Keeping your heat exchanger clean and Performing at its best
The types of Fouling your heat exchanger can experience
| Clogging / Plugging | Coarse Fouling | Biofouling | Scaling |
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Why Keep your heat exchanger clean?
- Avoid under deposit corrosion
- Reduce pressure loss/drop
- Maintain heat transfer
- avoid damage from particles
- secure sealing
- Easier inspection of transfer surfaces
Cleaning methods for plate heat exchangers
- Mechanical cleaning – can be performed on site, but performed better under workshop conditions
- Spray cleaning – can be performed on site, but performed better under workshop conditions
- Immersion cleaning/Chemical cleaning – performed in workshop
- Circulation cleaning – Inline cleaning can be performed onsite with CIP cleaning apparatus
Cleaning Mechanisms
- Detergency
- Solvency
- Chemical reaction
- Mechanical action
Heat Exchanger cleaning agents
| Chemical | Component | Mechanism | Notes |
| Caustic Soda / Sodium Hydroxide | Alkaline (NaOH) | Chemical reaction saponification Detergency | Attack some metals (Al, Zn) and paint. Hazardous – Personal Protective equipment to be worn |
| Phosphoric Acid (80% Food grade) | Acidic (H3PO4) | Chemical reaction-redox Solvency | Attack some metals (Al, Zn) Hazardous – Personal Protective equipment to be worn |
| Tensides to boost efftiveness of cleaning | Tensides | Detergency | Booster for Phosphoric acid / Caustic / Formic Acid cleaning baths |
| Formic / Methanoic acid | Acidic (HCOOH) | Chemical reaction-redox Solvency | Powder Hazardous – Personal Protective equipment to be worn |
| Degreaser | Biogen Active (Lactic acid) | Detergency | Non-hazardous |
| Descalent | Biogen Active (Lactic acid) | Detergency | Non-hazardous |
| Neutralizing Agent | Alkaline (NaOH) | Chemical reaction-redox | To neutralize acid cleaners Hazardous |
When should what products be used for cleaning?
| Chemical Name | Chemical Action | Application / use |
| Caustic Soda Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH) | Degreaser | Removal of biological matter, fat, oil and other organic deposits |
| Phosphoric Acid | Descaler | Removal of metallic oxides, rust, calcium carbonate and other inorganic scale from heat exchanger plate surfaces |
| Tensides | Cleaning strengthener | Provides better cleaning results on oily and fatty surfaces and where biological growth occurs. Also reduces any foaming. |
| Caustic Soda Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH) | Neutralizer | Neutralization of acidic cleaning liquids. |
Chemicals that should not be used to Clean heat exchangers
- HCl (Hydrochloric) – aggressive to the plate as well as personal safety
- H2SO4 (Sulphuric) – aggressive to plate & gasket as well as personal safety
- HNO3 (Nitric) – aggressive to the gasket as well as personal safety (HNO3 is sometimes used in the food industry. Concentration 1-1½% at ambient temp) – never heat
