Some technological aspects of cleaning pipes of heat exchangers from solid scale deposits

This article discusses possible solutions to one of the problems associated with the low efficiency of existing thermal power plants. These factors are due to both the depreciation of equipment and the lack of any effective technologies for intensifying heat and mass transfer processes. The relevance of research topics is also confirmed by the fact that at the state level it is proposed to legally oblige the subjects of the heat and power industry to carry out preventive measures aimed at optimizing existing enterprises. The description of the reasons for the occurrence of scale deposits that appear in the in-line cavities is given. Due to the fact that the thermal conductivity of solid deposits is much less than the thermal conductivity of the metals from which the heat exchanger tubes are made, they significantly reduce the intensity of the processes and the intensity of heat transfer. Solid deposits lead to a decrease in the coolant flow rate, an increase in fuel consumption and a violation of the technological mode of operation of the entire heat exchange unit. The authors analyzed various technological aspects of various methods for cleaning heat exchanger tubes from solid scale deposits, on the basis of which the advantages of the electrohydraulic treatment method are substantiated. A schematic diagram of the device is given and a brief description of the method of cleaning the pipes of heat exchangers from solid scale deposits is given using electro-hydro-pulse action. The results of the application of this technology for cleaning heat exchange pipes at specific heat and power enterprises are shown, which confirm its advantages over other cleaning methods, both in terms of processing time and energy costs. The influence of the degree of purification of heat exchange pipes from solid deposits on the thermophysical parameters and efficiency of the heat exchanger is considered.