Apparatus for steam cleaning aluminum tubes and method of use

Abstract

The application provides a device and a use method for steam cleaning an aluminum pipe, relates to the technical field of pipe cleaning, and comprises a deformable spherical body which is jointly formed by a first shell, a second shell and a flexible sleeve connected between the first shell and the second shell; a sleeve is arranged at the center of the first shell, one end of the sleeve extends outward, and the other end extends to the inside of the spherical body; a hose is suitable for being arranged in a pipe to be cleaned, one end of the hose is connected with an external steam source, and the other end is connected with the sleeve; a valve assembly is arranged in the spherical body, the valve assembly is matched with the sleeve, and is used for selectively controlling the release or closure of steam from the end of the sleeve; and a plurality of first through holes are distributed on the pipe wall of the steam conveying hose. The core driving part of the device is the deformable spherical body formed by the flexible sleeve, can easily pass through the bending or even bending part of a small-diameter pipe, and solves the problem that a traditional in-pipe robot cannot be applied to complex small-diameter pipes.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of pipeline cleaning technology, and in particular to an apparatus and method for steam cleaning aluminum pipes. Background Technology

[0002] In industrial production and routine maintenance, pipeline cleanliness is crucial. Especially in precision manufacturing, HVAC, and chemical transportation, the cleanliness of the inner walls of small-diameter pipes (such as aluminum pipes the thickness of a fist or even thinner) directly impacts system performance and product quality. Currently, pipeline inner wall cleaning technologies mainly face the following challenges: Firstly, there are mechanical cleaning methods, such as using in-pipe robots. This method involves driving a robot carrying brushes or scrapers inside the pipe to physically clean the pipe walls. However, this approach is limited by the robot's size, drive mechanism, and rigid structure, making it difficult to move and operate effectively in pipes with small diameters. Especially for small-diameter pipes with 90-degree bends or complex curves, the in-pipe robot cannot pass through due to space constraints, rendering cleaning impossible. Secondly, there are fluid cleaning methods, such as high-pressure water jetting or chemical solvent cleaning. High-pressure water jetting consumes a lot of energy and experiences significant pressure drop over long distances. Chemical solvent cleaning can corrode pipe materials (especially reactive metals like aluminum) and lead to subsequent wastewater treatment and environmental pollution problems.

[0003] As an alternative, steam cleaning has gained increasing attention due to its advantages such as strong dissolving power, no chemical pollution, and low corrosiveness to metals, as it utilizes high-temperature steam to dissolve, soften, and remove dirt. However, existing steam cleaning technologies face significant technical bottlenecks when applied to small-diameter, long-distance pipelines: when steam is injected from one end of the pipeline, its temperature and pressure decrease significantly with increasing distance due to heat exchange with the pipe wall and friction resistance. This results in a substantial reduction in cleaning effectiveness for pipe sections far from the steam inlet. Even with alternating steam injection from both ends, cold or low-pressure areas may still form in the middle of the pipeline, creating cleaning blind spots and preventing uniform and thorough cleaning of the entire pipeline's inner wall.

[0004] Therefore, there is an urgent need in the existing technology to develop a new type of cleaning device that can overcome the limitations of small pipe diameter and complex curved structure, effectively and evenly deliver high-temperature and high-pressure steam to every corner of long-distance pipelines, and efficiently remove residual dirt after cleaning, thereby achieving thorough and efficient cleaning of long-distance pipelines with small pipe diameter and curved structure. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide a device and method for steam cleaning aluminum pipes, aiming to solve the technical problems in the prior art when steam cleaning small-diameter, long-distance pipes with curved structures, such as the inability of the cleaning device to enter, uneven cleaning due to the decrease in steam temperature and pressure along the pipe, and the difficulty in completely removing dirt after cleaning.

[0006] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: An apparatus for steam cleaning aluminum pipes, comprising: A deformable spherical body consisting of a first outer shell, a second outer shell, and a flexible sleeve connecting the first outer shell and the second outer shell; The first outer shell has a sleeve at its center, with one end of the sleeve extending outward and the other end extending into the interior of the sphere; The hose is suitable for being inserted into the pipe to be cleaned, with one end connected to an external steam source and the other end connected to a sleeve. A valve assembly is installed inside the sphere. The valve assembly cooperates with the sleeve to selectively control the release of steam from the end of the sleeve or to shut it off. The wall of the steam delivery hose has several first through holes.

[0007] Preferably, the valve assembly includes a plug disposed within a sleeve and a receiving rod connected to the plug; The plug can move axially along the sleeve; A second through hole is provided at one end of the sleeve extending into the spherical body; The position of the plug is adjustable to open or close the second through hole.

