Why Does Your Plant Need Pipeline Cleaning?

Author: Catalyst Handling

For any industry, it is important to get the pipelines cleaned if they wish to keep them working in good condition. When the pipes are not cleaned for long, the deposits inside can make the flow obstructed. There are many cleaning services that can help in maintenance of your pipelines and keep them functioning without disrupting any process or affecting the productivity.

The cleaning companies usually offer a wide array of services which also includes mercury decontamination and disposal which is supposed to be done quite carefully. Here’s a look at some reasons that make pipeline cleaning important and methods used for cleaning:

  • Increase in pipeline failures

There are many factors which can affect the pipelines and lead to its failure. As the pipelines age, they tend to deteriorate or get corroded. In fact, some studies prove that 65% of the pipeline failures are caused due to corrosion. The pipeline failure not only affects the industry, but it can also impact the environment, worker and public safety, clean-up cost, unexpected downtime, and maintenance cost. Thus, it is better to opt for pipeline cleaning from time to time so that you don’t have to suffer when there is a breakdown.

  • Formation of deposits

The type of deposit formed inside a pipeline is based on the composition of the material that is being transported via the pipeline. It is also based on the material of the pipeline, and lastly on the level of proper functioning of process equipment upstream. Some of the common deposits found in the pipeline are black powder, amines, glycol, sulfate, bacteria, asphaltene, mineral scales, paraffin, and degraded compressor oil to name a few. Ways of cleaning the pipelines

  • Mechanical cleaning

The commonly used procedure by the company owners for pipeline cleaning is mechanical pigging. The pig is sent repeatedly through pipeline for swapping the deposits from the pipeline until any deposit can be found in the pig receiving station. Modern mechanical pigging offers excellent reading which even allows 3D and virtual inspection of the interiors of the pipeline.

  • Advanced chemical cleaning

This is the type of cleaning which is becoming an industry standard these days. The chemical cleaning is done along with the mechanical pigs for achieving great results and removing more debris with fewer runs. In chemical cleaning, the liquid cleaners are mixed in water, diesel, methanol, or iso-propyl alcohol to make a cleaning solution which can be pushed through the pipelines by pigs. The cleaning services make sure that they choose a cleaner that is best for your requirement.

Explore the web for more information and suggestions on services that expertise in mercury decontamination.

Author Bio:-Joseph Yap works in a manufacturing plant and he is pro at managing processes related to mercury decontamination services. He is a keen writer and loves to write about things that can help factory owners and management to manage their plants efficiently and reduce their machinery repair costs. His recent blog about pipeline cleaning was a great post and was loved by many.