Method for measuring ash/slag deposition in a utility boiler

Abstract

A method for measuring ash/slag deposition in an operating utility boiler. The method has the following steps: i) providing a probe for the boiler wherein the probe has at least one thermocouple therein or thereon for measuring temperature; ii) measuring the temperature at the thermocouple at a baseline time; iii) measuring the temperature at least one thermocouple at a pre-determined time later than the baseline time; and iv) comparing the temperature at the baseline time to the temperature at the pre-determined time to correlate to a level of deposition. There is also a utility boiler system.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.