Condenser coil cleaning
Low-pressure cleaning equipment for air-cooled condensers, chillers, and dry coolers, effectively removing deposit buildup from coils, including delicate microchannel coils.
Air-cooled condensers
Air-cooled heat exchangers - including chillers, condensers, and dry coolers - are critical components in HVAC/R systems. Over time, these systems will accumulate fouling due to regular operation, which will significantly reduce their efficiency. Regular cleaning and maintenance are essential to ensure optimal performance, energy efficiency, and a longer equipment lifespan.
Fouling issues of air-cooled condensers
Air-cooled condensers, chillers and drycoolers contain coils that require regular cleaning. When these coils become contaminated by atmospheric pollutants, airflow is significantly reduced. It is crucial to maintain unrestricted airflow, as any obstruction – such as deposits on the fins – can impair the system’s heat transfer efficiency. This results in a substantial increase in condensing temperature, leading to higher energy consumption. In fact, a fouled condenser can consume 10 to 30% more energy than a properly cleaned system with optimal airflow.
- Fouling buildup: Happens when external fouling – such as pollen, dust, organic material and flies – are attracted to the coils and start settling on the fins. Over time, the buildup will be so significant that airflow is restricted.
- Positioning of the equipment determines intervention period: Air-cooled condensors are constantly sucking in air to cool the media flowing through the coils. When a system is – for example – located near a forest, the buildup of fouling will be much faster.
Effects of fouling in air-cooled heat exchangers
Fouling of air-cooled heat exchangers can have several significant effects on system performance. Four of the biggest effects include:
- Reduced heat transfer efficiency: Fouling, such as dirt, dust, or debris accumulation on the condenser coils, creates an insulating layer that hinders heat exchange. This reduces the system’s ability to release heat efficiently, leading to a rise in the condensing temperature.
- Increased energy consumption: As the heat transfer efficiency drops due to fouling, the compressor has to work harder to achieve the desired cooling effect. This leads to higher energy consumption, which can increase operational costs by 10 to 30%.
- Higher condensing temperatures: With obstructed airflow and reduced heat transfer, the condensing temperature rises. This can affect the overall cooling capacity of the system and may even cause it to operate outside of its optimal range, potentially leading to system errors.
- Reduced system lifespan: The added strain on the compressor and other components from fouling can lead to increased wear and tear, reducing the overall lifespan of the system. Additionally, higher condensing temperatures can contribute to the degradation of system components, resulting in more frequent maintenance needs and costly repairs.
Improve condenser efficiency
Keeping the coils of air-cooled condensers, chillers and drycoolers clean is crucial to maintain a highly efficienct system. Goodway Benelux offers special (low-pressure) cleaning equipment which can be safely used to remove deposit buildup on coils and microchannels of air-cooled heat exchangers. By adding a special cleaning product, coils can even be degreased, leading to even better cleaning results.
- Low-pressure: Goodway® equipment operates at just 30 bar of pressure, ensuring that delicate fins and microchannels cannot be damaged, even if the spray angle is not correct.
- High waterflow: Goodway® equipment operates at 12 liters per minute of waterflow, which is nearly twice the flow of regular high pressure cleaning systems. The high waterflow ensures all deposits are completely flushed out of the coils during cleaning.
- Biodegradable cleaners: Goodway® cleaning product is added to the cleaning to further increase the results. Goodway® ‘Coilshine’ not only removes deposits, but also degreases the coils.
Interested in what Goodway Benelux offers for:
Air-cooled condensers
From pre-sales inquiries to technical support, Goodway Benelux is available to assist customers at every stage. The company also provides on-site support, training, and product demonstrations. Their dedicated sales representatives and project engineers are ready to answer questions and provide guidance throughout the entire process.