TUBE FOULING MONITOR
First Claim
1. A method for measuring the effects of fouling of heat transfer tubes in heat exchangers where a cooling fluid at lower temperature is removing heat from another fluid at higher temperature, which comprises the steps of:
- (a) placing a nonrestrictive mass flow rate and temperature measuring tube extension sensor on a tube outlet end;
(b) obtaining the tube inlet temperature for deriving the rise in fluid temperature;
(c) analytically computing the amount of heat transferred from the hot fluid to the cold fluid;
(d) from tube length, inside and outside tube diameter, analytically deriving the tube heat transfer coefficient; and
(e) determining tube fouling factor, the value of which is the fraction of the clean tube heat transfer coefficient available for transferring heat, by dividing the heat transfer coefficient by the known heat transfer coefficient of an unfouled tube.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method for measuring the effects of fouling of heat transfer tubes in heat exchangers where a cooling fluid at lower temperature is removing heat from another fluid at higher temperature includes placing a nonrestrictive mass flow rate and temperature measuring tube extension sensor on a tube outlet end; obtaining the tube inlet temperature for deriving the rise in fluid temperature; analytically computing the amount of heat transferred from the hot fluid to the cold fluid; from tube length, inside and outside tube diameter, analytically deriving the tube heat transfer coefficient; and determining tube fouling factor, the value of which is the fraction of the clean tube heat transfer coefficient available for transferring heat, by dividing the heat transfer coefficient by the known heat transfer coefficient of an unfouled tube.
37 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method for measuring the effects of fouling of heat transfer tubes in heat exchangers where a cooling fluid at lower temperature is removing heat from another fluid at higher temperature, which comprises the steps of:
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(a) placing a nonrestrictive mass flow rate and temperature measuring tube extension sensor on a tube outlet end; (b) obtaining the tube inlet temperature for deriving the rise in fluid temperature; (c) analytically computing the amount of heat transferred from the hot fluid to the cold fluid; (d) from tube length, inside and outside tube diameter, analytically deriving the tube heat transfer coefficient; and (e) determining tube fouling factor, the value of which is the fraction of the clean tube heat transfer coefficient available for transferring heat, by dividing the heat transfer coefficient by the known heat transfer coefficient of an unfouled tube. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A sensor for monitoring and measuring in situ or by derivation the effects of fouling of heat transfer tubes in heat exchangers that are used to condense steam exhausted from turbines in electric power generating plants, which comprises:
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(a) an inner tube; (b) an adapter for mating said inner tube to an end of said heat transfer tube; (c) a layer of insulation surrounding said inner tube; (d) a pair of spaced apart heater/temperature sensors disposed about the outer periphery of said inner tube; (e) an electronic signal cable in electrical connection with said heater/temperature sensor pairs. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification