Air Heater Inspection and Maintenance

Corrosion Monitoring Services (CMS) offers industry-leading air heater inspection and maintenance solutions for plant managers looking to enhance the performance and longevity of their tubular air heaters. Our specialized services, including partial tube repair, in-situ repair, our Thermal Barrier Lined Tube™ repair options, help prevent costly downtime, unplanned outages, and inefficiencies, ensuring your plant operates at peak performance.

Why Choose CMS for Your Tubular Air Heater Inspection and Repair?

At CMS, we understand the critical role that air heaters play in your plant’s operations. Our team of experts provides comprehensive inspection and repair services tailored to your specific needs, helping you identify and address potential issues before they escalate into major problems.

A repaired or rebuilt air heater, using CMS patent-pending designs and corrosion resistant tubing, can extend the life of your APH and other critical equipment.

On request, our experienced team can quickly help you evaluate your equipment based on site inspection and data analysis, using our proprietary Boiler and Air Heater Performance Calculator. We can then tailor products and services to improve your operation with rapid responsive service and protect it with longer-term corrosion reduction techniques and material.

Customized Air Heater Repair Solutions

Our goal is to get you back up and running to maximum efficiency as quickly as possible, so that you are able to realize measurable improvements immediately. We also work hand-in-glove with your management team to develop strategies that reduce associated costs required to complete necessary repairs.

A repaired or rebuilt air heater, using Corrosion Monitoring Services’ patent-pending designs and corrosion resistant tubing, can extend the life of your tubular air heater and other critical equipment.

Partial Tube Repair: Cost-Effective and Efficient

Damage to air heater tubes is often localized and limited to one section of the tube (e.g.: cold end corrosion). This is especially true when corrosion is the primary damage mechanism, and failures are located close to the tubesheet plate. When local damage is identified, CMS frequently recommends partial tube repairs of the air heater.

In a partial tube repair, CMS removes only the damaged section of the tube and installs structurally secure, air-tight replacement tubes, using its specialty tooling and custom pre-fabricated couplers. This method preserves the undamaged section of the tube and is often as effective as a full-length re-tube, but a fraction of the cost. Since 1985, CMS has performed thousands of partial tube repairs and is the industry’s leading provider of this solution.

Benefits of Partial Tube Repair:

Cost-effective alternative to full-length re-tubing
Precision-targeted repairs for minimal downtime
Scope can be performed in short outages
Enables air heater repair without removing surrounding structures
Reduced need for scaffolding and crane rentals
Warrantied seal between parent and replacement tubing
Material or design upgrades available

A CMS partial tube repair in progress

In-Situ Repair: Advanced Solutions Within Your Plant’s Footprint

For air heaters with limited access due to overhead obstructions or adjacent equipment, our in-situ repair method offers an innovative solution. CMS’s proprietary Rapid Repair™

Conveyor Systems allow us to rebuild your tubular air heaters from the inside out, without dismantling surrounding structures. The goal is minimal disruption of your ongoing operations, enabling a rapid return to full capacity, but with much improved efficiency.

CMS’s turnkey repair process begins months in advance when we fabricate materials in our own shop. We don’t rely on third-party sources, which maximizes our quality control, minimizes costs, and reduces lead times. All are time-proven benefits that we pass on to our customers.

Our experienced project managers and engineers collaborate with you to determine the best possible solution that allows for seamless installation during an outage. We stand by our products and services, backing them with expert support, and in some cases, a five-year warranty.

Benefits of In-Situ Repair:

Rapid repair scheduling and mobilization
Performed safely and efficiently within your footprint
Customized solutions for your specific challenges
Potential for warrantied repairs, offering peace of mind

Thermal Barrier Lined Tubes: Long-Term Protection Against Dew Point Corrosion

Cold-end corrosion can significantly impact the efficiency of your air heaters. CMS’s Thermal Barrier Lined Tubes (TBLT) are the tubular air heater industry’s first and only long-term solution to aggressive dew point corrosion damage. Cold-end corrosion, localized cold zones, and heat sinks in an air heater can have devastating effects on reliability and, ultimately, your financial performance.

