Keeping it efficient and reliable.
Periodically reconditioning the intercooler is critical to keeping your industrial compressor operating efficiently and reliably. At Hi-Tech Compressor, our professional technicians methodically open, clean, test and close heat exchangers and tube bundles to restore them to peak condition.
Depending on the condition of the intercooler tubes, we will use high-pressure steam cleaning and/or de-scaling the bundle to remove build-up, thus restoring the tube surface and 'heat transfer coefficient' to original specs.
Tube bundles are pressure tested at 225 psi to identify any leaks, which are repaired using a customer-approved method. Throughout the reconditioning process, we independently review every tube for structural soundness as well as the tube sheet joint.
If a significant amount (over 10%) of tubes are found defective or are already plugged, a complete re-tube should be performed. This procedure includes removing all tubes, inspecting all internal parts (support plates, tie rods, etc.) and repairing or replacing to bring the unit back to as-new condition. The unit is then sealed and re-tested to ensure no leaks are present.