Chemical cleaning

Fouling in technical systems and heat exchangers reduces heat transfer efficiency, increases energy consumption, and can cause higher pressure drops. It may also lead to corrosion, blockages, and increased maintenance or downtime if deposits like limescale, calcium, struvite, rust, and mineral deposits are not removed. Chemical cleaning can be performed on a wide array of applications, such as:

• Plate and frame heat exchangers
• Shell-and-tube heat exchangers
• Evaporative coolers
• Pumps
• Boiler tubes
• Chiller tubes
• Virtually any hydronic system

Chemical cleaning-in-place uses a pump to circulate a cleaning solution like Goodway®’s ScaleBreak through the equipment, dissolving and removing deposits such as limescale, calcium, struvite, rust, and mineral deposits without disassembling the heat exchanger. The loosened deposits are then flushed out, restoring heat transfer efficiency and flow.

Yes. Chemical cleaning-in-place can remove heavy deposits such as limescale, calcium, struvite, rust, and mineral deposits, restoring flow and heat transfer without disassembling the heat exchanger. In cases of extreme fouling, a higher concentration and longer circulation time may be needed for full recovery.

Furthermore, Goodway® descaling pump systems are equipped with a reversing valve which allows operators to instantly reverse the flow by simply switching a valve. During the descaling process, limescale dissolves and generates foam and gas, which can create a barrier that slows further scale removal – this is especially true for heavy fouling or blocked plate heat exchangers. Using the flow reversal valve allows the foam and gas to discharge into the tank, eliminating this barrier and accelerating the descaling process.

No. Goodway® descalers are formulated to safely dissolve deposits like limescale, calcium, struvite, rust, and mineral deposits without harming the tubes, plates, surfaces, gaskets, or other components when used according to the instructions. Goodway Benelux offers a wide range of descalers, each suited for different applications.

In terms of equipment you will need a descaling pump system, chemical cleaning agent, hoses to connect to the heat exchanger ports, and a safe way to collect and dispose of the used cleaning solution afterwards. Furthermore, it is very important to have the right CIP-couplings on the equipment which you want to clean, so that the cleaning agent can flow through the entire heat exchanger correctly.

Always check which deposits need to be removed and what the materials of the heat exchangers are. After that, Goodway Benelux can recommend you the correct cleaning agent. In terms of the descaling pump, always check the heat exchanger size, liquid volume, plate pack thickness or tube count and where the connection points are. Based on this information, a descaling pump system should be selected that is powerful enough to circulate the descaler through the entire system, effectively.

Some special applications – like cooling rolls – require different information. Reach out to the Goodway Benelux customer service team to receive proper guidance.

By continuously the pH-levels, you can keep track of the cleaning progress. Extra descaling solution should be added if the initial solution becomes diluted or the cleaning takes longer due to heavy fouling. This ensures deposits continue to dissolve and the heat exchanger is fully cleaned. Goodway Benelux also offers step-by-step manuals for chemical cleaning projects to its customers.

The mixture rate depends on the type and severity of fouling and the equipment being cleaned. But in general, it can vary between 25 to 100%. Contact the Goodway Benelux team for accurate advice, based on your specific cleaning application.

Yes. Goodway® descalers like Scalebreak‑MP are biodegradable, exempt from hazardous transport classifications, and safe on a wide range of materials including stainless steel and rubber when used as directed, while effectively dissolving scale, rust, and biofouling. Furthermore, Goodway® has performed extensive corrosion testing on all formulas, ensuring minimal corrosion rates while still maintaining highly effective cleaning results.

Goodway Benelux supplies a complete range of ScaleBreak descaling solutions, each engineered for a specific application range. By selecting the right formula based on equipment type, deposit composition, material type, and operating conditions, customers achieve maximum cleaning performance with the highest level of material safety.

ScaleBreak product range:

• ScaleBreak-MP: A versatile, multi‑purpose descaler suitable for nearly all common system materials. Effectively dissolves a broad spectrum of deposits, making it ideal for general industrial use.
• ScaleBreak: A fast‑acting and cost‑efficient descaler formulated for reliable removal of limescale and mineral buildup in standard applications.
• ScaleBreak-Gel: A high‑viscosity gel designed for vertical or irregular surfaces, such as cooling tower louvers, drift eliminators, and other components where liquid solutions cannot remain in contact long enough.
• ScaleBreak-SS: A specialized formula developed for stainless steel systems. Highly effective against struvite, vivianite, and other hard‑to-remove deposits commonly found in wastewater and process environments.

