Hoop and method special for replacing water-cooled wall heat exchange tube alignment
By designing specialized clamping tools for the left and right retaining rings, precise alignment and stable fixation of water-cooled wall heat exchange tubes are achieved, solving the problems of low alignment accuracy, low efficiency and poor safety in existing technologies. This makes it suitable for efficient welding operations in confined spaces.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202511713050.9
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2025-11-20
- Publication Date
- 2026-01-27
AI Technical Summary
Existing technologies suffer from low alignment accuracy, low operational efficiency, and poor safety when replacing boiler water-cooled wall heat exchange tubes. They are particularly difficult to operate in confined spaces, posing a risk of injury or misoperation.
Design a specialized clamping tool that includes a left and right retaining ring. It utilizes a hinge connection mechanism to achieve quick opening and closing, a locking mechanism for fixation, and a radial adjustment component for precise alignment and stability, making it suitable for operation in confined spaces.
It improves alignment accuracy, can be completed by a single person, is less time-consuming, highly safe, highly adaptable, meets welding process requirements, and reduces operational risks.
Smart Images

Figure CN121409035A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention relates to the field of boiler maintenance tools for thermal power plants, specifically a special clamp tool for achieving precise connection between the old and new heat exchange tube ports when replacing boiler water-cooled wall heat exchange tubes. Background Technology
[0002] In the replacement of heat exchange tubes in the water-cooled walls of boilers in thermal power plants, the new heat exchange tubes need to be aligned (butted) with the ends of the existing tube sections before welding. Currently, traditional alignment methods mostly rely on manual support or simple clamps for fixing. These methods have the following problems: low alignment accuracy; manual support can easily lead to deviation of the central axis of the two tube ends, misalignment (radial misalignment), or tilting, which can easily cause stress concentration after welding, affecting the service life of the heat exchange tubes and the safe operation of the boiler; low efficiency; multiple people are required to adjust and repeatedly calibrate, which is time-consuming and labor-intensive, especially in the confined space of the boiler; poor safety; unsecured tube sections may sway, posing a risk of injury or misoperation. Summary of the Invention
[0003] To address the above issues and solve the problems of low alignment accuracy, low operational efficiency, and poor safety when replacing existing water-cooled wall heat exchanger tubes, this invention provides a specialized clamping tool that can quickly and accurately align and securely fix the ends of new and old heat exchanger tubes, and is suitable for operation in confined spaces. To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted by this invention is as follows: A special clamp for replacing the fitting of water-cooled wall heat exchanger tubes, characterized in that it includes: Both the left and right retaining rings are semi-cylindrical, and their inner diameter is matched to the outer diameter of the water-cooled wall heat exchanger tubes. A hinge connection mechanism is provided on one side of the left and right retaining rings. The left and right retaining rings are rotated around the hinge shaft by the hinge connection mechanism to realize the opening and closing action of the clamp. A locking mechanism is provided on the other side of the left and right retaining rings. The locking mechanism locks the left and right retaining rings together to form an integral cylindrical shape and hold the heat exchange tube.
[0004] Furthermore, the inner diameter is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the water-cooled wall heat exchange tube.
[0005] Furthermore, the inner walls of the left and right retaining rings are provided with anti-slip textures, which are used to increase the friction with the tube wall when the inner walls come into contact with the heat exchange tube.
[0006] Furthermore, the locking mechanism includes a slot, a bolt, and a wing nut; The card slot is located on the side of the left card ring. The card slot is "U" shaped and has an open notch. A locking bolt and a wing nut are provided on the side of the right retaining ring. The locking bolt is hinged to the right retaining ring by a pin and placed in the "U"-shaped groove of the left retaining ring through an open notch. The wing nut is screwed onto the locking bolt.
[0007] Furthermore, radial adjustment components are provided at both ends of the left and right retaining rings, with a first set of radial adjustment components and a second set of radial adjustment components respectively at each end.
[0008] Furthermore, each radial adjustment assembly includes multiple adjustment bolts; A threaded hole is provided on the side wall of the retaining ring. The adjusting bolt is screwed into the threaded hole to engage. By rotating the adjusting bolt, the heat exchange tube is tightened, and the radial position of the tube section is finely adjusted. Furthermore, each radial adjustment assembly includes two adjustment bolts evenly distributed on the semicircle of the retaining ring.
[0009] Furthermore, an operating window is provided in the middle of the left and right retaining rings for on-site welding operations.
[0010] A construction method that uses special clamps for replacing water-cooled wall heat exchanger tubes is characterized by, Step 1. Install a special clamp at the working end face of the heat exchange tube; Step 2. Rotate the locking mechanism to fix and align the heat exchanger tube ports; Step 3. Fine-tune the alignment using the radial adjustment component; Step 4. On-site construction operations.
