Industrial and commercial chillers, chiller tubes, and water
boxes operate in humid and wet environments. Metal is prone to corrosion and
chiller systems are not immune to the effects of corrosion. Corrosive degradation
to water boxes, and baffle plates can lead to loss of efficiency and possible
necessity of replacing the tubes.
Luckily chillers, chiller tubes, and water boxes can be
restored through a process of cleaning, repairs, and the application of chiller
coatings. Chiller coatings provide a
barrier between the water and the surface of the metal parts. Preventing this
damage means better efficiency, lower maintenance costs, and longer service
life of your chiller.
Cleaning, Repair, & Chiller Coatings
Chiller maintenance consists of a cleaning, blasting, and coating.
These 3 steps help keep the chiller tubes, chiller, and water boxes rust free
and last longer.
Chiller Cleaning
Coatings are the best way to protect your chiller. But they
cannot be applied with old coatings, debris, or other corrosive material still
in the chiller. This is done before any coatings are applied to ensure the best
possible application.
Chiller Abrasive Blasting
The surface of the chiller must be prepared for the coating.
Much like preparing to add certain kinds of stain or paint the surface must be
a little rough for the coating to stick correctly. This takes highly trained
technicians who know how to handle the blasting equipment. Improper use will result
in more parts needing replacement and longer downtime.
Chiller Coating
Chillers are protected from corrosion with epoxy coatings.
Belzona is one of the coatings many chiller tube and water boxes are coated
with. This epoxy barrier keeps the parts lasting longer and the chiller working
better for much longer. These coatings do more than just protect the metal but
have the added benefits of reducing turbulence at higher efficiencies.
Professional Chiller Maintenance
While it might seem easy enough to clean a chiller and spray
a coating, chiller maintenance requires training and education. Industrial and
commercial chillers are very complex and understanding exactly how to care of
them is a full time job. Ensure that you are hiring qualified and professional
chiller maintenance and coating companies. Improper care can mean extra
downtime, more parts needing replacement, and ultimately shorter lifespan of
your chillers.
Benefits Of Chiller Coatings
Apart from longer life and better chiller efficiency there
are a few key benefits to having professionally applied chiller coatings. Here
are just a few of them:
·
Improves chiller tube sheet joint strength
·
Helps reduce cross corrosion from tube to tube
·
Protects against erosion, cavitation, and
corrosion
·
Increase the overall life of the tubes, the
water box, and the whole chiller system
·
Reduces turbulence at the inlet and outlet
Commercial Chiller Coating
Clearly maintaining and having the proper coatings on your
chiller will help them last longer and use less energy to do the job they are installed
to do. When you are looking for a company to do your chiller coatings read
reviews, find out what their history is. How long have they been in business?
While everyone needs to start somewhere, you have a job to do and need it done
right the first time.