Tube Tech about their ability to solve seemingly impossible challenges. Previous water jetting contractors had experienced an incident during cleaning whilst inside the vessel hence a safer more effective cleaning system was required to clean their falling film evaporator.
Challenge
- Over 2000 falling film evaporator tubes, 18m from ground level.
- Calcium sulphate scale approx 2mm thick with patches of blocked tubes
- Remote cleaning technology – non-man entry technique essential
- Local water pressure jetting contractors were taking months to clean
- Lost time accidents occurring during traditional water jetting processes
Solution
- Create new robotic concept FastIndex™ Evaporator cleaning system.
- Fastindex™ system involves multiple, pre-programmed, computer controlled indexing arms, moving set distances across the tube face “from below” using super high water pressure jets combined with de-scaling heads, operating in-house designed 4000 bar cleaning tips.
- Explosion proof cameras used to ensure precise location of jets and to simultaneously inspect.
- A complete falling film evaporator mock up built in UK and live video of progress throughout the trial period.
Tube Tech comment
Mike Watson, Technical Director: “These are the kind of challenges that we love here at Tube Tech. The client presented us with a serious challenge where safety was paramount which encouraged us to push the boat out to develop a brand new robotic technology for falling film evaporator tube cleaning which will benefit many other clients in the future who have man entry safety issues when cleaning vertical heat exchangers as found in de-salination plants etc”.
Clients can be contacted via Tube Tech for references.
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