MAINTAINING HEAT EXCHANGERS Flashcards
Heat Exchangers are used in the following applications:
- MDEs/SSDGs
- Marine Gas Turbines
- Air Conditioning & Refridgeration
AC&R systems used a special type of heat exchanger called a ???
Condenser
What are three of the most common types of heat exchangers used in the CG?
- Shell & tube
- Fin & tube
- Plate type
What is the most common type of heat exchanger used in the CG?
Shell & tube
What applications are shell & tube heat exchangers primarily with?
- Internal Combustion Engines
- Some AC&R systems use them as condensers
It consist of a cylindrical metal shell with tubes inside. One fluid flows through the tubes and the other fluid flows around the outside of the tubes. Heat is transferred from the hot fluid in the tubes, through the tube walls & into the cold fluid in the shell.
Shell and tube heat exchanger
An air-cooled condenser used in AC&R systems.
Fin and tube heat exchanger
Made up of parallel metal plates separated by gaskets.
Plate type heat exchanger
Heat flows from the hot fluid to a plate by convection, through the plate by conduction & to the cold fluid by convection. What type of heat exchanger is this?
Plate type
Heat transfer by mass motion of a fluid such as air or water when the heated fluid is caused to move away from the source of heat, carrying energy with it.
Convection
Heat transfer by means of molecular agitation within a material without any motion of the material as a whole. If one end of a metal rod is at a higher temperature, then energy will be transferred down the rod toward the colder end because the higher speed particles will collide with the slower ones with a net transfer of energy to the slower ones.
Conduction
What are the primary applications of a plate type heat exchanger?
Cooling J/W & L/O in internal combustion engines & Marine Gas Turbines. It can also be used to cool L/O in Red Gears…etc.
Maintenance of a heat exchanger encompasses the following:
- Preventiive Maintenance
- Corrective Maintenance
Maintenance is conducted IAW the following:
- Unit’s PMS
- NSTM Chapter 254
- Manufactures Tech Manual for the specific heat exchanger being maintained
Corrective maintenance is conducted conditionally when:
- Fluid is leaking from the heat exchanger
- The primary system is not operating within parameters and the heat exchanger is suspect.
Conditions that indicate corrective maintenance should be completed on a heat exchanger include:
- Temp differentials
- Pressure differentials
- Contamination of one fluid into another
A rise in J/W or L/O temperature
Temperature Differential
An unexplained change in J/W or L/O pressure
Pressure Didderential
Contamination of One Fluid into Another Examples
- Evidence of water in the L/O
- Evidence of L/O in the J/W
- An increase or decrease in J/W level in the expansion tank
- Evidence of L/O in the R/W OVBD Discharge
To determine whether or not a heat exchanger is at fault the following must happen:
- The unit must be secured
- Drained
- Cleaned
- Inspected
Regulations dictate that only _____ certified technicians can recover refridgerants.
EPA
Before draining, cleaning & inspecting a heat exchanger (condenser) that is part of an AC&R system, _____ must recover the refridgerant & evacuate the system.
An EPA certified technician
Maintenance of a heat exchanger begins with WHAT?
- Know what subsystems will be affected
- Make sure all aplicable equipment is tagged-out
- Gather appropriate sized storage containers for holding fluid
- Review MSDS for each fluid being drained
Fluids most likely to require special handling
- Oils
- Jacket water
Fouling, scaling & blockage in the tubes of a Shell & Tube heat exchanger reduce ____. This can lead to damage of internal parts through _____ or _____.
- Heat transfer
- Erosion or Corrosion
Regular cleaning of a heat exchanger keeps it operating properly & should be performed IAW?
The Unit’s PMS; NSTM Chapter 254 & the Manufactures Technical Manual for the specific heat exchanger
Before conducting a thorough cleaning of a heat exchanger, _____________.
conduct a preliminary inspection.
Clean the tube sheet & the inside of the shell using fresh water & either a ___________ or a plastic scraper.
Stiff Nonmetallic Brush
Using fresh water, prepare a degreasing solution of ____________ with 1 percent liquid nonionic detergent.
2 to 3 percent trisodium anhydrous
Heat the solution and circulate ot through the shell for 2 to 3 hours. The solution temperature should be at least 140 F.
Step 4 for “Cleaning a Shell and Tube Heat Exchanger
Follow the degreasing with a thorough fresh water flushing.
Step 5 for “Cleaning a Shell and Tube Heat Exchanger
Name methods for “Removing Soft Fouling in Tubes
- High-Pressure Water jet
- Brushes
- Air or Water Gun
- Degreasing Solution
- Knotted Rope
- Phenolic Disk Scraping Tool
- Rotary Brush
- Back Flushing
Best method for cleaning tubes. Equipment includes a high-pressure pumping unit, high pressure hose, three-way valve & flexible lance with nozzle. The nozzle is designed to direct high-pressure water ahead of it and against the tube wal behind it.
High-Pressure Water Jet method