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Heat exchangers' tightness

prove-out​ ​without disassembling

the equipment

What can only one invisible to the eye crack in the heat exchanger lead to? ​ How to detect it and how to avoid expensive equipment repairs?
“
For want of a nail the shoe was lost,​
For want of a shoe the horse was lost, ​
For want of a horse the rider was lost, ​
For want of a rider the battle was lost, ​
For want of a battle the kingdom was lost, ​
And all for the want of horseshoe nail
S. Marshak, "The Nail and the Horseshoe"
Green operation, safe and high performance ​are ​the main factors in the production of quality food
Heat exchangers operate in unstable, humid environments, exposed to extreme temperatures and chemical compounds. ​
​
With age, the risk of imperceptible defects smaller than an air molecule increases. ​
​
Untimely replacement of a damaged element negatively affects the quality of the product, inevitably leads to equipment failure and industrial injuries.​

Plate-type heat exchangers' types of damage

How to detect a hidden equipment defect

1,5 hours 
Test time per section
4 hours
Detailed report ready
99%
 Leak detection guarantee
300€
Average cost  
per 1 section test
Gas testing technology without equipment disassembling​
HOW DOES THIS WORK?
GasTest —
no time or a quest!
Test steps
Preparation 
  1. CIP cleaning of heat exchangers.​
  2. Disconnecting product and utility piping.
Testing 
  1. One part of the heat exchanger is pumped with safe forming gas (hydrogen 10% + nitrogen 90%).
  2. In the other part, a diaphragm pump provides air circulation in a closed circuit. ​
  3. If there is damage in the plate, hydrogen molecules will penetrate the part with air mixture circulation at the leak point.​
  4. The device will fix the location and size of the defect, as well as the rate of hydrogen molecules leakage in the damaged plate.​
  5. Checking the seals of the heat exchanger over the entire surface. ​
Report
  • Confirmation of the presence or absence of damage. ​
  • The size of the detected defects.​
  • Photographic evidences of damages.​
  • Recommendations for elimination of defects and further operation.

Why gas test is better than disassembly?

The equipment disassembly with subsequent visual inspection of the plate-type heat exchanger does not require large financial expenses.
However, when disassembling:
  1. Downtime of the production process is inevitable (up to 3 days).​
  2. There is a high risk of damage to seals and plates. ​
  3. It is necessary to change even appropriate seals (up to 7000 Euros per set).​
  4. A company personnel’ workforce costs increase.​
  5. Impossibility of microcracks detection.

Comparison table of test methods for heat exchangers

Testing methods
Hydraulic proof test
Hydrochemical test
Dye-penetrant test
Gas test N2H2
Seal
condition
Material
fatigue
Corrosion

Microcrack ​

< 30 microns​

Microcrack ​

> 30 microns

Through
hole

GAS TEST​
7 advantages

  • Reduces risks associated with product quality.
  • Detects a problem before the company incurs losses.

  • Uses environmentally friendly hydrogen at a safe concentration of 10%.​

  • Has effective efficiency (9 times) compared to other tests without disassembling.

  • Eliminates migration of media and refrigerant coolant dilution.​

  • Saves labor costs of own personnel by 95%.
  • Does not require additional water consumption.