Heat exchanger is the heart and soul of many important systems and manufacturing units. It is equipment used to transfer heat from one fluid to another. From chemical processing plant, petroleum oil and gas, power plants, air conditioning and other industries, heat exchanger is the crucial aspect of their core processing systems. Heat exchangers are required to keep machinery, chemicals and other substances within a safe operating temperature. If not maintained properly, it can lead to the failure of their equipment. This is why the organisations must take heat exchanger maintenance process seriously.
The fouling and maintenance of heat exchangers contribute to long-term reliability and overall cost reduction. Regular maintenance will help to improve the operational efficiency, life of equipment and avoid the risk of fire and explosions. Heat exchanger servicing can be carried out through proactive or reactive means. Proactive means carrying out routine checkups and cleanings, whereas reactive, on the other hand, means carrying out an overall check of the equipment.
Why is it important to do regular heat exchanger maintenance?
1. Proactive cleaning is the first step of maintenance as it increases the life expectancy of the equipment.
2. Regular heat exchanger maintenance helps to prevent any build-up of rust or other deposits which otherwise may lead to situations resulting in causing serious damage and eventually shutting down of the entire plant.
3. By involving regular heat exchanger cleaning services, it is possible to ensure that the equipment is completely operational and meeting all the regulatory standards.
4. Monitoring the health of heat exchanger will help to take note of any fault and correct them before hand in order to avoid any further damage to the equipment.
5. It also helps to monitor the temperature and the pressure of the heat exchanger, which helps in improving the performance of heat exchanger in the long run.
6. Regular heat exchanger cleaning helps to improve efficiency, reduce downtime and therefore keeps the maintenance cost under control.
7. Checking other aspects of the exchanger, such as tube thickness, will also give indications about emerging problems.
In order to extract the maximum benefit of heat exchanger, it should be well-maintained and routine check-ups should be done timely. The maintenance routines can vary based on a number of different factors and the equipment usage. These factors could include recommendations by the manufacturer or the team that provide heat exchanger cleaning services. If anything blocks the surface of the heat exchanger, the performance of the equipment will be compromised. For situations like these, it is extremely important that a routine cleaning be scheduled in order to prevent such issues from occurring. If any part needs to be replaced, you can always contact the expert for help. Preventive maintenance can ultimately provide a tremendous return on investment and ensures that a plant or manufacturing unit functions smoothly and hassle-freely.
