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US 5,473,787 AGranted
Method and apparatus for cleaning tubes of heat exchangers
AssigneeBetz Laboratories, Inc.
InventorJames F. Echols
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Apparatus and method are provided for on-line cleaning of the tubes of a heat exchanger. Tube cleaners are comprised of two members, a rigid flotation member and an elastomeric cleaning member. The cleaner has a selected density to allow uniform distribution through the tubes and to allow recovery by surface extraction or by strainers. Pressures as the cleaner enters or flows along a tube may be measured and selected.
Claims15
A unidirectional tube cleaner comprising:
- a first end and a second end;
- said first end comprising a flotation member having a matrix of rigid material and a maximum dimension, the maximum dimension being less than the inside diameter of the tube to be cleaned by a selected distance, the flotation member having a neck adapted to receive and retain an elastomeric material and having a selected density;
- and
- said second end comprising a cleaning member having a matrix of elastomeric material in the form of a disk having a hole therethrough adapted to engage the neck of the flotation member, the disk having a thickness in the range from about 0.045 to about 0.100 inch and a selected density, wherein the density of the flotation member and the cleaning member are selected to form a tube cleaner having a relative specific gravity in the range from about 0.9 to about 1.1.
1 more element
A method of cleaning the tubes of a heat exchanger while cooling fluid is passing through the tubes comprising:
- injecting into the stream of cooling fluid upstream from the heat exchanger a unidirectional tube cleaner, the tube cleaner having a first end and a second end, said first end comprising a flotation member having a matrix of rigid material and a maximum dimension, the maximum dimension being less than the inside diameter of the tube to be cleaned by a selected distance, the flotation member having a neck adapted to receive and retain an elastomeric material and having a selected density and said second end comprising a cleaning member having a matrix of elastomeric material in the form of a disk and a hole therethrough adapted to engage the neck of the flotation member, the disk having a thickness in the range from about 0.045 to about 0.100 inch and a selected density, wherein the density of the flotation member and the cleaning member are selected to form a tube cleaner having a relative specific gravity in the range from about 0.9 to about 1.1;
- recovering from the stream of cooling fluid downstream of the heat exchanger the tube cleaner;
- and
- re-cycling the tube cleaners back to the point of injection into the stream of cooling fluid.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.