On-line backwashing air cooling tower normal temperature water distribution pipe process operation flow and method

Abstract

The invention relates to the field of air cooling tower flushing, in particular to an on-line back-flushing air cooling tower normal temperature water distribution pipe process operation process and method, which comprises the following modules: a blockage monitoring module, an intelligent valve control module, a staged flushing execution module, a safety interlocking module and a data recording and analyzing module, and all module systems cooperate to form a complete optimized link; the blockage monitoring module comprises a data acquisition sub-module, a signal preprocessing sub-module and a blockage judgment sub-module; the staged flushing execution module comprises a flushing parameter adjustment sub-module and a stage switching sub-module; the safety interlocking module comprises a pressure monitoring sub-module and an emergency interruption sub-module; the data recording and analyzing module comprises a log storage sub-module and an effect evaluation sub-module; the invention aims to solve the problems that the production continuity is influenced and potential safety hazards exist as the blockage of the water distribution pipe of the air cooling tower can be treated only after the whole air separation system is shut down in the traditional treatment method.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of air-cooled tower flushing, and more particularly to an online backflushing process and method for room temperature water distribution pipes in air-cooled towers. Background Technology

[0002] Air-cooled towers are key equipment in air separation units used for air precooling. Their main function is to reduce the temperature of the air entering the subsequent purification system through heat exchange between room temperature water and air, while removing some moisture and impurities from the air.

[0003] Traditional methods for dealing with blockages in the water distribution pipes of air-cooled towers require a complete shutdown of the air separation system. This not only interrupts the main oxygen and nitrogen supply, affecting production continuity, but also poses safety hazards during shutdown and restart. Furthermore, the treatment process often relies on manual judgment of the degree of blockage and uses a single flushing method, which is difficult to target and remove different types of impurities, and is prone to problems such as incomplete flushing or over-operation. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide an online backflushing process and method for the ambient temperature water distribution pipes of an air-cooled tower, in order to solve the problem that traditional methods of dealing with blockages in the water distribution pipes of air-cooled towers require the entire air separation system to be shut down before treatment can be carried out. This not only leads to the interruption of oxygen and nitrogen supply to the main line, affecting production continuity, but also poses safety hazards due to the shutdown and restart process. In addition, the treatment process often relies on manual judgment of the degree of blockage and uses a single flushing method, which is difficult to target and remove different types of impurities, and is prone to problems such as incomplete flushing or over-operation.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0006] A process flow for an online backflushing air-cooled tower with ambient temperature water distribution pipes includes the following modules:

[0007] The blockage monitoring module, intelligent valve control module, phased flushing execution module, safety interlock module, and data recording and analysis module work together to form a complete and optimized system.

[0008] The congestion monitoring module includes: a data acquisition submodule, a signal preprocessing submodule, and a congestion determination submodule;

[0009] The phased flushing execution module includes: a flushing parameter adjustment submodule and a phase switching submodule;

[0010] The safety interlock module includes: a pressure monitoring submodule and an emergency interruption submodule;

[0011] The data recording and analysis module includes: a log storage submodule and an effect evaluation submodule.

[0012] As a further improvement to this technical solution: the core determination formula of the blockage monitoring module is as follows:

[0013]

[0014] As a further improvement to this technical solution: the data acquisition submodule includes: a high-precision flow sensor, a pressure transmitter, and a temperature sensor; the signal preprocessing submodule includes: a low-pass filter.

[0015] As a further improvement to this technical solution: the valve drive submodule includes: an electric actuator and a position feedback sensor, which control the inlet and outlet valves and discharge port electric valves of water pumps #1 and #2; the linkage logic submodule is based on PLC to realize the timing control of pump stop, valve opening, flushing, valve closing and pump start.

[0016] As a further improvement to this technical solution: the valve opening adjustment logic of the intelligent valve control module is as follows: basic opening: 30% during water flushing, 50% during air flushing, and the actual opening dynamically increases with the degree of blockage (maximum not exceeding 80%).

