Steam super heater comprising unround pipes

• US 20050051112A1
• Filed: 12/19/2002
• Published: 03/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Gemeente Amsterdam
• Original Assignee: Gemeente Amsterdam
• Inventors: Van Berlo, Marcellus A
• Application Number:
  US10/499,232
• Publication Number:
  US 20050051112A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 122/466
• CPC Class Codes: F22B 31/045 Steam generators specially adapted for burning refuse
• CPC Class Codes: F22B 37/12 Forms of water tubes, e.g. of varying cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: F22G 3/008 Protection of superheater elements, e.g. cooling superheater tubes during starting-up periods, water tube screens
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 7/1684 the conduits having a non-circular cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: F28G 7/00 Cleaning by vibration or pressure waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 17/008 Monitoring fouling
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 20/12 Heat utilisation in combustion or incineration of waste

Abstract

The invention relates to a heat exchanger to be used in particular in a waste incineration plant, wherein flue gasses are conducted along pipes through which steam is passed for the production of heated steam. The heat exchanger is comprised of shield pipes (8) and superheater pipes (15) provided immediately behind these. The invention also relates to a heat exchanger, whereby flue gasses are conducted along pipes through which steam is passed for the production of heated steam and wherein the heat exchanger is comprised of superheater pipes, which are unround, with their largest diameter in the direction of the flue gas stream.

Claims

1. A heat exchanger, wherein flue gasses conducted along superheater pipes supply heat for the production of heated steam in said superheater pipes, said superheater pipes having an unround cross section with a first diameter and a second, relatively larger, diameter and wherein a plurality of pipes are connected to headers, wherein said plurality of pipes have the same cross section, characterised in that the superheater pipes are preceded by shield pipes or evaporator pipes (8) that are unround.

2. A heat exchanger (5) according to claim 1, characterised in that the unround pipes have their largest diameter in the direction of the flue gas stream.

3. A heat exchanger (5) according to claim 1, characterised in that the natural frequencies of the unround superheater pipes in different directions, perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the pipes, is chosen such that by activating the pipe headers the pipes can be made to resonate at different frequencies.

4. A heat exchanger (5) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that one or several shield pipes or evaporator pipes (8) precede the superheater pipes.

5. A method of cleaning superheater pipes of a heat exchanger according to any of the claims 1-4, comprising the step of activating the pipes with a previously determined frequency in the direction of the first or second diameter in order to make them resonate, causing fouling present on the pipes to come loose.

6. A method according to claim 5, characterised in that the previously determined frequency is a natural frequency of the pipes.

7. A method according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the natural frequency (or frequencies) of the superheater pipes depends on the direction of activation, the direction of activation chosen being perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the pipes, for example, in the direction of the flue gas or in the direction perpendicular thereto.

13. A heat exchanger according to one or several of the claims 1-4, characterised in that the natural frequencies of the pipes are adjusted by means of stiffenings or couplings.

8. A method of determining the fouling on a heat exchanger pipe, comprising the steps of causing the pipe to vibrate, measuring the vibration pattern generated in the pipe, and determining the degree of fouling, based on the vibration pattern measured.

9. A method according to claim 8, characterised in that vibration is caused by an impulse, for example, with a hammer mechanism.

10. A method according to claim 8 or 9, characterised in that vibration is caused with specific frequencies.

11. A method according to one or several of the claims 8 to 10, characterised in that causing the vibration for cleaning purposes is based on the vibration pattern measured.

12. A method according to claim 11, characterised in that an activation frequency for causing the pipes to vibrate for cleaning purposes is chosen on the basis of the fouling and natural frequencies determined by the analysis of the vibration pattern.