[0011] Furthermore, in step 4, after the fixing is completed, the welding point is positioned at the heat exchange tube port using a welding torch through the operation window, or a section of weld is directly formed within the operation window.
[0012] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects: The combination of left and right retaining rings with hinges and locking mechanisms enables rapid opening and closing and secure clamping. The radial adjustment component allows for precise fine-tuning of the heat exchange tube's radial position, ensuring alignment accuracy. Improved alignment accuracy: Through retaining ring clamping and the radial adjustment component, the misalignment between the two tubes can be controlled within 0.5mm, and the central axis deviation ≤0.3mm, meeting welding process requirements and reducing welding stress. Increased operational efficiency: Single-person operation is possible, with a time of ≤5 minutes from fixing to calibration, representing a 4-6 times increase in efficiency compared to traditional methods (20-30 minutes with multiple people). Enhanced safety: The clamps securely fix the tube section, preventing shaking and reducing operational risks. Strong adaptability: The compact structure (width ≤100mm) is suitable for operation in confined boiler spaces (such as inside the furnace), and various heat exchange tube specifications can be adapted by changing retaining rings of different inner diameters. Attached Figure Description
[0013] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the product's main view; Figure 2 This is a side view diagram of the product; Figure 3 A diagram showing the product in its open state; Among them, 11-left retaining ring, 12-right retaining ring, 2-locking mechanism, 3-hinge connection mechanism, and 4-operation window. Detailed Implementation
[0014] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. The embodiments of the present invention include, but are not limited to, the following embodiments.
[0015] It should be noted that when a component is described as "fixed to" another component, it can be directly on the other component or may have a component in between. When a component is described as "connected to" another component, it can be directly connected to the other component or may have a component in between. When a component is described as "set on" another component, it can be directly set on the other component or may have a component in between. The terms "vertical," "horizontal," "left," "right," "top," "bottom," and similar expressions used in this document are for illustrative purposes only.
[0016] As shown in the figure, a special clamp for replacing the joint of a water-cooled wall heat exchanger tube includes: The left retaining ring (11) and the right retaining ring (12) are both semi-cylindrical, and their inner diameter is adapted to the outer diameter of the water-cooled wall heat exchange tube. In specific implementation, the inner diameter is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the water-cooled wall heat exchange tube. For a heat exchange tube with a diameter of 51mm, the inner diameter of the retaining ring is set to 51.5mm ± 0.2mm.
[0017] The inner walls of the left retaining ring (11) and the right retaining ring (12) are provided with anti-slip texture. When their inner walls come into contact with the heat exchange tube, they are used to increase the friction with the tube wall and prevent slippage.
[0018] A hinge connection mechanism (3) is provided on one side of the left retaining ring (11) and the right retaining ring (12), which consists of a hinge shaft and a bushing.
[0019] The hinge connection mechanism allows the left retaining ring (11) and the right retaining ring (12) to rotate around the hinge axis, thereby realizing the opening and closing action of the clamp; Locking mechanisms (2) are provided on the other side of the left retaining ring (11) and the right retaining ring (12).
[0020] The locking mechanism (2) includes a slot, a bolt, and a wing nut.
[0021] The card slot is located on the side of the left card ring. The card slot is "U" shaped and has an open notch.
[0022] A locking bolt and a wing nut are provided on the side of the right retaining ring. The locking bolt is hinged to the right retaining ring via a pin and can be rotated and placed into the "U"-shaped groove of the left retaining ring through an open notch. The wing nut is screwed onto the locking bolt. By tightening the wing nut to press the groove of the left retaining ring, the left and right retaining rings are locked. Radial adjustment components (not shown in the figure) are also provided at both ends of the left retaining ring (11) and the right retaining ring (12).
[0023] For example, the left retaining ring (11) has a first set of radial adjustment components and a second set of radial adjustment components at its two ends. Each set of radial adjustment components includes multiple adjustment bolts, specifically two adjustment bolts.
[0024] A threaded hole is provided on the side wall of the retaining ring, and the adjusting bolt is screwed into the threaded hole to fit. By rotating the adjusting bolt to tighten the heat exchange tube, the radial position of the tube section can be finely adjusted to ensure port alignment.
[0025] The radial position of the pipe section can be precisely adjusted using multiple adjusting bolts.
[0026] Similarly, the same radial adjustment component is also provided on the right retaining ring (12).
[0027] After clamping the connection between the two heat exchange tubes, the radial adjustment component can be used to finely adjust and align the ends of the two heat exchange tubes.
[0028] An operation window (4) is provided in the middle of the left retaining ring (11) and the right retaining ring (12). The operation window (4) is located on the side wall between the first set of radial adjustment components and the second set of radial adjustment components.
[0029] The operation window is rectangular, and its size is convenient for on-site welding operations.
[0030] In specific applications of clamps 1. Install a special clamp at the working end face of the heat exchange tube.
