An ammonium sulfate saturator with online cleaning and anti-fouling function and working method thereof

Abstract

This invention discloses an ammonium sulfate saturator capable of online cleaning and scale prevention, and its operating method. The saturator includes a saturator body, an ultrasonic anti-scaling component, an online cleaning component, and a control system. The saturator body has a crystallization zone and a heat exchange zone internally. Multiple heat exchange tubes are arranged within the heat exchange zone. The ultrasonic anti-scaling component includes a transducer array arranged circumferentially along the outer wall of the heat exchange tubes. The online cleaning component includes a rotating spray mechanism extending into the heat exchange tubes. The control system is electrically connected to both the ultrasonic anti-scaling component and the online cleaning component, outputting control commands. The advantages of this invention compared to existing technologies are: it provides an ammonium sulfate saturator capable of online cleaning and scale prevention, and its operating method, which solves the problems of reduced heat exchange efficiency, production interruption, and high maintenance costs caused by scale buildup in existing saturators, enabling scale prevention and removal without shutdown.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of ammonium sulfate production equipment technology, specifically to an ammonium sulfate saturator that can be cleaned and prevented from scaling online, and its working method. Background Technology

[0002] During long-term operation, traditional ammonium sulfate saturators are prone to forming hard scale due to the supersaturation and crystallization of ammonium sulfate solution on the heat exchange surface.

[0003] These scale deposits significantly reduce the heat transfer coefficient of heat exchange tubes, leading to a decrease in heat exchange efficiency of over 30% and increased energy consumption. Simultaneously, scale buildup reduces the flow cross-section, hindering mother liquor circulation, affecting the stability of the crystallization process, and resulting in uneven product particle size distribution and reduced purity.

[0004] To maintain production, companies need to periodically shut down for mechanical cleaning or chemical cleaning, with each shutdown lasting 8-12 hours, resulting in an annual production capacity loss of more than 5%.

[0005] Among the existing solutions, mechanical cleaning of parking equipment is labor-intensive and can easily damage the inner wall of the equipment, while chemical cleaning requires the use of strong acids or chelating agents, which not only increases production costs but may also cause equipment corrosion and secondary pollution.

[0006] Some companies have tried adding scale inhibitors, but long-term use can lead to chemical residues that affect product quality, and the effect on stubborn scale layers that have already formed is limited.

[0007] These problems severely restrict the continuity and economic efficiency of ammonium sulfate production. Summary of the Invention

[0008] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide an ammonium sulfate saturator and its working method that can be cleaned and prevented from scaling online, thereby solving the problems of reduced heat exchange efficiency, production interruption and high maintenance costs caused by scaling in existing saturators, and achieving scaling prevention and removal without shutdown.

[0009] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the technical solution provided by the present invention is: an ammonium sulfate saturator that can be cleaned and prevented from scaling online, comprising a saturator body, an ultrasonic anti-scaling component, an online cleaning component, and a control system; The saturator body has a crystallization zone and a heat exchange zone inside. Multiple heat exchange tubes are arranged in the heat exchange zone. The acoustic anti-scaling component includes a transducer array arranged circumferentially along the outer wall of the heat exchange tube. The online cleaning component includes a rotating spray mechanism that extends into the heat exchange tube. The control system is electrically connected to the ultrasonic anti-scaling component and the online cleaning component, respectively, and outputs control commands.

[0010] Preferably, it also includes a circulation system, which is connected between the crystallization zone and the heat exchange zone to form a mother liquor circulation loop.

[0011] Preferably, the power of a single transducer in the transducer array is 50-150W, and three transducers are arranged circumferentially at 300mm intervals along the outer wall of the heat exchange tube.

[0012] Preferably, the rotary spraying mechanism includes a stainless steel spraying rod and a fan-shaped nozzle that can rotate 360°, with a nozzle outlet diameter of 2-5mm and a working pressure of 0.8-1.2MPa.

[0013] Preferably, the circulation system includes a variable frequency circulation pump with a flow rate adjustment range of 50-200 m³ / h, and the pump inlet of the variable frequency circulation pump is equipped with a filter assembly, which is a 100-mesh filter.

[0014] Preferably, the control system is a PLC controller, which integrates a temperature sensor, a pressure transmitter, and a scale thickness monitoring probe. The temperature sensor, pressure transmitter, and scale thickness monitoring probe are used to collect operational data and output control commands based on the collected parameters.

[0015] Another aspect of the present invention discloses a method for operating an ammonium sulfate saturator capable of online cleaning and scale prevention, comprising the following steps: S1: Activate the ultrasonic anti-scaling component to suppress the adhesion of ammonium sulfate crystals on the inner wall of the heat exchange tube with high-frequency vibration of 20-40kHz. S2: Real-time monitoring of mother liquor concentration and scale thickness on the inner wall of heat exchange tubes; S3: When the scale thickness reaches the preset threshold, the online cleaning component is activated; S4: The rotary spray mechanism performs high-pressure rinsing of the inner wall of the heat exchange tube; S5: Dynamically adjust the flow rate of the circulation system according to the concentration of the mother liquor to maintain the supersaturation of the crystallization zone at 1.01-1.05.

