# US 9,039,841 B2 · Cleaning and/or unblocking of process equipment

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- Number: US 9,039,841 B2
- Document ID: US9039841B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 12/747,847
- Filed: 2008-12-10
- Published: 2010-10-28
- Granted: 2015-05-26
- Earliest claimed: 2007-12-11
- Assignees: Sasol Technology (Proprietary) Limited
- Applicants: Thomas Andries Scheepers Van Staden; Johan Frederick Kirsten
- Inventors: Thomas Andries Scheepers Van Staden; Johan Frederick Kirsten
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9039841B2

## CPC

- B08B 9/00: Cleaning hollow articles by methods or apparatus specially adapted thereto
- B08B 9/0808: {by methods involving the use of tools, e.g. by brushes, scrapers}
- B08B 9/0813: {by the force of jets or sprays}
- C10G 2/344: {according to the "fluidised-bed" technique}
- B08B: CLEANING IN GENERAL; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL
- C10G: CRACKING HYDROCARBON OILS; PRODUCTION OF LIQUID HYDROCARBON MIXTURES, e.g. BY DESTRUCTIVE HYDROGENATION, OLIGOMERISATION, POLYMERISATION (cracking to hydrogen or synthesis gas C01B; cracking or pyrolysis of hydrocarbon gases to individual hydrocarbons or mixtures thereof of definite or specified constitution C07C; cracking to cokes C10B); RECOVERY OF HYDROCARBON OILS FROM OIL-SHALE, OIL-SAND, OR GASES; REFINING MIXTURES MAINLY CONSISTING OF HYDROCARBONS; REFORMING OF NAPHTHA; MINERAL WAXES

## Abstract

A method of cleaning an internal component (14) of a process vessel (10) includes opening a guide (42) extending at least from a vessel access port or entry nozzle (38) to the internal component (14), guiding a cleaning agent/device by means of the guide (42) to the internal component (14), cleaning the internal component (14) with the cleaning agent/device, and closing the guide (42). The process vessel (10) is then operated with the guide (42) remaining in the process vessel (10).

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of cleaning an internal cyclone of a fluidized bed process vessel, the method including:
opening a permanent guide which forms an integral feature of the process vessel and which extends at least from an externally accessible vessel access port or entry nozzle to the internal cyclone of the process vessel, the internal cyclone comprising a gas inlet and a gas outlet;
guiding at least one of a cleaning agent and a cleaning device by means of said permanent guide to the internal cyclone, the guiding occurring in a manner such that the cleaning agent or the cleaning device reaches into the internal cyclone without entering either the gas inlet or gas outlet of the internal cyclone;
cleaning the internal cyclone with said at least one of a cleaning agent and a cleaning device;
closing said guide; and
operating the fluidized bed process vessel with said permanent guide remaining in the fluidized bed process vessel.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method as claimed in claim 1, in which said at least one of a cleaning agent and a cleaning device includes a cleaning rod which is long enough to reach the internal cyclone from outside the fluidized bed process vessel, and wherein cleaning the internal cyclone comprises physically dislodging material to be removed from the internal cyclone by displacement of the cleaning rod inside the guide.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of as claimed in claim 1, in which said at least one of a cleaning agent and a cleaning device is a cleaning fluid, and the guide defines a fluid flow path between the vessel access port or entry nozzle and the internal cyclone.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method as claimed in claim 1, in which said at least one of a cleaning agent and a cleaning device includes a conduit, the method including guiding the conduit by means of said guide to the internal cyclone and cleaning the internal cyclone with a cleaning fluid flowing along the conduit.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising guiding said at least one of a cleaning agent and a cleaning device through a dedicated cleaning nozzle provided on the internal cyclone into the internal cyclone, the cleaning nozzle being located on a dipleg of the internal cyclone.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method as claimed in claim 1, in which the vessel access port or entry nozzle is an entry nozzle located on a closure of an access port of the process vessel.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method as claimed in claim 1, in which said at least one of a cleaning agent and a cleaning device is a cleaning device, the method including removing the cleaning device from said guide prior to closing said guide.