Cleaning ball for removing attachments in polar region water intake pipe and use method

Abstract

The invention discloses a cleaning ball for removing attachments in a polar region water intake pipe. The cleaning ball comprises a ball core, a coating layer and a spiral tooth hook assembly. The coating layer is arranged on the surface of the ball core, and the surface of the coating layer is connected with the spiral tooth hook assembly used for stripping pipeline attachments; a using method of the cleaning ball for removing the attachments in the polar region water intake pipe comprises the steps that S1, the cleaning ball is injected into a pipeline and pushed forwards through high-pressure water; s2, in the advancing process, a near-wall beam is formed between the cleaning ball and the inner wall of the pipeline, a biological membrane surface layer of the pipe wall is jetted and impacted, high-pressure water impacts the biological membrane surface layer, and then deep sediments are hooked and removed through a spiral tooth hook assembly; s3, detecting a pressure drop value at a pipe orifice, and when the pressure drop value is greater than a set value, repeatedly pumping high-pressure water, so that the cleaning ball circularly hooks and removes deep sediments in the pipeline for multiple times; and when the value is smaller than the set value, the cleaning ball is withdrawn from the pipeline through reverse water pumping. The method has the characteristics of high decontamination efficiency, simplicity in implementation and low cost.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a cleaning ball for removing deposits inside polar water intake pipes and its method of use. Background Technology

[0002] The water supply for scientific research at polar research stations faces significant challenges. The water supply systems of these stations rely on seawater intake pipes, but the polar marine environment makes the inner walls of these pipes highly susceptible to biofouling (such as shellfish, algae, and ice crystals) and mineral deposits (such as salt crystals and calcifications). These deposits can clog the pipes, reduce water delivery efficiency, and even cause equipment malfunctions; increase energy consumption, forcing pumps to operate at high pressure for extended periods; and pollute the water, with microbial deposits potentially breeding harmful substances and threatening the health of research personnel.

[0003] The limitations of existing cleaning technologies are mainly: (1) Traditional methods (such as mechanical scraping, chemical cleaning, and high-pressure water jetting) have significant defects in extreme polar environments; (2) Mechanical scraping: difficult to adapt to complex pipe structures and easily damages pipe walls; (3) Chemical cleaning: polar ecosystems are sensitive and corrosive or toxic reagents are prohibited; (4) Conventional high-pressure water jetting: high energy consumption, easy to freeze at low temperatures, and poor removal effect on stubborn biofilms (such as polar scallop byssal threads).

[0004] Therefore, in response to the above problems, a cleaning ball for removing deposits inside polar water intake pipes and its usage method are proposed. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the shortcomings of existing methods by providing a cleaning ball and method for removing deposits inside polar water intake pipes, which is characterized by high efficiency in decontamination, ease of implementation, and low cost.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: a cleaning ball for removing deposits inside polar water intake pipes, comprising a ball core, a coating layer, and a spiral toothed hook assembly; The surface of the ball core is provided with the coating layer, and the surface of the coating layer is connected to the helical toothed hook assembly for peeling off pipe attachments; The process involves pushing a cleaning ball into the pipe with water flow, where a spiral hook assembly peels off any deposits, thus cleaning the pipe.

[0007] Preferably, the core is made of titanium alloy.

[0008] Preferably, the covering layer is a reinforced polyetheretherketone (PEEK) plastic sleeve.

[0009] Preferably, the spiral hook assembly includes a fixing layer and a plurality of single hooks, wherein the plurality of single hooks are spirally arranged and connected to the fixing layer.

[0010] Preferably, the sphere core is hollow.

[0011] A method for using a cleaning ball to remove deposits inside a polar water intake pipe includes: Step S1: Inject the cleaning ball into the pipe and push it forward using high-pressure water; Step S2: During the process, a near-wall jet is formed between the cleaning ball and the inner wall of the pipe, which sprays and impacts the biofilm surface of the pipe wall. High-pressure water impacts the biofilm surface, and then the spiral toothed hook assembly removes deep deposits. Step S3: Detect the pressure drop at the pipe opening. If it exceeds the set value, repeatedly pump high-pressure water to allow the cleaning ball to circulate multiple times in the pipe to remove deep deposits. When the value is lower than the set value, reverse pumping will retract the cleaning ball from the pipe.

