Mechanical descaling is a common method. A flexible pipe cleaner, coupled to an umbrella-shaped, gear-shaped scraper, rotates and scrapes the inside of the condenser tubes, using circulating cooling water to remove scale and rust. The operation requires two passes, each with a blade diameter appropriate to the thickness of the scale. The first pass uses a blade slightly smaller than the pipe diameter to avoid damaging the pipe wall, while the second pass uses a blade closer to the pipe diameter to remove over 95% of the scale.

Chemical cleaning uses a weak acid descaling agent that circulates for 24 hours to dissolve and remove scale. However, the solution concentration and cleaning time must be strictly controlled to prevent corrosion of the stainless steel substrate.

For extreme scale buildup, high-pressure water jetting can be combined with high-pressure water jets, using 100-300 MPa to remove stubborn scale. This method is harmless to the pipe wall and does not cause chemical contamination, but requires specialized equipment.

Electronic magnetic water descaling is a supplementary method. Using a magnetic field, it alters the crystallization properties of calcium and magnesium ions in the water, converting hard scale into loose sludge that is then discharged with the water flow. This method is suitable for long-term scale prevention.

A systematic maintenance plan should be established to prevent scale buildup.

Water quality treatment is a critical step. Install a filter at the water inlet to intercept particulate matter and control cooling water hardness to below 150 mg/L. Add antiscalant if necessary to inhibit crystal growth.

Optimizing operating parameters is equally important. Maintaining a flow velocity in the pipes of at least 1.5 m/s can reduce deposits, and regular backwashing can effectively remove initial soft scale.

A routine maintenance log should be established, and the decline in heat exchange efficiency should be measured monthly. Professional cleaning should be arranged if the annual decline exceeds 15%.

For special operating conditions, such as high chloride ion environments, it is recommended to use 316L condenser tubes and monitor for pitting corrosion. During maintenance shutdowns, the remaining water must be completely drained, and nitrogen should be added as necessary to prevent oxygen corrosion.

These measures should be combined according to specific operating conditions. For example, a petrochemical company implemented a “quarterly high-pressure water jetting + annual chemical cleaning + online magnetic water treatment” approach, extending the service life of condenser tubes from two years to six years. It is important to note that after all cleaning operations, air tightness testing and heat exchange efficiency verification must be performed to ensure that the equipment has returned to its designed performance.