Chiller Tube Cleaning Balls: Sizes & Selection
The cleaning ball is the working part of every ATCS. Get the size and material wrong and the system either fails to clean or risks lodging. Here is how to specify them.
Diameter: Slight Oversize, Tight Tolerance
Balls are specified *about 1-2 mm larger than the tube inner diameter so they wipe the wall under mild pressure, and held to a 0.1 mm diameter tolerance* for consistent fit across the bundle. HyApexFlow supplies custom diameters for DN100-500 condensers.
Material: Match the Deposit
– *Sponge / soft balls: for biofilm and soft sludge, the most common duty. – Rubber / firmer balls:* for harder scale or where more aggressive wiping is needed.
Lifecycle and Recovery
Balls wear with use and must be recovered by the catch system to keep the loop balanced; replacement intervals depend on water quality and cycle frequency. Correct selection is why HyApexFlow verifies tube OD and water profile before specifying ball type and count.
Get a Site-Specific Recommendation
HyApexFlow engineers size every system to your condenser tube material, water quality, duty cycle, and installed chiller brand (we already support 18 major OEMs). Send us your chiller model, condenser tube OD, and water-source type for a fouling-risk estimate and a recommended ATCS or dosing configuration.
Explore the [Automatic Condenser Tube Cleaning System](https://www.hyapexflow.com/automatic-condenser-tube-cleaning-system/) or the [Chemical Dosing System](https://www.hyapexflow.com/chemical-dosing-system/) for full specifications.
Explore more in our Automatic Condenser Tube Cleaning (ATCS) →