Air-cooled heat exchangers (ACHE) and condensers are essential to large energy and process-industry facilities. Their performance directly affects throughput, energy efficiency, emissions control, and operational stability. When cooling performance declines, it directly translates into financial losses. From there, the effects compound: higher fan power consumption, increased emissions, reduced operating margins, and greater strain on critical assets.

In 1994, we introduced DECAMEX® to address these challenges. From the outset, it was designed to combine productivity and sustainability. The process cleans air-side surfaces online without water, foam, or effluent, providing immediate performance recovery and reducing environmental impact.

Three decades later, as we celebrate 100 years in service, DECAMEX® enters a new phase beyond cleaning alone. The new generation of DECAMEX®, launched in 2026, has evolved into a data-driven, safety-focused solution for ACHE throughout the energy sector.

The New Generation of DECAMEX®: From Cleaning Intervention to a Performance Program

Industrial expectations now focus on demonstrating proven performance rather than just completing cleaning processes. Operators quantify airflow gains, heat-transfer improvements, and energy savings to plan preventive interventions rather than just react to fouling.

The new generation of DECAMEX® adds practical monitoring and validation tools to support this shift, turning each intervention into a continuous performance program that includes:

Airflow rate measurement

On forced-draft ACHE units, DECAMEX® measures airflow before and after cleaning at selected locations, to demonstrate restored air movement across the bundle. For all configurations, we systematically document fouling and results with photographs and light transmission tests, visually confirming that deposits have been removed through the depth of the bundle. These metrics provide objective evidence of reduced resistance and support informed decisions on cooling performance and maintenance scheduling.

Heat-exchange efficiency monitoring

We work closely with operators to help them connect cleaning results with thermal duty and process performance. While only the client can calculate heat‑exchange efficiency using internal process data, our before‑and‑after airflow and visual observations support these calculations and make it easier to correlate the DECAMEX® process with throughput, energy efficiency, and operating stability.

Equipment condition checks

During the DECAMEX® process, our team remains attentive to the behavior of fans and structures. If we detect abnormal vibration or noise, we alert site teams to the need for mechanical inspections. Visual inspections, including photos and remote viewing tools where appropriate, also help identify obvious signs of corrosion or material degradation so operators can plan targeted follow‑up without additional shutdowns.

Formulation and application improvements

We continually improve product formulation and application methods to increase consistency, efficiency, and compliance with environmental and safety standards. Third-party laboratory and university testing confirmed DECAMEX® does not cause metal abrasion, corrosion, or stress-corrosion cracking on aluminum or stainless-steel fin-fans. Optimized application helps shorten intervention times and reduce resource use, supporting both operational and HSE performance objectives.

These capabilities position DECAMEX® as a performance-management solution for the future. By integrating measured data, visual validation, and mechanical indicators, operators gain deeper insight into cooling-system behavior and asset condition.

With these insights, we build long-term trusted partnerships, helping operators design and refine maintenance programs that keep their most critical cooling assets performing over time.

This approach enables advanced performance monitoring, supports preventive maintenance, and enhances safety by reducing uncertainty and exposure while addressing issues early.

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The Road to DECAMEX®

To understand why DECAMEX® and its latest evolution matter, it helps to look back at how ACHE cleaning was typically performed.

Before DECAMEX®: The Limits of Traditional Air-Cooled Heat Exchanger Cleaning

Operators historically relied on offline water or foam-based methods to clean ACHEs and condensers. Each had inherent advantages, limitations, and hidden costs:

Method How it Works Advantages Limitations Financial Impact
Water cleaning High‑pressure water sprayed on finned bundles Familiar method, simple concept
  • Requires shutdown and scaffolding;
  • Risk to motors and electrics;
  • Partial depth cleaning;
  • Risk of damaging the fins and compacting deposits if bad application
  • Large volumes of contaminated water to collect and treat

High

(downtime and wastewater handling)
Foam/soap cleaning Chemical foam applied to the fins, then rinsed
  • Better wetting vs plain water;
  • Can help on oily fouling
  • Requires shutdown and scaffolding;
  • Risk of compacting deposits deeper in the bundle;
  • Large volume of effluent and chemical to treat

High

(chemicals, effluent, and outage)

CO₂ (dry ice) cleaning Dry ice projected onto the fins to dislodge deposits
  • No liquid effluent;
  • Reduced water management

 

 
  • Access and safety constraints remain;
  • Limited penetration on deep bundles;
  • Potential fin damage;
  • Slower progress on large ACHE banks

High

(specialized equipment and time)

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By the early 1990s, it was clear that the industry needed a new approach to restore cooling performance without compromising safety, operations, or environmental responsibility.

