Oil products removal before reparing

Dear All

As you know in petrochemical and refinery industry are used a lot of heat exchangers. Sometimes due tube leaks these exchangers need to be removed from the process unit to be repaired. Usual procedure say to be purged with steam before to start any mecanical activity for any exchanger to remove any carbon deposit. For sure this action take some days and a lot of steam, mean spent power.

Please suggest any alternative to inert the heat exchanger before to open it in safe condition.

Many thanks in advance