Systems
Ultrasonic cleaning for fouled marine components
Ultrasonic cleaning uses high frequency sound in a solution to lift scale and fouling out of passages that a brush and a chemical flush cannot reach. On marine heat exchangers, aftercoolers and oil coolers it restores flow to components that would otherwise be replaced. It is the difference between cleaning a part and replacing it.
Some fouling will not flush out
Salt scale bonds hard inside narrow tube passages, and once it is established a chemical flush will thin it without clearing it. The component goes back on the engine, the temperature stays high, and the owner ends up buying a new exchanger anyway.
What is included
- Heat exchanger and aftercooler tube bundles
- Oil coolers and transmission coolers
- Injector and small component cleaning
- Post cleaning inspection and pressure testing
- Assessment of whether cleaning or replacement is the better spend
How it works
Assess
Some components are past saving and I will say so rather than charge for cleaning something that needs replacing.
Clean
The component is processed until the passages are genuinely clear, then inspected.
Test
Pressure tested before reinstallation, so a leak is not found after the engine is back together.
Ultrasonic cleaning removes bonded salt scale from marine heat exchanger and cooler passages that chemical flushing alone does not clear, which can restore cooling flow to components that would otherwise require replacement.
Related systems work
Marine Generator Service
Service, repair and load testing for marine generators, the system that keeps air conditioning and power alive at anchor.
Marine Transmission Service
Gearbox service, fluid analysis, coupling and alignment work on marine transmissions and drive systems.
Cooling System Service
Raw water and closed loop cooling service, flushing and repair, the system that causes most marine diesel overheats.
Ultrasonic Cleaning: common questions
Is ultrasonic cleaning better than a chemical flush?
For heavy bonded scale in narrow passages, yes. For light fouling a flush is sufficient and cheaper. Which one is right depends on what the component looks like when it comes off.
Can any component be ultrasonically cleaned?
Most metal cooling components can. Parts with corroded through walls or failed tubes need replacing, and cleaning them is money wasted.
Will it fix my overheating?
If the restriction is in the component being cleaned, yes. That is why the cooling circuit gets traced first, so the right part is treated.
Tell me what the engine is doing
Describe the symptom on the phone and most of the time the problem is narrowed before I arrive. Surveys are booked around your sea trial date.