[0008] Preferably, the outwardly extending end of the sleeve is provided with an inwardly tapered end, and the plug is provided inside the sleeve via a threaded connection; By screwing the plug, the axial position can be adjusted, thereby controlling the relative distance between the plug and the pipe extension, and thus controlling the opening and closing state of the second through hole.

[0009] Preferably, a bearing is provided at the center of the second housing, and one end of the receiving rod passes through the bearing.

[0010] Preferably, the plug has a receiving space and is provided with a tube insertion end connected to a flexible tube; a gap is formed between the tube extension and the tube insertion end.

[0011] Preferably, the plug is provided with a third through hole communicating with the receiving space, and the outlet of the third through hole faces the interval.

[0012] Preferably, the flexible sleeve is made of an elastic material. When the second housing moves toward the first housing by adjusting the valve assembly, the flexible sleeve expands radially under pressure, thereby increasing the outer diameter of the sphere.

[0013] Preferably, the first through hole is a micropore; When the valve assembly opens, a large amount of steam is released from the end of the sleeve. When the valve assembly is closed, the pressure inside the hose increases, forcing steam to be ejected from the first through hole.

[0014] Preferably, it also includes a baffle plate disposed outside the steam delivery hose, the baffle plate being provided with a handle, the baffle plate being used to block the opening of the pipe to be cleaned during the cleaning operation.

[0015] The method of using the device is characterized by comprising the following steps: 1) Adjust the valve assembly to the open position so that steam can be released from the end of the sleeve. Place the spherical body into one end of the pipe to be cleaned and seal the pipe opening at that end with a baffle. Inject steam into the hose and use the steam pressure to push the spherical body along the pipe to the other end to complete the preheating and wetting of the inner wall of the pipe. 2) Adjust the valve assembly to the closed position, so that steam is forced out from the first through hole in the hose wall; 3) Adjust the valve assembly to bring the second housing closer to the first housing, causing the soft sleeve to expand radially and press tightly against the inner wall of the pipe. Pull back the hose and use the expanded spherical body to scrape and push the dirt out of the pipe.

[0016] The beneficial effects of this invention are: 1. The core driving part of the device is a deformable spherical body made of a flexible sleeve, which can easily pass through the bending or even folding parts of small-diameter pipes, solving the problem that traditional pipe robots cannot be applied to complex small-diameter pipes.

[0017] 2. By switching the steam release mode through the valve assembly, a two-stage operation of propulsion preheating and pull-back fine cleaning is realized. The first stage solves the problem of temperature and pressure attenuation during long-distance steam transmission, ensuring that the entire pipeline is effectively pretreated. The second stage uses micropores throughout the hose for close-range, full-coverage flushing, eliminating cleaning blind spots and ensuring the uniformity and thoroughness of cleaning.

[0018] 3. By adjusting the valve assembly, the spherical body can expand radially, allowing it to fit tightly against the pipe wall. During the pull-back process, the expanded spherical body acts like a piston scraper, efficiently pushing out the dirt and residual liquid that have been removed during cleaning, avoiding secondary pollution and additional cleaning procedures, and significantly improving cleaning efficiency.

[0019] 4. This device is particularly suitable for cleaning various small-diameter, long-distance, and structurally complex pipelines, such as small-diameter aluminum pipes in HVAC systems, capillary tubes in precision instruments, and sanitary pipes in the food and pharmaceutical industries, and has broad application prospects. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a steam cleaning device for aluminum pipes; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the device during the cleaning of aluminum tubes. Figure 3 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the cleaning component during pipe insertion. Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the plug structure; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the cleaning components during the retraction cleaning process; Reference numerals: 1. Hose; 2. First through hole; 3. Handle; 4. Baffle; 5. Pipe insert; 6. First outer shell; 7. Sleeve; 8. Soft sleeve; 9. Second outer shell; 10. Spacing; 11. Pipe extension; 12. Plug; 13. Receiving rod; 14. Second through hole; 15. Bearing; 16. Third through hole; 100. Steam generator; 200. Aluminum pipe. Detailed Implementation

[0021] To facilitate understanding of the present invention, a more complete description will be given below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Preferred embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawings. However, the invention can be implemented in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided to provide a thorough and complete understanding of the disclosure of the invention.

[0022] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. The terminology used herein in the description of the invention is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention.

[0023] Specific embodiments of the present invention are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0024] Example 1 This embodiment presents a device for steam cleaning aluminum pipes; please refer to [link to relevant documentation]. Figures 1-5 The device is used to clean the inside of an aluminum tube 200 that has a small inner diameter, a long length, and includes multiple bends.

