A system and method for cleaning of heat exchanger tubes including an assembly, an indexer, and a communication device provided with specialized software and programming. The indexer includes orthogonally arranged first and second arms. A trolley and sensors are provided on the indexer arms. One or more lances are provided on the trolley to deliver water jets into the openings. Sensors measure displacement as the trolley is moved relative to the heat exchanger's face plate. An operator controls the system from a distance away using the communication device. During setup, the pattern of the face plate is learned and mapped utilizing information from the sensors as one of the inputs. This information is utilized to help navigate the face plate during a subsequent cleaning operation. A kit for retrofitting existing X-Y indexers is also disclosed.

A system and method for cleaning of heat exchanger tubes including an assembly, an indexer, and a communication device provided with specialized software and programming. The indexer includes orthogonally arranged first and second arms. A trolley and sensors are provided on the indexer arms. One or more lances are provided on the trolley to deliver water jets into the openings. Sensors measure displacement as the trolley is moved relative to the heat exchanger's face plate. An operator controls the system from a distance away using the communication device. During setup, the pattern of the face plate is learned and mapped utilizing information from the sensors as one of the inputs. This information is utilized to help navigate the face plate during a subsequent cleaning operation. A kit for retrofitting existing X-Y indexers is also disclosed.

A sector marker for placement over a tubesheet and defining an opening for performing maintenance on an open tube located below the sector marker, the sector marker positioned over the tubesheet by at least two pins extending below the sector marker and respectively received in tube openings below the sector marker. A device and a method for easily and accurately marking and identifying the location of the tubes in a reactor vessel and for keeping track, in real-time, of the tasks performed on the tubes.

A system and an apparatus for positioning a plurality of flexible cleaning lances through tubes penetrating a tube sheet of a heat exchanger tube sheet, includes a smart lance tractor drive, a controller, and a tumble box connected to the controller operable to generate and/or distribute electrical power to the AC induction sensor from an air pressure source, supply electrical power to the controller and distribute pneumatic power to pneumatic motors for positioning the tractor drive on the positioner frame. The smart tractor drive includes sensors for detection of mismatch between expected and actual lance positions, sense lance insertion distance and lance removal and provide automated drive reversal operation to remove blockages within tubes being cleaned.

A system and an apparatus for positioning a plurality of flexible cleaning lances through tubes penetrating a tube sheet of a heat exchanger tube sheet, includes a smart lance tractor drive, a controller, and a tumble box connected to the controller operable to generate and/or distribute electrical power to the AC induction sensor from an air pressure source, supply electrical power to the controller and distribute pneumatic power to pneumatic motors for positioning the tractor drive on the positioner frame. The smart tractor drive includes sensors for detection of mismatch between expected and actual lance positions, sense lance insertion distance and lance removal and provide automated drive reversal operation to remove blockages within tubes being cleaned.

A cleaning apparatus for cleaning a cooling tube array (15) of a heat exchanger has a nozzle carriage (16) movably held on a truss beam, and a plurality of cleaning nozzles (40) mounted to the nozzle carriage. A truss beam has two parallel C-channel rails (20) having back sides that face each other, a tube (22) arranged separate and distant from the C-channel rails and at a different height than the C-channel rails in a cross-sectional plane of the truss beam, and truss supports (24) connecting the rails and the tube; the nozzle carriage has rollers (48) that are arranged for travelling in the C-channel rails. A water intake (82) is coupled to the nozzle manifold (42) and to a hydraulic drive (80) having a mechanical power take-off member (96) that is operably coupled to the nozzle carriage (16) for moving the nozzle carriage.

A cleaning apparatus for cleaning a cooling tube array (15) of a heat exchanger has a nozzle carriage (16) movably held on a truss beam, and a plurality of cleaning nozzles (40) mounted to the nozzle carriage. A truss beam has two parallel C-channel rails (20) having back sides that face each other, a tube (22) arranged separate and distant from the C-channel rails and at a different height than the C-channel rails in a cross-sectional plane of the truss beam, and truss supports (24) connecting the rails and the tube; the nozzle carriage has rollers (48) that are arranged for travelling in the C-channel rails. A water intake (82) is coupled to the nozzle manifold (42) and to a hydraulic drive (80) having a mechanical power take-off member (96) that is operably coupled to the nozzle carriage (16) for moving the nozzle carriage.

Improved heat exchanger systems and processes for cooling recycled off-gas in high pressure low-density polyethylene production. A system for exchanging heat between a first material and a second material can include a shell for containing the first material therein, a plurality of tubes disposed within the shell for containing the second material therein, a tube sheet disposed at an end of the shell for restricting flow of the second material to the shell, and at least one collector conduit disposed exterior to the shell for receiving at least one end of the plurality of tubes, wherein at least one of the plurality of tubes extend through the tube sheet to the collector conduit. A cleaning tool can be disposed within the collector conduit for cleaning the tubes. A process for cooling a gas stream can include introducing the gas stream to the heat exchanger system provided herein.

In a system and method of working tubes coupled to a tubesheet having a number of holes, wherein each hole in fluid communication with one of the tubes, an end-effector is positioned by a robot in coarse or rough alignment with a first hole in the tubesheet. Via lasers positioned on the end-effector, laser spots are formed on a surface of the tubesheet adjacent the first hole. The laser spots are detected by a camera and the alignment of the end-effector relative to the first hole in the tubesheet is refined via the robot based on the detected pattern of laser spots. The tool is then moved into the tube that is in fluid communication with the first hole in the tubesheet to work on (inspect, plug, sleeve or weld) the tube.

In a system and method of working tubes coupled to a tubesheet having a number of holes, wherein each hole in fluid communication with one of the tubes, an end-effector is positioned by a robot in coarse or rough alignment with a first hole in the tubesheet. Via lasers positioned on the end-effector, laser spots are formed on a surface of the tubesheet adjacent the first hole. The laser spots are detected by a camera and the alignment of the end-effector relative to the first hole in the tubesheet is refined via the robot based on the detected pattern of laser spots. The tool is then moved into the tube that is in fluid communication with the first hole in the tubesheet to work on (inspect, plug, sleeve or weld) the tube.