Cleaning apparatus for cooling tube array

Abstract

A cleaning apparatus for cleaning a cooling tube array of a heat exchanger, including a triangular truss beam supported to be movable in a first direction, which direction is perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the truss beam, a nozzle carriage movably held on the truss beam, the nozzle carriage being movable along the longitudinal direction of the truss beam, and a plurality of cleaning nozzles mounted to the nozzle carriage, the truss beam having two tubular top chords and one tubular bottom chord that is arranged centrally below the top chords, and bracings that connect the chords, and the nozzle carriage having at least one bottom chord roller that is arranged for traveling on the bottom side of the bottom chord; and a cleaning apparatus having a square truss beam.

Claims

1. A cleaning apparatus for cleaning a cooling tube array of a heat exchanger, comprising: a transverse beam supported to be movable in a first direction, which direction is perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the transverse beam, a nozzle carriage movably held on the transverse beam, the nozzle carriage being movable along the longitudinal direction of the transverse beam, a plurality of cleaning nozzles mounted to the nozzle carriage, a carrier chain, and a supply tube connected to the plurality of cleaning nozzles, wherein the supply tube is installed along the carrier chain, wherein, at one end of the carrier chain, the carrier chain is connected to the nozzle carriage, and wherein, distant from said one end, a part of the carrier chain is supported outside of the transverse beam in a position such that the nozzle carriage is enabled to pass said part when moving in a first traveling direction along the transverse beam, by moving in which direction an increasing portion of the carrier chain is laid onto a chain support.

2. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said part of the carrier chain is supported on top of the transverse beam, and wherein said chain support is arranged on top of the transverse beam.

3. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the nozzle carriage fully encloses a cross section of the transverse beam, and is adapted to fully enclose a combined cross section of the transverse beam, said chain support, and said portion of the carrier chain that has been laid onto the chain support when moving in said first traveling direction and having passed said position.

4. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of cleaning nozzles comprise at least one row of cleaning nozzles that are connected in parallel to a common supply tube that is arranged below the transverse beam and extends across the longitudinal direction of the transverse beam.

5. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said chain support is arranged on top of the traverse beam.

6. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said chain support is arranged to one side of the transverse beam.

7. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the transverse beam comprises two tubular top chords and at least one tubular bottom chord, wherein, on at least two sides of the transverse beam, a respective top chord is connected to one of said at least one tubular bottom chord by bracings that form a zigzag structure.

8. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the nozzle carriage fully encloses the cross section of the transverse beam.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description of a preferred embodiment given herein below and the accompanying drawings, and wherein

(2) FIG. 1 is a schematic transverse sectional view of a triangular truss beam and a nozzle carriage of a cleaning apparatus;

(3) FIG. 2 is a partial side view of the truss beam and the nozzle carriage;

(4) FIG. 3 is a side view of the cleaning apparatus;

(5) FIG. 4 schematically shows a connection of chords of truss beam sections;

(6) FIG. 5 schematically shows a connection of truss beam sections;

(7) FIG. 6 is a schematic view of a further embodiment of the nozzle carriage and a support of the truss beam; and

(8) FIG. 7 is a schematic transverse sectional view of a square truss beam and a nozzle carriage of a further embodiment of a cleaning apparatus.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(9) The cleaning apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 is a cleaning apparatus for cleaning an outdoor cooling tube array of a heat exchanger.

(10) A traverse beam in the form of a triangular truss beam 10 is adapted for bridging a span between a first support 12 on a first end of the truss beam 10 and a second support 14 on an opposite part of the truss beam 10. Preferably, said span has a length of at least 5 meters, and may e.g. be in the range of 5 to 20 meters, e.g. 10 meters, 12 meters or 14 meters. For example, the truss beam 10 may be arranged over a cooling tube array 15 that is inclined, the first support 12 being positioned at a low position next to a lower edge of the array 15, and the second support 14 being positioned at a high position on or above the inclined cooling tube array 15, such that the truss beam 10 extends across the cooling tube array 15.

(11) The first and second supports 12, 14 are displaceable along the cooling tube array 15 in a horizontal direction, i.e. perpendicular to the longitudinal direction A of the truss beam 10, e.g. on rollers of the supports 12, 14. For example, the first and/or second support 12, 14 may be guided on a respective rail. The inclination of the direction A is adapted to the inclination of the cooling tube array 15 to be cleaned.

(12) On the truss beam 10, there is arranged a nozzle carriage 16. The carriage 16 is suspended from the truss beam 10 and is movable in the longitudinal direction A of the truss beam 10.

