Scouring Cleaning Balls – Types RB / RBL

Typical Applications

RB and RBL scouring cleaning balls are designed for use in online tube cleaning systems operating at temperatures up to 80°C, such as steam condensers and heat exchangers in conventional and nuclear power plants.

They are specifically intended for removing adherent deposits that cannot be effectively cleaned by standard sponge rubber cleaning balls, but where the use of abrasive cleaning balls is either undesirable or not recommended.

A typical application is the removal of biofouling from titanium condenser tubes cooled by seawater. Conventional sponge balls often smear these deposits across the tube surface rather than removing them completely, whereas RB and RBL scouring balls effectively loosen and remove the fouling without damaging the tube material.

Available Sizes

RB and RBL scouring cleaning balls are available in standard diameters ranging from 15 mm to 45 mm, in 1 mm increments.

Hardness

The balls are available in the following hardness grades:

• Soft
• Medium
• Hard
• Extra Hard

Material Composition

RB and RBL scouring balls are manufactured from a specially formulated natural rubber compound containing inert granular fillers.

The filler-to-rubber ratio is approximately 1:2, while the compound contains approximately 10–20% vulcanizing agents. In addition, it incorporates fine, hard granular particles that provide the required cleaning action.

The compound has been carefully optimized to achieve the best balance between:

• Cleaning performance
• Mechanical strength
• Service life

The granular filler material is specifically selected to be softer than commercially available condenser-grade titanium tubing, ensuring effective cleaning without causing damage to the tube surface.

Colour Identification

The standard colours are:

• RB:Blue
• RBL:Yellow

Water Saturation and Settling Characteristics

Before use, the balls should be fully saturated with water by repeatedly compressing them under water to remove all trapped air.

Typical settling velocities are:

• RB Type:3–6 cm/s
• RBL Type:1–4 cm/s

Cleaning Performance

The cleaning effectiveness of scouring balls depends largely on the nature of the deposits being removed.

In general, their cleaning performance is comparable to that of abrasive cleaning balls, while eliminating the risk of abrasive damage to the tube surface.

The embedded granular particles prevent the deposits from being merely smeared over the tube wall and instead promote their complete removal.

Continuous Operation

Unlike abrasive cleaning balls, which may cause excessive wear if used continuously, RB and RBL scouring balls do not attack the underlying titanium tube material.

Therefore, they are suitable for:

• Continuous online operation
• Periodic cleaning cycles

making them ideal for routine condenser tube cleaning in seawater-cooled systems.

Ball Service Life

The service life of RB and RBL scouring balls depends primarily on:

• Cleaning frequency
• Tube surface condition
• Type of fouling

Under normal operating conditions, the typical service life is approximately six weeks, although considerably longer service life may be achieved depending on site conditions and operating frequency.

Unlike coated abrasive balls, whose abrasive layer is typically worn away after approximately 16 operating hours, RB and RBL scouring balls maintain their cleaning capability throughout their entire service life because the cleaning particles are uniformly distributed throughout the ball material.