Process and apparatus for cleaning the end plate of a heat exchanger from the inner side of the heat exchanger bundle

摘要

The method involves using jets of liquid (55a,55b,55c) to clean a tube plate heat exchanger with tubes in a series of flat parallel layers bent into a U-shape. The jets are fed from a position between two layers of tubes in an oscillating motion, with a flow rate of at least 20 l/min and closer to 60 l/min. The cleaner itself comprises a lance (14) which is at least partially supple and has a thickness which is less than the width of the gap between two layers of tubes. It produces liquid jets perpendicular to the pipe layers through nozzles (48a,48b,48c). The body of the lance is made from a plastics material, with a rigid head at one end equipped with an oscillating nozzle carrier.