Cleaning fin tube boilers and heat exchangers is accomplished by dry ice blasting. Glacier Blast Inc. specializes in this industrial cleaning process.Tweet
You could be an operator at a combined cycle power plant and have a HRSG with lost efficiency. Many of the fins have become blocked and consideration is being given to what fin tube cleaning method to use.
Your plant might be a refinery and the primary reformer's convection section is seeing a decrease of in tube temperature. There is heat transfer ability loss in the fin tube banks because of contamination buildup on the fins. Maybe it is a heat exchanger, could be a boiler and the system failed.
What fin tube cleaning method should be under consideration for a convection section, boiler, heat exchanger or HRSG?
Sandblasting will work but it is abrasive and might cause leaks. It leaves a secondary waste stream that magnifies the waste volume. If hazardous material sampling shows that there are hazardous materials present the disposal fees for the used sand are an added expense. Containment and removal of the sand is labor intense and costly. Over all abrasive blasting methods are not recommended for fin tube cleaning.
Soda Blasting and pressure washing will also work but they have secondary waste streams as well. Is there a way for fin tube cleaning to be done without adding volume to the contamination being removed?
The simple answer is yes. Dry ice sublimates instantly on impact and disappears. If dry ice blasting is under consideration for fin tube cleaning in a HRSG, convection section, heat exchanger, or boiler, do not hesitate to call with any questions about our industrial cleaning service and the process itself.
Industrial Cleaning By Dry Ice Blasting In Minnesota