US 7,458,342 B2Granted

Method and system for sootblowing optimization

AssigneeNeuCo, Inc.

InventorsW. Curt Lefebvre, Daniel W. Kohn

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Abstract

A controller determines and adjusts system parameters, including cleanliness levels or sootblower operating settings, that are useful for maintaining the cleanliness of a fossil fuel boiler at an efficient level. Some embodiments use a direct controller to determine cleanliness levels and/or sootblower operating settings. Some embodiments use an indirect controller, with a system model, to determine cleanliness levels and/or sootblower settings. The controller may use a model that is, for example, a neural network, or a mass energy balance, or a genetically programmed model. The controller uses input about the actual performance or state of the boiler for adaptation. The controller may operate in conjunction with a sootblower optimization system that controls the actual settings of the sootblowers. The controller may coordinate cleanliness settings for multiple sootblowers and/or across a plurality of heat zones in the boiler.

Claims9

Dependent claims

A method for determining a set of desired cleanliness levels in a boiler, the boiler defining one or more heat zones, each heat zone having an adjustable cleanliness level associated therewith, the performance of the boiler being characterized by boiler performance parameters, the method comprising:

(a) receiving a boiler performance goal corresponding to at least one of the boiler performance parameters, wherein the boiler performance goal is indicative of a desired objective for the at least one of the boiler performance parameters;
(b) receiving data values corresponding to boiler state variables and to the boiler performance parameters, said boiler state variables including current cleanliness levels associated with each heat zone of the boiler;
(c) determining the set of desired cleanliness levels to satisfy the boiler performance goal using the received data values and the received boiler performance goal, wherein determining the set of desired cleanliness levels includes coordinating the cleanliness levels for the one or more heat zones to satisfy the boiler performance goal;
and
(d) outputting the set of desired cleanliness levels to a sootblowing subsystem including one or more sootblowers and a controller for controlling the one or more sootblowers to maintain the set of desired cleanliness levels in the boiler.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 10/841,592Filed 7 May 2004 · continuation
Priority: 5 Jun 2003
Published: US 2004/0244729 A19 Dec 2004
Granted: 2 Dec 2008
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification9 codes

F23J 3/023
Cleaning furnace tubes; Cleaning flues or chimneys: cleaning the fireside of watertubes in boilers
F22B 37/56
Applicable to more than one kind or type of steam boiler: boiler cleaning control devices, e.g. for ascertaining proper duration of boiler blow-down
F28G 1/16
Non-rotary, e.g. reciprocated, appliances: using jets of fluid for removing debris
F28G 15/003
Details: control arrangements