Fired Heater Furnace Coils Cleaned in Trinidad

Furnace cleaned using remote mechanical operation

A jointly funded scale test replica was agreed between the client and Tube Tech.

Following a successful “Joint Funded” Trial” at their UK headquarters Tube Tech cleaned, de-scaled and unblocked all tubes on two fired heaters/furnaces on one of the largest single train methanol plants in the world, located in Trinidad.

The Challenge

Methanol is toxic and volatile.
The first time the fired heaters had been cleaned and inspected around all the bends within such a short time frame during a plant wide shut down.
Each fired heater had 140 tubes with 20 bends per tube.
The majority of the iron oxide blockages were located in the bottom bends.

The Solution

Joint funded trials enabled Tube Tech to develop a bespoke system that could locate the tubes remotely from outside the header box and negotiate all the tubes within the fired heaters.
Due to the successful application the client has since incorporated a permanent structure to provide future access and cleaning of the fired heaters.
Tube Tech’s bespoke technology also negotiated unexpected weld intrusions.

Tube Tech Comment

“Our Research and Development approach to creating new solutions to solve client’s critical cleaning problem helped save a multi-million dollar replacement cost. Our in-house research philosophy sets a new industry standards, guaranteeing to hit the ground running and achieving dramatic savings.

Our team are now developing self-cleaning exchangers and fired heaters for a new generation of heat transfer equipment.”

Client Comment

“These guys were professional, open, honest and competent. They managed their time excellently and their house keeping was flawless. This was the first time we had cleaned these fired heaters and it was a pleasure working with Tube Tech.”