A method and apparatus for protecting personnel required to work inside of a
heat
exchanger unit when the cooling air fan has been taken out service for maintenance
or repair of the fan or other mechanical equipment, while hot fluid continues to
flow through the heat exchanger tubes, and adjacent heat exchanger units continue
to operate. An inflatable heat shield is inserted into the out of service heat
exchanger unit, and inflated therein to block the convective heat generated by
the hot fluid and the adjacent operating units from reaching the personnel working
inside the heat exchanger unit.
