Pulse detonation cleaning apparatus
AssigneeUnited Technologies Corporation
InventorsJames R. Hochstein, JR., David E. Steele, Thomas R.A. Bussing, John P. Harty
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The burning of fuel (e.g., coal) in industrial equipment generates an exhaust flow containing airborne particulate. The flow is passed through a rotary heat exchanger to preheat inlet air. The heat exchanger element is subject to fouling and is cleaned by a pulsed combustion device. The device is operated by introducing a fuel and oxidizer charge to at least one conduit and initiating combustion of the charge. The combustion generates a shock wave to which the element is exposed, dislodging and/or otherwise removing the deposits.
Claims24
An apparatus comprising:
- a combustor;
- an inlet air flowpath extending to the combustor;
- an exhaust flowpath extending from the combustor;
- a rotary heat exchanger along the inlet air flowpath and exhaust flowpath;
- and
- a pulsed-combustion device positioned to direct a shock wave toward a core of the heat exchanger and comprising:
- a source of fuel and oxidizer;
- at least one combustion conduit coupled to the source to receive charges of said fuel and oxidizer;
- and
- at least one ignitor coupled to the combustion conduit to ignite the charges.
An apparatus comprising:
- a combustor;
- an exhaust flowpath extending from the combustor;
- an inlet air flowpath extending to the combustor;
- a rotary heat exchanger along the inlet air flowpath and exhaust flowpath;
- and
- pulsed-combustion means for cleaning a core of the rotary heat exchanger.
A method for operating a plant comprising:
- burning a plant fuel and generating a flow containing particles;
- passing the flow through a heat exchanger to heat an inlet air flow;
- and
- cleaning a core of the heat exchanger by a pulsed detonation process including:
- introducing a fuel and oxidizer charge to at least one conduit;
- initiating combustion of the charge;
- and
- exposing the core to shock waves generated by combustion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.