Chemical Cleaning Method and System with Steam Injection
First Claim
1. A method for removing deposits and impurities from the secondary side of a heat exchanger comprising:
- removing a volume of working fluid from the secondary side of the heat exchanger sufficient to expose an access penetration;
installing a temporary adapter in the exposed access penetration, the adapter being configured for direct steam injection;
introducing a volume of water into the secondary side of the heat exchanger;
introducing a predetermined quantity of a chemical cleaning reagent into the water to form a cleaning solution on the secondary side of the heat exchanger, the chemical cleaning reagent selected from a group consisting of chelants, complexing agents, oxidizing agents, reducing agents and mixtures thereof;
injecting steam through the temporary adapter and into the secondary side of the heat exchanger to heat the heat exchanger and residual fluid to a target cleaning temperature range; and
maintaining the heat exchanger and the residual fluid within the cleaning target temperature range during a cleaning period using the injected steam.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed are methods and apparatus for cleaning heat exchangers and similar vessels by introducing chemical cleaning solutions and/or solvents while maintaining a target temperature range by direct steam injection into the cleaning solution. The steam may be injected directly into the heat exchanger or into a temporary side stream loop for recirculating the cleaning solution or admixed with fluids being injected to the heat exchanger. The disclosed methods are suitable for removing metallic oxides from a heat exchanger under chemically reducing conditions or metallic species such as copper under chemically oxidizing conditions. In order to further enhance the heat transfer efficiency of heating cleaning solvents by direct steam injection, mixing on the secondary side of the heat exchanger can be enhanced by gas sparging or by transferring liquid between heat exchangers when more than one heat exchanger is being cleaned at the same time.
28 Citations
36 Claims
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1. A method for removing deposits and impurities from the secondary side of a heat exchanger comprising:
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removing a volume of working fluid from the secondary side of the heat exchanger sufficient to expose an access penetration; installing a temporary adapter in the exposed access penetration, the adapter being configured for direct steam injection; introducing a volume of water into the secondary side of the heat exchanger; introducing a predetermined quantity of a chemical cleaning reagent into the water to form a cleaning solution on the secondary side of the heat exchanger, the chemical cleaning reagent selected from a group consisting of chelants, complexing agents, oxidizing agents, reducing agents and mixtures thereof; injecting steam through the temporary adapter and into the secondary side of the heat exchanger to heat the heat exchanger and residual fluid to a target cleaning temperature range; and maintaining the heat exchanger and the residual fluid within the cleaning target temperature range during a cleaning period using the injected steam. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 14, 20, 23, 24, 25)
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5. (canceled)
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11. A method for removing deposits and impurities from the secondary side of a heat exchanger comprising:
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removing a volume of working fluid from the secondary side of the heat exchanger sufficient to expose an access penetration; installing a temporary adapter in the exposed access penetration, the adapter being configured for direct steam injection; admixing a gas with steam to form a combined gas stream for injection into the secondary side of the heat exchanger, injecting the combined gas steam through the temporary adapter and into the secondary side of the heat exchanger, wherein the injected steam heats the heat exchanger and residual fluid to a target cleaning temperature range; and maintaining the heat exchanger and the residual fluid within the cleaning target temperature range during a cleaning period, wherein said gas that is admixed with the steam does not condense during the cleaning period. - View Dependent Claims (12, 21, 26, 27, 28)
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13. (canceled)
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15. A system for removing deposits and impurities from a secondary side of a heat exchanger comprising:
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a first adapter configured for temporary installation on a first conventional access penetration, the first adapter further comprising a flange configured for mating to the access penetration; means for securing the adapter to the access penetration; a conduit for introducing or removing fluid through the access penetration; and an opening provided within the secondary side of the heat exchanger; a steam source configured for connection to the conduit, a gas source configured for connection to the conduit; and a controller configured for controlling the steam injection into the secondary side of heat exchanger through the adapter, wherein, in use, said system is adapted to admix a gas supplied by the gas source with the steam supplied by the steam source to form a combined gas stream in the conduit for injection in the secondary side of the heat exchanger and wherein said gas that is admixed with the steam does not condense during use of said system. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 22, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A method for removing deposits and impurities from the secondary side of a heat exchanger comprising:
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removing a volume of working fluid from the secondary side of the heat exchanger sufficient to expose an access penetration; installing a temporary adapter in the exposed access penetration, the adapter being configured for direct steam injection; admixing a gas with the steam to form a combined gas stream comprising the gas and the steam; injecting the combined gas steam through the temporary adapter and into the secondary side of the heat exchanger, wherein the injected steam heats the heat exchanger and residual fluid to a target cleaning temperature range; and maintaining the heat exchanger and the residual fluid within the cleaning target temperature range during a cleaning period, wherein the gas in the combined gas stream reduces a potential for the injected steam to cause cavitation damage in the heat exchanger during the cleaning period.
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33. A method for removing deposits and impurities from the secondary side of a steam generator of a nuclear pressurized water reactor, the method comprising:
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removing a volume of working fluid from the secondary side of the heat exchanger sufficient to expose an access penetration; installing a temporary adapter in the exposed access penetration, the adapter being configured for direct steam injection and including a flange configured for mating, to the access penetration; a conduit for introducing or removing fluid through the access penetration; and an opening provided within the secondary side of the heat exchanger, wherein said conduit is in communication with a steam source configured to supply steam and a gas source configured to supply a gas; introducing a volume of water into the secondary side of the heat exchanger; introducing a predetermined quantity of a chemical cleaning reagent into the water to form a cleaning solution on the secondary side of the heat exchanger, wherein the chemical cleaning reagent is selected from a group consisting of chelants, complexing agents, oxidizing agents, reducing agents and mixtures thereof; admixing the gas with the steam to form a combined gas stream for injection into the secondary side of the heat exchanger, wherein the gas comprises between 0.01 and 3% of the combined gas stream and does not condense during a cleaning period; injecting the combined gas stream through the temporary adapter and into the secondary side of the heat exchanger, wherein the injected steam heats the heat exchanger and cleaning solution to a target cleaning temperature range, and wherein the steam is injected at a rate greater than 200 pounds per hour; and maintaining the heat exchanger and the cleaning solution within the cleaning target temperature range during the cleaning period, wherein a temperature and a pressure of the injected steam is controlled to compensate for variations in liquid static head pressure range within the heat exchanger during the cleaning period, wherein the gas in the combined gas stream reduces a potential for the injected steam to cause cavitation damage in the heat exchanger during the cleaning period. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36)
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Specification