[0012] Preferably, the sidewall jet of the cleaning ball generates a large number of cavitation bubbles through water swirl and cavitation. The generation and collapse of cavitation bubbles disturb and remove the deposits in the pipe, and the disturbance has a pulsating characteristic.

[0013] Compared with existing technologies, the beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: This polar water intake pipe desiccant removal cleaning ball and its application method utilize the near-wall beam impact principle. A specially designed rigid-flexible combination cleaning ball generates a high-speed beam within the water intake pipe, directly impacting various impurities and organisms attached to the pipe wall. Simultaneously, cavitation disturbance technology is used to form cavitation bubbles around the beam. The micro-jet streams and shock waves generated by the collapse of these cavitation bubbles further disrupt the desiccant structure. This effectively solves the problem of difficult desiccant removal from water intake pipes under low-temperature, unmanned conditions in polar regions. It has advantages such as high removal efficiency and minimal damage to the pipe, significantly improving the water delivery efficiency and service life of polar water intake pipes, and is suitable for various polar water intake systems. In Antarctic overwintering tests, a cleaning cycle consisting of three cycles took only 8 minutes, restoring the pipe throughput to 97% of the design value, resulting in energy savings of 41%. Attached Figure Description

[0014] The accompanying drawings are provided to further illustrate the invention and form part of the specification. They are used in conjunction with embodiments of the invention to explain the invention and do not constitute a limitation thereof. In the drawings: Figure 1 This is a cross-sectional view of the cleaning ball of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a detailed view of the spiral toothed hook assembly of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a diagram showing the pipes before they were cleaned. Figure 4 This is a diagram showing the pipes after cleaning. Figure 5 This is a cleaning diagram of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the operational logic of the method used in this invention.

[0015] In the diagram: 1. Sphere core; 2. Covering layer; 3. Helical hook assembly; 31. Fixing layer; 32. Single hook. Detailed Implementation

[0016] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0017] like Figure 1-5 As shown, a cleaning ball for removing deposits inside a polar water intake pipe includes a core ball 1, a coating layer 2, and a spiral hook assembly 3. The surface of the core ball 1 is provided with the coating layer 2, and the surface of the coating layer 2 is connected to the spiral hook assembly 3 for peeling off deposits from the pipe. Water flow pushes the cleaning ball into the pipe, and the spiral hook assembly 3 peels off the deposits from the pipe, thereby cleaning the pipe.

[0018] Specifically, core 1 is made of titanium alloy. Core 1 is hollow. Diameter Φ50~150mm; titanium alloy core (wall thickness 5mm).

[0019] Specifically, the second layer is a reinforced polyetheretherketone (PEEK) plastic sleeve. The PEEK coating layer is 3 mm thick.

[0020] Specifically, the spiral hook assembly 3 includes a fixing layer 31 and multiple single-tooth hooks 32, which are spirally arrayed and connected to the fixing layer 31. The single-tooth hook 32 has a height of 3~8mm, a peeling force of 1.8±0.3N / hook, and a low-temperature toughness retention rate (-30℃) ≥90%.

[0021] During operation, the cleaning ball is pushed forward with a water pressure of 10~30 atm; reverse pumping is triggered when the pressure drop at the pipe outlet is ≤0.5 atm; the single cycle time is ≤120 seconds.

[0022] like Figure 6 As shown, a method for using a cleaning ball to remove deposits inside a polar water intake pipe includes: Step S1: Inject the cleaning ball into the pipe and propel it forward using high-pressure water; the near-wall jet pressure is 5 to 15 atmospheres to effectively impact deposits of varying strengths.

[0023] In step S2, during the process, a near-wall jet is formed between the cleaning ball and the inner wall of the pipe, which jets and impacts the biofilm surface of the pipe wall. High-pressure water impacts the biofilm surface, and then the spiral hook assembly 3 removes deep deposits. The sidewall jet of the cleaning ball generates a large number of cavitation bubbles through water swirl and cavitation. The generation and collapse of cavitation bubbles disturb and peel off the attached materials in the pipe. The disturbance has pulsating characteristics.

