We are facing severe choking problem in jacket cooling system of reciprocating compressors. Currently we are using service water for closed loop circulation but the effect is such that after two or three months of cleaning, the flow area available reduces by more than 60% on an average. Is anyone facing similar problems..? What may be remedial action. ? We flush the system during every available shutdown. During flushing a think slurry like liquid sometimes black in colour is discharged.
Service water we are using has similar parameter that of industrial drinking water with slight high Cl content.
Additional:
The iron content of service water used in the closed loop system is 0.4ppm. We don't suspect any tube leakage in exchanger as well. But surely there should be a problem with the quality of water we are using.
The type of deposit we observed is muddy type hardened along the inner wall as lumps. Breaks down if we hammer the outer surface of pipe during flow inside.
http://sailinchemicals.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/02_Corroded_potable_pipe_-_Credit_-_Nu_Flow_America.jpg
The appearance is similar to above image except that the colour is slight orange in nature and more like globular lumps.
Additional:
It's the reciprocating compressor handling Hydrocarbon and hydrogen. There is no pinhole leak in any lines. After starting of condensate top up, we have found it much better. Only problem with BFW/ condensate is the working temperature. We have managed to change in one of the compressors. however , the other one needs to be done