Heat exchanger maintenance advance benefits workboats
To keep hydraulically operated deck equipment and lifting gear working at peak performance, it is vital that the oils and fluids used to cool and lubricate are kept at optimum temperatures.
To achieve this, efficient on board heat exchangers cooled by sea water are the most effective solution for keeping temperatures under control.
With the rising levels of debris and waste material found in today’s oceans, the need for regular cleaning and routine maintenance is increasing to ensure heat exchanger efficiency isn’t compromised by the ingress of water borne contaminants.
This is where the potential for problems starts. Cleaning a traditional shell and tube heat exchanger filled with hydraulic fluid can be time consuming and hazardous. Even with the fluid drained off, invariably the unit won’t be completely empty and the resultant deck spillage when the tube core is removed from the shell can create major headaches.
Marine heat exchanger manufacturer EJ Bowman has long recognised this problem and has developed a solution that can eliminate hazardous fluid spillages, whilst reducing the time required for cleaning and maintenance of their units.
Bowman has developed a new Double Seal Retaining Flange (DSRF) that fits between the end cover and the body of the heat exchanger, allowing the cooling water side of the unit to be cleaned and inspected without disturbing the shell side of the circuit.
It eliminates the need to drain the hydraulic fluid, and the potential for its contamination whilst stored, during cleaning and maintenance. Using the DSRF also eliminates the hazard created by fluid spillage from the heat exchangers, plus the potential for personal injury resulting from oil spills, not to mention the time and cost of clearing up the mess.
As a further benefit, the new Double Seal Retaining Flange significantly reduces heat exchanger cleaning and maintenance times, minimising disruption to on board hydraulic equipment, enabling the vessel to be fully operational much quicker by reducing downtime.
The new DSRF can be supplied as original equipment for any new Bowman marine heat exchanger installation. Alternatively, for existing Bowman units, a retro-fit option can be made available, subject to the age and specification of the heat exchanger to be converted.
The Bowman DSRF is suitable for use on all hydraulic systems but is particularly beneficial for applications where frequent maintenance is required, such as work boats operating in waters where high pollution levels exist, or where hydraulic systems are known to have poor filtration.
