Tube Cleaning
All tube inspection techniques are to a greater or lesser extent dependant on the degree of tube cleanliness. In general it can be stated that the cleaner the tube the better the tube inspection result.
Steel Test offers a service in microblasting of tubes. This is a particularly effective means of cleaning tubes and is used especially in the case of IRIS and laser inspections where the tubes need to be cleaned down to bare metal.
The last stage of the cleaning process involves microblasting the tubes to produce a smooth profile which has the added value of improved efficiency of operation when the unit is brought back to service.
This is a very aggressive cleaning method and there is a danger that tubes can be damaged if the correct procedures are not followed. To ensure that there is no possibility of such an incident, hold points are established and visual aid as well as scale thickness testers, in conjunction with the relevant tube inspection technique are used to ensure that effective cleaning is achieved with no damage to the tubing.