Measuring and testing – Liquid analysis or analysis of the suspension of solids in a... – Content or effect of a constituent of a liquid mixture
Reexamination Certificate
2000-09-29
2002-07-23
Williams, Hezron (Department: 2856)
Measuring and testing
Liquid analysis or analysis of the suspension of solids in a...
Content or effect of a constituent of a liquid mixture
C073S038000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06422068
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a rig for determining the amount of contamination that will collect in the passages within power plant components and for establishing removal methods and processes for removing contamination via a water flushing technique.
Particulate contamination is a well-known source of mechanical system failures. Particulates can cause abrasion at the interface between moving parts and contamination of fluids flowing through the system, erode structures in high velocity fluid flow paths, and/or create deposits that either reduce desired flows or insulate against desired heat transfer. There is an interest, therefore, in ensuring that parts incorporated in mechanical systems, exhibit a certain level of surface cleanliness to minimize the potential for debris accumulation during system operation. There is also an interest in providing procedures by which isolated components or assembled components can be cleaned before or after installation so as to remove particulate contamination.
For example, in certain power generating systems, steam-born magnetite (iron oxide) from the plant heat recovery steam generator (HRSG), especially from the super heater, is expected to deposit in certain portions of the system. Gas turbine engines can be designed with protections in place in both assembly and operation to keep particulate deposition rates in important areas low so that deposits will not substantially limit system efficiency or component life. To establish suitable protections it must be determined if loose or loosely adhered solid contaminates will become trapped within, hardware of the machine. Even after cleanliness protocols have been established for both assembly and operation to keep particulate deposition rates in critical areas sufficiently low, a procedure for removing particulate contamination without engine disassembly would enhance engine availability.
The prior art for cleaning power plant circuits is well-established, using a number of chemical cleaning processes, i.e., pickling oxides with acid and complexing agents, followed by thorough plant rinsing. Such processes have been generally satisfactory where the steam circuits are fabricating by welding. In some systems, however, many of the internal joints must be assembled and disassembled using interference joints, many of which are designed to handle the small but necessary relative motion of components. These interference joints are not amenable to the usual chemical cleaning because their long narrow gaps will hold the chemicals in spite of repeated rinsing. In addition, the feed of these aggressive liquids across labyrinth gas seals on the rotor supply coupling would create an unmanageable chemical collection problem compared to boilers.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
As noted above, cleanliness is of importance to mechanical systems, including power plant components. Accordingly, the invention was developed to quantify and verify particulate contamination abatement procedures such as flushing. More particularly, the invention provides a rig and test program to determine the amount, if any, of contamination that will collect in the passages of a fluid flow system, and to establish methods and processes for removing contamination therefrom. The invention is described hereinbelow with reference to its exemplary use for evaluating debris accumulation and a method for cleaning power plant components. However, the invention is not limited to the evaluation of such specified critical components, nor to the presently preferred flush cleaning process described hereinbelow.
According to a preferred embodiment, the rig is designed so as to be representative of a power plant fluid delivery system and is capable of simulating, e.g., {fraction (1/60)}
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scale of the actual hardware. In the presently proposed embodiment, the rig and test program are adapted in particular to determine if a high-pressure, high-volume water flush can remove contamination from substantially an entire assembly or sub-assembly and its fluid delivery system; both the quantity of contamination and as disposed or deposited within the system.
Water flushing is a cleaning method that is routinely used in many different applications. The main feature of the rig of the invention, however, is its flexible design configuration which is capable of a wide variety of volumetric flows and which is characterized in that it may be used in any component or assembly cleaning evaluation. Moreover, the invention is sufficiently adaptable to be used as a final system wide cleaning operation for power plant equipment. Thus, the invention was developed to verify methods for cleaning power plant components and in particular to provide a scale model, such as a ⅙
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scale model, flushing rig to test the success of contamination removal by way of high pressure and volume water flush. By using such a scale model rig, the feasibility of cleaning an entire fluid delivery system and its components by scaling up to the entire system can be achieved in the field prior to power plant completion.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2617719 (1952-11-01), Stewart
patent: 3499315 (1970-03-01), Marino
patent: 3659940 (1972-05-01), Hansen et al.
patent: 5086646 (1992-02-01), Janison et al.
patent: 5095740 (1992-03-01), Hodgson et al.
patent: 5329807 (1994-07-01), Sugar et al.
patent: 5731513 (1998-03-01), Bull
patent: 6230551 (2001-05-01), Burniston
Beadie Douglas Frank
Schroder Mark Stewart
Woodmansee Donald Ernest
Garber Charles D.
General Electric Company
Nixon & Vanderhye PC
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