Methods of online cleaning of heat exchangers at elevated temperatures are provided. Cleaning of the heat exchanger is achieved through an increasing heat exchanger effluent temperature of a polymer solution together with operating under optimized process conditions provided by a phase diagram constructed for the polymer solution. The separation of polymer from unreacted monomers and solvent in the polymer solution is carried out by raising the temperature of the polymer solution as reactor effluent flowing through the heat exchanger. Then, subsequently and by reducing pressure of the heat exchanger effluent, the polymer solution separates into two liquid phases.

A heat exchanger body that includes a circulation path through which a coolant is circulated and performs heat exchange between the coolant flowing through the circulation path and an electronic component; a circulation pump that supplies the coolant to the heat exchanger body; an accumulation determination unit that determines whether a foreign matter accumulation condition is fulfilled that is satisfied when foreign matter is expected to be accumulated in at least a part of the circulation path; and a process execution unit that in response to the foreign matter accumulation condition being satisfied, executes a foreign matter cleaning process of removing the foreign matter accumulated in the circulation path and cleaning the circulation path. In the foreign matter cleaning process, the process execution unit reduces an amount of coolant supplied from the circulation pump so that the coolant has a superheating degree in a nucleate boiling region.

Methods of online cleaning of heat exchangers at elevated temperatures are provided. Cleaning of the heat exchanger is achieved through an increasing heat exchanger effluent temperature of a polymer solution together with operating under optimized process conditions provided by a phase diagram constructed for the polymer solution. The separation of polymer from unreacted monomers and solvent in the polymer solution is carried out by raising the temperature of the polymer solution as reactor effluent flowing through the heat exchanger. Then, subsequently and by reducing pressure of the heat exchanger effluent, the polymer solution separates into two liquid phases.

Fluid flow systems can include one or more thermoelectric devices in contact with the fluid flowing through the system. One or more thermoelectric devices can be operated in a temperature control mode and a measurement mode. Thermal behavior of the one or more thermoelectric devices can be analyzed to characterize a level of deposit formed on the thermoelectric device(s) from the fluid flowing through the system. Characterizations of deposition on thermoelectric devices operated at different temperatures can be used to establish a temperature-dependent deposition profile. The deposition profile can be used to determine if depositions are likely to form at various locations in the system, such as at a use device or in a flow vessel. Detected deposit conditions can initiate one or more corrective actions that can be taken to remove deposits, or to prevent or minimize deposit formation before deposits negatively impact operation of the system.

A method cleans surfaces in an internal volume of an aircraft component through which a medium flows. The method includes: connecting the internal volume to be cleaned to a steam generator; generating a cleaning steam having a predetermined vapour pressure and temperature by the steam generator; applying the cleaning steam to the surfaces to be cleaned in the internal volume; maintaining the vapour pressure and the temperature within the internal volume for the duration of a predetermined condensation time; generating a pressure drop in the internal volume of the aircraft component, in order to vaporise the portion of the cleaning steam that condensed during the condensation time; and removing the cleaning steam from the internal volume via a discharge device.

An apparatus comprising a heat exchanger and one or more induction heating elements is disclosed. The heat exchanger comprises a coolant side conduit and a process side conduit, the process side conduit being susceptible to fouling by at least partial desublimation, condensation, crystallization, deposition, or combinations thereof of a fouling component of a circulating process fluid. An electrically conductive first metal is disposed adjacent to the process side conduit. The one or more induction heating elements are disposed proximate to the heat exchanger. The one or more induction heating elements are connected to a source of electrical current. When the electrical current flows through the induction heating elements, eddy currents are induced in the first metal, heating the first metal such that the fouling component sublimates, melts, absorbs, or a combination thereof into the circulating process fluid.

A method for semi-continuous operation of a heat exchange process that alternates between two heat exchangers is disclosed. The method comprises, first, providing a contact liquid to a first heat exchanger while the second heat exchanger is on standby. The contact liquid contains a dissolved gas, an entrained gas, or residual small particles that foul the first heat exchanger by condensing or depositing as a foulant onto the first heat exchanger, restricting free flow of the contact liquid. Second, detecting a pressure drop across the first heat exchanger. Third, switching flows of the coolant from the first to the second heat exchanger. Fourth, removing the foulant from the now standby first heat exchanger by providing heat to the heat exchanger, passing a non-reactive gas through the heat exchanger, or a combination thereof. In this manner, the heat exchange process operates semi-continuously.

A heat recovery steam generator includes a gas inlet for receiving a flow of exhaust gas from a gas turbine, a gas outlet opposite the gas inlet, at least one heat exchanger intermediate the gas inlet and the gas outlet, the heat exchanger having a plurality of heat transfer surfaces configured to transfer heat from the exhaust gas to a fluid within the heat exchanger, and a valve associated with the heat exchanger and configured to regulate a flow of the fluid through the heat exchanger. The valve is controllable from an open position to a closed position to decrease the flow of the fluid through the heat exchanger in order to effect an increase in a temperature of the heat transfer surfaces of the heat exchanger to clean the heat transfer surfaces.

The invention relates to a device (1) for generating steam. The device (1) comprises a first plate (2) being inclined at a positive first angle (A0) compared to the horizontal direction (H) to define a first upper end (2a) and a first lower end (2b), a heating element (3) to heat the first plate (2) to a predetermined temperature being at least above water evaporation temperature, a water inlet arrangement (4) for dispensing water onto the first plate (2), a second plate (5) being inclined at a negative second angle (B0) compared to the horizontal direction (H) to define a second upper end (5a) and a second lower end (5b), the second upper end (5a) adjoining the first lower end (2b), and a container (6) extending at least below said first lower end (2b), said container (6) being arranged for collecting scale flakes falling from the first plate (2). This solution allows creating a larger volume for the collection of scale, thus increasing the operating life of the device (1).

Method for treating a heat exchanger which in operation is used to cool process water which has been in contact with polymer particles. The method includes passing to the process side of the heat exchanger a treatment stream while the heat exchanger is at an elevated temperature compared to the temperature when the heat exchanger is in operation.