Cleaning system for tube and shell heat exchanger

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016116237-A1
Application number	US-201414523201-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 24, 2014
Priority date	Oct 24, 2014
Publication date	Apr 28, 2016
Grant date	—

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

1 : A cleaning system 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; a plunger that is connected to the positioner that is configured to attach to a tube of the online tube and shell heat exchanger and regulate circulation of a fluid passing through the tube while the heat exchanger system is online; and a cleaning element that is configured to pass through the plunger and into the tube of the 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.

2 : The cleaning system of claim 1 , wherein:
the positioner includes a round rail sliding on a fixed rail support fixed on a face of the online tube and shell heat exchanger; and the cleaning system further comprises an angular selector that rotates the round rail to a rotational position according to a (r, θ) coordinate selection system.

3 : The cleaning system of claim 1 , wherein the positioner includes two straight rails one normal to each other and one is fixed on top the other, and the cleaning system further comprises two motors configured to horizontally and vertically position the plunger allow by two coordinates (x, y) for each tube.

4 : The cleaning system of claim 2 , wherein:
the positioner is configured to balance a flow between the fluid and the cleaning element and the flow creates a rotation action by a turbine present on the cleaning element to clean the tube.

5 : The cleaning system of claim 1 , wherein:
the plunger includes a motor; 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.

6 : The cleaning system of claim 5 , wherein:
the plunger is configured to control a flow of the fluid in the tube; and the flow rate of the fluid controls a rotational rate of a rotational brush present on the cleaning element.

7 : The cleaning system of claim 1 , wherein:
the cleaning element includes a cable; and a rotating brush.

8 : The cleaning system of claim 7 , wherein:
the cleaning element further comprises at least one from the group consisting of a non-rotating element; an ultrasonic resonator; a nozzle; and a wire brush.

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

10 : The cleaning system of claim 1 , wherein:
the system cleans one tube of the heat exchanger at a time.

11 : The cleaning system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a diagnostic tool fitted to the cleaning system.

12 : A method for cleaning a tube and shell heat exchanger, comprising:
positioning a cleaning mechanism to a tube of the tube and shell heat exchanger within an inlet or outlet tube plenum; attaching a plunger to the tube and to isolate the tube of the tube and shell heat exchanger and establishing a circulation of a fluid within the tube; cleaning the tube and controlling circulation of the fluid within the tube of the tube of the tube and shell heat exchanger; measuring and monitoring one or more diagnostics of the cleaning mechanism; and filtering the fluid from one or more contaminates present in the fluid.

13 : A process for cleaning a heat exchanger system comprising:
cleaning the tubes in the heat exchanger system with the system of claim 1 ; and circulating a cleaning chemical or coating agent in the tube to coat and clean the tube.

Assignees

• Univ King Fahd Pet & Minerals

Inventors

• Alsadah Jihad Hassan
• Mokheimer Esmail M A

Classifications

• F28G15/04

  Feeding and driving arrangements, e.g. power operation · CPC title

• F28G1/16

  using jets of fluid for removing debris (F28G1/12 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F28G15/08

  Locating position of cleaning appliances within conduits · CPC title

• F28G7/00

  Cleaning by vibration {or pressure waves} · CPC title

• B08B9/0535

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