Damage develops when the surface temperature of tubing drops below the dew point. Acid condensation often leads to losses in wall thickness. Failure rates vary, depending on the fuel source and boiler configuration, but ongoing corrosion, plugging, and other issues that affect air preheater performance can have damaging impacts on an operation.

CMS’s patent pending Thermal Barrier Lined Tube™ is a product of precision engineering and more than 30 years of experience inspecting and repairing tubular air heaters. During the repair, CMS actually upgrades the metallurgy of your tubing. Modifications to the design of the tube and tubesheet plate are performed during field installation. Repairs result in the effective elimination of dew point corrosion failures and fly ash plugging.

Corrosion Monitoring Services can use its proprietary Boiler and Air Heater Performance Calculator to provide a thorough analysis showing you the financial impact of an air preheater’s current condition and an estimated return on investment timeline for repairs. Customers have achieved payback in as little six months and are realizing significant ongoing savings.

Benefits of Thermal Barrier Lined Tubes:

Increases dew point corrosion resistance and life expectancy 3X on average
Significantly diminishes cold-end ash fouling and reduces or eliminates washing
Improves air heater and system performance
Helps reduce wear on ancillary equipment
Reduces excess energy consumed plant-wide.

Tubesheet and tube ends before and after Thermal Barrier Lined Tube™ convective repair

Proactive Maintenance for Long-Term Operational Success

At CMS, we emphasize proactive maintenance strategies to prevent future problems and extend the service life of your tubular air heaters. Our detailed inspection and repair services are designed to optimize your plant’s efficiency and reduce long-term maintenance costs.

Erosion Repairs: Protect Against Fly Ash Damage

CMS provides long-term repairs from problems associated with fly ash erosion. Fly ash erosion often occurs within the first 3-5 inches at the gas inlet of the tube up to the top tubesheet plate. CMS removes only the damaged section of tubing, replacing it with upgraded tubing and adding proprietary parts to protect the new tube.

Benefits of Erosion Repairs:

Upgraded metallurgy at the area most vulnerable to erosion damage.
No increase in air heater pressure drop
Fully heat-treated, hardened inserts that can be rotated as erosion wear damage appears
External erosion guards to new tubes
Significantly reduces long-term maintenance costs

Example of a CMS erosion upgrade repair

External Corrosion Guards: Safeguard Your Equipment Against Water Damage

CMS’s external corrosion guards are designed to provide an extra measure of protection against standing water damage to your air heater tubes at the baffle and lower tubesheet level. External guards essentially double your tube wall thickness, extending the service life of your tubes in the area external corrosion damage from the water washing processes. Our external corrosion guards can be installed above the bottom of tubesheet plate or above each the baffle level, depending on customer requirements. This small but important feature delivers big benefits, including:

Benefits of External Corrosion Guards:

Prefabricated for easy installation and reduced downtime
Extends the lifespan of your tubing
• Provides sacrificial steel to protect tube outer diameter at the bottom tubesheet against water-induced corrosion

Contact CMS Today to Optimize Your Air Heater Performance

Contact us at (800) 637 6592 or inforeq@cmsinc.us and find out how your tubular air preheater might be causing problems throughout your operation. Our team of experts can quickly assist in diagnosing your air heater and gas path problem, show you how we can improve air heater efficiency, and even provide emergency repair when you need it most. Our mobile service teams are often able to inspect your equipment and offer field repair of an air preheater on the spot.

Whether you are looking for a quick fix to bridge the gap between outages/maintenance intervals or a more permanent solution, turn to Corrosion Monitoring Services to solve your problems before they turn into performance issues.

Air-to-Air Heat Exchanger Inspection and Maintenance

Corrosion Monitoring Services (CMS) provides air-to-air heat exchanger inspection and maintenance services designed to optimize the performance and longevity of your equipment. Whether you're dealing with corrosion, fouling, or efficiency loss, our mobile teams are available to help ensure your heat exchangers operate efficiently.