[0024] Step S3: Detect the pressure drop at the pipe opening. If it exceeds the set value, repeatedly pump high-pressure water to allow the cleaning ball to circulate multiple times in the pipe to remove deep deposits. When the value is lower than the set value, reverse pumping will retract the cleaning ball from the pipe.

[0025] Firstly, the cleaning ball placed inside the polar water intake pipe forms a near-wall jet between the cleaning ball and the inner wall of the pipe, which sprays and impacts the pipe wall. The jet direction is close to the inner wall of the water intake pipe, continuously impacting the deposits on the inner wall of the water intake pipe. Secondly, the sidewall jet of the cleaning ball generates a large number of cavitation bubbles through water swirl and cavitation. The generation and collapse of cavitation bubbles disturb and peel off the deposits in the water intake pipe. The disturbance is pulsating, and the level of cavitation disturbance can be adjusted according to the pipe diameter, length and deposit conditions of the water intake pipe.

[0026] Thirdly, under the coupled effect of jet impact and cavitation disturbance, the deposits on the pipe wall are detached and cleaned, and discharged from the water intake pipe through the water flow.

[0027] Taking a DN150 high-density polyethylene (HDPE) water intake pipe (total length 120m, burial depth 2m) at a certain station as an example, after 18 months of pipeline operation, the average thickness of the deposits reached 12.3±1.5mm. Deposits composition analysis (sampling and testing): ice crystals accounted for 45%, exhibiting a layered structure, with an adhesion strength of 0.8N / cm². 2 The polar scallop byssal threads account for 30%, forming a fibrous network with extremely strong toughness; CaCO3 crystals account for 25%, with a hardness of 3.5 on the Mohs scale, belonging to dense sediments.

[0028] The cleaning ball parameters are as follows: the ball is a Φ100mm hollow titanium alloy ball (wall thickness 4mm, density 0.96g / cm³). 3 The toothed hook sleeve is made of PEEK material, with a thickness of 2.5mm, arranged in a spiral array, with a lead of 120mm and an inclination angle of 45°; the toothed hook density is 8 hooks / cm³. 2 The single hook peeling force was measured to be 1.9N at -30℃.

[0029] Operating conditions: water temperature -2℃, flow velocity 2.5m / s, working pressure 25atm.

[0030] Post-cleaning results: Pipe flow rate before cleaning was 28.5m. 3 / h, after cleaning 46.2m 3 / h (Design value 47.5m) 3 / h), the improvement rate reached +62.1%; the resistance coefficient was 0.025 before cleaning and 0.0075 after cleaning, a decrease of 70%; the residual thickness of the deposits was 12.3mm before cleaning and ≤0.4mm after cleaning, with a cleaning rate of 96.7%; the pump operating current was 145A before cleaning and 89A after cleaning, a decrease of 38.6%.

[0031] After three cycles (total time 8 minutes), the process was stopped, and the resistance coefficient inside the pipe decreased from 0.025 to 0.008.

[0032] After a cleaning cycle of 8 minutes, consisting of 3 cycles, the pipeline flow rate was restored to 97% of the design value.

[0033] Economic efficiency: Energy consumption per cleaning cycle: 1.05 kW·h (only 19% of the original high-pressure flushing energy consumption).

[0034] Extreme environment verification: Under the condition of the lowest water temperature of -31.5℃, the cleaning ball did not freeze or get stuck; the toothed hook rebound rate was 94.8%, and after 3 cycles, the fatigue life simulation of 5000 cycles met the standard.

[0035] In extreme environment verification, under the minimum water temperature of -31.5℃, the cleaning ball did not freeze or become stuck. During implementation, the lowest measured non-icing flow velocity in the pipeline was 0.8 m / s, while the designed flow velocity was 2.5 m / s (with a safety margin of 3 times). The ethylene glycol addition concentration was ≤5%, lowering the freezing point to -35℃. The heat loss rate was 0.12℃ / km (compared to 2.5℃ / km for traditional steel pipes), resulting in a 95% improvement in insulation efficiency. After cleaning, the residual liquid in the pipeline was <0.1L, eliminating the risk of static water freezing.

