Tube Cleanliness Verification vs Inspection: What’s the Difference and Why It Matters

At Cokebusters, we’re often asked about the difference between cleanliness verification or CRV (coke removal verification) and our complete inspection services. The two are closely related and both are important to ensuring the safe, efficient operation of process tubing. However while they share similar tools and techniques, they serve very different purposes.

Understanding how they work and how they complement one another, helps operators make better-informed decisions about maintenance, reliability and asset integrity.

Cleanliness Verification: Proving What You Can’t See

After a mechanical decoking or descaling operation, it’s critical to know whether fouling has truly been removed and to what extent. For years, the industry relied on visual indicators such as flow rates, return water colour or the appearance and texture of a sizer pig. These methods were subjective and open to interpretation.

Our clients wanted more concrete evidence that the cleaning process had in fact been effective and so research and development into inspection possibilities was a core part of our business from the moment Cokebusters was established in 2005.

20 years on, our cleanliness verification service replaces guesswork with data. By deploying an intelligent pig during and after mechanical cleaning, we can “see” inside the entire process and verify exactly where residual coke or scale remains.

This allows our mechanical cleaning operators to focus their efforts where fouling persists, improving both safety and efficiency. The result is a scientifically verified outcome rather than a judgement-based one – giving our clients tangible proof of cleaning effectiveness.

Advantages:

• Eliminates the subjective approach to cleaning
• Provides measurable, scientific evidence of cleanliness
• Provides axial and circumferential positions for remaining fouling
• Enables precise quantification of residual deposits
• Maximises cleaning efficiency and turnaround speed

Inspection: Looking Deeper Into Asset Integrity

Once the tubes are verified as clean, the next step is understanding the condition of the tube structure itself. This is where inspection comes in.

Using our smart pigging technology, developed and refined over the past two decades, we can scan both the internal and external surfaces of tubes and pipelines. Our ultrasonic inspection tools detect various defects – even through coatings, insulation and support structures.

This level of insight helps operators quantify residual risk, plan remedial action and extend the service life of their assets.

Cokebusters smart pigs are capable of detecting and quantifying:

• Internal metal loss (local and general)
• External metal loss (local and general)
• Fretting
• Creep (bulging, ovality, swelling)
• Internal fouling (including coke thickness & location)
• Areas of pitting
• Historic repairs
• Dents

Multiple Services Delivering One Seamless Solution

While cleanliness verification confirms that fouling has been removed, inspection assesses the tube’s ongoing integrity. Together, they form part of our combined service approach, which we first patented in 2007.

Our cleaning operators and inspection technicians work side by side, sharing data in real time to ensure a smooth and efficient operation. This collaboration eliminates duplication, reduces downtime and delivers a complete picture of asset condition – from surface cleanliness to structural integrity.

In new installations, we can even perform baseline inspections to create reference data for future maintenance campaigns.

Why It Matters

Cleanliness verification provides the proof that fouling has been effectively removed, giving operators and clients confidence in the outcome of their cleaning campaign. But to understand the condition of the tube itself and make informed integrity decisions, a full inspection delivers complete visibility.

By upgrading from verification to inspection, our clients gain access to detailed wall thickness data, corrosion mapping and integrity insights that support smarter maintenance planning and longer asset life.

At Cokebusters, we don’t just clean tubes – we help our clients see what’s really happening inside them, from cleanliness to condition.

To learn more about our cleanliness verification and inspection services, or to discuss how we can support your next maintenance programme, contact our team.