The non-standard equipment, such as heating chamber, evaporation chamber, will be manufactured according to our equipment design.
Last week, we companied with our client to check the customized heating chamber. Our client asked a good question: "How to determine if a heating tube has corroded and perforated?"
As we know, heating tubes are densely arranged within the shell of the heating chamber, sealed by tube sheet expansion and welding, making it impossible to directly inspect for leaks with the naked eye. Instead, we rely on changes in objective conditions.
There are two ways to determine if a heating tube has corroded and perforated.
First, analyze the chloride ion content in the condensate water during production.
For the first-effect evaporator, the steam comes from the boiler and generally contains only trace amounts of chloride ions due to entrained water. Significant variations are not expected. If a high chloride ion content is found in the condensate water, it indicates a leak, and the higher the content, the more severe the leak. For other effects, chloride ions may originate from spilled brine, but if this pattern persists for two consecutive days without signs of spillage, a leak is also suspected.
Second, fill with water to identify the leaking tube during production shutting down.
As for identifying which specific tube is leaking, this cannot be done visually. It requires shutting down production, filling the shell side of the heating chamber with water, and conducting a pressure test to locate leaks. By observing from the lower tube sheet, the tube with water leaking out is the one that has perforated. Leaks typically occur first in the lower part and then in the upper part, and the size of the perforation can be estimated by the amount of water flowing out.
Then, our client asked another good question: "How to deal with the leaking tube?"
The answer is simple but effecient: "Just block it."
Of course, "Just block it" is just an enmergency measure. For heating tubes with severe corrosion and perforation, they should be promptly replaced with new corrosion-resistant heating tubes.
P.S. Balance Salt has participated in and completed nearly 300 projects of salt refining. We have rich experience in fault diganosis of the process and production of salt refining. Any questions regarding salt refining, welcome consulting us.