[0031] Open the locking mechanism of the clamp and put the left and right retaining rings on the connection points of the old heat exchanger tube ports and the new heat exchanger tube ports that need to be connected; 2. Fix and align the heat exchanger tube ports.
[0032] Rotate the wing nut of the locking mechanism so that the left and right retaining rings hold the two tubes, and the ends of the two tubes are roughly aligned (the end face gap is controlled at 1-3mm). After initial fixation, the heat exchange tubes have a certain amount of radial movement. 3. Fine-tune the alignment and overlap.
[0033] By adjusting the adjusting bolts of the radial adjustment component, fine-tune the radial position of the new and old pipes to ensure that the center axes of the two pipes coincide (misalignment ≤ 0.5mm). 4. On-site construction operations.
[0034] Once the fixing is complete, welding can begin. Using the welding torch through the operating window, position the weld point at the heat exchange tube end. After positioning the welding surface of the heat exchange tube, loosen the locking mechanism, remove the clamp, and continue to complete the circumferential weld of the heat exchange tube.
[0035] In actual operation, a section of weld can also be formed directly within the operating window. After the clamp is loosened, the weld can be rotated and repositioned, and subsequent welds can continue to be formed within the operating window until the circumferential weld of the heat exchange tube is completed.
[0036] After the final welding is completed, loosen the locking mechanism and remove the clamp.
[0037] The left and right retaining rings are forged from No. 45 steel and tempered (hardness HB200-250) to ensure strength and wear resistance; the hinge shafts and bolts are made of stainless steel to prevent rust.
[0038] Finally, it should be noted that the above description is merely an explanation of the present invention and is not intended to limit the invention. Although the present invention has been described in detail, those skilled in the art can still modify the technical solutions described above or make equivalent substitutions for some of the technical features. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.
Claims
1. A special clamp for replacing the fitting of heat exchange tubes in a water-cooled wall, characterized in that, include: Both the left and right retaining rings are semi-cylindrical, and their inner diameter is matched to the outer diameter of the water-cooled wall heat exchanger tubes. A hinge connection mechanism is provided on one side of the left and right retaining rings. The left and right retaining rings are rotated around the hinge shaft by the hinge connection mechanism to realize the opening and closing action of the clamp. A locking mechanism is provided on the other side of the left and right retaining rings. The locking mechanism locks the left and right retaining rings together to form an integral cylindrical shape and hold the heat exchange tube.
2. The special clamp for replacing the water-cooled wall heat exchanger tube according to claim 1, characterized in that, The inner diameter is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the water-cooled wall heat exchange tube.
3. The special clamp for replacing the water-cooled wall heat exchanger tube according to claim 1, characterized in that, The inner walls of the left and right retaining rings are provided with anti-slip textures, which are used to increase the friction between the inner walls and the heat exchange tube when the inner walls come into contact with the tube.
4. The special clamp for replacing the water-cooled wall heat exchanger tube according to claim 1, characterized in that, The locking mechanism includes a slot, a bolt, and a wing nut; The card slot is located on the side of the left card ring. The card slot is "U" shaped and has an open notch. A locking bolt and a wing nut are provided on the side of the right retaining ring. The locking bolt is hinged to the right retaining ring by a pin and placed in the "U"-shaped groove of the left retaining ring through an open notch. The wing nut is screwed onto the locking bolt.
5. The special clamp for replacing the water-cooled wall heat exchanger tube according to claim 1, characterized in that, Radial adjustment components are also provided at both ends of the left and right retaining rings, with a first set of radial adjustment components and a second set of radial adjustment components respectively at each end.
6. The special clamp for replacing the water-cooled wall heat exchanger tube according to claim 5, characterized in that, Each radial adjustment assembly includes multiple adjustment bolts; A threaded hole is provided on the side wall of the retaining ring. The adjusting bolt is screwed into the threaded hole to engage. By rotating the adjusting bolt, the heat exchange tube is tightened, and the radial position of the tube section is finely adjusted.
7. The special clamp for replacing the water-cooled wall heat exchanger tube according to claim 6, characterized in that, Each radial adjustment assembly includes two adjustment bolts evenly distributed on the semicircle of the retaining ring.
8. The special clamp for replacing the water-cooled wall heat exchanger tube according to claim 5, characterized in that, An operating window is provided in the middle of the left and right retaining rings for on-site welding operations.
9. A construction method for replacing water-cooled wall heat exchanger tubes using the special clamps described in claim 1, characterized in that, Step 1. Install a special clamp at the working end face of the heat exchange tube; Step 2. Rotate the locking mechanism to fix and align the heat exchanger tube ports; Step 3. Fine-tune the alignment using the radial adjustment component; Step 4. On-site construction operations.
10. The construction method according to claim 9, characterized in that, In step 4, after fixing, the welding point is positioned at the heat exchange tube port using a welding torch through the operation window, or a section of weld is formed directly within the operation window.