[0036] This document describes the cleaning ball used to remove deposits inside the polar water intake pipe. Its variable-speed motion and cavitation disturbance within the pipe work in conjunction to peel off deposits in layers (first impacting the surface of the biofilm, then hooking away deeper sediments). This method is comparable to existing mechanical scraping (60% removal rate), chemical cleaning (200 ppm residue), and conventional water jetting (energy consumption 2.5 kW·h / m³). 3 Compared to other technologies, this method achieves a 98% removal rate with zero chemical residue; compared to ultrasonic cleaning methods, it is 3 times faster at removing 10cm thick polar scallop byssal threads. Field tests at an Antarctic station have demonstrated that this invention can remove mixed deposits (ice crystals + shellfish + calcium salts) from pipes at -30℃ up to 2.8kg / m·time.

[0037] This polar water intake pipe decontamination removal cleaning ball and its usage method utilize the near-wall beam impact principle. A specially designed rigid-flexible combination cleaning ball generates a high-speed beam within the water intake pipe, directly impacting various impurities and organisms adhering to the pipe wall. Simultaneously, cavitation disturbance technology creates cavitation bubbles around the beam; the micro-jet streams and shock waves generated by the collapse of these cavitation bubbles further disrupt the decontamination structure. This effectively solves the problem of difficult decontamination removal in water intake pipes under low-temperature, unmanned conditions in polar regions. It boasts advantages such as high removal efficiency and minimal damage to the pipes, significantly improving the water delivery efficiency and service life of polar water intake pipes. It is suitable for various polar water intake systems. In Antarctic overwintering tests, a cleaning cycle including three cycles took only 8 minutes, restoring pipe throughput to 97% of the design value and saving 41% of energy.

[0038] Finally, it should be noted that the above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art can still modify the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments 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 polar water intake in-pipe attachment removing cleaning ball, characterized by, It comprises a ball core (1), a cladding layer (2) and a spiral hook assembly (3). The surface of the ball core (1) is provided with the cladding layer (2), and the surface of the cladding layer (2) is connected with the spiral hook assembly (3) for stripping the pipe attachments. The water flow pushes the cleaning ball into the pipe, and the spiral hook assembly (3) strips the pipe attachments, thereby realizing the cleaning of the pipe.

2. The polar water-tube inside attachment removing and cleaning ball according to claim 1, characterized in that, The ball core (1) is made of titanium alloy material.

3. The polar water-tube inside attachment removing and cleaning ball according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cladding layer (2) is made of reinforced polyether ether ketone plastic sleeve.

4. The polar water-tube inside attachment removing and cleaning ball according to claim 1, characterized in that, The spiral hook assembly (3) comprises a fixed layer (31) and a plurality of single hooks (32), and the plurality of single hooks (32) are arranged in a spiral array and connected to the fixed layer (31).

5. The polar water-tube inside attachment removing and cleaning ball according to claim 1, characterized in that, The ball core (1) is in a hollow state.

6. A method of using a polar water-tube in-line attachment cleaning ball, comprising: It comprises: Step S1, injecting the cleaning ball into the pipe and pushing it forward by using high-pressure water; Step S2, during the travel, a near-wall beam is formed between the cleaning ball and the inner wall of the pipe, the biofilm surface layer of the pipe wall is impacted, the high-pressure water impacts the biofilm surface layer, and then the spiral hook assembly (3) hooks off the deep deposits; Step S3, detecting the pressure drop value at the pipe opening, if it is greater than the set value, repeatedly pumping high-pressure water to make the cleaning ball circulate in the pipe multiple times to hook off the deep deposits; If it is less than the set value, the cleaning ball is retrieved from the pipe by reversing the water pumping.

7. The method of using a polar water-tube inner-attachment removing and cleaning ball according to claim 6, characterized in that, The side wall jet flow of the cleaning ball, the water flow rotation cavitation generates a large number of cavitation bubbles, and the attachments in the pipe are disturbed and stripped through the generation and collapse process of the cavitation bubbles, and the disturbance is of pulsation characteristics.

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