CSIR - Division of Mining Technology Quality Assurance Department - South Africa - Case Study

Background

The Ball-Tech Energy Ltd automatic heat exchanger tube cleaning system type BMS – 8" system was installed and tested on 1996 on an underground refrigeration machine. The refrigeration plant was operated for two periods of two months with and without the cleaning system in use. Results of the investigation showed clearly that the measured performance of the plant deteriorated by 18% over a relatively short time when operated without the tube cleaning system.

The refrigeration plant performance remained stable when operated with the tube cleaning system in use. The reliability of the system during the entire monitoring period was excellent. The refrigeration plant was run continuously and no maintenance or adjustments were made to the automatic tube cleaning system.