[0017] As a further improvement to this technical solution: the phased flushing execution module has the following phased parameters: water flushing phase: pressure: 0.3-0.35MPa, duration: 10 seconds for mild blockage, 12 seconds for severe blockage; air flushing phase: pressure: 0.45-0.47MPa, duration: 20 seconds for mild blockage, 30 seconds for severe blockage.

[0018] As a further improvement to this technical solution: the safety interlock module has the following safety thresholds: low pressure limit: 0.4MPa; high pressure limit: 0.5MPa; interruption logic: when the pressure exceeds the limit, the air injection is immediately stopped and pressure replenishment is started. After the system returns to normal, the operation is restarted.

[0019] A method for operating an online backflushing air-cooled tower with ambient temperature water distribution pipes includes the following steps:

[0020] Step 1: Preliminary Preparation Stage;

[0021] Step 2: Automatic monitoring and backwash triggering;

[0022] Step 3: Perform backwashing in stages;

[0023] Step 4: System recovery and effect verification;

[0024] Step 5: Finishing and Recording.

[0025] As a further improvement to this technical solution: the preliminary preparation stage includes: equipment inspection and status confirmation, parameter preset; the automatic monitoring and backwashing triggering includes: real-time monitoring, manual confirmation and start-up.

[0026] As a further improvement to this technical solution: the phased backwashing execution includes: system linkage preparation, water flushing stage, and air flushing stage; the system recovery and effect verification includes: restoration to normal operation and effect verification.

[0027] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are:

[0028] 1. This invention utilizes intelligent monitoring and a phased backwashing strategy to efficiently resolve water distribution pipe blockage without shutting down the air separation system. By automatically determining the degree of blockage and combining water flushing softening with air flushing stripping, it precisely removes different types of impurities. The entire process relies on intelligent control to achieve automated operation, reducing manual intervention and errors. At the same time, a robust safety mechanism ensures stable operation of the air-cooled tower, preventing impact on main production lines. Furthermore, process data is traceable, facilitating subsequent optimization and maintenance, and significantly improving the operating efficiency and reliability of the air-cooling system.

[0029] The above description is merely an overview of the technical solution of the present invention. In order to better understand the technical means of the present invention and to implement it according to the contents of the specification, the preferred embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Specific embodiments of the present invention are given in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0030] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and form part of this application, illustrate exemplary embodiments of the invention and, together with their description, serve to explain the invention and do not constitute an undue limitation thereof. In the drawings:

[0031] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the operation process module for an online backflushing air-cooled tower ambient temperature water distribution pipe proposed in this invention;

[0032] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the process operation method for an online backflushing air-cooled tower with ambient temperature water pipe distribution, as proposed in this invention. Detailed Implementation

[0033] The principles and features of the present invention are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The examples given are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. The invention is described more specifically in the following paragraphs by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the drawings are in a very simplified form and use non-precise proportions, and are only used to facilitate and clarify the illustration of the embodiments of the present invention.

[0034] Please see Figures 1-2In this embodiment of the invention, an online backflushing process for the ambient temperature water distribution pipe of an air-cooled tower includes the following modules: a blockage monitoring module, an intelligent valve control module, a phased flushing execution module, a safety interlock module, and a data recording and analysis module. The modules work together to form a complete and optimized chain.

[0035] The congestion monitoring module includes: a data acquisition submodule, a signal preprocessing submodule, and a congestion determination submodule;

[0036] The phased flushing execution module includes: a flushing parameter adjustment submodule and a phase switching submodule;

[0037] The safety interlock module includes: a pressure monitoring submodule and an emergency interruption submodule;

[0038] The data recording and analysis module includes: a log storage submodule and an effect evaluation submodule;

[0039] Specifically, based on a collaborative mechanism of real-time monitoring, intelligent judgment, phased flushing, and safety closed loop, the practicality and operability are improved, while ensuring backwashing efficiency and air separation system stability.

