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Quotes - Engineering - SalesPlate Cleaning
Restoring Heat Transfer Surface
Cleaning divides into chemical circulation with the pack closed and manual cleaning with the pack open. The first is faster and the second is more thorough.
Clean-in-place. Circulating a suitable cleaning solution handles most routine fouling without opening the unit. The chemistry must suit both the deposit and the plate and gasket materials, and that is where most CIP failures originate.
Manual cleaning. Opening the frame lets each plate be cleaned individually and inspected at the same time. On heavy scaling or biological fouling this is much more effective, and it is the only way to confirm plate condition.
What not to use. Chlorine-bearing cleaners on stainless plates risk pitting and stress corrosion cracking. Abrasive tools damage the plate surface and make future fouling worse.
Typical Specification
- Chemical cleaning: Circulated with the pack closed
- Manual cleaning: Frame opened, plates cleaned individually
- Chemistry: Matched to deposit, plate and gasket materials
- Avoid: Chlorine-bearing cleaners on stainless plates
- Avoid: Abrasive tools that damage the plate surface
- Inspection: Performed at the same time as manual cleaning
- Indicator: Approach temperature or overall coefficient trend
- Gaskets: Renewed whenever the pack is opened
- Frequency: Condition based
- Records: Cleaning intervals logged to establish a baseline
Common FAQs
Trend the approach temperature or the overall coefficient. When it degrades past a threshold you have set, clean. That is far more reliable and usually less frequent than a fixed calendar.
Not on stainless plates. Chlorides at temperature risk pitting and stress corrosion cracking, and the damage is permanent. Use a chemistry suited to both the deposit and the plate material.
For routine fouling, usually. For heavy scaling or biological growth, opening the frame is far more effective and lets you inspect plate condition at the same time.
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