Laser system for slag removal

A slag removal system for a boiler comprising:

• a mobile trailer including a control room;
• a main laser operating unit connected with the trailer;
• a portable optical targeting system operationally connected to the laser unit;
• a computer in the control room for operating the laser unit and the targeting system;
• fiber optic cable connecting the targeting system and the laser unit;
• and wherein the laser unit includes a power source, and a cooling system.

A method of deslagging a boiler while the boiler is still in operation comprising the steps of:

• transporting a deslagging system;
• setting-up the deslagging system including the steps of;
• booting-up a computer in a control room,
• warming up a laser to include mixing chemicals to power a laser,
• laying-out fiber optics needed to reach the boiler, and
• connecting the fiber optics to a gun targeting system and the laser;
• setting-up the gun;
• relaying the set-up information to the control room;
• feeding targeting information from the control room;
• activating the deslagging system;
• and
• operating the deslagging system to remove slag from internal structures within the boiler.

A system for extending the typical maintenance schedule of a power plant comprising:

• an on-line boiler including walls, an observation portal and a boiler tube having surfaces;
• a laser main unit having a laser which does not pit and groove the surfaces of the tube and reduces the mess normally associated with tube cleaning;
• a fiber optic cable connected to the laser main unit;
• a gun connected to the cable for targeting and safely removing slag from the boiler tube through the observation portal outside the walls of a boiler;
• and
• a measuring system to help determine the distance the slag is from the portal.