A plate and frame heat exchanger having 140 titanium plates with
14" feed (carbon steel) pipes was used to extract heat from a 7 - 8%
brine solution whose temperature ranged 90 - 100ºC and hardness
varied from 100 to 400 mg/l. The brine solution was cooled using
fresh water, which was pumped to the other side of the heat
exchanger. Scaling occurred in both sides of the heat exchanger,
reducing the heat transfer coefficient by 20% every two weeks. Scale
build-up would force the plant to acid clean the heat exchanger every
6 - 8 weeks.
Solution:
Two Electronic Descaling 2000 units were installed: one on the brine inlet to the plate and frame heat exchanger and the other on the fresh water inlet.
- The plate and frame heat exchanger now operates continuously at the almost designed performance level.
- The overall heat transfer coefficient of 650 Btu/hr ft2 °F dropped only to 550 Btu/hr ft2 °F after 10 weeks of operation.
- Downtime has been reduced.
- Labor costs for maintenance has been drastically reduced.
- Chemicals and chemical disposal has been eliminated.