A brush is a brush, is a brush, right? Wrong!
For maintenance professionals, cleaning tubes in heat exchange equipment is as common as the sun rising and seeing each day. While there can be numerous ways to clean the tubes of a heat exchanger, chiller, or boiler, one of the more common methods is utilizing a brush connected to a tube cleaning rod or flexible shaft on a machine. And just like selecting the suitable cleaning method for your needs is essential, so is selecting the correct brush. Using the right brush will ensure effective and efficient cleaning, reduce the risk of tube damage, and prolong the equipment's lifespan.
In this guide, we will look at the top considerations for choosing the right brush:
Tube diameter
Fouling type
Tube material make-up
Tube type (enhanced or smooth bore)
Understanding Tube Interior Diameter (ID):
The interior tube diameter or tube ID, for short, is critical when selecting a brush for cleaning heat exchanger, boiler, and chiller tubes. Using the wrong brush size can lead to ineffective cleaning, tube damage, damage to your cleaning equipment and increased maintenance costs through poor results. For instance, using a brush that is too small for a larger diameter tube will not effectively clean the tube, while using a too-large brush may damage the tube's interior construction, especially with enhanced tubes. Consider these points when choosing the proper tube ID.
Heat exchanger tubes typically have smaller inner diameters, ranging from 3/8" to 1".
Chiller tubes can have larger inner diameters, ranging from 1/2" to 1-1/4".
Conversely, boilers usually have the largest inner diameters, ranging from 1-1/2" to 2-1/2" or even larger.
*Fire tube boilers are usually sized by the O.D (outside diameter)
It is important to note that these ranges are general and can vary based on the specific application and manufacturer. Make sure to reference your heat exchanger user manual or measure (twice!) before choosing your brush size.
PRO TIP: On heat exchanger and chiller tubes, when using a softer nylon brush, consider using a brush size 1/16 larger than the ID. Use a dual diameter brush, especially with internally enhanced tubes (sometimes called rifled tubes). Doing so can help increase the cleaning performance of the tube surface as it will be able to clean the grooves of the tube walls.
Understanding Tube Fouling:
Tube fouling is a fancy way to say the type of deposit or material left inside the tube after heat exchange. The type of fouling that accumulates in the heat exchanger, boiler, and chiller tubes is a crucial factor to consider when selecting a brush for cleaning. Different types of fouling require different brush types. Using the wrong brush type can lead to ineffective cleaning and significant tube damage.
Nylon brushes:
Ideal for removing soft and light deposits like mud, silt, and biological growth in heat exchanger tubes.
Suitable for removing microbiological growth in chiller tubes.
Brass brushes:
Useful for removing scale and sediment in heat exchanger tubes.
Suitable for removing rust and debris in chiller tubes.
Stainless steel brushes:
Effective for removing tough deposits such as scale and sediment in ferrous heat exchanger tubes.
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Suitable for removing rust and debris in ferrous chiller tubes.
Wire brushes:
Effective for removing scale, sediment, rust, and debris in ferrous heat exchanger tubes.
Suitable for removing soot, ash, and slag deposits in boiler tubes.
It is essential to understand that fouling can vary in type and severity depending on the application.
PRO TIP: Sometimes soft and hard fouling may be present, requiring different brush types. Make sure to take a close look at the fouling present prior to choosing the brush materials.
Understanding Tube Make-up:
The material or make-up of tubes is a critical factor to consider when selecting the appropriate brush for cleaning. While often classified as either ferrous or nonferrous tubes, we wanted to go a step further and look at specific metals.
