Heat exchanger cleaning system with cable and turbine rotation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10175010-B2
Application number	US-201816023867-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 29, 2018
Priority date	Oct 24, 2014
Publication date	Jan 8, 2019
Grant date	Jan 8, 2019

Abstract

An online cleaning system for tube and shell heat exchangers is presented. The system includes a positioner, a plunger, an umbilical cleaner, and a motor. The cleaning system cleans the tubes while the heat exchanger remains in operation. The cleaning system locates and isolates a single tube via rotating and translating mechanical actions and inserts the umbilical cleaner into the tube, which may clean the tube via rotational movement or via sonication. The cleaning system may further clean the outer surface of the tubes of the heat exchanger.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An online cleaning system with connected cleaning elements configured to clean an online tube and shell heat exchanger comprising:
a positioner that locates and isolates a tube of the online tube and shell heat exchanger, wherein the positioner includes an annular rail sliding on a fixed rail support fixed on a face of the online tube and shell heat exchanger:
an angular selector that rotates the annular rail to a rotational position according to a (r,θ) coordinate selection system;
a plunger that is connected to the positioner that is configured to attach to the tube of the online tube and shell heat exchanger while the online tube and shell heat exchanger is online; and
a turbine, at least two moving guides and a plurality of cleaning elements connected by a cable that is configured to pass through the plunger and into the tube of the online tube and shell heat exchanger and is mechanized by circulation of a fluid passing through the tube while the online tube and shell heat exchanger is in operation, wherein the at least two moving guides are connected ahead and behind the turbine, and the plurality of cleaning elements are connected at an end of the cable.

2. The online cleaning system of claim 1 , wherein:
the circulation of the fluid passing through the tube creates a rotation action by the turbine to clean the tube.

3. The online cleaning system of claim 1 , wherein:
the plunger includes a motor positioned to extend a length of the plunger;
the plunger comprises a soft material at a base configured to seal with a base plate of the heat exchanger; and
the plunger connects the tube to an external circulation system.

4. The online cleaning system of claim 1 , wherein:
the plurality of cleaning elements comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of
a nozzle and
a wire brush.

5. The online cleaning system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a filter attached externally to the online tube and shell heat exchanger, wherein the filter is configured to filter contaminates from the fluid.

Assignees

• Univ King Fahd Pet & Minerals

Inventors

• Alsadah Jihad Hassan
• Mokheimer Esmail M A

Classifications

• F28G3/04 Primary

  having brushes (brushes A46B) · CPC title

• B08B9/0535

  the cleaning device being restricted in its movement by a cable or the like · CPC title

• F28G15/02

  Supports for cleaning appliances, e.g. frames · CPC title

• A46B13/02

  power-driven {carriers} · CPC title

• F28G7/00

  Cleaning by vibration {or pressure waves} · CPC title