Careers TubeTech™ Restores TWISTED TUBE Heat Exchanger in South Africa
Rapid Mobilisation and specialist technology succeeds where previous contractors failed
A facility located in South Africa had tried to remove fouling from its TWISTED TUBE Heat Exchangers by Koch Heat Transfer several times with limited success. These exchangers, known for their complex geometry, required advanced cleaning techniques to address fouling on both the shell side and tube side effectively. Utilizing a multi-system approach, TubeTech™ successfully restored the heat exchangers to optimal performance.
Challenges with Twisted Tube Heat Exchanger Fouling
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Urgent Mobilization: TubeTech™ had a limited timeframe to deploy equipment and technicians for this critical project.
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Exchanger Specifications: The refinery operated four twisted tube heat exchanger by Koch Heat Transfer bundles each with 960 triangular pitch horizontal tubes.
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Fouling Composition: The deposit primarily consisted of ferric oxide, uniformly distributed across the tube side and obstructing the shell side.
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Cleaning Standards: The client required a 90% removal of fouling from both internal and external surfaces to meet production standards.
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Historical Buildup: Fouling had been accumulating since the installation of the twisted tube heat exchangers in 2008.
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Previous Attempts: Prior efforts, including chemical cleaning and hydroblasting, failed to achieve the desired cleanliness levels.
IGS TubeTech Solution to Twisted Tube Fouling
Recognizing the limitations of conventional methods, TubeTech™ employed a specialized approach tailored for helical tube heat exchangers:
- TubeTech™ mobilised a team of 24 technicians to work day and night shifts.
- This critical path project was successfully completed within the timeframe specified by the client.
- Multiple systems used included:
– Remotely controlled tube side water jetting systems with no hydraulic recoil using bespoke tips for twisted tube fouling.
– Micro Bore Shell JeTT system removed deposits from the entire shell side spaces by penetrating deep into the centre of the exchangers.
TubeTech™ Comment
Operations Director: “Our client was impressed with not only the success of our twisted tube cleaning techniques but also our focused approach to safety on site. We are certain our client will see a dramatic increase in heat transfer from the twisted tube exchangers when the refinery starts up after shutdown.”
Client Comment
“We were really impressed with TubeTech™’s performance and how clean the bundles are – the cleanest we have seen them since installation in 2008!”
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