[0025] The core component of the device is a deformable sphere. This sphere consists of a rigid first outer shell 6, a rigid second outer shell 9, and a flexible sleeve 8 connecting the two. The sleeve 8 is made of a high-temperature resistant and wear-resistant elastic material (such as silicone rubber), and its two annular ends are airtightly fixed to the outer edges of the first outer shell 6 and the second outer shell 9 by snap-fit ​​or adhesive. In its natural state, the outer diameter of the sphere is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the aluminum tube 200 to be cleaned, so as to facilitate insertion.

[0026] A rigid sleeve 7 is fixedly installed at the center of the first outer shell 6 of the sphere. A part of the sleeve 7 extends outward from the sphere, serving as an interface for connection and operation with the outside; the other part extends into the interior of the sphere. The outward-extending end is machined with an inwardly narrowed nozzle extension 11, which serves to limit movement and form a specific flow channel.

[0027] The spherical body houses a valve assembly for controlling the steam flow. This assembly includes a plug 12 that can move axially along the sleeve 7 and a receiving rod 13 connected to the plug. The plug 12 engages with the inner wall of the sleeve 7 via threads, and its forward or backward movement within the sleeve 7 can be achieved by rotating the plug 12. The plug 12 has a hollow interior, forming a receiving space.

[0028] A pipe insert 5 is installed at the center of one end of the plug 12 facing the pipe extension 11. The pipe insert 5 extends outward through the pipe extension 11. The outer diameter of the pipe insert 5 is smaller than the inner diameter of the pipe extension 11, thus forming an annular gap 10 between the two.

[0029] One end of the receiving rod 13 is securely connected to one end of the plug 12 facing away from the pipe extension 11, while the other end passes through the bearing 15 located at the center of the second housing 9. The bearing 15 provides stable support for the receiving rod 13 and allows it to smoothly reciprocate in a linear motion when the plug 12 is screwed in and out.

[0030] A long, flexible hose 1 is connected to an external steam generator 100 (high-pressure steam source), and the other end is tightly fitted onto a pipe insert 5 (which can be clamped and fixed), introducing high-temperature, high-pressure steam into the device. The hose 1 has a large number of first through holes 2 evenly or as needed distributed along its length. Furthermore, these first through holes 2 have a microporous structure.

[0031] At one end of the sleeve 7 that extends into the interior of the sphere, near the tail of the plug 12, a second through hole 14 is provided on the wall of the sleeve 7. In addition, at the front end of the plug 12, around the position of the tube insertion 5, a number of third through holes 16 are arranged in an array, and these through holes communicate with the receiving space inside the plug 12.

[0032] The device also includes a baffle 4 that can slide freely along the hose 1, and a handle 3 that is easy for workers to hold is integrated on the baffle 4.

[0033] The usage method and workflow of the device are as follows: Step 1: Preprocessing stage 1) State setting: The operator first rotates the plug 12, causing it to retract into the sleeve 7. At this time, the position of the plug 12 ensures that it does not obstruct the second through hole 14 at the end of the sleeve 7, meaning the valve assembly is in the open state. Simultaneously, due to the retraction of the plug 12, the second outer shell 9 moves away from the first outer shell 6 through the linkage of the receiving rod 13, and the soft sleeve 8 is in a stretched or natural state, with the spherical diameter at its minimum.

[0034] 2) Insertion and sealing: Place the pre-set spherical body into the inlet end of the aluminum tube 200 to be cleaned. Then, push the baffle 4 along the hose 1 to the opening of the aluminum tube 200 and use it to block the opening, thereby forming a relatively sealed pressurized space between the spherical body and the baffle 4.

[0035] 3) Propulsion cleaning: Start the steam generator 100 and inject high-temperature and high-pressure steam into the hose 1. The steam reaches the containment space inside the plug 12 through the hose. Since the second through hole 14 is the main pressure relief channel at this time, most of the steam will be ejected from it at high speed, and high pressure will be quickly established behind the sphere (i.e., in the closed space). This pressure pushes the entire sphere, like a pneumatic piston, and moves the entire hose 1 forward in the aluminum tube 200. During the movement, the high-temperature steam fills the entire pipe, which fully preheats and softens the dirt on the pipe wall. At the same time, the condensate also plays a wetting role. With its flexible structure, the sphere can smoothly pass through the curved part of the pipe until it exits from the other end of the aluminum tube 200.

[0036] Step 2: Cleaning Stage 1) State Switching: After the spherical object reaches the other end of the pipe, the operator rotates the plug 12 in the opposite direction, causing it to move towards the pipe extension 11 of the sleeve 7 until the front end face of the plug 12 is in close contact with the inner blocking surface of the pipe extension 11. At this position, the solid part of the plug 12 completely seals the second through hole 14, and the valve assembly is in the closed state.

