CLEANING BALLS

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Schmitz Cleaning Balls
Schmitz (An Affiliate Company of GEA BGR) cleaning balls plays a crucial
role in maintaining the condenser and Heat Exchanger Tubes clean and
free from Fouling & Scaling. CLEANING BALLS

Schmitz Cleaning balls are manufactured with high-quality standards

and are eco-friendly in nature. The Cleaning balls we provide are proven
and accepted by several reputed customers across the world.

Soft Deposits

In all cooling water applications, fouled layers, such as slime, mud or silt,
from on the inner surfaces of condenser tubes even at velocities of
2m/s.These deposits are typically soft and easily removed by SCHMITZ
Cleaning Balls without an abrasive layer.
SCHMITZ recommend Type RS open pore structure sponge ball for
continuous cleaning with 8 to 12 ball passes per tube per hour.

Hard Deposits

In cooling towers and other open evaporative cooling water systems the
water becomes highly concentrated with certain chemicals. The solubility
limit is thereby exceeeded and hard crystalline deposits, such as calcium
carbonate, form on the tube surface.
SCHMITZ ring coated Abrasive Balls Type RA are first used to clean the
fouled tubes,typically for a period of a few weeks. Continuous cleaning
with Schmitz Balls without an abrasive layer then hinders growth of
nuclei. In very hard waters, regualr use of abrasive ball is recommended,
i.e. 1 or more ball charges every 1 to 3 months.

Artificial Protective Film

Copper base alloys have marginal corrosive resistance in seawater

applications. Although artificial protective film can be formed by using
ferrous sulphate, excessive sponge ball cleaning produces lacquer-like
films which easily flake away on drying of condenseer.
SCHMITZ recommends the use of cleaning balls without an abrasive layer
TYPE RS for 1 hour per day before ferrous sulphate dosing. This produces
compact, matt brown films, giving an optimum combination of heat
transfer and corrosion resistance. Abrasive balls fully coated TYPE RAT is
very effective for removing the peeled films.

Corrosion Resistant Materials

Although titanium and high performance stainless steels have excellent

resistance to corrosion they are more susceptible to fouling than
copper-base alloys. This can be attributed to the absence of copper-ions,
which are toxic and tend to hinder the formation of bio-fouled layers.
SCHMITZ recommends continuous cleaning type RB scouring balls with 8
to 10 balls passes per tuber per hour. Additionally, a basic charge of
granulated balls Type RG should be circulated every few months to avoid a
possible build-up of a strong adherent fouled layers.
 For Sea Water And Fresh Water For Sea Water And Brine Fluid
Upto 80°C (176°F) Surface Condenser Upto 140°C (284°F) Desallinaton system

Lower
Sinking
Velocity

RS 15 RSL 10 RT 35

Removal of Soft Deposits Removal of Soft Deposits Removal of Soft Deposits

Copper & Brass Tubes Copper & Brass Tubes Cupronickel & SS Tubes

RA 15 RAT 15 RTAT 35

Removal of Hard Scales Ca Co, Removal of Soft Scales Removal of Soft Scales Mg (OH)2
Copper and Brass Tubes Mg (OH)2 Fe SO4 Cupronickel & SS Tubes
Welded Copper and Brass Tubes

Lower
Sinking
Velocity

RB 20 RG 20 RTL 30

RB Scouring balls for removal of RG Scouring balls for removal of Removal of Soft Deposits
Biofoulded layers Aderent Biofoulded layers Cupronickel & SS Tubes
Stainless Steel, Titanium Tubes Stainless Steel, Titanium Tubes

RBR 20 RSR 15
(LONG LIFE) (LONG LIFE) RTA 35

Removal of Soft Deposits Removal of Soft Deposits Removal of Hard Scales Ca Co,
Stainless Steel, Titanium Tubes Copper & Brass Tubes Cupronickel & SS Tubes

Ordering Data Example

Nominal Ball Ball Mixture Ball Ball Diameter
25 Diameter (mm) RS Type RS 15 Colour 15 M Texture 0 Tolerence Range 0
25 Standard Red Medium Dia + 1 mm, -0

Nominal Dia : Ball size from 8 - 51 mm dia in 1 mm steps. For Ring Coated Balls Coating of 1- 2 mm will be additional to nominal dia

Ball Type Mixture (colour) Ball Texture Tolerence Range

Temperature upto 800 C
Copper &

RS, RSR - Standard Ball 15 - Red S Soft 0 + 1.0 (std)

RSL - Low Sinking Velocity 10 - Yellow - 0
Brass

RA - Ring Coated Abrasive MS Medium Soft

RAT - Fully Coated Abrasive
M Medium 1 + 0.5
RB, RBR - Scouring Ball
Titanium &

20 - Blue - 0
SS Tubes

RG - Ring Coated with fine 15 - Red

granulated plastic MH Medium Hard
High Temperature upto 1400 C
H Hard
RT - Standard Ball 35 - Dark Blue 2 + 1.5
RTA - Ring Coated Abrasive 30 - Fleider SH Super Hard - 0
RTAT - Fully Coated Abrasive
RTL - Low Sinking Velocity
Basic Charge
Basic charge or the number of balls per system is calculated from the number of tubes per pass and the estimated time
interval taken by a ball between two passes of a tube.It is recommended that each tube is cleaned by a sponge ball at an
interval of 5 minutes. For general guidelines,the number of balls to be charged per system is usually around 10% of the total
number of condenser tubes per pass. For batch cleaning system as applicable to Multi Stage Flash distillers,the basic charge
is normally between 30 to 50% of the number of tube per evaporator.

Selection of Ball Size Ball Texture

The normal diameter of the cleaning ball selected is usually The choice of optimum ball hardness is dictated by the need
1 to 3mm oversize in diameter to the inner diameter of the to be able to catch the balls on the screens, recirculate them
tube. However, the oversize of the ball selected depends on and good ball life ( the softer the balls , the greater the
the available pressure drop across the condenser/ Heat permitted ball oversize for a given pressure drop, and thus
exchanger tube. the longer the ball life).The most commonly used cleaning
ball is the “medium” grade.

Storage
Ball Distribution
It is important that cleaning balls be stored in a cool, dry
place,away from direct sunlight. Do not stack more than 2 Distribution of balls in the condenser / heat exchanger is
boxes and the balls are to be used in First in First out basis. influenced by factors such as ball injection in c.w. inlet, the
With proper storage, the shelf life of cleaning balls can be c.w. flow conditions in the waterbox Schmitz cleaning balls
two years from manufacturing. are chosen also for optimising the ball distribution by
mixing ball types of different sinking velocities.
Ball Life
Advisory Service
Ball life is strongly dependent on the cleaning frequency
and the surface condition of the tubes to be cleaned. It is Our Specialists will gladly answer your queries regarding the
typically about 4 weeks, but can be much longer selection and use of schmitz clenaing balls. Contact us
depending on local conditions and frequency of cleaning. directly or via your local agent.
Scaled and corroded surface have a particularly detrimental
effect on ball life. The use of other types of balls e.g., abrasive
balls, to polish roughened surfaces should be considered in
case of excessive ball wear.

Schmitz India Private Limited

No. 39, Ozone Premia, 5th Floor,
Office : Dr.Radhakrishnan Salai,Mylapore,
Chennai - 600004, Tamil Nadu, India.
Phone : 91 44 69 920 200
For Enquiry : [email protected]
For Service : [email protected]
For Spares : [email protected]