(13) The triangular truss beam 10 has three tubular chords or chord tubes, of which two upper or top chords 20 are arranged above a single lower chord 22. The chords 20, 22 are arranged in a triangular pattern, the apex of the triangular structure pointing down. Thus, the lower chord 22 is positioned centrally below the top chords 20.

(14) On both sides of the truss beam 10, diagonal bracings 24 are arranged in a zigzag structure, such that two adjacent bracings 24 and a portion of one of the truss chords 20, 22 form a generally triangular structure, as is visible in FIG. 3. Thus, on each side, the respective top chord 20, the bottom chord 22 and the bracings 24 form a framework of two parallel chords 20, 22 interconnected by diagonal bracings 24 that are slanted in alternating directions.

(15) The top chords 20 are connected by bracings or cross connectors 26 which, for example, are perpendicular to the chords 20, so that a rectangular, ladder-like framework is formed. In particular, the cross connectors 26 and the top chords 20 form a braced frame.

(16) As FIG. 3 shows, the truss beam 10 is a segmented truss beam that is composed of truss beam sections 10A, 10B, 10C, . . . , which each have the above described triangular truss beam structure and, for example, a length of 4 meter, 3 meter or less. At the ends of the respective truss beam section, the chords 20, 22 of the truss beam section are interconnected by end connectors 28. The truss beam sections are connected lengthwise to form the truss beam 10. For example, the chords 20, 22 may have an open cylindrical end on one side, and a connector extension 30 of reduced diameter on the other side, wherein the connector extension is accommodated in the open end of the following chord, as schematically shown in FIG. 4. The end connectors 28 of neighboring truss beam sections may be connected by bolts 32 or the like. For example, the truss beam 10 may have a span of 10 meters. It may comprise a number of segments 10A, 10B, . . . having a uniform length of e.g. 3 meters, and, optionally, one shorter or longer segment for length adjustment.

(17) For example, the triangular truss beam 10 may be adapted to be assembled on site by detachably connecting the truss beam sections 10A, 10B, etc.

(18) The nozzle carriage 16 is shown in detail in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. From bottom to top, the nozzle carriage 16 comprises a plurality of nozzles 40, a manifold in form of a rectangular frame tubing 42 to which the nozzles 40 are connected in parallel, a connection frame 44 connecting the frame tubing 42 to bottom roller mounting plates 46, said bottom roller mounting plates 46 on which two bottom chord rollers 48 are mounted to be rotatable about a horizontal axis, V-shaped end plates 50 that enclose the triangular truss beam 10 between the wings of the end plates 50. Optionally, the nozzle carriage 16 comprises top connectors 52 that connect the wings of a respective end plate 50 above and across the truss beam 10, such that the V-shaped end plate 50 and the top connector 52 fully enclose the cross-section of the truss beam 10, as is shown in FIG. 1.

(19) The ends of the bottom roller mounting plates 46 are connected to base portions of the respective end plates 50. Top roller mounting plates 54 are connected to top portions of the respective end plates 50. The end plates 50, top connectors 52 and roller mounting plates 46, 54 form a cage structure, wherein the end plates 50 are arranged outside the truss beam 10 and are oriented perpendicular to the longitudinal direction A of the truss beam 10.

(20) The bottom chord rollers 48 are supported by the bottom roller mounting plates 46 on both sides of the respective roller 48. Each bottom chord roller 48 is centrally positioned below the bottom chord 22 and is arranged perpendicular to the surface of the chord 22 at a mean position of contact with the circumferential surface of the chord 22. A circumferential surface of each bottom chord roller 48 has a circumferential groove that has an arc shaped concave cross-section adapted to the outer circumferential surface of the bottom chord 22. The circumferential groove engages a circumferential section of the bottom chord 22. Thereby, the bottom chord roller 48 is firmly guided along the bottom chord 22. The concave surface of the bottom chord rollers 48 preferably is symmetrically concave with respect to a center plane of the respective roller 48. As FIG. 1 shows, the bottom chord rollers 48 surround a substantial part of the cross section of the bottom chord 22.

(21) On each of the two top roller mounting plates 54, that are arranged on opposite sides of the truss beam 10, two top chord rollers 58 are mounted to be rotatable about a horizontal axis. Thus, the axes of the top and bottom chord roller 58, 48 are parallel. The top chord rollers 58 are arranged on a top side of the respective top chord 20. Each top chord roller 58 has a concave, bell-shaped outer circumferential surface that has an arc shaped concave cross-section adapted to the outer circumferential surface of the top chord 20. In particular, on each side of the truss beam 10, the top chord rollers are arranged above as well as laterally with respect to the respective top chord 20, a base part having a larger diameter being arranged at a side that is laterally outward from the truss beam 10. Thereby, the top chord rollers 58 that are arranged on both sides of the truss beam 10 firmly guide the nozzle carriage 16 along the top chords 20.