[0040] Log storage submodule: Local storage on SD card and cloud backup (supports 100,000 records), including timestamps, congestion level, flushing duration, and flow recovery value; Effect evaluation submodule: Calculates backflushing effectiveness based on historical data to assist in parameter optimization.

[0041] The core judgment formula of the congestion monitoring module is:

[0042]

[0043] Specifically, the flow deviation rate (δ1) quantifies the degree of flow reduction and serves as the core criterion for determining the congestion level; its formula is as follows: Q0 is the design normal flow rate; Q 实 The data represents real-time traffic; δ1 ≥ 15% and < 30% indicates mild congestion; δ1 ≥ 30% indicates severe congestion.

[0044] The data acquisition submodule includes: a high-precision flow sensor, a pressure transmitter, and a temperature sensor; the signal preprocessing submodule includes: a low-pass filter;

[0045] Specifically, a high-precision flow sensor (DN100 electromagnetic flow meter, accuracy ±0.5m) 3 / h); Pressure transmitter (PT-1000, range 0-1MPa); Temperature sensor (0-50℃, ±0.5℃); Signal preprocessing submodule: Low-pass filter (cutoff frequency 5Hz) filters noise and converts the original signal into a digital quantity (sampling frequency 10 times / second).

[0046] The valve drive submodule includes: an electric actuator and a position feedback sensor to control the inlet and outlet valves and discharge valves of water pumps #1 and #2; the linkage logic submodule is based on PLC to realize the timing control of pump stop, valve opening, flushing, valve closing and pump start.

[0047] Specifically, the system includes an electric actuator (DKJ-410, output torque 50 N·m); a position feedback sensor (accuracy ±1%) to control the inlet and outlet valves and discharge valves of water pumps #1 and #2; and a linkage logic submodule based on a PLC (Siemens S7-1200) to achieve sequential control of pump stop, valve opening, flushing, valve closing, and pump start, with a response delay ≤1 second.

[0048] The intelligent valve control module has the following valve opening adjustment logic: basic opening: 30% during water flushing, 50% during air flushing, and the actual opening dynamically increases with the degree of blockage (maximum not exceeding 80%).

[0049] Specifically, the actual opening degree increases dynamically with the degree of blockage (maximum not exceeding 80%) to ensure that the flushing intensity is adapted to the blockage.

[0050] The phased flushing execution module has the following phased parameters: Water flushing phase: pressure: 0.3-0.35MPa, duration: 10 seconds for mild clogging, 12 seconds for severe clogging; Air flushing phase: pressure: 0.45-0.47MPa, duration: 20 seconds for mild clogging, 30 seconds for severe clogging.

[0051] Specifically, the flushing parameter adjustment submodule automatically adjusts the pressure and duration of water flushing and air flushing according to the level of blockage; the stage switching submodule automatically switches between water flushing and air flushing (delay ≤ 0.5 seconds) through pressure sensor feedback; water flushing stage: softens and loosens blockages; air flushing stage: removes stubborn blockages.

[0052] The safety interlock module has the following safety thresholds: Low pressure limit: 0.4MPa; High pressure limit: 0.5MPa; Interruption logic: When the pressure exceeds the limit, the air flushing will be stopped immediately and pressure compensation will be started. After the pressure returns to normal, the operation will be restarted.

[0053] Specifically, the pressure monitoring submodule monitors the air-cooled tower pressure in real time (sampling frequency 20 times / second); the emergency interruption submodule uses an electromagnetic relay (response ≤10ms) to immediately cut off the air supply when triggered; the lower pressure limit is 0.4MPa (below this value will affect the normal operation of the air-cooled tower); the upper pressure limit is 0.5MPa (to avoid damage to pipelines due to excessive pressure).