A New Way to Restore Cooling Performance

We developed DECAMEX® to address these limitations. Its core principle is straightforward: Thoroughly clean ACHE and condensers during operation using a dry, biodegradable process.

DECAMEX ® is the only solution in the market authorized to clean both the front and backside of the tube bundle, reaching up to 12 rows deep without any reduction in cleaning efficiency. The process ensures full-depth bundle penetration, rather than partial surface cleaning.

Our technicians apply a specially formulated dry powder with low-pressure compressed air using an equipment specifically designed and engineered by CTP for the DECAMEX® process. The application is performed without water or foam and adapted to each ACHE configuration:

  • On induced‑draft units, fans can remain in operation during cleaning, avoiding production losses that typically accompany traditional methods.
  • On forced‑draft units, the fan is shut down for approximately 45 minutes to one hour, while the process itself remains online.
  • On A‑frame units, the fan is usually shut down during the intervention.

Technicians work from the ground level or existing platforms, eliminating the need for scaffolding, plenum access, or walking on bundles. Controlled low-pressure air propels powder between fins, dislodging deposits throughout the bundle. Because the process generates zero liquid effluent, site logistics are simpler, and environmental impact is minimal.

This process offers distinct advantages that still set it apart today. Its proven capacity to not cause abrasion, corrosion, or stress-corrosion cracking on aluminum or stainless-steel fin helps preserve finned‑tube integrity over the long term. With no liquid discharge and minimal intervention time, it also has a smaller environmental footprint than traditional wet methods.

This combination of online, complete cleaning, equipment safety, and zero effluent makes DECAMEX® especially practical for continuous operations that require reliable cooling.

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Why Operators Rely on DECAMEX® Worldwide

The effectiveness of any cleaning method relies on its field results. DECAMEX® has built its reputation on consistent, measurable outcomes in real operating environments. Operators see rapid improvements in performance and ROI, with significant gains in airflow and heat transfer compared to alternative methods across multiple projects.

At an LNG plant on the U.S. Gulf Coast, we applied the DECAMEX® process to 820 fin fans after five years of operation. Following the procedure, the plant reported improved efficiency and substantial gains in fan performance compared to previous methods. Read the full story here.

We have documented similar results in refining and energy-from-waste facilities. In these plants, improved cooling after DECAMEX® led to greater process stability and efficiency during high temperatures.

Beyond performance, operators choose DECAMEX® for the way we deliver the service. We provide an all‑inclusive solution: a single specialist team manages the full scope of the intervention instead of requiring multiple suppliers for scaffolding, motor protection, waste management, and slow, fragmented applications. This simplifies coordination, reduces interfaces, and helps keep schedules and HSE controls under tighter control.

Over time, we have also extended DECAMEX ® capabilities to address particular fouling challenges, including the removal of certain calcium‑based deposits.

Safety remains a key advantage. By eliminating scaffolding, plenum entry, and water near electrical equipment, DECAMEX ® significantly reduces risk for maintenance teams. In North America, our operations are also qualified through ISN, AVETTA, NCMS, and DISA, providing an additional layer of assurance for HSE and procurement teams.

Environmental benefits go beyond zero effluent. DECAMEX® uses a biodegradable formulation and complies with applicable environmental and water-treatment standards. By restoring airflow and cooling efficiency, the process reduces fan power consumption and supports broader energy efficiency and decarbonization objectives through lower emission intensity.

Today, operators use DECAMEX® worldwide in refining, petrochemicals, LNG plants, power generation, nuclear, and other process-industry facilities. The solution's track record spans more than 45 countries and thousands of cleaned fin fans, with each project supported by regional teams familiar with local operations and regulations. This demonstrates the process’s adaptability to various designs, climates, and constraints while ensuring consistent results.

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From a 1994 Breakthrough to the Next Era of Cooling Performance

We introduced DECAMEX® in 1994, transforming ACHE maintenance. Its dry, online process with zero effluent and proven material safety provided operators a way to protect cooling performance without the compromises of traditional methods.

This breakthrough was the result of CTP's decades of innovation in furnace and heat-exchanger cleaning. We applied field experience to develop practical, safe, and effective methods for restoring thermal performance under real operating constraints.

Today, as we celebrate a century of service to the industry, DECAMEX® honors our legacy while continuing to drive progress. The new generation offers enhanced monitoring, preventive, and safety features, as well as sustainability-focused improvements to address challenges such as decarbonization, water stewardship, safety, and asset optimization.