(22) As FIG. 1 shows, the V-shaped parallel front and back plates 50 rigidly connect bearings 48A of the bottom chord rollers 48 to bearings 58A of the top chord rollers 58 on both sides of the nozzle carriage 16. The wings of the V-shaped plates 50 together with the top and bottom roller mounting plates 46, 54 form left and right side parts of the nozzle carriage 16 and form a generally V-shaped bracket which surrounds the generally triangular outline of the triangular truss beam 10.

(23) Since the bottom chord rollers 48 engage the bottom chord 22 from below, and the top chord rollers 58 engage the top chord 20 from above, the nozzle carriage 16 is firmly held to the truss beam 10 while being moveable in the longitudinal direction A of the truss beam 10. The top chord rollers 58 travel on respective top chords 20, whereas the bottom chord rollers 48 travel on the bottom chord 22.

(24) The nozzles 40 are arranged in two parallel rows on straight sections of the rectangular frame tubing 42, which sections extend in a horizontal cross direction B that is perpendicular to the direction A. The nozzles have a common ejection direction C that is perpendicular to both directions A and B. The extension E of the nozzle rows roughly determines a slightly larger cleaning width W at a cleaning distance of the nozzles above the cooling tubes to be cleaned. The extension E covers a plurality of cooling tubes of the cooling tube array 15. FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 show different examples of distances between the two rows of nozzles 40.

(25) When operating the cleaning apparatus, water is supplied to the nozzles 40 via at least one supply tube 60 and the manifold 42. The at least one supply tube 60 is connected to the manifold 42.

(26) A carrier chain 62 is connected, at one end thereof, to the nozzle carriage. As FIG. 3 shows, the carrier chain 62 optionally is a limited-articulation carrier chain that permits bending from a straight configuration to one side only, the opposite side of which is also referred to as its rigid back.

(27) The carrier chain 62 is arranged such that, in an intermediate position of the nozzle carriage 16 between opposite end positions of the movement range of the nozzle carriage 16 on the truss beam 10, the carrier chain 62 extends in a first direction from its connection to the nozzle carriage along a first portion 62A, makes a downward bend, and further extends in a direction opposite from said first direction and supported by a chain support 63 on top of the truss beam 10. Thus, the bend is a return bend. In the example shown, the carrier chain 62 extends in a self-supported manner in the first direction to the bend, and the bend angle is slightly less than 180. However, the bend angle may also be 180 or more than 180.

(28) The first portion 62A of the supply tube 62 is, thus, positioned above the second portion 62B of the carrier chain 62, which second portion 62B directly rests on the chain support 63. In the example of FIG. 3, the rigid back is on the outside of the bend and maintains the self-supporting state of the first portion 62A.

(29) When the nozzle carriage 16 is moved along the truss beam 10, the portions 62A and 62B of the carrier chain 62 vary, i.e. they have a varying length, and the first portion 62A is displaced with the nozzle carriage 10. The position of the bend moves with approximately half the speed of the nozzle carriage 10. When the connection of the carrier chain 62 to the nozzle carriage 16 is the leading end of the movement of the portion 62A, the length of the first portion 62A increases, and the length of the second portion 62B decreases. When the connection of the carrier chain 62 to the nozzle carriage 16 is the trailing end of the movement of the portion 62A, the length of the self-supported portion 62A decreases, and the length of the portion 62B increases. The carrier chain 62 is sufficiently long to allow the nozzle carriage 16 to reach its end positions while maintaining one part 62B-1 of portion 62B of the carrier chain 62 in a fixed position on the chain support 63. In particular, the carrier chain 62 has a length that is at least half the length of the traveling distance of the nozzle carriage 16 along the longitudinal direction of the truss beam 10.

(30) The supply hose 60 is arranged in the free inside cross-section or internal space of the carrier chain 62, as is schematically shown in FIG. 1. Thus, the carrier chain carries the supply hose 60.

(31) As is shown in FIG. 1, the top connectors 52 above the truss beam 10 are adapted to move above the portion 62B of the carrier chain 62 that is supported on the outside of the truss beam 10. Thus, the nozzle carriage 16 may pass at least a part of the portion 62B when moving in the first traveling direction D of increasing length of portion 62B. When the nozzle carriage 16 has passed said fixed position and moves further, an increasing part of the portion 62B of the carrier chain 62 is passed by the nozzle carriage 16. Thus, the nozzle carriage 16 fully encloses the cross section of the truss beam 10, and is adapted to fully enclose the cross section of the truss beam 10 including the chain support 63 and said portion 62B of the carrier chain 62 that has been laid onto the chain support 63 when moving in said first traveling direction and having passed said fixed position.

