a bad experience descaling a brazed heat exchanger
a bad experience descaling a brazed heat exchanger
(OP)
Dear al HVAC people.
Last week I had a bad and sad experience.
I do a descaling process on a well recognized brand heat exchanger.
I use a descaling fuid supplyed by other well reputation brand.
After it I got the heat exchanger pinch or holed inside.
It was a 7.5 TR f22 condensator.
What could be happen, why it broke???
I do not know if the water at the tower is well treated.
Could a foul or scale damage the stainless steel??
Last week I had a bad and sad experience.
I do a descaling process on a well recognized brand heat exchanger.
I use a descaling fuid supplyed by other well reputation brand.
After it I got the heat exchanger pinch or holed inside.
It was a 7.5 TR f22 condensator.
What could be happen, why it broke???
I do not know if the water at the tower is well treated.
Could a foul or scale damage the stainless steel??
Pardal





RE: a bad experience descaling a brazed heat exchanger
RE: a bad experience descaling a brazed heat exchanger
RE: a bad experience descaling a brazed heat exchanger
Clydemule
RE: a bad experience descaling a brazed heat exchanger
A name brand descaler likely contains inhibitors to protect bare metal.
Only when making your own uninhibited acid descaler is it necessary to use ‘safer’ acids such as citric, oxalic or sulfamic acids.
I have used Rodine inhibitors from Henkel in hydrochloric acid to descale carbon and stainless steels w/o attack of the metal. Of course, with a closed system with lots of flanges, one should avoid HCl since it is impossible to totally rinse crevices.
Check the corrosiveness of the water.
Please describe the type of corrosion.
Did the failure occur at a weld or at a stress concentration?