Frequently asked questions

Traditional approaches are reactive and method-specific. They respond to a problem after it has already degraded performance. Angara identifies the dominant fouling mechanisms in your specific system first, then selects the best combination of chemistry, operational adjustments, and equipment changes. That typically results in fewer interventions, longer intervals between cleanings, and better sustained performance than any single method can deliver on its own.

Through a combination of process data analysis, heat transfer performance modeling, and laboratory analysis of physical fouling samples. We examine deposit composition using TGA, SEM-EDS, and XRD, alongside formation conditions and distribution patterns across the exchanger network. The result is a precise diagnosis tailored to your unit and your operating conditions.

When fouling is driven by flow distribution issues, surface chemistry, or recurring chemical mechanisms that a single cleaning event cannot eliminate. In those cases, we recommend operational parameter changes, bypass modifications, or exchanger upgrades alongside targeted chemistry, addressing the underlying mechanism rather than the symptom.

By quantifying the economic losses attributable to each exchanger, accounting for energy waste, reduced throughput, CO₂ emissions, and downtime risk. We rank interventions by value recovered per dollar spent, so the maintenance budget is directed to the highest-impact positions.

Yes. We evaluate fouling across the full unit, including process streams and cooling water circuits. Treating one side in isolation often produces incomplete or short-lived results, particularly in units where cooling-side fouling is compounding process-side losses.

Yes. We assess what is already in place: chemical treatment programs, cleaning schedules, monitoring systems. We calibrate against measured performance data and identify where adjustments are needed. The goal is to make the existing investment work more effectively and fill the gaps it cannot address.

Our platform is proven across oil refining, petrochemicals, LNG, fertilizers, food & beverage (including biomass processing and biofuels), and metals. Active pilots are underway in data centers and other heat-transfer-intensive sectors. If the process involves heat exchangers operating under fouling conditions, the methodology applies.

Welded plate exchangers are highly efficient but extremely difficult to clean by conventional means. Mechanical cleaning requires full disassembly. Standard chemicals are rarely effective on hard deposits. Our Fouling Fracturing technology is designed for precisely these conditions: in-situ, without disassembly, with validated effectiveness on the hardest fouling types. We have completed multiple projects on Alfa Laval and Nexson GreenBox™ welded plate exchangers, including a 29× fouling factor improvement and a tripling of heat transfer coefficient in a single intervention.

Yes. CDU and VDU pre-heat trains are among our highest-impact applications. The combination of mixed crude fouling, high operating temperatures, and large exchanger networks makes the recoverable value substantial. FCC and hydrocracking units are also in scope, particularly where coked and polymeric deposits are the dominant fouling type. Our CDU pre-heat train engagement delivered €2.7M in annual energy savings and elimination of 11,000 tonnes of CO₂ per year.

Yes. Air-cooled heat exchangers are subject to both tube-side fouling and air-side contamination from dust, process fines, and biological matter. We monitor thermal performance, identify the active fouling mechanism, and recommend targeted cleaning and operational adjustments to restore heat rejection capacity and unit stability.

Yes. We have successfully removed deposits in plate falling film evaporators that are typically considered difficult to treat with conventional cleaning methods, restoring evaporation performance and extending run length between shutdowns.

 In most cases, yes. Fouling Fracturing is designed for on-demand, in-situ application. No disassembly or planned turnaround required. By combining targeted chemistry with continuous AI monitoring, interventions are timed precisely, cleaning frequency is reduced, and performance is maintained between scheduled outages.

Basic process data (temperatures, pressures, flow rates), exchanger specifications, and operating history are sufficient for an initial assessment. We work with what is already available. In most plants, the data needed for a meaningful fouling loss estimate is already in the DCS or historian.

For in-situ Fouling Fracturing interventions, heat transfer improvements are measurable immediately after the cleaning is complete, typically within the same operational cycle. For AI analytics subscriptions, meaningful fouling trend data and actionable recommendations are typically available within the first month of monitoring.