HRSG Tube Bundle, SCR Catalyst & AIG Cleaning
Fouling in an HRSG shows up as backpressure, heat-rate loss, ammonia slip, and eventually a derate. Water lancing risks tube damage and a long dry-out; grit risks fin damage and residue in the catalyst. Dry ice blasting clears finned surfaces, catalyst faces, and AIG hardware dry.
Finned tube bundles collect insulation fiber, rust scale, ash, and combustion residue in the fin gaps, where they blanket the heat-transfer surface and choke gas path flow. Because the fouling sits between closely spaced fins, cleaning has to reach into the gap without deforming fins or leaving anything behind that can migrate downstream into the catalyst.
CO₂ pellets do exactly that: they penetrate the fin gap, break the bond via thermal shock and micro-expansion, and turn to gas. The released debris drops for vacuum recovery instead of being pushed into the next module. On SCR and CO catalyst, the same non-abrasive, dry action clears the face without disturbing the washcoat or plugging channels with media.
Ammonia injection grid nozzles, distribution piping, duct burner hardware, and casing internals are cleaned in the same mobilization. Since no water enters the gas path, there is no dry-out period, no corrosion risk from standing moisture, and no wastewater to contain and dispose of before the unit comes back.
What We Remove
- Ash, rust scale, and insulation fiber in fin gaps
- Combustion residue and unburned hydrocarbon deposits
- Ammonium bisulfate and salt deposits
- Catalyst face plugging and surface masking
- Deposits on AIG nozzles and distribution piping
- Duct burner and casing internal fouling
What You Get
- Reduced gas-path backpressure and recovered heat rate
- Improved SCR performance and reduced ammonia slip
- No water in the gas path, so no dry-out period
- No abrasive media migrating into the catalyst
- No wastewater containment or disposal
How a HRSG cleaning Job Runs
- 01Review module drawings, access, and prior fouling history with your outage team
- 02Build scaffold or access plan and confirm confined-space and LOTO permits
- 03Stage compressors, hose runs, vacuum recovery, and CO₂ supply for continuous shift work
- 04Blast bundle by bundle with vacuum recovery so debris does not migrate downstream
- 05Document before/after condition by module for your outage record
Also Called CO₂ Cleaning
Maintenance teams search for this work as HRSG cleaning, dry ice blasting, CO₂ cleaning, CO₂ blasting, dry ice blast cleaning, carbon dioxide blasting, and cryogenic cleaning. They all describe the same process — solid CO₂ pellets in compressed air, with no water, chemicals, or abrasive media, and no spent media to dispose of afterward.
How a HRSG cleaning Project Runs
Every project follows the same disciplined sequence — scoped to your facility, your safety program, and your shutdown window.
1. Site Walkdown & Scope
A specialist reviews your equipment, contaminants, access constraints, shutdown window, and safety requirements — by phone, video, or on-site walkdown.
2. Plan, Quote & Schedule
You receive a written scope of work and quote. We coordinate JSAs, lockout/tagout, hot work, confined space, and any plant-specific safety paperwork before mobilization.
3. Mobilization
Our crew arrives with diesel air compressors, blasting equipment, hose, PPE, CO₂ pellets, and supporting tools. Most projects are fully self-contained — no plant utilities required.
4. Cleaning & QC
Trained operators clean in place using non-abrasive dry ice. We work in shifts to match outage windows and document progress as we go.
5. Walkthrough & Turnover
A final walkthrough confirms results with your team. We leave the work area clean — no grit, no media, no slurry to dispose of.
Why Facilities Choose This Method
Dry — No Water
CO₂ pellets sublimate on impact. No water intrusion into bearings, electrical components, or insulation; no drying time before restart.
Non-Abrasive
Helps protect tooling, fins, gaskets, and finished surfaces that grit blasting would profile or pit.
Non-Conductive
Suited for cleaning around electrical components when paired with proper LOTO, PPE, and clearance procedures.
No Secondary Waste
Only the removed contaminant needs to be collected. No spent blast media, no slurry, no chemical wash water.
In-Place Cleaning
Most equipment can be cleaned without disassembly — reducing labor, downtime, and re-commissioning risk.
FDA-GRAS CO₂
CO₂ is recognized by the FDA as Generally Recognized as Safe under cGMP, supporting use on food-zone equipment by trained operators.
Equipment & Surfaces We Commonly Clean
- Conveyors, augers, and rollers
- Motors, pumps, gearboxes
- Robotic cells and end-of-arm tooling
- Injection and compression molds
- Heat exchangers and tube bundles
- Switchgear, MCCs, transformers
- Generators, rotors, stators
- Turbines and inlet houses
- Bakery ovens, mixers, fillers
- Tanks, vessels, and structural steel
Frequently Asked Questions
Is dry ice blasting better than water lancing for HRSGs?
For most fouling, yes, because there is no dry-out period, no wastewater, and no risk of leaving moisture in the gas path or under insulation. Water lancing still has a place on heavy, hardened deposits, but it costs you outage time on the back end that dry ice does not.
Will blasting damage the fins?
Not at correct parameters. Dry ice is non-abrasive and does not erode fin material; the cleaning action comes from thermal shock and gas expansion at the bond line, not from impact abrasion. Fin deformation is a risk with high-pressure water and grit, which is a large part of why owners move to CO₂.
Can you clean SCR catalyst in place?
Yes. Face cleaning of SCR and CO catalyst is performed in place with vacuum recovery. Modules with structural damage or advanced poisoning are a replacement question rather than a cleaning question, and we will say so.
How much backpressure recovery should we expect?
That depends on how fouled the unit is and where the restriction actually sits, so we do not publish a number. We document condition by module before and after so your performance team can attribute the change accurately.
Does dry ice blasting damage equipment?
Dry ice blasting is non-abrasive. Solid CO₂ pellets are much softer than sand, walnut shell, or soda media. The cleaning action comes from thermal shock and the kinetic effect of sublimating pellets — not abrasion. When operated correctly it removes contaminants while leaving the underlying substrate intact.
Can equipment stay in place during cleaning?
Yes. The dry, non-conductive process allows most equipment to be cleaned in place — including production lines, motors, robotics, switchgear, and turbines — provided proper lockout/tagout and clearance procedures are followed.
Looking for service in a specific state? See our locations, browse all services, or explore industries we serve.
Other Equipment We Clean
Dry Ice Blasting for Gas & Steam Turbines
turbine cleaningDry Ice Blasting for Generators & Electrical Machines
generator cleaningDry Ice Blasting for Molds & Production Tooling
mold cleaningDry Ice Blasting for Ovens, Dryers, Conveyors & Food Lines
food equipment cleaningDry Ice Blasting for Printing Presses & Converting Equipment
printing press cleaningDry Ice Blasting for Radiators, Coolers & Heat Exchangers
radiator cleaningHRSG Tube Bundle, SCR Catalyst & AIG Cleaning
Talk to a specialist about your equipment and your window.