[0016] Preferably, the total power of the ultrasonic anti-scaling component in S1 is 500-1500W.

[0017] Preferably, the preset threshold for scale thickness in S3 is 0.5 mm. When cleaning, the cooling water of the corresponding area heat exchange tube is turned off, and the cooling water is restored after cleaning is completed. The duration of a single cleaning cycle in S4 is 15-30 minutes, and the cleaning medium is filtered saturated mother liquor.

[0018] The advantages of this invention compared to the prior art are: This invention achieves full-process control of scale formation in ammonium sulfate saturators through the synergistic effect of ultrasonic anti-scaling and online cleaning. Ultrasonic vibration can inhibit crystal adhesion from the source, effectively delay scale formation, and keep the heat exchange tube surface clean. The online cleaning component can remove the scale that has already formed without interrupting production, significantly extending the continuous operation cycle of the equipment and ensuring production continuity. This invention can stably maintain equipment heat exchange efficiency, reduce production energy consumption, and minimize energy loss due to scaling. It eliminates the need for frequent shutdowns for cleaning, significantly reducing equipment maintenance costs and capacity loss, and improving overall production efficiency. Using saturated mother liquor as the cleaning medium eliminates the need for chemical cleaning agents, avoiding equipment corrosion and environmental pollution, making it more environmentally friendly. A stable and controllable crystallization environment can effectively improve the particle size uniformity and purity of ammonium sulfate products, optimize product quality, and enhance product market competitiveness. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Figure 1 This is a flowchart illustrating the working method of an ammonium sulfate saturator.

[0020] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure in use, as shown in the patent title of this invention.

[0021] As shown in the figure: 1. Saturator body; 2. Heat exchange tube; 3. Rotary spray mechanism; 4. Control system; 5. Transducer. Detailed Implementation

[0022] The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0023] Combined with appendix Figures 1-2 As shown, the ammonium sulfate saturator of the present invention includes a saturator body 1, an ultrasonic anti-scaling component, an online cleaning component, a circulation system, and a control system 4. The saturator body 1 adopts a split structure, with the upper part being the crystallization zone and the lower part being the heat exchange zone, which are connected by a guide pipe. Several titanium alloy heat exchange tubes 2 are arranged in parallel in the heat exchange zone, with cooling water flowing through the tube side and ammonium sulfate mother liquor flowing through the shell side.

[0024] The ultrasonic anti-scaling component consists of an array of 12-16 ultrasonic transducers 5, with 3 transducers arranged circumferentially at 300mm intervals along the outer wall of the heat exchange tube 2. The transducers 5 are fixed by clamps and electrically connected to the control system 4.

[0025] The online cleaning assembly includes a rotary spray mechanism 3 installed at the inlet end of the heat exchange tube 2. This mechanism is driven by a stepper motor, with a spray rod extending into the heat exchange tube 2. The rod end is equipped with a fan-shaped nozzle that can rotate 360°, and the nozzle is connected to the cleaning fluid storage tank via a high-pressure hose. The circulation system includes a variable frequency circulation pump with a 100-mesh filter at the pump inlet and two outlets connected to the bottom of the crystallization zone and the booster pump of the online cleaning assembly, respectively.

[0026] The control system 4 uses a PLC controller, which integrates a temperature sensor, a pressure transmitter, and a scale thickness monitoring probe to collect operating data in real time and control the coordinated operation of each component.

[0027] In its specific implementation, this invention operates in two phases: scale prevention and cleaning. During the scale prevention phase, the control system 4 activates the ultrasonic scale prevention component, and the transducer 5 generates high-frequency mechanical vibrations of 20-40kHz. These vibrations are transmitted to the outer wall of the heat exchange tube 2 via a coupling agent, causing microscopic vibrations on the inner wall and interfering with the nucleation and adhesion of ammonium sulfate crystals. Simultaneously, a circulating pump drives the mother liquor to circulate between the crystallization zone and the heat exchange zone at a flow rate of 80-150 m³ / h, maintaining a supersaturation of 1.01-1.05. When the scale thickness monitoring probe detects a scale thickness of 0.5 mm, the system automatically switches to the cleaning phase: the cooling water in the corresponding area of ​​the heat exchange tube 2 is shut off, the online cleaning component is activated, and the booster pump pressurizes the filtered saturated mother liquor to 0.8-1.2 MPa. A rotating spray bar is used to perform a high-pressure rinse on the inner wall of the heat exchange tube 2 for 15-30 minutes, and the rinsing waste liquid is discharged through the bottom drain valve. After cleaning, the cooling water supply is restored, and the system returns to the scale prevention phase.