The Goodway Benelux team can provide application-specific guidance to determine the most suitable product for your installation.

After cleaning, collect the used descaler and neutralize it according to local environmental and safety regulations, use neutralizing powder for safer handling. The Goodway Benelux team can provide step-by-step procedures for the neutralization and disposal of chemicals. Never pour it directly into drains or the environment – follow local rules for proper disposal.

Goodway® industrial descaler system leverages clean in place (CIP) technology to remove limescale, calcium, struvite, and mineral deposits, rust, and more from HVAC and process manufacturing equipment without pulling the machine apart. Use on plate and frame heat exchangers, shell and tube heat exchangers, heat exchangers tubes, evaporative coolers, pumps, boiler tubes, chiller tubes, and virtually any hydronic system.

Cold temperatures can slow down the descaling process. ScaleBreak descalers rely on a chemical reaction that typically becomes about 50% slower for every 10 °C drop in temperature. In colder conditions, the solution can also become more viscous, which may reduce flow and increase the required circulation or dwell time.

Normal water temperatures of around 12 – 15 °C are generally not a problem and ScaleBreak will still perform effectively. Heating the solution is not always necessary, but increasing the temperature (ideally to 24 – 38 °C) can significantly speed up the cleaning process. Always ensure the temperature stays below the maximum pump system limit (50 °C).

In summary: ScaleBreak descalers work in cold conditions, but warming the solution can improve cleaning speed and efficiency, especially during winter operations.

In most industrial and commercial descaling applications, magnetic filtration is not necessary. Magnetic filters are primarily designed for residential heating systems, where steel components corrode more rapidly and release magnetically active particles into circulation. In well-maintained industrial systems, most corrosion products are non-magnetic iron oxides, so a magnetic filter provides little benefit.

Some magnetite may appear as nodular material that breaks free and enters circulation. However, these particles are usually large enough to settle at low points in the system – such as the bottom of the descaling pump systems – rather than remaining suspended where a magnetic filter could capture them.

For solid particulates like corrosion debris, silicates, phosphates, or other deposits, a mechanical filter such as a polypropylene Y-strainer can remove solids effectively – but note that the Goodway® GDS-C40 and GDS-C92 systems have reverse-flow capabilities. In reverse-flow conditions, any particulate captured in a strainer would be pulled back into the fluid stream, negating its effect. Traditional filtration systems are therefore not viable with these systems. Only the Goodway® GDS-100 system features a pre-installed Y-strainer filter.

In summary: Filtration is generally unnecessary in industrial descaling. Particulates often settle at the bottom of the tank, and most deposits such as rust or scale are fully solubilized, leaving no particles to capture. Mechanical or magnetic filters provide limited additional value in these applications.

Goodway® chemical cleaning solutions work by means of cleaning-in-place, also known as CIP. This cleaning technique focusses on keeping the heat exchanger in place and require as little as possible disassembly before and after cleaning as possible. Because of this, cleanings can be performed much faster, with less risk of operator or equipment damage or failure, and often at lower costs. Compared to traditional methods such as manual disassembly, the CIP-technique has many advantages. Also, it gives customers more options to switch to a preventive cleaning strategy, rather than cleaning once the equipment is failing.

Furthermore, Goodway® equipment and descalers have been designed for ease of use, safe cleaning and effective removal of hard water-formed deposits, such as limescale, calcium, struvite, and mineral deposits, rust, and more. Useful features such as flow reversal and multi-purpose descalers bring further added value to chemical cleanings.

Finally, all Goodway® formulas undergo extensive corrosion testing to ensure minimal impact on system materials while maintaining strong cleaning performance. Independent testing by equipment manufacturers – such as SWEP – has confirmed extremely low corrosion rates, even when products are used at full strength without dilution. This provides customers with confidence that cleaning operations remain both effective and safe for sensitive materials.

No, Goodway®’s chemical cleaning equipment is not ATEX‑certified. For use in classified or explosive atmospheres, you must choose tools and systems that are explicitly certified for the specific hazard classification.