Rotary tube cleaning
Rotary tube cleaning systems to remove fouling inside the tubes of water-cooled chillers, heat pumps and shell and tube heat exchangers.
Industrial heat pumps are essential components in HVAC and process heating systems, providing efficient heating, cooling, or heat recovery. These systems rely on heat exchangers - such as shell-and-tube units or plate heat exchangers (gasketed, brazed, or shell-in-plate) - to transfer energy effectively. Over time, these heat exchangers accumulate fouling from scaling, biofilm, and other deposits found in process water. This buildup reduces heat transfer efficiency, increases energy consumption, and places unnecessary strain on the system. Regular and preventive cleaning of the heat exchangers is crucial to keep industrial heat pumps operating at peak performance.
Industrial heat pumps are used across a wide range of industries and can serve multiple purposes. The choice of refrigerant also influences which types of heat exchangers are incorporated into the system. Regardless of the configuration – whether shell-and-tube or various plate exchanger designs – fouling remains an operational challenge. Depending on the heat source, the type and severity of fouling can vary, requiring different cleaning approaches.
Based on the heat exchangers installed in the industrial heat pump, several cleaning methods can be applied. Chemical cleaning-in-place is suitable for both tube and plate heat exchangers, especially when dealing with heavy scale or rust deposits. For shell-and-tube heat exchangers with soft to medium-hard organic fouling, mechanical tube cleaning with rotating brushes is often the most effective solution. For large heat pumps, a projectile tube cleaning can be very interesting due to the speed of this cleaning method.
Commonly found deposit types in industrial heat pumps are:
When heat exchangers in industrial heat pumps become fouled, the heat transfer efficiency of the system is significantly reduced. Below, you can find some of the effects of fouling in a heat exchanger.
Cleaning heat exchanger tubes or plates is a crucial activity to maintain a highly efficient heat pump system. Goodway Benelux offers four (4) types of cleaning solutions for removing fouling within heat exchangers of industrial heat pumps. Based on the application, type of deposit and accessability one of the four systems will be the best solution for the application.
Scroll up to find more information on all four solutions.
A large Dutch malthouse experienced reduced performance in one of their industrial heat pump systems due to limescale deposits in the heat exchanger tubes. After attempting several cleaning methods themselves, including circulating various cleaning agents, they contacted Goodway Benelux.
Following a brief site visit and consultation, Goodway Benelux supplied a GDS-100 descaling pump system along with multiple 1000-liter IBC containers of ScaleBreak-MP descaler. During the cleaning, the Goodway Benelux team assisted with equipment setup and provided on-site training to the operators. After the process, the limescale deposits were fully removed, restoring the heat pump to optimal performance.
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.