Dry Ice Blasting Goes the Distance to Leave Massive Refinery’s Radiant Tubes Clean & Free of Buildup
When oxidant and scaling build up on the radiant tubes in a petrochemical plant, the efficiency of the heat transfer begins to decrease and overheating can occur. But like many refinery components, radiant tubes are not easy to clean.
Accessing them can require both scaffolding and equipment for working in confined spaces. The buildup can be like a layer of concrete on top of the tubes, but the equipment is delicate, tightly configured and difficult to reach. Shut-down time is tightly scheduled and cleaning methods that introduce water and blasting material, like hydroblasting, require post-cleaning recovery and disposal of contaminated water and media. Some facility managers resort to tedious hand cleaning to avoid the risks and complications.
When a contractor prepping radiant tubes for recoating at a 1,000-acre refinery in Southern California needed to clean them first, the challenges were multiplied by the sheer size of the job. The facility included four furnaces at eight levels each, and 14,400 linear feet of tubes.
The contractor knew dry ice blasting was the best option, but it was too large a job for just any company.
Efficient Project Management Saves Weeks of Effort
In Polar Clean, the contractor found a team that specializes in challenging jobs and has deep experience in refineries and petrochemical plants and in working at heights and in confined spaces. He also found a team with a talent for impeccable project management.
In 10 shifts of six people each, over five days, the Polar Clean team traversed 120 feet of scaffolding to dry ice blast 14,400 feet of pipe, using supplied air in confined spaces and leaving the tubes clean and ready to be recoated. The facility managers “were very pleased,” said Polar Clean Senior Director of Operations Sean Simpson. They had expected the job to take weeks of round-the-clock effort.
Advantages of Dry Ice Blasting for Petrochemical Plant Cleaning
Speed and efficiency are key advantages of dry ice blasting, which uses frozen CO2 pellets that sublimate on contact and leaves behind no collateral debris to clean up. Other advantages of Polar Clean dry ice blasting include:
- No risk of corrosion; dry ice blasting is a water and chemical-free process
- Non-conductive
- Proprietary nozzles that allow pressure to be customized for delicate equipment including convection sections, fin fan tubes, radiant tubes, smooth tubes, reactive vessels, walls, screens and scallops
- Effective at removing scale, grime and buildup
- Ability to access tight spaces and elaborate configurations
- Won’t damage paint or other coatings
- Highly experienced team and reliable project management
Partnering with Polar Clean for Your Tough Industrial Cleaning Projects
Polar Clean provides high-quality industrial cleaning solutions for a wide array of difficult applications with proprietary processes, and safe and reliable execution.
Our team is experienced, trained and certified for conditions that include heights, confined spaces and managing hazards including lead and other contaminants.
In addition to dry ice blasting, Polar Clean can provide more abrasive options including sponge blasting and abrasive blasting with glass, aluminum oxide and food safe media.
Contact a member of our team to learn more about our solutions for your toughest industrial cleaning challenges.
Learn more about dry ice blasting for petrochemical & refinery applications