Hydrodynamic cleaning is the removal of deposits with a high-pressure water jet generated by a high-pressure unit and delivered to the surface through channel-cleaning hoses and special nozzles. Deposits are broken up by the energy of the jet; a nozzle with rear-facing jets propels itself inside the pipe by reactive thrust and cleans the walls along the entire length.
What it removes
- sand, gravel, silt, sludge;
- organic compounds, fats, asphaltene, resin and paraffin deposits;
- scale, rust, mill scale, carbon deposits, coke;
- old coatings and rubber; also used for degreasing.
Equipment and tooling
- high-pressure units;
- channel-cleaning hoses;
- various nozzles: for breaking through blockages, for wall cleaning, rotary nozzles;
- rigid lances and flexible hoses for cleaning tube bundles.
Pressure and nozzle type are selected for the deposits, material and condition of the tubes.
Advantages and limitations
- works regardless of the physical and chemical properties of deposits;
- no chemicals — less waste;
- the action is aimed at the deposits; surfaces are not damaged.
The nozzle must have access to the surface being cleaned. For channels of complex configuration that the nozzle cannot pass through, chemical flushing is used.
Other methods
- Chemical flushing — dissolving deposits with chemicals circulated through the internal cavities of the equipment, followed by neutralisation and passivation of the metal; used where tools cannot reach.
- Mechanical cleaning — removal of dense and fully blocking deposits with manual and power tools; as a rule, requires disassembly or opening of the equipment.
- Dry ice blasting (cryoblasting) — gentle cleaning of accessible surfaces with solid carbon dioxide pellets, without chemicals, water or abrasives.
- Laser cleaning — non-contact removal of rust, mill scale, carbon deposits and coatings from accessible metal surfaces.
The applicability of a method to specific equipment is determined after inspection and agreed with the customer; methods are often combined. The methods used for each type of equipment are listed in its description on this page.
Frequently asked questions
Will high pressure damage the tubes?
Pressure and nozzle type are selected for the material and condition of the tubes. The action is aimed at the deposits, not the metal.
Can it be combined with chemical flushing?
Yes. Dense deposits and blockages are removed hydrodynamically, followed by chemical flushing if necessary.
What data is needed for a quote?
Equipment type, tube diameter and number of tubes or pipeline length, nature of deposits, photos.