[0037] 2) Micro-hole injection: At this time, the steam generator 100 continues to supply steam. Since the second through hole 14 of the main pressure relief channel is closed, the pressure inside the hose 1 rises sharply. When the pressure reaches a certain threshold, the steam is forced to be ejected from the numerous first through holes 2 that are distributed throughout the pipe wall in the form of a high-speed jet.

[0038] Step 3: Cleanup and Sludge Removal Phase 1) Spherical expansion: During the second step, as the plug 12 moves toward the pipe opening, it will pull the second outer shell 9 toward the first outer shell 6 through the receiving rod 13. This relative movement will squeeze the flexible sleeve 8 in the middle, causing it to expand radially (outward), so that its outer edge forms a tight fit with the inner wall of the aluminum tube 200 and even produces a certain amount of interference.

[0039] 2) Scraping and pushing: Keep the spherical body in an expanded state and pull back the hose 1. At this time, the expanded spherical body is like a flexible piston scraper. Its soft sleeve 8, which is close to the pipe wall, can not only rub and scrape off the dirt that has been washed and loosened on the pipe wall, but also push forward all the condensate and dirt mixture generated during the cleaning process.

[0040] 3) Cleaning complete: Finally, when the expanded spherical body is completely pulled out of the inlet end of the aluminum tube 200, all the dirt inside the tube is also taken out, thus completing the thorough cleaning of the entire aluminum tube. The inside of the tube is clean as new and there is no residual liquid.

[0041] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0042] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementations of the present invention, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention patent. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of the present invention, and these all fall within the protection scope of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of this invention patent should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. An apparatus for steam cleaning aluminum pipes, characterized in that, include: A deformable spherical body consisting of a first outer shell, a second outer shell, and a flexible sleeve connecting the first outer shell and the second outer shell; The first outer shell has a sleeve at its center, with one end of the sleeve extending outward and the other end extending into the interior of the sphere; The hose is suitable for being inserted into the pipe to be cleaned, with one end connected to an external steam source and the other end connected to a sleeve. A valve assembly is installed inside the sphere. The valve assembly cooperates with the sleeve to selectively control the release of steam from the end of the sleeve or to shut it off. The wall of the steam delivery hose has several first through holes.

2. The apparatus for steam cleaning aluminum pipes according to claim 1, characterized in that, The valve assembly includes a plug disposed within a sleeve and a receiving rod connected to the plug; The plug can move axially along the sleeve; A second through hole is provided at one end of the sleeve extending into the spherical body; The position of the plug is adjustable to open or close the second through hole.

3. The apparatus for steam cleaning aluminum pipes according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sleeve has an outwardly extending end with an inwardly tapered end, and a plug is installed inside the sleeve via a threaded connection. By screwing the plug, the axial position can be adjusted, thereby controlling the relative distance between the plug and the pipe extension, and thus controlling the opening and closing state of the second through hole.

4. The apparatus for steam cleaning aluminum pipes according to claim 1, characterized in that, A bearing is provided at the center of the second housing, and one end of the receiving rod passes through the bearing.

5. The apparatus for steam cleaning aluminum pipes according to claim 1, characterized in that, The plug has a receiving space and is provided with a tube insertion end connected to a flexible tube; a gap is formed between the tube extension and the tube insertion end.

6. The apparatus for steam cleaning aluminum pipes according to claim 1, characterized in that, The plug is provided with a third through hole communicating with the receiving space, and the outlet of the third through hole faces the interval.

7. The apparatus for steam cleaning aluminum pipes according to claim 1, characterized in that, The flexible sleeve is made of an elastic material. When the second housing moves toward the first housing by adjusting the valve assembly, the flexible sleeve is compressed and expands radially, thereby increasing the outer diameter of the sphere.

8. The apparatus for steam cleaning aluminum pipes according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first through hole is a micropore; When the valve assembly opens, a large amount of steam is released from the end of the sleeve. When the valve assembly is closed, the pressure inside the hose increases, forcing steam to be ejected from the first through hole.

9. The apparatus for steam cleaning aluminum pipes according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a baffle set outside the steam delivery hose, with a handle on the baffle, which is used to block the opening of the pipe to be cleaned during cleaning operations.

10. A method of using the apparatus as described in any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: 1) Adjust the valve assembly to the open position so that steam can be released from the end of the sleeve. Place the spherical body into one end of the pipe to be cleaned and seal the pipe opening at that end with a baffle. Inject steam into the hose and use the steam pressure to push the spherical body along the pipe to the other end to complete the preheating and wetting of the inner wall of the pipe. 2) Adjust the valve assembly to the closed position, so that steam is forced out from the first through hole in the hose wall; 3) Adjust the valve assembly to bring the second housing closer to the first housing, causing the soft sleeve to expand radially and press tightly against the inner wall of the pipe. Pull back the hose and use the expanded spherical body to scrape and push the dirt out of the pipe.

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