Copper is commonly used for tubes of heat exchangers and chillers. For cleaning copper tubes, typically, the following brush types are recommended:
Nylon brushes
Brass brushes
In addition to copper, stainless steel tubes are commonly used in heat exchangers. For cleaning stainless steel tubes, typically, the following brush types are recommended:
Nylon brushes
Stainless steel brushes
In boilers, carbon steel tubes are commonly used. For cleaning carbon steel tubes, typically, the following brush types are recommended:
Steel spring filled or wheel brushes
Brass brushes
Stainless steel brushes
What We Have Learned:
Selecting the correct brush for cleaning the tubes of an industrial heat exchanger, chiller, or boiler is a crucial step in the cleaning process to ensure proper cleaning. The interior tube diameter (I.D.), the type of fouling, and the tube material or makeup are often the most critical factors to consider when selecting a brush. Using the right brush will ensure effective and efficient cleaning and prolong the lifespan of the equipment.
Goodway Technologies is here to help. We provide an array of tube-cleaning brushes suitable for most applications. If you are still unsure what brush suits your application, contact one of our experts today.
Did You Know? Sometimes, using a brush might not be the most suitable choice for the tubes you are trying to clean. Heavily scaled tubes or those in complex piping designs may benefit from more industrial cleaning heads or chemical descaling. Learn more about that at our descaling solution page.
For customers concerned with cleaning watertube boilers, Goodway makes the Models AWT-100 and AWT-100X air-powered boiler tube cleaners. The AWT-100 model is compact enough to fit through the manhole in the steam drum of a watertube boiler. They operate on compressed air for safety reasons the operator is surrounded by metal when working inside the boiler and metal, water and electricity do not mix.
AWT-100 Rotary Boiler Tube Cleaner
Cleaning water tube boilers are challenging because cleaners must climb into the mud drum to access the tubes. There is usually very little room inside the mud drum for the technician to work, much less to bring in heavy and bulky cleaning equipment. To make cleaning water tubes easier, Goodway Technologies developed the AWT-100 Cleaning System. Weighing just 29 pounds dry and only 10 3/8 x 6 x 19 in size, technicians can easily bring the tube cleaner in the mud drum to perform the tube cleaning. The AWT-100s air-powered motor gives this tiny cleaner a powerful punch to scrape away even the toughest scale and debris in water tube boilers or heat exchangers.
A variety of aggressive cleaning tools are offered for use with the AWT-100 which is capable of cutting through tough water scale even in curved tubes. Goodway has a boiler tube cleaning system to serve all of your different boiler tube cleaning applications, from light to heavy-duty.
AWT-100X
Rotary Boiler Tube CleanerNo cleaning system beats the AWT-100Xs versatility for cleaning water tube and fire tube boilers or heat exchangers. The unit can be used in wet or dry conditions, and the incredible air-powered 4HP motor has the strength to clean any fouling from tubes or pipes
¼ and above. For dry applications, the GTC-DPA Dry Pickup Attachment and a simultaneous vacuum are used to remove loosened deposits all in one system. Everything you need for tube cleaning is within easy reach inside the integral tool storage box. Because the AWT-100X is wheel-mounted for maximum portability, roll it to the next location when the cleaning is complete.
RAM-4X Rotary Boiler Tube Cleaner
Goodway offers the Models RAM-4X and RAM-4X2A Ream-A-Matic® for conditions where a straight brushing action is insufficient in removing scale. Rather than using the simple in/out action of the Soot-A-Matic®, the RAM-4X uses an electric motor to drive a rotating flexible shaft encased in a non-rotating casing. A variety of more aggressive cleaning tools ranging from stiff brushes to various cutting tools, buffers, and hones are available. The rotation of the tools coupled with their aggressive cleaning action makes short work of scale removal. The flexible shaft is fed through a special dry pick-up attachment that is connected to the GTC-540 vacuum for simultaneous removal of deposits.
Neglected boilers, especially those that burn wood, medical waste, or No. 6 fuel oil, need a powerful machine to scrape soot and fouling out the tubes. The 1HP RAM-4X uses a Quick Connect rotary shaft fitted with different sized wire brushes or scrapers to remove years of buildup. When connected with the GTC-540 industrial vacuum, loosened soot and debris are sucked out of the tube into the vacuum eliminating the incredible mess that usually comes with cleaning soot-filled fire tubes.
For more boiler cleaning brushesinformation, please contact us. We will provide professional answers.