Why Regular Heat Exchanger Inspections Matter

Air-to-air heat exchangers play a critical role in energy efficiency within industrial processes. Over time, the health of these systems can be compromised due corrosion, fouling, and mechanical wear, leading to decreased performance, higher energy costs, and, sometimes, even catastrophic failures and downtime. Regular heat exchanger inspections can help identify issues early on, preventing costly repairs or replacements and ensuring your system operates at its best.

Preventative Maintenance: Regularly scheduled inspections allow CMS’s inspectors to identify potential issues before they lead to significant failures. By catching problems early on, CMS can help you avoid unexpected downtime, expensive emergency repairs, and the potential for production delays that can impact your bottom line.
Energy Efficiency: Clean, well-maintained heat exchangers operate more efficiently, which directly translates to lower energy consumption. This not only reduces operational costs but also helps reduce your carbon footprint, contributing to your sustainability goals. Our goal is to help improve your equipment’s thermal performance.
Longevity: Routine inspections are key to extending the life of your heat exchangers. By addressing issues such as corrosion, cracking and fouling before they escalate into bigger problems, CMS can help preserve the integrity of your equipment, thereby delaying the need for costly replacements and safeguarding your investment.

Comprehensive Inspection Services

CMS’s air-to-air heat exchanger inspection services are thorough and designed to detect even the smallest issues that could affect your system's performance.

Visual Inspections: Our team conducts detailed visual inspections, meticulously examining all components of your heat exchangers. Our experienced inspectors look for signs of corrosion, mechanical wear, fouling, and any physical damage that could compromise performance. This step is crucial for identifying surface-level issues that may indicate deeper problems.
Non-Destructive Testing (NDT): CMS employs advanced NDT techniques, such as ultrasonic testing, infrared thermography, and eddy current testing. These methods allow our inspectors to detect hidden flaws like cracks, wall thinning, and corrosion beneath the surface, without causing any harm to your equipment. This precise approach helps enable them to identify potential failures before they occur, allowing for targeted, on-the-spot repairs, when possible.

Expert Heat Exchanger Repairs

When issues are detected, the Corrosion Monitoring Services team of skilled technicians is equipped to perform air-to-air heat exchanger repairs quickly and efficiently. We use high-quality materials and the latest repair techniques to ensure that your equipment is restored to its best possible condition.

Corrosion Repairs: Corrosion can severely impact the structural integrity of your heat exchangers. CMS’s services involve repairing corroded areas, and, if necessary, lining or replacing damaged components to prevent further deterioration and extend the life of your equipment.
Tube Replacement: Damaged or worn tubes can lead to significant performance loss and even system failure. CMS provides tube replacement services, carefully selecting and installing new tubes that meet your specifications, restoring the integrity and efficiency of your heat exchangers.
Seal and Gasket Replacement: Leaking seals and gaskets can cause significant efficiency losses and may lead to contamination or unsafe conditions. CMS inspects all seals and gaskets, replacing any that show signs of wear with high-quality, durable materials to ensure a tight, leak-free system.

Customized Maintenance Plans

At Corrosion Monitoring Services, we understand that every industrial process is unique. That’s why we offer customized maintenance plans tailored to meet your specific needs. Our plans include regular inspections and repair services to keep your air-to-air heat exchangers running smoothly.

Scheduled Inspections: We work with you to create a tailored schedule of inspections that aligns with your operational needs and turnaround/outage plans. Regular inspections help us keep track of your equipment's condition, enabling us to address potential issues before they disrupt your operations.
Emergency Repairs: When unexpected issues arise, our mobile repair teams are ready to be deployed to help fix the problem. We understand the importance of minimizing downtime, so we prioritize fast, efficient repairs to get your equipment back online with minimal disruption to your operations. Our mobile teams are equipped to handle a wide range of emergency situations, ensuring your heat exchangers are back to regular operating condition quickly.

