Q: Is this measurable and avoidable—or just theory?

Braskem + Tech Sonic R&D (incl. Dr. Kieser) presented conference findings showing the loss is direct, measurable, and avoidable. (Braskem + Tech Sonic R&D, International Heat Exchanger Fouling Conference)

Q: What if your heat exchanger maintenance could cut emissions and costs, without new equipment?

That’s already possible. A technical study by Tech Sonic R&D, presented at Heat Exchanger Fouling and Cleaning XIII (Warsaw, Poland, 2019) and published on the conference’s official platform, demonstrated that replacing hydroblasting with industrial ultrasonic cleaning enabled a petrochemical facility to reduce CO₂e emissions by over 6,000 metric tons annually. Here are the main results: * Energy savings reached up to US$700,000. * Net water use dropped by more than 95%. * Greenhouse gas emissions fell by more than 6,000 tons. * Wastewater was reduced by over 200 million litres each year. These results are based on actual operations and have been presented at a leading industry technical forum.

Q: Can we cut emissions and costs without buying new equipment?

Yes—Tech Sonic R&D showed that replacing hydroblasting with ultrasonic cleaning reduced CO₂e by >6,000 metric tons/year at a petrochemical facility.

Q: Does full cleaning translate to real production gains?

CF reported a 27% increase in ammonia production after Tech Sonic cleaned their C-109 process train heat exchangers (per testimonial).

Question 1

What fouling does hydroblasting miss?

Accepted Answer

It often misses fouling between tubes (especially shell-side)—baked-on polymers, mineral scale, and carbonized residues that reduce heat transfer

Question 2

What does that cost us if we don’t fully restore performance?

Accepted Answer

At Braskem, exchangers ran at <80% of design efficiency, and one exchanger drove $1.6M USD/year in wasted steam.

Question 3

Is this measurable and avoidable—or just theory?

Accepted Answer

Braskem + Tech Sonic R&D (incl. Dr. Kieser) presented conference findings showing the loss is direct, measurable, and avoidable. (Braskem + Tech Sonic R&D, International Heat Exchanger Fouling Conference)

Question 4

What if your heat exchanger maintenance could cut emissions and costs, without new equipment?

Accepted Answer

That’s already possible.

A technical study by Tech Sonic R&D, presented at Heat Exchanger Fouling and Cleaning XIII (Warsaw, Poland, 2019) and published on the conference’s official platform, demonstrated that replacing hydroblasting with industrial ultrasonic cleaning enabled a petrochemical facility to reduce CO₂e emissions by over 6,000 metric tons annually.

Here are the main results:

* Energy savings reached up to US$700,000.
* Net water use dropped by more than 95%.
* Greenhouse gas emissions fell by more than 6,000 tons.
* Wastewater was reduced by over 200 million litres each year.

These results are based on actual operations and have been presented at a leading industry technical forum.

Question 5

Can we cut emissions and costs without buying new equipment?

Accepted Answer

Yes—Tech Sonic R&D showed that replacing hydroblasting with ultrasonic cleaning reduced CO₂e by >6,000 metric tons/year at a petrochemical facility.

Question 6

What if your washpad could become a digital hub—tracking data, automating rinsing, and reducing worker risk, with no added cost/complexity?

Accepted Answer

Tech Sonic makes this possible.

* Reduces Hydroblasting: Cuts risky, water-heavy jetting by 75% for a safer and more efficient washpad.
* Flexible Systems: Provides integrated ultrasonic setups from 3.3m to 9.75m to fit any exchanger size.
* Smart Controls: Uses IT-OT technology for simple operation, remote support, and data tracking.
* Advanced Chemistry: Breaks down refinery fouling fast to boost performance.
* Safe Handling: Our bundled technology lowers risks to workers and equipment during cleaning.
* Robotic Rinsing: Automates hydroblasting rinse steps, so work gets done faster with fewer staff.
* Water Savings: The TapHouse system manages water efficiently to reduce waste.
* All-in-One Software: Washpad Management brings everything together with cloud-based planning and reporting.

This system is deployed in refineries, making maintenance cleaner, faster, safer, more sustainable, and cost-effective.

Question 7

What if cleaning heat exchangers fully could reclaim 21 days of production/turnaround and boost output by 23%?

Accepted Answer

CF Industries experienced this themselves. After Tech Sonic used ultrasonic cleaning on their C-109 process train heat exchangers, CF reported a 27% increase in ammonia production, according to their official testimonial.

During that same turnaround,

* Four exchangers were cleaned in just 9 days instead of 30, which allowed for 21 more days of runtime.
* Each unit was completely cleaned in less than 24 hours, compared to the 5 to 7 days it usually takes with hydroblasting.

These results, documented by Tech Sonic R&D and confirmed by CF, are not just estimates. They are proven outcomes from an actual refinery turnaround.

Question 8

What fouling types does hydroblasting miss, and how might this silently cost millions in efficiency/downtime?

Accepted Answer

Hydroblasting often misses fouling between tubes, especially on the shell side. This leaves behind baked-on polymers, mineral scale, and carbonized residues that insulate surfaces and reduce heat transfer.

At Braskem, this problem caused exchangers to run at less than 80% of their design efficiency. On just one exchanger, it led to $1.6 million USD per year in wasted steam.

Joint work by Braskem and Tech Sonic R&D, including Dr. Kieser, presented at the International Heat Exchanger Fouling Conference, shows that this loss is direct, measurable, and avoidable.

Incomplete cleaning is not maintenance; it is a hidden operational cost.

Question 9

Can we really clean an exchanger in under 24 hours?

Accepted Answer

CF reported each unit was cleaned in <24 hours, versus 5–7 days with hydroblasting.

Question 10

Does full cleaning translate to real production gains?

Accepted Answer

CF reported a 27% increase in ammonia production after Tech Sonic cleaned their C-109 process train heat exchangers (per testimonial).

Question 11

What’s the upside in savings and water use?

Accepted Answer

Reported results included up to US$700,000 in energy savings and >95% reduction in net water use.