# US 10,502,510 B2 · Cleaning tubesheets of heat exchangers > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,502,510 B2 - Document ID: US10502510B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/019,389 - Filed: 2016-02-09 - Published: 2017-08-10 - Granted: 2019-12-10 - Earliest claimed: 2016-02-09 - Assignees: Babcock Power Services, Inc. - Applicants: Babcock Power Services, Inc. - Inventors: Joseph A. Nitzken - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10502510B2 ## CPC - F28G 3/163: {from internal surfaces of heat exchange conduits} - B08B 3/02: Cleaning by the force of jets or sprays - B08B 9/00: Cleaning hollow articles by methods or apparatus specially adapted thereto - F28B 1/02: using water or other liquid as the cooling medium - F28D 7/16: the conduits being arranged in parallel spaced relation ({F28D7/0008 - F28D7/0058 take precedence}; F28D7/02 - F28D7/10 take precedence) - F28F 9/0131: {formed by plates (F28F9/0138 takes precedence)} - F28G 3/16: using jets of fluid for removing debris - F28G 15/003: {Control arrangements} - F28G: CLEANING OF INTERNAL OR EXTERNAL SURFACES OF HEAT-EXCHANGE OR HEAT-TRANSFER CONDUITS, e.g. WATER TUBES OR BOILERS (cleaning pipes or tubes in general B08B9/02; devices or arrangements for removing water, minerals, or sludge from boilers while the boiler is in operation, or which remain in position while the boiler is in operation, or are specifically adapted to boilers without any other utility F22B37/48; removal or treatment of combustion products or combustion residues F23J; removing ice from heat-exchange apparatus F28F17/00) - B08B: CLEANING IN GENERAL; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL - F28B: STEAM OR VAPOUR CONDENSERS (condensation of vapours B01D5/00; steam engine plants having condensers F01K; liquefaction of gases F25J; details of heat-exchange and heat-transfer arrangements of general application F28F) - F28D: HEAT-EXCHANGE APPARATUS, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN ANOTHER SUBCLASS, IN WHICH THE HEAT-EXCHANGE MEDIA DO NOT COME INTO DIRECT CONTACT (fluid heaters having heat generating means and heat transferring means F24H; furnaces F27; details of heat-exchange apparatus of general) - F28F: DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION (water and air traps, air venting F16) ## Abstract A heat exchange system includes a shell having an interior with an inlet and an outlet wherein a first fluid circuit is defined from the inlet, through a heat exchange volume within the interior of the shell, to the outlet. A tubesheet is mounted within the shell dividing between the heat exchange volume and a plenum of a second fluid circuit within the interior of the shell. A set of tubes extends through the heat exchange volume, a respective interior passage of each tube being in fluid communication with the plenum through a respective opening though the tubesheet. The second fluid circuit includes the plenum and interior passages of the tubes. A spray nozzle is mounted in the plenum of the second fluid circuit with a spray outlet directed toward the tubesheet for cleaning the tubesheet with a submerged impingement jet issued from the spray nozzle. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A heat exchange system comprising: a shell having an interior with an inlet and an outlet wherein a first fluid circuit is defined from the inlet, through a heat exchange volume within the interior of the shell, to the outlet; a tubesheet mounted within the shell dividing between the heat exchange volume and a plenum of a second fluid circuit within the interior of the shell; a set of tubes extending through the heat exchange volume, a respective interior passage of each tube being in fluid communication with the plenum through a respective opening though the tubesheet, wherein the second fluid circuit includes the plenum and interior passages of the tubes; a spray nozzle mounted in the plenum of the second fluid circuit with a spray outlet directed toward the tubesheet for cleaning the tubesheet with a submerged impingement jet issued from the spray nozzle, wherein the spray nozzle includes a mechanism configured to move the spray outlet through a procession of angles rotating in a first direction relative to the tubesheet about a first axis and rotating in a second direction about a second axis different from the first axis, to move the impingement jet over an area of the tubesheet; and wherein neither of the first and second axes is fixed normal to the tubesheet. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the mechanism includes at least one of fluid driven gears or vanes for moving the spray outlet under power of fluid passing through the spray nozzle. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A system as recited in claim 1, wherein an inlet conduit is connected in fluid communication with the plenum of the second fluid circuit for supplying fluid from an external source to the plenum, wherein a secondary conduit connects the spray nozzle in fluid communication with the inlet conduit for supplying fluid to be issued from the spray nozzle as the impingement jet. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) A system as recited in claim 3, wherein at least one of a pump or higher pressure source is included in the secondary conduit for raising pressure in the fluid supplied to be issued from the spray nozzle. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) A system as recited in claim 4, wherein a filter is included in the secondary conduit upstream of the pump to reduce or prevent impurities fouling the spray nozzle. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) A system as recited in claim 3, wherein the spray nozzle is a first spray nozzle in a plurality of spray nozzles mounted in the plenum, wherein the spray nozzles are all in fluid communication with the secondary conduit. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) A system as recited in claim 6, wherein the spray nozzles are arranged in a pattern configured to provide cleaning sprays to clean the tube sheet completely on a plenum side thereof. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) A system as recited in claim 7, wherein the spray nozzles are each operatively connected to a controller configured to activate and deactivate the spray nozzles individually. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the tubesheet is a first tube sheet, the plenum is a first plenum, the spray nozzle is a first spray nozzle, and further comprising: a second tubesheet mounted within the shell dividing between the heat exchange volume and a second plenum of the second fluid circuit within the interior of the shell, wherein each of the tubes extends between a respective opening in the first tubesheet and a respective opening in the second tubesheet for fluid communication between the first and second plena through the tubes; and a second spray nozzle mounted in the second plenum with a spray outlet directed toward the second tubesheet for cleaning the second tubesheet with a submerged impingement jet issued from the second spray nozzle. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) A system as recited in claim 9, wherein an inlet conduit is connected in fluid communication with the plenum of the second fluid circuit for supplying fluid from an external source to the plenum, wherein a secondary conduit connects the first spray nozzle in fluid communication with the inlet conduit for supplying fluid to be issued from the first spray nozzle, and wherein a branch of the secondary conduit connects the second spray nozzle in fluid communication with the inlet conduit for supplying fluid to be issued from the second spray nozzle.