Contact Us Today

Don’t let your air-to-air heat exchangers become a liability. To learn more about our inspection and repair services and how we can help you maintain the efficiency and reliability of your equipment, contact CMS at (800) 637 6592 or inforeq@cmsinc.us today.

Condenser Inspection and Repair Services

Corrosion Monitoring Services (CMS) specializes in condenser inspection and repair for industries such as pulp and paper, cement, and other plants where erosion and corrosion can compromise operating efficiency. We begin with a comprehensive visual inspection, carefully documenting any damage to ensure accurate assessment and repair.

Common Condenser Damage: Causes and Solutions

Our inspections sometimes reveal damage types to condensers, such as stress corrosion cracking, pitting, and roll joint failures. These issues may result from factors like vibration, cooling water contamination, and biofouling pressure washing in heat exchanger tubes. If left unchecked, these problems can spread to downstream equipment like boilers, causing inefficiencies and potentially leading to unplanned shutdowns.

Advanced Tools for Condenser Inspection

NDT Defect Testing: Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) is employed to detect flaws in condenser tubes without damaging the equipment. This technique includes methods, such as APRIS testing which identify surface and subsurface defects like cracks, pinholes, pitting, and corrosion.
Pneumatic Leak-Testing: This method involves pressurizing the condenser tubes with air or gas and monitoring for pressure drops, which can indicate leaks. Pneumatic testing is essential for identifying micro-leaks that might not be visible during a visual inspection but can lead to significant efficiency losses.
Hand-Held Ultrasonics: Using portable ultrasonic devices, our technicians measure the wall thickness of condenser tubes to detect thinning due to corrosion or erosion. Ultrasonic testing provides precise data on tube integrity, allowing for early detection of wear before it leads to failure.
EDS Testing: Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) is used to analyze the elemental composition of deposits or corrosion products on the condenser tubes. This analysis helps identify the root cause of corrosion and guides the selection of appropriate repair materials and techniques.
Tube Specimen Removal and Analysis: In cases where severe damage is suspected, a section of the condenser tube is removed for detailed laboratory analysis. This process helps in determining the extent of degradation and your best course of action for repair or replacement.
Borescope Inspection: A borescope is a specialized tool with a camera that allows for visual inspection inside the condenser tubes. Borescope inspections are crucial for detecting internal issues such as blockages, corrosion, or cracking that are not visible externally.
Thermal Imaging: Infrared thermal imaging is used to identify hot spots and temperature anomalies in condenser systems, which can indicate areas of restricted flow, blockages, or inefficient heat transfer. This non-invasive technique allows for real-time monitoring and quick diagnosis of potential issues.

Preventative Repairs to Extend Condenser Lifespan

Early detection and repair are critical to avoiding costly retubing or condenser replacement. CMS often salvages failed roll joints through re-rolling with a torque control box and rolling head, utilizing our proprietary processes. In some instances, sleeving failures can return failed tubes to service. For extensively damaged tubes, mechanical tube plugging can be employed to take them out of service, thus improving operating efficiency and preventing future issues.

Comprehensive Condenser Repair Services

Our full range of condenser repair services includes:

Tube-to-tubesheet plate joint repairs
Mechanical plugging
Mechanical cleaning
Weld repairs

Detailed Post-Project Analysis and Documentation

Upon completing your project, CMS will conduct an analysis of collected data to identify potential failure mechanisms and to develop targeted, minimally invasive repair strategies. Our commitment to detailed record-keeping includes providing comprehensive tubesheet maps, which offer a concise maintenance history and track year-over-year condition changes, helping you optimize your maintenance strategies.

Commitment to Quality and Customer Satisfaction

At Corrosion Monitoring Services, we measure success by the satisfaction of our customers. Our goal is to maximize the service life of your heat exchangers with flexible, customized field service solutions. For more information or to request a quote, contact us at (800) 637-6592 or email inforeq@cmsinc.us.