[0054] A method for operating an online backflushing air-cooled tower with ambient temperature water distribution pipes includes the following steps:

[0055] Step 1: Preliminary Preparation Stage;

[0056] Step 2: Automatic monitoring and backwash triggering;

[0057] Step 3: Perform backwashing in stages;

[0058] Step 4: System recovery and effect verification;

[0059] Step 5: Finishing and Recording;

[0060] The preliminary preparation phase includes: equipment inspection and status confirmation, parameter preset; automatic monitoring and backwash triggering includes: real-time monitoring, manual confirmation and activation;

[0061] The phased backwashing process includes: system preparation, water flushing phase, and air flushing phase; system recovery and effectiveness verification includes: restoration to normal operation and effectiveness verification.

[0062] Specifically, during use, the initial preparation (approximately 10 minutes) should be performed: confirm that the air-cooled tower and pump #2 are operating normally, pump #1 is in standby mode, check the wiring and calibration status of the blockage monitoring module sensor, remove the check valve of pump #1 and install a temporary discharge pipe, and preset the design flow rate Q0, blockage threshold (mild δ1 = 15%, severe δ1 = 30%) and safe pressure range (0.45-0.47MPa) in the PLC system. The system automatically monitors in real time, and triggers an alarm when the flow deviation rate δ1 reaches the threshold. After confirmation by the operator, backflushing is started: the PLC first stops pump #2, triggers the interlock signal of pump #1 and resets valve V1107 to 25%, and then enters a phased flushing (water flushing for 10-12 seconds → air flushing for 20-30 seconds, adjusted according to the blockage level). During the water flushing stage, residual water is introduced at 30% opening to soften impurities, and during the air flushing stage, compressed air is introduced at 50% opening to remove stubborn blockages. The safety interlock module monitors the pressure in real time, and automatically interrupts and replenishes pressure when the limit is exceeded. After flushing is completed, the system automatically closes the outlet valve of pump #1, restarts pump #2 and restores the valve status. The effect is verified by the flow recovery rate (≥90%Q0). If the standard is not met, flushing is repeated. Finally, the discharge pipe is removed and the check valve is restored. The data recording module automatically generates a report containing information such as blockage level and duration and uploads it for archiving. The impact on the main line is ≤5% throughout the process, and each process takes about 10 minutes.

[0063] The working principle of this invention is based on a collaborative mechanism of real-time monitoring, intelligent judgment, phased rinsing, and a safety closed loop. The core logic is as follows:

[0064] The system uses flow sensors and pressure transmitters in the blockage monitoring module to capture real-time changes in flow rate in the water distribution pipe and pressure fluctuations in the air-cooled tower. The flow deviation rate δ1 is used to quantify the degree of blockage (mild or severe), avoiding errors from subjective human judgment. When backwashing conditions are triggered, the system achieves fully automatic linkage based on the PLC controller: first, the running No. 2 water pump is stopped, the No. 1 water pump interlock signal is triggered (only the pump start command is transmitted, the pump does not actually run), and the V1107 valve is reset to 25% to maintain the basic flow rate, ensuring that the purification system is not affected.

[0065] The phased flushing strategy is designed to address the characteristics of different blockages: In the water flushing phase, residual room temperature water is introduced with the valve opening at 30% to soften and loosen impurities (such as silt) using the impact force of the water flow; in the air flushing phase, the valve opening is switched to 50% to introduce compressed air at 0.45-0.47 MPa from the air-cooled tower, which removes stubborn scale or hard particles through the gas turbulence effect, and the impurities are discharged through the temporary discharge pipe along with the air-water mixture; the safety interlock module monitors the pressure throughout the process, and immediately interrupts flushing and replenishes pressure when the pressure exceeds the limit to avoid affecting the main operation of the air separation system.

[0066] The effectiveness is ultimately verified by the flow recovery rate, and the data recording module synchronously archives the process parameters, forming a complete closed loop of monitoring, judgment, flushing, and verification.

