Importance of Conducting a Regular Check of your Fin Fan Heat Exchangers

A fin fan heat exchanger is a type of exchanger that forces or blows air over a set of coils to create a cooling effect. More often than not fin fan heat exchangers are used in plants and machines where a great deal of heat emanates during the production process. The fin fan heat exchangers are thus used to dissipate this heat.

Fin fan heat exchangers are crucial for the functioning of most equipment, particularly in petrochemical plants, where they are extensively used. The very profitability and functioning of the facility is directly affected by the efficiency of the fin fan heat exchanger system. Gradual erosion in its functioning or its failure to work well can cause huge monetary as well as time and other resource setbacks for the plant.

It is therefore advised that the fin fan heat exchanger is regularly checked, serviced and fixed. The importance of regular checking is emphasised with reasons as below:

1. Cleanliness: Over a period of time, the fins on the heat exchanger get clogged and dirty with debris or hydrocarbons that have entered with the air. This directly affects their functioning of the heat exchanger and reduces its cooling efficiency. By undertaking periodic heat exchanger maintenance, the cleanliness aspect is also well taken care of.
   
   
2. Reduction in breakdowns: With a well functioning heat exchanger, there are bound to be less breakdowns in the plant. At least the chances of the machine breaking down due to a faulty heat exchanger are reduced by a great deal. Moreover if one particular machine in the plant breaks down due to a heat exchanger fault, it will result in the entire assembly line falling out. There will be a major bottleneck in production as a result causing severe havoc. Hence a simple step like keeping a regular check on your heat exchanger can go a long way in sabotaging a possible breakdown and nipping the problem at the bud.
   
   
3. Reduction in repair costs: As is often said, prevention is better than cure. Regular maintenance of heat exchangers will cost a small amount but will save you a great deal of possible trouble and monetary losses. On the other hand if a heat exchanger has a broken part or the fin fan is faulty and the fault is not picked at the right time, the repair could cost a great deal. Repairing costs are a lot bigger than regular maintenance costs. Thus keeping a regular check will help you reduce repair costs and thereby reduce overall costs as well. There could be multiple issues that could arise with the functioning of the fin fans ranging from fan bearing failures, poor fan efficiencies to under fin corrosion and depending upon the nature of the problem, the repair costs could range from moderate to very high. However either way they will be a lot lower than regular maintenance charges.
   
   
4. Reduction in time delays: It is a given that with breakdowns and failures of performance, there will be a guaranteed delay in processes. Production will be delayed and as a result costs will run up and profits will be lost. Moreover sometimes of the heat exchanger is not clean, it could be working but very slowly thus causing delays. While the process will continue, it will most definitely set the production back and cause everything to go off schedule.
   
   
5. Increase in life span: Like everything, machine parts too have a restricted life span. After a few years they will invariably give up and stop working. However with regular maintenance you can ensure that the life of a heat exchanger is long enough to at least recover your cost spent on it. It will most certainly ensures that your exchanger works long enough without the need to exchange it before time.

It is thus extremely important to conduct a regular check of your fin fan heat exchanger from time to time, preferably every few months.