Tube cleaning of air-conditioning chiller aboard river cruise vessel

A German river cruise company faced biological fouling in the chiller system of one of their vessels. Learn more about how Goodway Benelux assisted with this project.

The project

Goodway Benelux was approached by a German river cruise company that needed a solution to remove biological fouling within the condenser tubes of their air-conditioning chillers aboard one of their vessels. This heat exchanger serves all the onboard air-conditioning systems, and maintaining it is crucial to ensure optimal room temperatures for their passengers.

The challenge

The chiller on board the cruise ship operates over 90% of the time, and is therefore a vital system for maintaining the temperature-controlled rooms of their passengers. When the chiller becomes fouled and loses cooling capacity, it must be cleaned quickly, with minimal downtime, to ensure passenger comfort and avoid complaints.

This chiller also featured enhanced tubes, which have internal grooves that increase surface area and promote turbulent flow, both of which improve cooling capacity. However, when these grooves become fouled, it’s very difficult to effectively clean them with regular brush types. A specialized dual-diameter brush was required to achieve optimal cleaning results.

The solution

Goodway Benelux supplied the cruise company with their RAM-PRO system. This compact tube cleaner, widely used in the maritime industry, fits easily into small engine rooms and operates at both 50 and 60 Hz, accommodating variations in ship power systems. The RAM-PRO system was used in combination with a flexible shaft and specially designed dual-diameter brushes.

These special brushes (ESGB) are specifically designed with dual bristle lengths, allowing them to clean both the tube surface and the grooves effectively. As a result, ESGB’s deliver significantly better cleaning performance than conventional brushes for this type of tube.

A Goodway Benelux expert boarded the ship while it was docked in Germany to provide the crew with the necessary training to maintain the chiller system effectively and to deliver product training on the proper use of the equipment.