[0067] The above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention in any way. Those skilled in the art can readily implement the present invention based on the accompanying drawings and the above description. However, any modifications, alterations, or variations made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention, utilizing the disclosed technical content, are equivalent embodiments of the present invention. Furthermore, any equivalent changes, alterations, or variations made to the above embodiments based on the essential technology of the present invention are still within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A process flow for online backflushing of air-cooled towers at ambient temperature water distribution, characterized in that, Includes the following modules: The blockage monitoring module, intelligent valve control module, phased flushing execution module, safety interlock module, and data recording and analysis module work together to form a complete and optimized system. The congestion monitoring module includes: a data acquisition submodule, a signal preprocessing submodule, and a congestion determination submodule; The phased flushing execution module includes: a flushing parameter adjustment submodule and a phase switching submodule; The safety interlock module includes: a pressure monitoring submodule and an emergency interruption submodule; The data recording and analysis module includes: a log storage submodule and an effect evaluation submodule.

2. The process flow for online backflushing air-cooled tower ambient temperature water distribution pipes according to claim 1, characterized in that, The core determination formula of the blockage monitoring module is as follows:

3. The process flow for online backflushing air-cooled tower ambient temperature water distribution pipes according to claim 1, characterized in that, The data acquisition submodule includes: a high-precision flow sensor, a pressure transmitter, and a temperature sensor; the signal preprocessing submodule includes: a low-pass filter.

4. The process flow for online backflushing air-cooled tower ambient temperature water distribution pipe according to claim 1, characterized in that, The valve drive submodule includes an electric actuator and a position feedback sensor to control the inlet and outlet valves and discharge valves of water pumps #1 and #2; the linkage logic submodule is based on PLC to realize the timing control of pump stop, valve opening, flushing, valve closing and pump start.

5. The process flow for online backflushing air-cooled tower ambient temperature water distribution pipe according to claim 1, characterized in that, The intelligent valve control module has the following valve opening adjustment logic: basic opening: 30% during water flushing, 50% during air flushing, and the actual opening dynamically increases with the degree of blockage (maximum not exceeding 80%).

6. The process flow for online backflushing air-cooled tower ambient temperature water distribution pipe according to claim 1, characterized in that, The phased flushing execution module has the following phased parameters: Water flushing phase: pressure: 0.3-0.35MPa, duration: 10 seconds for mild blockage, 12 seconds for severe blockage; Qi rush stage: Pressure: 0.45-0.47MPa, Duration: 20 seconds for mild blockage, 30 seconds for severe blockage.

7. The process flow for online backflushing air-cooled tower ambient temperature water distribution pipe according to claim 1, characterized in that, The safety interlock module has the following safety thresholds: low pressure limit: 0.4MPa; high pressure limit: 0.5MPa; interruption logic: when the pressure exceeds the limit, the air injection is immediately stopped and pressure replenishment is started. After the pressure returns to normal, the operation is restarted.

8. A method for operating an online backwashing air-cooled tower ambient temperature water pipe distribution process, comprising a module within the online backwashing air-cooled tower ambient temperature water pipe distribution process described in any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Step 1: Preliminary Preparation Stage; Step 2: Automatic monitoring and backwash triggering; Step 3: Perform backwashing in stages; Step 4: System recovery and effect verification; Step 5: Finishing and Recording.

9. The online backwashing air-cooled tower ambient temperature water distribution pipe operation method according to claim 8, characterized in that, The preliminary preparation stage includes: equipment inspection and status confirmation, parameter preset; the automatic monitoring and backwash triggering includes: real-time monitoring, manual confirmation and activation.

10. The online backflushing air-cooled tower ambient temperature water distribution pipe operation method according to claim 8, characterized in that, Its features are, The phased backwashing process includes: system linkage preparation, water flushing stage, and air flushing stage; the system recovery and effect verification include: restoration to normal operation and effect verification.

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