Liquid heaters and vaporizers – Cleaning – Blow off
Patent
1988-03-25
1989-12-19
Favors, Edward G.
Liquid heaters and vaporizers
Cleaning
Blow off
122392, 165 95, F22B 3754, F28F 1500
Patent
active
048875554
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
ARRANGEMENT FOR CLEANING A STEAM GENERATOR WITH A WATER JET
This invention has for object to provide means for cleaning with a water jet, a steam generator which is fitted with a pipe bundle and a so-called bottom plate. Such a steam generator is for example of that type which equips a nuclear power station. Cleaning and removing as sludge the iron oxide which is present on said pipes and bottom plate, requires special steps. Such cleaning then generally also occurs with the use of high-pressure lances.
The water jets being thrown with high power by such high-pressure lances, generate reaction forces which have to be absorbed because they could be the reason why the spray-lance does damage the steam generator pipes.
To absorb said reaction forces, it has already been proposed to provide in the head of the high-pressure lances at least two, but preferably a plurality of spray holes facing one another. The reaction forces are thereby absorbed in some way, but the force wherewith one sprays, that is one thus cleans, is thereby generally more than halved. Spray-lances which have such drawbacks, are notably described in Belgian Patents 889,706 and 899,330 in the name of Booy Support B.V. and Innus Industrial Nuclear Services, respectively. Such and similar high-pressure lances then also have due to the presence of a plurality of spray holes, a substantial flow-rate and pressure-head loss, which is disadvantageous for a thorough cleaning of the steam generator.
This invention has now clearly for object to provide means which make it possible to use all of the available flow rate, while said very detrimental reaction forces which move the spray-lances away from the accurate position thereof, are completely neutralized.
In a first embodiment, the invention thus relates to an arrangement for removing said iron oxides which have been deposited both on the pipes and over the bottom plate from the steam generator, and actually inside a steam generator where there is no access to the so-called water path, that is the free space which extends between two so-called hand holes, between two pipe bundles. In some cases, the cleaning does indeed have to be performed from an observation hole which does not open on the so-called water path, so that special dispositions have to be taken to let the device wherewith the rinse water is being fed, be directed between the pipes, taking also into account those reaction forces which are generated when the water being sprayed under high pressure, does hit said bottom plate and/or said pipes.
To allow performing and cleaning efficiently and without any danger of damage to the pipes proper, the arrangement according to this first embodiment is formed by at least one, but preferably a plurality of, for example three spray-lances which are received adjacent the spray-head thereof with outflow opening, in a common bearing, in such a way that they lie in operating condition, in a vertical plane and the water jet from said lances is rotatable from the vertical plane over an angle of +85.degree. and -85.degree. at the most, because each spray-lance is mounted with the one end thereof on a common rotatable component which simultaneously comprises a connector for supplying the high-pressure water, which component has inner channels wherethrough the high-pressure water flows from said connector in said spray-lances, whereby said spray-lances are rotatably connected to a positioning pin, which is rotatable about the lengthwise axis thereof and which is lockable with the head thereof between two vertical pipes.
In an advantageous embodiment, the end of said spray-lances is bent over 90.degree. adjacent the spray-head outflow openings.
Still according to the invention, said spray-lances are made from a material which allows a torsion, which is required for rotating said rotatable component wherewith they form a single unit.
In a remarkable embodiment, said positioning pin is provided with a substantially T-shaped head which is lockable between two succeeding steam generator pipes, by rotating said
REFERENCES:
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patent: 4526135 (1985-07-01), Calhoun et al.
patent: 4565206 (1986-01-01), Booij
patent: 4576123 (1986-03-01), Lahoda et al.
patent: 4640346 (1987-02-01), Weber et al.
patent: 4653435 (1987-03-01), Lebouc
patent: 4676201 (1987-06-01), Lahoda et al.
patent: 4715324 (1987-12-01), Muller et al.
patent: 4769085 (1988-09-01), Booij
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