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Please advise Heaters Convection Zone finned Coils cleaning techniques or recommend cleaning tools especially for Heaters without soot blowers during turnaround. Which contractors have successfully carried out Heaters convection zone finned oils repair & cleaning? What is the experience/requirement with reference to convection zone coils cleaning for Heaters with soot blowers? When should a refiner plan to clean Heaters convection zone finned coils cleaning?
 
Answers
10/11/2009 A: Mike Watson, Tube Tech International Ltd, mike.watson@tubetech.com
Convection section cleaning (in the absence of sootblowers which are often inconsistent) are traditionally and also often unsuccessfully cleaned using chemicals (powders) injected online which are designed to clean the radiant section which don't have deposit grabbing fins.
High Pressure jetting requires the unit to stop and holes cut into the side panels of the heater box, man access and water jet as much as the operator can see (damage to refractory inevitable).
Tube Tech International have both On and Off line alternatives which involve the use of low waste and zero waste blast media i.e. liquid Ice and Nitrogen at 60,000 psi which easily removes the fouling without damage to the refractory or fins.
Another offline method physically and remotely negotiates between the convection fins to clean deep within the banks.
A mechanical On line method is in the final stages of development. TubeTech have successfully cleaned the convection side of several furnaces. Case studies and images are available on request