Mitcorp videoscopes are exactly what you need for your heat exchanger
Mitcorp videoscopes are good for heat exchanger inspections, but what are heat exchangers? Why are they important, and what can you do to keep them up and running? These questions and more are what we will be covering today, and we will also tell you why Mitcorp videoscopes are exactly what you need for your next heat exchanger inspection.
Heat exchangers, crucial devices for many industries
But first things first, heat exchangers are necessary for industrial settings to maintain a temperature at which equipment, chemicals, and other materials can operate safely. They can also recover heat to reduce energy waste and make processes more efficient. They are mechanical devices that transfer heat from one liquid or gas to another without requiring the two fluids to mix or come into contact. There are different heat exchanger types, but they all follow the same principle.
Shell and tube heat exchangers
One of these types is called a shell and tube heat exchanger. As the name suggests, it consists of a shell (that acts as a large pressure vessel) with numerous tubes on the inside. To transfer heat between two fluids, one flows through the tubes and another through the shell. The performance of shell and tube heat exchangers depends on many factors, such as the tube length and spacing. Also, other factors, such as the working temperature and other physical properties, play a critical role. The biggest threat to shell and tube heat exchangers is corrosion. It is often only detected when tubes become so corroded that their performance levels decrease, or leaks occur. Heat exchangers are also vulnerable to tears and cracks because of the constant heating and cooling.
Prolonging lifetime & increasing performance
Now that we established what heat exchangers are, how they work, and what threatens them. How can we ensure a prolonged lifetime and optimal performance? As with most machinery, regular maintenance is crucial for optimal performance and increased machine depreciation. That is also true for heat exchangers. But how to go about it? For inspecting heat exchanger tubes, a visual inspection via videoscope is the most effective and hassle-free way to do it. A videoscope usually consists of a screen unit and a cable-like camera that can enter machinery. An inspector can easily and, without special training or a lengthy setup, get an overview of the inside conditions.
Why Mitcorp videoscopes are perfect for the job
The success of visual inspections depends on two things: The experience of the inspectors and the quality of their equipment. Even the most experienced technicians can only do their job when the videoscope takes clear and bright images and videos. For our example inspection, we inspected a shell and tube heat exchanger using a Mitcorp X2000 videoscope with a 7,5m long insertion probe and a 6mm camera head.
Tough insertion probes
The X2000 offers a few undeniable benefits for heat exchanger inspections. One of which is that the insertion probes of the X2000 are tungsten braided, IP67 rated, and have both a high chemical- and scratch resistance. That is important as chemical residues and blockages are common occurrences in heat exchangers. In case of cracks or holes, it is common for foreign objects to enter the tubes. For these reasons and due to the metal construction of heat exchangers, the insertion probes need to be tough and resilient for efficient operation. Not to mention the often-high temperatures (it is called a heat exchanger for a reason). Luckily Mitcorp´s tungsten braided insertion probes can withstand up to 100 degrees Celsius.
Mechanical wiring
As we established earlier, even the most experienced technician has to be able to see clearly for an assessment. It is also essential that a videoscope can actually reach all the corners within a machine. Therefore, videoscopes from Mitcorp have a few tricks up their sleeve. The probes are mechanically wired and not bent via a motor, as is often the case with high-end videoscopes. The reason is simple; a servo motor is heavy, uses up battery, and delays the insertion probe´s movements. Mitcorp videoscopes are mechanically wired, which allows precise movements, a small bending radius, and instant joystick feedback.
Superb image quality
Not only can you maneuver freely within machinery with Mitcorp products, but you can benefit from outstanding image quality.
The X2000 records videos and images in HD quality and its powerful LEDs ensure bright and crisp images. You can also use the zoom function to identify cracks or flaws. Does the color seem to be off? No problem, the X2000 offers an auto white balance, as well as a manual white balance that assures your images and videos are true to color, which is particularly important to identify corrosion.
The results
In our example, the technicians could pinpoint several issues within the device and adjust its maintenance schedule to reduce potential downtime and prolong its overall lifetime. That underscores the importance of regular maintenance inspections and highlights the role videoscopes play in reducing costs and increasing efficiency.
Mitcorp videoscopes offer countless solutions for all types of applications. If you want to learn more about them, click here.
