When you know the water quality in your area, you can take proactive measures to prevent scaling and fouling in your tubes. The quality of the water that enters and flows from your chiller plays a big role in determining how often you should perform chiller tube maintenance and cleaning. Once every two or three years for your chiller or three to five years for your evaporator should be sufficient.
You don’t necessarily need to do an eddy current test each time you clean your tubes. Those signals indicate an issue at that location. As the tester moves the probe through the tube, the magnetic field will either remain stable or show signs of a disturbance. To conduct this test, a metal probe that creates a full-circle magnetic field is inserted into the tube. It can also indicate whether your tube walls have lost thickness over the years, Facilities Net reported. An eddy current test, sometimes called a magnetic field test, can highlight corrosion, erosion, mechanical damage and more. It’s also a good method to test for issues that may arise during the lifetime of the chiller.Īn eddy current test may be able to detect small defects that can lead to leaks, but it shouldn’t be confused with an actual leak test, Texas Eddy Current explained. Many chillers go through eddy current testing after fabrication and installation to test for any damage that may have occurred before the unit is fully operational, Process Cooling explained. If your tubes were fabricated with an alloy that’s highly resistant to corrosion, such as stainless steel, this may be less of a concern.Ĭleaning your tubes should be at least an annual or biannual task, and doing so during the colder months can give you ample time to address any issues before the weather warms up again. However, before you choose chemicals to insert into your tubes, make sure they’re compatible with the equipment’s materials of construction. You may also consider using chemical descalers to tackle more difficult forms of buildup like calcium, rust and lime. There’s a big difference between removing softer fouling like algae and mud compared to tougher scaling and mineral deposits. Newer models of rotary tube cleaning systems also allow you to add antimicrobials and corrosion inhibitors onto the surface of the tubes to minimize future scaling.Ĭhoose the brush you use with the rotary tube cleaner carefully, as different models are designed to clean specific types of fouling. There will likely still be scaling left clinging to the tube walls after the cleanse is finished, especially considering that most chiller tubes have ridges in them.Ī rotary tube cleaner, like the Goodway Ram-Pro sold by Enerquip, includes a brush that rotates to get into those grooves and can help immensely.
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If your condenser was struggling to reach a full refrigeration load or was reaching higher pressures than expected, it’s likely you have buildup that’s increasing your energy spend.īegin Your Chiller Tube Maintenance with Clean TubesĪn initial water cleanse is a good step toward cleaner tubes, but it shouldn’t be your only means to achieve greater energy efficiency. A well-maintained system, therefore, can save energy and money.
As a condenser’s heat transfer ability goes down, its energy consumption goes up – sometimes by 30 percent or more, according to the U.S. Chiller tubes and coils can become dirty or coated with scale over time, which decreases their heat transfer capabilities. Of the many components of a chiller, the tubes are one of the most impactful in terms of overall energy efficiency, according to The NEWS.
In fact, this extended period of time when chillers are not a critical component of your building’s HVAC efforts is the perfect opportunity to address any chiller tube maintenance concerns. But just because they may not be in use, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t give them some attention during the winter season. Your chiller needs to be inspected and maintained regularly.Ĭhiller tube maintenance is likely not on the top of facility managers’ minds during cold months.
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