Condenser Tube Cleaning
Environmental Alternatives, Inc. offers condenser tube cleaning services that will boost your Heat Recovery Steam Generator (HRSG) system’s performance. Get in touch to discuss your machinery or schedule dry ice cleaning for your condenser tube pipes.
What Are Condenser Tubes?
A condenser tube is a component of an electrical generation system.
When generating electricity, water absorbs heat from burning fuel until it boils and produces steam. The steam drives a turbine to produce electricity. Next, the steam reaches a condenser full of cold water that converts the steam back into a liquid state.
The condenser tubes are the components that carry cool water to and from the condenser. Most condenser tubes are made from materials like copper, stainless steel, brass, titanium or nickel.
Navigating Condenser Tube Contamination
The efficient flow of cool water through a condenser system requires the use of clean condenser tubes. However, the metals used in condenser tubes are susceptible to various forms of contamination.
The inside of a condenser tube is exposed to a constant stream of moisture. Consequently, contamination occurs in the form of corrosion, microbial growth, mineral scaling and the formation of other debris.
Contamination detracts from water flow and slows the heat transfer process. As a result, the steam that reaches the condenser does not receive enough cool water to become a liquid. The steam also takes too long to pass through the condenser pipe. The pipe may even fracture or break.
Ultimately, the electricity generation system will output less energy while burning the same amount of fuel.
The Solution — Condenser Pipe Cleaning
Condenser pipe contamination poses efficiency issues for power generation facilities, but there are ways to remove harmful particles from the inside of the tubes.
At EAI, our HRSG services include condenser pipe cleaning. We use dry ice blasting to dislodge contaminants from the inside of condenser pipes. We also use dry ice blasting to clean the exterior surface of HRSG systems.
Dry ice blasting is the process of using frozen CO2 pellets to remove hard residue from a surface. We use a pressurized system to blow small dry ice pellets through the inside of the condenser pipe.
The dry ice’s frigid temperatures freeze and fracture residue prior to contact. Then, the dry ice collides with the residue, knocking it from the surface. Finally, exposing CO2 to room-temperature air causes rapid evaporation and a subsequent explosive effect that removes even more residue.
The three ways in which dry ice reacts with contaminants make dry ice blasting the most effective way to clean the water side of a condenser tube.
How EAI’s HRSG Cleaning Services Can Help You
EAI is an experienced HRSG cleaning services provider using some of the most effective methods like dry ice blasting. Our condenser tube cleaning services will improve your HRSG system’s back pressure and heat transfer capabilities, resulting in numerous benefits:
- Revenue: Improving your HRSG’s performance will allow your facility to produce and distribute more electricity with the fuel you burn.
- Productivity: Cleaning a condenser pipe removes contaminants that could damage the pipes or other components of the HRSG system. You’ll increase productivity by avoiding downtime spent repairing or replacing your system.
- Savings: Repairing or replacing condenser pipes can be expensive. Hire the industry’s top cleaning company to preserve your company’s revenue.
Speak With Our Experts
Cleaning your condenser pipes in regular intervals is critical to maintaining your HRSG system. At EAI, we offer effective condenser tube cleaning services that will preserve your pipes and boost your HRSG system’s performance. Our experts are available to discuss a cleaning schedule for your system, so contact us online to get started.