Cleaning system for tube and shell heat exchanger
AssigneeKing Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals
InventorsJihad Hassan AlSadah, Esmail M. A. Mokheimer
Life of this patent
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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.
Claims8
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, 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 cleaning element 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.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.