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Acid Washing

 

WHY IS IT NEEDED?

 
The build up of scale in pipework, boilers or heat exchangers reduces the efficiency of the heating installation. Scaled up boilers are dangerous and will cause the boiler to fail inspection. Scaled up heat exchangers have reduced efficiency. Scaled pipework  has reduced flow and increased pressure drop resulting in increased pumping costs.  Scaled up cooling towers have a reduced effeciency and effectiveness. An acid wash is the only way of sucessfully removing scale.
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WHAT IS INVOLVED IN AN ACID WASH?

 
An acid solution is circulated through a system. A chemical reaction takes place and the lime is dissolved and removed from the system. During the acid washing other dirt and solids become loose and fall off the pipework; these are also removed by flushing and in some cases physically shovelled out of the system, for example in Boilers and Cooling Towers.
 

WHAT SHOULD BE ACID CLEANED?

 
  • Scaled up Boilers,
  • Scaled up Pipework,
  • Scaled up Cooling Towers &
  • Scaled up Heat Exchangers
 

WHEN SHOULD A SYSTEM BE ACID CLEANED?

 
Where boilers are involved, the boiler inspector will fail a boiler if it needs to be cleaned and the boiler will not be allowed back on line until it has been cleaned sucessfully. When a Cooling Tower is being inspected or dis-infected to prevent legionella disease, a scale build-up will be seen and an acid wash can be scheduled for the next shut down
period. Heat Exchanges and Pipelines will become choked and flow will be restricted and pressure drop will increase across them when they require an acid clean, an acid wash should be done before flow through the system is blocked completely as flow is necessary to circulate the acid solution.
 

WHY USE CLARWICK LTD.?

 

Clarwick Ltd. provides a specialised acid cleaning service. We have the equipment required to do the job safely. Acid is a dangerous substance safety is a priority.

We are independent of all water treatment chemical suppliers.

We can organise to have the chemicals delivered to site. We will neutralise waste before dumping.