Heat exchanger fouling is a major economic problem, and maintenance costs are estimated to account or 0.25% of the world GDP. To remain competitive and reduce energy costs power plant operators must pay attention to the small details involved in the proper maintenance of tubular systems in condensers, heat exchangers and other heat transfer equipment to realize significant savings. By utilizing the best available MORSEL technology reliability, and energy efficiency gains can be realized. Another method to cut plant and equipment downtime, recover energy efficiency, and achieve fewer stoppages for routine maintenance is by using Morsel polymer coatings applied to full length tube sheet & water jackets.

Generally, HEI and TEMA design condensers to operate 85% capacity, or with 15 % of the tubes plugged without effecting turbine performance. Fouling factors are also built into the equation to add additional performance hedging into the design. Applying the coating either totally eliminates the subsequent fouling or greatly reduces the accumulation of typical micro-/macro-fouling, mitigating the initial design consideration.

The second major factor is the boundary layer-drag reduction. Fully 70 percent of total heat transfer resistance (HTR) across a heat exchanger tube is the slow-moving fluid coming into contact with the tube wall. Tube wall friction reduces this flow and creates an insulating barrier of low velocity fluid. Polymer metallurgy (1200 dynes/cm2) in a non-oxidized or new condition. Tube wall oxidation or scaling would increase this friction by multiples. Reducing friction reduces the boundary layer drag and substantially opens up the flow profile. Two separate studies show flow rate improvements of 80 to 100 percent with polymer coatings compared to new uncoated tubes in the same fluid train. This increase in flow and low surface energy of the coating contributes to the improved overall thermal efficiency of the heat exchanger in fluid service. This increased flow at the tube wall also inhibits nucleation site for micro and macro scaling deposition to begin. An added benefit and energy saving is the reduction of energy needed to power circulation pumps.

This process developed has matured into a viable, low cost procedure to solve condenser tube sheet fouling and corrosion problems.

Effluent discharge being pulled into the resulting excessive fouling in the main steam condenser tubes, adversely affected condenser efficiency and power-generation capacity.

By coating the tube sheet with the Morsel coatings compound, the excellent results of fouling and corrosion resistance to the main condensers are achieved, and restored the generating units to normal operating capacity.