fouled evap water side

[climate master]

I have a customer with and open loop titanium evap. After eliminating other possible issues have detemined evap to be fouled with algae/ slime/ snot whatever you care to call it. Upon open inspection of evap water side found significant white slime insulating evap tube bundle. What is the recommended treatment/ratio for cleaing/flushing. Have rotting/punched tooooo many condenser tube to fathom but usually the evap water side is closed loop and the water treatment company handles it. Not the case for commercial fish hatchery. recomendations please

[Healey Nut]

Tube cleaner, lots of brushes , pressure washer , and dont forget the PPE

[socotech]

I have brushed a few evaps. I clean them the same way as condensers.

[climate master]

I have brushed a few evaps. I clean them the same way as condensers.

Why would you brush the outside of a tube. Water typically flows thru a condenser tube so yes brush it by all means. But refrigerant flows thru the tubes in most evaps thus the need to rot the water side surrounding the tube bundle kinda hard to brush. Again I have Titanium tubes/ PVC shell trying to remove mainly algae......looking for best mixture ratio that will rinse clean when done. I need no trace chemicals when done as stated water flowing around the evap coil comes in direct contact with fish. Obviously I could run copper algaecide and it would remove the slime but what effect on the bundle??? Or simply acid??? But at what mixture. Typically we clean the inside of nickle copper condenser tube with acid. But this is a little different scenario.

[Nuclrchiller]

Many,many chillers have "flooded" evaporators, where the water is inside the tubes. Asking for help while "drip feeding" information wastes time. You should either be grateful that some are willing to waste their time, or you should give more complete information.

[Tommy knocker]

Many,many chillers have "flooded" evaporators, where the water is inside the tubes. Asking for help while "drip feeding" information wastes time. You should either be grateful that some are willing to waste their time, or you should give more complete information.

Ya what this guy said. Oh and call the manufacturer and follow their recommendations.

[ga1279]

Many times when working through the various school districts in the Houston area I have found that due diligince was never accomplished when centrifigal chillers are started up and the welding slag started the corosion process. The chiller manufacturer never mattered Trane, York, Carrier or McQuay they all would foul the same. Solid black non-washable crap that had to be brushed with brass brushes after the tubes were rodded out. Even then it would always return to its fouled condition as we weren't allowed to attempt to clean the system. So, I would say get your PPE, tube brushing machine, brass brushes and grin and bear-it. -GEO

[socotech]

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Why would you brush the outside of a tube. Water typically flows thru a condenser tube so yes brush it by all means. But refrigerant flows thru the tubes in most evaps thus the need to rot the water side surrounding the tube bundle kinda hard to brush. Again I have Titanium tubes/ PVC shell trying to remove mainly algae......looking for best mixture ratio that will rinse clean when done. I need no trace chemicals when done as stated water flowing around the evap coil comes in direct contact with fish. Obviously I could run copper algaecide and it would remove the slime but what effect on the bundle??? Or simply acid??? But at what mixture. Typically we clean the inside of nickle copper condenser tube with acid. But this is a little different scenario.

I assumed you were talking about a flooded evap. By "rot", do you mean "rod"?

[KnewYork]

But refrigerant flows thru the tubes in most evaps...

Maybe in your world. I've worked on far more flooded evaporator chillers than DX in my career. Maybe you could go purchase some of these and throw them in there. I understand they are really aggressive on algae.

[jayguy]

many 'small' chillers use a 'water on the outside / refrigerant on the inside' configuration for the evaporator.

i guess you can try just about anything if they are going to not use proper water treatment. i understand that it will come in contact with live fish, however, even they need proper treatment too. if this is an on going problem, frequent drain down and aggressive cleaning and flushing may be in order.

[Sicofthis]

Maybe in your world. I've worked on far more flooded evaporator chillers than DX in my career. Maybe you could go purchase some of these and throw them in there. I understand they are really aggressive on algae.

Falling film also.
X2 for the linked algae treatment.

Have not laughed like this in days.

Just an idea but you could sell them another pump and a plate heat-exchanger.
Isolate the chiller to prevent further damage after cleaning.

[steveoo]

Open loop's should of had automatic tube cleaner installed from day one.

[Sicofthis]

Open loop's should of had automatic tube cleaner installed from day one.

Do they make automatic tube cleaners for chillers with water surrounding refrigerant tubes? Only ones I know of are the sponge balls that clean the inside of the tube.

[Tommy knocker]

Falling film also.
X2 for the linked algae treatment.

Have not laughed like this in days.

Just an idea but you could sell them another pump and a plate heat-exchanger.
Isolate the chiller to prevent further damage after cleaning.

The plate and frame is a good suggestion.

[steveoo]

missed that it was dx.

[climate master]

Maybe you could go purchase some of these and throw them in there. I understand they are really aggressive on algae.

I think the 5ft Sturgen might swallow these 5in puppies whole.

Sure a secondary heat exchanger/pump set up would be the way to go. But seems a little more economical to flush when the delta T drops since that is not in their budget.

Back to the original question what would be the recommended mixture to flush this titanium tube bundle with?

[KnewYork]

Back to the original question what would be the recommended mixture to flush this titanium tube bundle with?

Herein is the crux of the problem, you are asking us to come up with some solution of some unknown chemical when we do not know exactly what the fouling material is. You described as "fouled with algae/ slime/ snot whatever you care to call it". Of the three what is it most like?

Do you have water treatment people in your area? Why not call them in, have them take a sample and tell you what it is and how to treat it. or have the owners call in the water treatment people and let them deal with it.

If that is out of the question take a sample yourself and try using different products on it to see what will kill/clean it. Maybe a water treatment company could recommend an algaecide that would work.

[climate master]

Herein is the crux of the problem, you are asking us to come up with some solution of some unknown chemical when we do not know exactly what the fouling material is. You described as "fouled with algae/ slime/ snot whatever you care to call it". Of the three what is it most like?

Do you have water treatment people in your area? Why not call them in, have them take a sample and tell you what it is and how to treat it. or have the owners call in the water treatment people and let them deal with it.

If that is out of the question take a sample yourself and try using different products on it to see what will kill/clean it. Maybe a water treatment company could recommend an algaecide that would work.

Thanks for all the help. At least now you have the answer to give the next idiot wasting his time on this forum.

[Sicofthis]

Dibbs on being the next idiot!

[KnewYork]

At least now you have the answer to give the next idiot wasting his time on this forum.

Couldn't have said it better myself...plenty of misguided people pass through these parts asking questions without facts or accurate descriptions of the problem. They either learn to state the problem with clarity or move along. I suspect you may be in the latter group.

You might want to use something stronger than household bleach, but that's up to you.