Evaporator Inspection and Maintenance

Evaporators are vital in numerous industrial processes, playing a crucial role in concentrating solutions and removing solvents through evaporation. To maintain these systems' efficiency and reliability, it's important to schedule regular inspections and perform timely repairs when necessary. Corrosion Monitoring Services' (CMS) evaporator inspection and repair services are designed to ensure your industrial plants continue to operate smoothly and effectively.

The Importance of Evaporator Maintenance

Problems like scaling, fouling, corrosion, wear, and other damage mechanisms can have a negative hurt evaporator performance over time. Neglecting proper maintenance often leads to decreased efficiency, higher energy costs, and unexpected downtime. Regular inspections and prompt repairs are critical to maintaining acceptable performance, extending the life of your valuable equipment, and preventing costly emergency repairs.

Evaporators can experience a variety of issues that affect their performance and equipment life, including:

Corrosion: Corrosive environments can deteriorate evaporator surfaces, leading to leaks and reduced efficiency.
Mechanical Problems: Mechanical issues, such as cracked tubes, faulty seals, and damaged components, can disrupt the operation of evaporators, leading to downtime.
Erosion: Abrasive materials and high-velocity fluids can combine to cause erosion, thinning the walls of tubes and other components, eventually leading to leaks and the potential for failures.
Scaling and Fouling: The buildup of scale and deposits on evaporator surfaces can significantly reduce heat transfer efficiency, leading to increased energy consumption and reduced operating efficiency.

Evaporator Maintenance Solutions to Meet Your Unique Needs

CMS focuses on meeting the unique evaporator-related demands of the following industries:

Biomass Energy: Helping to enable evaporators to operate at higher efficiency, contributing to sustainable and cost-effective energy production.
Metals Industry: Providing inspection and maintenance services for evaporators, which helps ensure more consistent operations -- crucial for processes that require precise temperature control.
Pulp and Paper Industry: Prolonging the lifespan of evaporators, delaying the need for expensive replacements and maximizing ROI.
Other Industries: Maintaining evaporators so that they operate efficiently, are less likely to fail and require emergency repair, and have a longer equipment life.

CMS Evaporator Inspection Services

CMS provides comprehensive inspection services, using advanced techniques to identify potential problems before they become much bigger issues. Our inspection services include:

Visual Inspections: Conducting detailed visual examinations to spot signs of wear, corrosion, erosion, and other damage. We are also confined-space and high-angle inspection-trained, so that our inspectors are able to each your most remote locations.
Non-Destructive Testing (NDT): Using methods such as APRIS and boroscope inspection; EDS, pneumatic leak-testing, and ultrasonic testing; and thermal imaging to detect hidden problems and assess the integrity of evaporators.
Performance Testing: Analyzing operational data to assess the efficiency and performance of your evaporator systems.

CMS Evaporator Repair Services

When issues are detected, our experienced mobile teams provide effective repair solutions to restore your evaporators to operating condition. Our repair services include:

Corrosion and Erosion Repair: Our mobile team address damage from corrosive environments and abrasive materials to maintain structural integrity and prevent leaks.
Tube and Component Repair: We can repair damaged or worn components to help improve heat transfer and system efficiency.
Welding and Fabrication: Our field services include custom welding and fabrication to repair damaged sections of the evaporator.

Why Choose CMS for Evaporator Services?

With many years of experience working in cement, energy, industrial, and pulp and paper plants, the Corrosion Monitoring Services team is equipped with the expertise and tools necessary to handle all of your evaporator inspection and maintenance needs. We pride ourselves in delivering quality services that meet the stringent demands of industrial operations. Our commitment to excellence and customer satisfaction (see our case studies for testimonials) often makes us the preferred choice for many leading industrial plants.

Contact Us for Better Performance

Ensure that your evaporators are operating efficiently with our comprehensive inspection and repair services and plans. Contact us today at (800) 637 6592 or via email at inforeq@cmsinc.us to schedule an inspection or to learn more about how we can help you maintain your heat recovery systems.

Heat Exchangers