After prolonged use, the condenser is prone to the formation of scale in the pipes. If not promptly treated, these scales can affect the heat exchange efficiency, leading to an increase in condensing temperature, a decrease in cooling capacity, and an increase in power consumption of the unit. Therefore, the condenser should be regularly cleaned of scale.
There are three main methods for preventing and removing scale:
1.Mechanical descaling method:
Mechanical descaling is a method of removing scale from steel cooling tubes of condensers using a flexible shaft tube cleaner. It is particularly suitable for vertical shell and tube condensers.

The operation method is as follows:
1.Extract the refrigerant from the condenser.
2.Close all valves connecting the condenser to the refrigeration system.
3.Provide normal cooling water supply to the condenser.
4.Rotate and scrape the umbrella-shaped gear-like scraper, which is connected to the flexible shaft tube cleaner, from top to bottom inside the riser of the condenser. Utilize circulating cooling water to cool the heat generated by the friction between the scraper and the tube wall. At the same time, flush the removed scales, rust, and other impurities into a water tank.

During the descaling process, the appropriate diameter of the rolling cutter is selected based on the scale thickness of the condenser, the degree of rusting on the tube wall, and the length of service. However, for the first round of descaling, the diameter of the rolling cutter selected should be slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the cooling tube to prevent damage to the tube wall. Then, a rolling cutter with a diameter close to the inner diameter of the cooling tube is used for the second round of descaling. These two rounds of descaling can remove over 95% of the scale and rust in the condenser.

This mechanical descaling method utilizes the rotation and vibration of the umbrella-shaped gear-like rolling cutter during the rotation and feeding process inside the cooling tube. It effectively removes scale, rust, and other impurities from the condenser’s cooling tube. After the descaling process is completed, all the water in the condenser’s water tank is drained. The removed scale, rust, and other impurities are cleaned from the bottom of the tank, and then water is refilled.

1.Chemical acid cleaning descaling method:
The condenser is cleaned using a prepared weak acid descaling agent to remove scale and improve the heat transfer efficiency of the condenser.
The operation method is as follows:

2.Prepare the descaling solution in the acid cleaning tank and start the acid cleaning pump. Allow the descaling agent solution to circulate within the condenser’s condensation tubes for 24 hours. In general, after 24 hours, the scale is mostly removed.

3.After stopping the acid cleaning pump, use a circular steel brush to scrub back and forth within the condenser’s tubes, and rinse off the scale and rust with clean water.

4.Repeat the rinsing process with clean water to thoroughly clean any remaining descaling agent solution inside the tubes until it is completely clean. The chemical acid cleaning descaling method is suitable for both vertical and horizontal shell and tube condensers.