Condenser Tube Cleaning For Maximum Power Generation Efficiency

By Author: supriyo banerjee
Total Articles: 739
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The fact that many power plants use either river water or sea water in their cooling system makes it imperative that they employ a well-developed plan for the maintenance and cleaning of their condenser tubes. The harsh and constantly changing environment to which condenser tubes are subjected makes condenser tube cleaning an absolute must on an ongoing basis. It is the regular maintenance of these condenser tubes, complete with a properly scheduled and carried out condenser tube cleaning plan, that has a direct effect on the efficiency of the power generation for a given facility.

The Merrick Group, Inc. is equipped with the necessary tools and experience to handle proper condenser tube cleaning on a regular basis. They work with the personnel of the plant, and are able to determine which is the most cost effective course of action to deliver the absolute cleanest fully circular (three hundred sixty degree) I.D. tube without causing any sort of damage to the base metal or compromising the tube’s structural integrity. The Merrick Group has a rigorous, comprehensive condenser tube cleaning program ...
... that consists of opening all of the doors and covers, completing “as found” inspections and any completing the documentation on such, clearing all debris and wiping down the cross around pipes, a thorough and complete coating inspection of any pipes and tube sheets. Cleaning of tubes may consist of, hydrolazing (high-pressure water blasting) with pressures of up to 40,000 psi, use of plastic and / or metal scrapers, and wire brushes. In addition, condenser tube cleaning also consists of tube plugging, and application of coating. After this procedure, there is a final inspection before closing the tubes.

As you can see, condenser tube cleaning is a highly specialized process. It is therefore necessary that whoever is doing the cleaning have all the necessary appropriate certifications (of which there are many). If even one of these steps is not done properly, the efficiency of your power generation could suffer, and that means the entire process would be a waste, since the whole point is to maximize your efficiency.

Calcium, Magnesium and Carbonate constitute anywhere from 200 to 800 grams per cubic meter of water (depending on the water quality). Regardless of how innovative your condenser tube cleaning program might be, the plain fact is that unless you change the nature of the water cooling your system, you will need regular maintenance on the condenser tubes that includes scale and debris removal. While there are a few “automatic” systems available, nothing can compare to a well-trained eye, a properly educated human, and good old-fashioned elbow grease.

The Merrick Group is a renowned name for nuclear plant cleaning maintenance services, cooling tower maintenance and condenser tube cleaning. We offer unparalleled expertise in industrial, environmental, cooling tower maintenance and condenser tube cleaning.