Apparatus and method for cleaning smelt spouts and smelt discharge openings of a chemicals recovery furnace or boiler
AssigneeMats Bertilsson Förvaltning AB
InventorMats Bertilsson
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Abstract
An apparatus comprising a cleaning rod driven in reciprocating, axial extension (y) and retraction (x) movements upon cleaning a smelt discharge opening of a chemicals recovery boiler, wherein a linear actuator is controllable for driving the cleaning rod in the axial movements. A pivot actuation means is controllable for pivoting the cleaning rod about an axis (S) upon cleaning a smelt spout associated with the smelt discharge opening, wherein one or more sensors are arranged to provide control basis for correlation of the axial movements (x; y) with the change in pivot angle (φ) during pivoting of the cleaning rod. A method to be performed in use of the apparatus is likewise disclosed.
Claims18
An apparatus comprising:
- a chassis frame having a length dimension and a transverse dimension, the chassis frame pivotally journaled about a horizontal axis in a supporting arm that is fixed relative to a chemicals recovery boiler;
- a pivot actuation means configured for acting on the chassis frame and operable for pivoting the chassis frame about the axis;
- a cleaning rod supported on the chassis frame in a driver member that is arranged slidable on guide bars extending in the length direction of the chassis frame;
- a linear actuator operable for moving the driver member in back-and-forth movements on the guide bars for linear retraction (x) and linear extension, respectively, of the cleaning rod in axial directions of the cleaning rod;
- and
- one or more sensors configured to provide signals used for active control of the pivot actuation means and the linear actuator, to thereby adaptively control linear retraction of the cleaning rod relative to a downwards swinging motion of the chassis frame and cleaning rod.
A method of cleaning a smelt spout and a smelt discharge opening of a chemicals recovery boiler by using a cleaning apparatus comprising:
- a chassis frame having a length dimension and a transverse dimension, the chassis frame pivotally journaled about a horizontal axis in a supporting arm that is fixed relative to a chemicals recovery boiler;
- a pivot actuation means configured for acting on the chassis frame and operable for pivoting the chassis frame about the axis;
- a cleaning rod supported on the chassis frame in a driver member that is arranged slidable on guide bars extending in the length direction of the chassis frame;
- a linear actuator operable for moving the driver member in back-and-forth movements on the guide bars for linear retraction (x) and linear extension, respectively, of the cleaning rod in axial directions of the cleaning rod;
- and one or more sensors configured to provide signals used for active control of the pivot actuation means and the linear actuator, wherein the method comprises:
- sequentially extending and retracting the cleaning rod axially in a step of cleaning the smelt discharge opening;
- and
- pivoting the cleaning rod in a step of cleaning the smelt spout,
- wherein axial movements (x;
- y) of the cleaning rod are correlated with the change in pivot angle (φ) during pivoting of the cleaning rod based on readings from one or more sensors, wherein linear retraction of the cleaning rod is adaptively controlled relative to a downwards swinging motion of the chassis frame and cleaning rod.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.