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US 4,047,972 AGranted
Method for thermally de-sooting heat transfer surfaces
AssigneeWestinghouse Electric Corp.
InventorsJames P. Stumbar, Daniel E. Carl, Suh Y. Lee
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Utilizing a CO monitor to control thermal de-sooting of a heat exchanger in order to prevent run-away reactions.
Claims6
A method for removing carbonaceous deposits which form on the outside of heat exchanger tubes disposed to extract heat from hot exhaust gases from a fossil fuel energy system, said method of removing carbonaceous deposits comprising the steps of:
- shutting down the system;
- draining water from the heat exchanger tubes;
- blanketing the inside of the heat exchanger tubes with an inert gas;
- starting up the energy system and stabilizing its operation at a minimum temperature;
- maintaining a predetermined CO level of the effluent hot exhaust gases leaving the heat exchangers;
- increasing the inlet temperature of the influent hot exhaust gases entering the heat exchanger until the CO level of the effluent gases leaving the heat exchanger is within a predetermined range, maintaining the temperature of the influent hot exhaust gases at a level which results in a CO level in the effluent hot exhaust gases leaving the heat exchanger not to exceed a predetermined limit;
- said predetermined limit of CO being sufficient to oxidize and remove the carbonaceous deposits from the outer surface of the heat exchanger without igniting the carbonaceous deposits and thereby preventing a run-away reaction which would damage the heat exchanger.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.