Evaporator tube cleaning

Fouling in falling film evaporators reduces heat transfer efficiency, increases energy consumption, and can lead to uneven film distribution, product degradation, hygiene issues, and higher operating pressures. Keeping the evaporator tubes clean is therefore essential to maintain efficiency, ensure hygienic operation, and extend the overall lifetime of the system.

For very hard deposits in evaporator tubes, mechanical rotary cleaning is recommended. Using flexible shafts with scraper or cutting tools allows the hard buildup to be safely broken up and removed, followed by nylon brushes to remove remaining fouling and lightly polish the tubes. Selecting the correct tools for the deposit type is key to achieving effective cleaning while protecting the tube material.

Yes. Goodway® equipment is effective for fully blocked evaporator tubes, using flexible shafts with scraper and cutting tools to physically break through and remove even very hard deposits, helping to safely restore flow and heat transfer. Depending on the hardness of the deposit, the process of opening up the blocked tube can vary between 30 seconds up to 5-10 minutes per tube.

Evaporator tube cleaning is generally safe for tube materials. In some cases, severe fouling requires more robust corrective cleaning with heavy scraper tools, thereby posing a small risk of creating some scratches.

To clean evaporator tubes you need a tube cleaning machine to drive rotation, a flexible rotating shaft to enter the tubes, and a set of specialized cleaning tools such as brushes, scrapers, and cutting heads matched to the type of fouling.

Yes. Goodway® tube cleaners are very versatile and can be used for both wet and dry cleaning by simply changing the tools and shafts, making them suitable for a wide range of heat exchanger tube cleaning applications.

To select the correct brush size, you must first accurately determine the tube inner diameter. Then, choose a brush that will continuously stay in touch with the tube wall, that usually means a slightly oversized brush. Nylon abrasive brushes are generally sized slightly larger to maximize contact and effectively remove hardened deposits.

Tube cleaning brushes and tools have different lifetimes. Depending on various factors such as; type and severity of fouling, length of the tube, tube material, and more. Rough estimates for nylon abrasive brushes are 20-40 tubes per brush. While tools, such as the flex hub, can be used for a longer period of time. Replacing the blades is important, once the tool start to become blunt or less effective. Always monitor the performance after each tube to determine if a brush or tool needs replacement.

Goodway® equipment is often faster, more adaptable, and more effective than many other evaporator cleaning methods because its rotary mechanical system uses flexible shafts with brushes, scrapers, and cutting tools to physically break up and remove deposits. This makes it generally easier to use across different fouling types and tube sizes than static, manual, or purely chemical approaches – especially for stubborn, hardened buildup.