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US 11,125,378 B2Granted
Aseptic high temperature heat exchanger inspection system
OwnerHerve' X. Bronnertinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An inspection system for a heat exchanger having a vision system to obtain an image of an inner surface of the at least one tube.
Claims20
An apparatus comprising:
- a heat exchanger having a plurality of inner tubes located within an outer tube;
- a camera having an optical element removably received within one of the inner tubes;
- a mobile carriage supporting and moving the optical element between an in-use position within one of the inner tubes and a non in-use position outside of the inner tube;
- a first valve movable between an open orientation and a closed orientation, wherein the mobile carriage moves the optical element through the first valve when the first valve is in the open orientation, the first valve sealing the heat exchanger from the camera when the first valve is in the closed position and the first valve is intermediate the optical element and the inner tubes;
- a light source illuminates an internal surface of one of the inner tubes proximate to the hot water inlet port when the optical element is in the in-use position, and the camera obtaining an image of the illuminated internal surface.
2 more elements
An apparatus comprising:
- a heat exchanger having a plurality of inner tubes located within an outer tube, wherein one of the plurality of the inner tubes is closest to a hot water inlet port through which hot water enters the outer tube;
- a camera having a field of view;
- a mobile carriage supporting and moving the camera moving from a first in-use position to a second non in-use position;
- a valve movable form a closed orientation to an open orientation, wherein a portion of the mobile carriage moves the camera through the valve from the non in-use position to the in-use position, the camera being in the in-use position when the valve is in the open orientation and in the non in-use position when the valve is in the closed orientation;
- a light source illuminating an internal surface of one of the inner tubes proximate to the hot water inlet port, and the camera obtaining an image of the illuminated internal surface.
2 more elements
An apparatus comprising:
- a heat exchanger having a plurality of inner tubes located within an outer tube;
- a camera including a borescope having a rod with an optical element on a distal end of the rod;
- the distal end of the rod being removably received within one of the inner tubes;
- a mobile carriage supporting and moving the rod between an in-use position where the distal end of the rod and optical element are within one of the inner tubes and a non in-use position outside of the inner tube;
- a first valve and a second valve each movable between an open orientation and a closed orientation respectively, wherein the mobile carriage moves the rod and optical element through the first valve and second valve when the first valve and second valve are in the open orientation, the first valve and second valve are sealing the heat exchanger from the camera when the first valve and second valve are in the closed position and the first valve and second valve are intermediate the optical element and the inner tubes.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.