Recovering heat from flue and exhaust gas streams lowers the energy consumption of industrial sites. But, if those gases contain polluting components, they can settle on the colder surfaces of the smoke tubes as they cool down, leading to deposits, fouling and corrosion.
With the (S)APCS boiler cleaning system ((Semi-)Automatic Pipe Cleaning System), the Callens Group keeps heat exchangers and steam boilers continuously clean, even during operation, making heat recovery technically feasible, cost-effective and reliable, even under challenging conditions.
When is an (S)APCS boiler cleaning system worthwhile?
In sectors where processes involve sulfur-containing components, dust particles, ash or other polluting substances, heat exchangers and waste heat recovery boilers can foul up quickly. The problem? It reduces heat transfer, increases energy consumption and increases the risk of corrosion.
An (S)APCS system keeps your steam systems continuously clean, without having to interrupt operation, so you can keep recovering heat and efficiency remains high.
An (S)APCS system is recommended when
You recover heat from polluting flue or exhaust gas streams.
You work with thermal oxidation.
You have a waste heat recovery boiler or heat exchanger.
You want to maintain the efficiency of your heat recovery system.
You want to limit maintenance stops and cleaning interventions.
advantages
Advantages of an (S)APCS boiler cleaning system
Heat recovery only becomes truly cost-effective when the installation’s efficiency is maintained. The (S)APCS system helps companies keep heat exchangers and steam boilers in optimal condition at all times.
Continuously high efficiency
Deposits are removed before they can reduce heat transfer.
Less fouling
Heating surfaces stay clean, even when exposed to highly polluting flue gases.
Less corrosion
The system limits corrosion formation and extends the installation’s service life.
Fewer maintenance stops
Cleaning takes place during operation, sharply reducing shutdowns for manual cleaning.
More heat recovery
Even challenging flue gas streams can be used efficiently for energy recovery.
Lower operating costs
Better heat transfer and less maintenance result in a lower total cost of ownership.
How do you integrate an (S)APCS system into your existing installation?
The (S)APCS boiler cleaning system suits both new and existing heat exchangers and waste heat recovery boilers. It can even be used to upgrade your current heat recovery systems and improve their performance.
The Callens Group specialists analyze the configuration of your installation, the properties of the flue gases and the maintenance needs. Based on that, they develop a solution that is perfectly tailored to your process environment.
Maintenance of your (S)APCS boiler cleaning system and 24/7 service
The Callens Group’s maintenance and service team makes sure your installation keeps performing at its best, even after commissioning. With an in-house team of more than 120 service and maintenance technicians, we schedule preventive maintenance in line with the legal and technical requirements of your installation.
You can also count on fast support whenever an unexpected breakdown occurs. Thanks to our 24/7 on-call service, an extensive range of spare parts and the expertise of our service technicians, we carry out interventions quickly and effectively.
Even the best maintained installation can malfunction or shut down unexpectedly. That is why the Callens Group offers various service packages, tailored to the response time and support you need. So, even in unforeseen situations, you can count on our expertise.
An (S)APCS ((Semi-)Automatic Pipe Cleaning System) is a cleaning system that keeps heat exchangers and downstream steam boilers clean during operation by removing deposits on heating surfaces before they can reduce heat transfer or cause corrosion.
When flue or exhaust gases cool down, dust particles, salts, sulfur compounds and other components can settle on the heat exchange surfaces. These deposits reduce heat transfer, increase energy consumption and, over time, can lead to corrosion or damage to the installation.
Until recently, heat recovery from heavily polluting exhaust gas streams was often technically difficult or economically impractical. Thanks to the technology the Callens Group developed, companies can now recover heat from these processes. Especially in the chemical and petrochemical industry, but also in biomass installations, sulfur-containing production processes and glass furnaces, flue gases contain considerable amounts of recoverable energy. The (S)APCS system keeps fouling under control, making heat recovery technically reliable and economically cost-effective in these applications too.
Fouled heat exchangers can significantly reduce an installation’s efficiency. By keeping the heating surfaces continuously clean, heat transfer remains optimal and you get to recover the maximum available energy from your flue gases.
The system is mainly used in the chemical and petrochemical industry, biomass installations, sulfuric acid production, alkylation processes, glass furnaces and other industrial applications where heavily polluting flue gases are released. Want to know whether APCS is suitable for your process? The specialists at the Callens Group will be happy to look at your situation.
Yes. The system can be integrated into new installations or added to existing heat exchangers, waste heat recovery boilers and heat recovery systems afterward. It allows you to improve the efficiency of your existing installations and reduce your maintenance costs.
As an EPCS integrator, the Callens Group takes charge of the entire process: from on-site analysis and engineering to installation and service. This gives you a single point of contact throughout the full service life of your APCS system. You can find out more about the various steps in our workflow here.
APCS stands for Automatic Pipe Cleaning System and cleans the installation fully automatically during operation. SAPCS is the semi-automatic version, developed specifically for certain applications, including installations in the sulfuric acid and alkylation industries.
Yes. Because fouling is removed continuously, fewer manual cleaning and unplanned maintenance interventions are needed. This not only lowers maintenance costs but also increases the availability of the installation.
For a producer of titanium dioxide, the Callens Group jointly delivered a heat recovery project on flue gases with a temperature of 850 °C. Although this exhaust gas stream offered considerable potential for steam production, the flue gases caused fouling and corrosion in the downstream steam boiler. To tackle this challenge, we supplied a low-fouling steam boiler combined with the patented APCS cleaning system, which keeps the heating surfaces continuously clean during operation. Thanks to this solution, the available heat can be recovered to the maximum without compromising on efficiency or operational reliability. More info:
