Cleaning Requirements of Piping Systems (With PDF)

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Anup Kumar Dey

New construction of piping systems requires some type of cleaning of debris or

contaminants. Debris can be defined as substances such as dirt, grease,
construction materials such as wood, wire, hard hats, tools, weld slag, rust and
scale, and any other small objects that could be misplaced inside the diameter of
piping systems. Proper cleaning of Piping Systems is required dependent upon
service requirements.

Piping System Cleaning Requirements

All piping systems shall be flushed with water. Water flush is accomplished through
the hydro-testing of piping systems. If the water being drained still has evidence of
debris, continue to flush with water until no evidence of debris exists.
Lines that require cleaning should be identified on the Mechanical Flow Diagrams.
The Process Engineering Group (Process Department) shall set the limits based on
the service requirements and equipment being protected from debris and
contaminants generated during construction.

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 Certain process services require chemical cleaning of Piping Systems. The
process engineer shall be responsible for identifying services that require chemical
cleaning. Typical examples of services requiring chemical cleaning are listed below:
Reciprocating Compressor suction piping
Super High-Pressure Boiler Feed Water and High-Pressure Steam
Product Shipping Lines
Specialty Chemical /Catalyst lines
Oxygen
Hydrogen Peroxide
The designer should be responsible for verifying all steps to remove debris that
would be detrimental to the process fluid, including the provision of any temporary
facilities for carrying out the chemical cleaning procedures.
The cleaning method used should be selected based on the facilities available.
Steam and detergent cleaning is much less costly than acid or mechanical cleaning.
Each project specification must indicate the type of contamination/debris to be
removed.
All systems shall be sealed after cleaning to keep out dirt and moisture. Cleaning in
place with chemical cleaning solutions shall be compatible with all components of
the piping system; otherwise, components that would be adversely affected by the
cleaning solution shall be temporarily removed.
The use and disposal of cleaning solutions must be in accordance with plant policy
or local regulations (or both).

Types of Pipe Contamination for Stainless Steel

Dirt
Iron contamination
Grease and loose weld spatter
Scale and tight weld spatter
Oil, paint, or grease
Rust

Types of Pipe Contamination for Carbon Steel

Dirt
Varnish or protective oil
Mill scale
Shop weld spatter and scale
Rust
Moisture (low-temp service)

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Various types of Piping Cleaning
Mechanical Cleaning: Rotating shafts, brushes, compressed air, and flying grit are
hazards. Use protective equipment dictated by the site.

Chemical Cleaning: Acids and other chemicals, heated solutions, steam pressure
hoses, spills, and sprays are hazards. Provide protective clothing, eye protection, safety
showers, and facilities to neutralize spills of spent chemicals. Personnel should not
breathe ferroxyl solution (or other chemicals) vapors that may be harmful. Adequate
respiration must be provided when testing or cleaning in enclosed areas with inadequate
ventilation.

Vapour Cleaning: Steam, condensate, and other hazards are associated with chemical
cleaning. Controlled discharge of vapors to the atmosphere or condensate cooled by
water sprays is essential to minimize personal contact.

Pipe Cleaning procedures

Procedure for Water Flush:

Flush pipe with chloride-free clean water.

Thoroughly drain the pipe and dry if required. Drying can be done by wiping or by
blowing with clean, dry compressed air or inert gas.

Procedure for Air Blow:

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 Blow with clean, dry compressed air. Use sufficient volume of air to create high
velocity in pipe.

Procedure for Steam and Detergent Cleaning:

Steam-clean with a water solution of Pennwalt Corp. Cleaner MC-79, Oakite
Products, Inc. Oakite 33, or approved equal. (Mix 1 gal MC-79 with 9 gals clean
water; mix 1 gal Oakite 33 with 6 gals clean water.)
Drainpipe thoroughly and flush with clean water.
Dry pipe by wiping or by blowing with clean, dry compressed air or inert gas.

Procedure for acid Cleaning for Stainless Steel:

The choice of acid cleaning solution depends upon the composition, heat treatment, and
form of the stainless steel to be cleaned. Choose the acid cleaning solution as follows:

For mill products or castings in the solution-annealed condition of Type 300 or 400
series and Carpenter 20 Cb (UNS N08020), Alloy B (UNS N10001), or Alloy C-276
(UNS N10276) material, or to weldments, mill products, or castings of CF-8, CF-8M,
CF-3, CF-3M, and SW20M (CN-7M): use a nitric-hydrofluoric acid.
For weldments of Type 304, 316, or any of the other non-extra low carbon (ELC),
non-stabilized grades, or for severely sensitized items (such as those that have
been stress-relieved) of any of the grades (including ELC and stabilized): use a
weak acid.

Procedure for Pickle (Sulfuric Acid method) for Carbon Steel:

Pickle with a solution of one part Metclean No. 1 or equivalent (inhibited sulfuric
acid) 3 to 10 parts of clean water. Heat and maintain pickling bath between 71 and
82 °C (160 and 180 °F).
Pump solution through the pipe or immerse pipe in a pickling tank until clean.
Flush with clean water.
Inspect and repeat steps 2 and 3 if necessary.
Rinse with a neutralizer solution.
Dry as required by the process in which the pipe is being used.

Procedure for Pickle (Citric Acid Method) for Carbon Steel:

Pickle in a solution of 3-1/2 gal of water per lb of citric acid (required anhydrous
granular citric acid). Heat and maintain pickling solution between 82 and 88 °C (180
and 190 °F).
Pump the solution through the pipe or immerse pipe in a pickling tank until clean.
Flush with clean water.
Inspect and repeat steps 2 and 3 if necessary.
Rinse with a neutralizer solution of 5.0 percent soda ash (Na2CO3).
Flush with rust inhibitor consisting of 0.5 percent sodium nitrite (NaNO2), 0.25
percent disodium phosphate (Na2HPO4), and 0.25 percent monosodium phosphate
(NaH2PO4).

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 Dry as required by the process in which the pipe is being used.

Procedure for Mechanical Cleaning for Stainless Steel:

Blast-clean inside of pipe and fittings with clean, iron-free sand or alundum grit.
Repeat if free iron is found. Use ferroxyl test if required. Blast-cleaning of clad
material should not be carried to the point of seriously reducing the cladding
thickness.
Walnut-shell blast provides very smooth interior surfaces. Blast inside of pipe and
fittings until desired results are obtained.
For brush cleaning, use stainless steel wire
Note: Anyone, or all, of the mechanical cleaning procedures, may be required to
effectively clean stainless steel pipe and fittings when weld spatter or scale (or both)
have formed from welding.

Procedure for Mechanical Cleaning for Carbon Steel:

Blast clean inside of pipe and fittings. Wire brushing with power rotary wire brushes
is an alternate method. A rotary cutter followed by wire brushing should be used on
heavily rusted, pitted, and weld-spattered pipe, and on the pipe with a tightly
adhered scale.
Blow out residues with clean, dry compressed air.
Click here to know more about the internal cleaning of the piping system

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