(32) Instead of being positioned directly outside the truss beam 10 and arranged to be enclosed by the nozzle carriage 16, the chain support 63, carrier chain 62 and supply hose 60 may also be arranged to the side of the truss beam 10, as is indicated in FIG. 1 by dashed lines. For example, the chain support 63 may extend parallel to the truss beam 10 and with lateral distance to the truss beam 10 and may be supported by the supports 12, 14.

(33) A belt drive is arranged to move the nozzle carriage 16 along the longitudinal direction A of the truss beam 10. As is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the belt drive comprises a drive belt 64 in the form of a toothed belt that is attached to the nozzle carriage 16. As shown in FIG. 3, the drive belt 64 runs over pulleys 66, 68 arranged at the opposite ends of the truss beam 10. A motor 70 that drives a pulley 66 is mounted to the truss beam 10. For example, the drive pulley 66 is a toothed pulley.

(34) Instead of a carrier chain 62 that permits bending from a straight configuration to one side only, the carrier chain 62 may be a slack carrier chain. Then, for example, said first portion 62A is permitted to rest on the second portion 62B, as is shown with a dashed line in FIG. 3. For example, side walls of the chain support 63 may have a height larger than a cross-sectional height of the carrier chain 62, so that the first portion 62A may be secured on top of the second portion 62B.

(35) Different from the above described examples, the nozzle carriage 16 may also comprise a gap 71 (FIG. 6) that completely separates the side parts of the nozzle carriage 16 above the truss beam 10.

(36) In particular, the truss beam 10 may be suspended from a support 72 and may extend on both sides of the support. The gap may allow the nozzle carriage 16 to pass the mounting suspension that supports the truss beam 10, as is schematically shown in FIG. 6. Therefore, the truss beam 10 may extend beyond the support 72. For example, a support 72 may replace one or each of the above described supports 12, 14.

(37) Furthermore, for example, when the chain support 63 is arranged to the side of the truss beam 10, the chain support 63 may be suspended from a boom 74 that is connected to the truss beam 10, and said gap may allow the nozzle carriage 16 to pass the boom 74, as is also schematically shown in FIG. 6.

(38) FIG. 7 schematically shows a cleaning apparatus according to an embodiment having a square truss beam 100 instead of the triangular truss beam 10. The truss beam 100 has two top chords 20 and two bottom chords 22. A nozzle carriage 160 has U-shaped end plates 50 that enclose the square truss beam 100 between the wings of the end plates 50. The other features correspond to the above described examples. The same or corresponding parts are indicated with the same reference signs and correspond to the above description with respect to the embodiment of FIG. 1.

(39) The bottom chord rollers 48 are arranged on a bottom side of the respective bottom chord 22. The bottom rollers 48, in this example, have a concave, bell-shaped outer circumferential surface that has an arc shaped concave cross-section adapted to the outer circumferential surface of the bottom chord 22. In particular, on each side of the truss beam 100, the bottom chord rollers 48 are arranged below as well as laterally with respect to the respective bottom chord 22, a base part having a larger diameter being arranged at a side that is laterally outward from the truss beam 100. Thereby, the bottom chord rollers 48 that are arranged on both sides of the truss beam 100 firmly guide the nozzle carriage 160 along the bottom chords 22.

(40) The wings of the U-shaped plates 50 together with the top and bottom roller mounting plates 46, 54 form left and right side parts of the nozzle carriage 160 and form a generally U-shaped bracket which surrounds the generally square outline of the truss beam 100.

(41) Whereas the cleaning apparatus described above may be assembled on site and e.g. temporarily mounted on a cooling tube array, the cleaning apparatus may also be permanently mounted to a heat exchanger to be displaceable over a cooling tube array.

(42) Other variations to the disclosed embodiments can be understood and effected by those skilled in the art in practicing the claimed invention, from a study of the drawings, the disclosure, and the appended claims. Furthermore, all the disclosed elements and features of each disclosed embodiment of the cleaning apparatus can be combined with, or substituted for, the disclosed elements and features of every other disclosed embodiment of the cleaning apparatus, respectively, except where such elements or features are mutually exclusive. For example, in the example of FIG. 7, the carrier chain may be positioned according to the different examples of FIG. 1 and FIG. 6. The square truss beam may also be combined with a nozzle carriage having the gap 71 and may have supports 12, 14 and/or 72 of FIGS. 3 and 6.

(43) The mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measured cannot be used to advantage.

(44) In the claims, the word comprising does not exclude other elements or steps, and the indefinite article a or an does not exclude a plurality. Any reference signs in the claims should not be construed as limiting the scope.