Mechanical cleaning is the removal of deposits with tools by friction and impact on the surface. The method requires no flushing units or chemicals, but as a rule the equipment has to be disassembled or opened.
When it is used
- heavy, fully blocking contamination that cannot be removed by flushing;
- cleaning of individual system components;
- preparation for chemical flushing — opening up clogged tubes;
- heat exchangers, boilers, vessels — in all industries.
Tools
- hand tools: scrapers, brushes, tube brushes, cleaning rods;
- rotating heads and expanding and non-expanding cutters with electric or pneumatic drive.
Stages
- disassembly or opening of the equipment to be cleaned;
- removal of deposits with manual and power tools;
- rinsing the cleaned surfaces with water, checking tube passability;
- if necessary — soaking parts in a cleaning solution, rinsing and passivation;
- reassembly and hydraulic testing.
Limitations
- disassembly is required — the shutdown is longer than with chemical flushing;
- some units need a new set of gaskets on reassembly;
- tools cannot reach surfaces of complex shape;
- the work requires care and skill so as not to damage the surfaces.
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.
- Hydrodynamic cleaning — breaking up deposits with a high-pressure water jet using high-pressure units, channel-cleaning hoses and special nozzles; for tubes, channels and vessels accessible to the nozzle.
- 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
Why is mechanical cleaning not always enough?
Tools cannot reach surfaces of complex shape. That is why mechanical cleaning is often combined with chemical flushing.
Are new gaskets needed after disassembly?
For some units, such as gasketed plate heat exchangers, yes. We take this into account in the quote.