[0028] In one embodiment: The saturator body 1 has a diameter of 1.2m and a height of 3.5m, with an effective volume of 2.8m³ in the crystallization zone. The heat exchange zone contains 232 φ57×3.5mm titanium alloy heat exchange tubes, each 2.0m long, arranged in an equilateral triangle. The ultrasonic transducers 5 are made of PZT-4 piezoelectric ceramic, with a single power of 100W and a frequency of 28kHz. Three transducers 5 are arranged at 300mm axial intervals along the outer wall of the heat exchange tube 2, with an angle of 120° between adjacent transducers 5. The spray bar of the online cleaning component is made of 316L stainless steel, with a nozzle outlet diameter of 3mm, a spray angle of 120°, a rotation speed of 5r / min, and a working pressure set at 1.0MPa. The circulating pump is model IHF80-65-160, with a flow rate adjustment range of 50-200m³ / h, and a matching motor power of 7.5kW. The control system 4 uses a Siemens S7-1200 PLC, which integrates a PT100 temperature sensor (measurement range 0-100℃, accuracy ±0.5℃), a pressure transmitter (measurement range 0-2MPa, accuracy 0.2 grade), and an electromagnetic induction scale thickness probe (measurement range 0-5mm, resolution 0.01mm).

[0029] During operation, ammonium sulfate mother liquor (concentration 40-42%, temperature 55-60℃) is first pumped into the crystallization zone. The circulation pump is then started to circulate the mother liquor between the crystallization zone and the heat exchange zone at a flow rate of 120 m³ / h. Simultaneously, the cooling water system is activated to control the mother liquor temperature to drop to 40-45℃ after heat exchange. The ultrasonic anti-scaling component is then activated, with an initial power set to 800W. The PLC controls the transducer array 5 to operate intermittently (30 seconds of operation followed by a 10-second pause). The mother liquor concentration is monitored in real-time to maintain a supersaturation level of 1.03±0.01. When the scale thickness probe detects a scale thickness of 0.5 mm in a certain area, the system issues a cleaning command: the cooling water inlet valve of heat exchange tube 2 in that area is closed, the cleaning fluid storage tank outlet valve is opened, the booster pump is started to raise the pressure to 1.0 MPa, and simultaneously, the stepper motor drives the spray bar to rotate, rinsing the inner wall of heat exchange tube 2 for 20 minutes. During rinsing, the circulation pump flow rate automatically drops to 80 m³ / h to ensure sufficient discharge of cleaning waste liquid. After cleaning is complete, the cleaning system is turned off, the cooling water supply is restored, the ultrasonic power is temporarily increased to 1200W and operated continuously for 30 minutes, and then the normal anti-scaling mode is restored.

[0030] After 30 days of continuous operation, the scale thickness on the inner wall of heat exchange tube 2 in this embodiment was controlled below 0.3 mm, the heat exchange efficiency was maintained at 92%, the average particle size of the ammonium sulfate crystals was 1.2 mm, the purity was 99.6%, and the maintenance cost was reduced by 65% ​​compared with traditional equipment.

[0031] This invention achieves comprehensive scale control in ammonium sulfate saturators through the synergistic effect of ultrasonic anti-scaling and online cleaning. Ultrasonic vibration inhibits crystal adhesion at the source, keeping the surface of heat exchange tube 2 clean; experimental data shows this can reduce the scaling rate by more than 70%. The online cleaning component can remove existing scale without shutdown, extending the continuous operation cycle of the equipment from the traditional 15 days to over 30 days. The equipment's heat exchange efficiency is maintained at over 90%, reducing energy consumption by approximately 15% compared to traditional equipment. Eliminating the need for shutdown cleaning reduces annual production capacity loss by approximately 300 hours and maintenance costs by 60%. Using saturated mother liquor as the cleaning medium avoids the use of chemical agents, reducing cleaning agent consumption by more than 50% annually and lowering environmental pollution. Simultaneously, the stable crystallization environment improves product particle size uniformity by 20% and purity to over 99.5%, significantly improving product quality.

[0032] The contents not described in detail in this specification are existing technologies known to those skilled in the art.

[0033] It should be noted that similar labels and letters in the following figures indicate similar items. Therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it does not need to be further defined and explained in subsequent figures.

[0034] The present invention and its embodiments have been described above. This description is not restrictive, and the accompanying drawings are only one embodiment of the present invention; the actual structure is not limited thereto. In conclusion, if those skilled in the art are inspired by this description and design similar structures and embodiments without departing from the spirit of the invention, such designs should fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An ammonium sulfate saturator capable of online cleaning and scale prevention, characterized in that: Includes the saturator body, ultrasonic anti-scaling components, online cleaning components, and control system; The saturator body has a crystallization zone and a heat exchange zone inside. Multiple heat exchange tubes are arranged in the heat exchange zone. The acoustic anti-scaling component includes a transducer array arranged circumferentially along the outer wall of the heat exchange tube. The online cleaning component includes a rotating spray mechanism that extends into the heat exchange tube. The control system is electrically connected to the ultrasonic anti-scaling component and the online cleaning component, respectively, and outputs control commands.

2. The ammonium sulfate saturator capable of online cleaning and scale prevention according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a circulation system, which is connected between the crystallization zone and the heat exchange zone to form a mother liquor circulation loop.

3. The ammonium sulfate saturator capable of online cleaning and scale prevention according to claim 1, characterized in that: The power of a single transducer in the transducer array is 50-150W, and three transducers are arranged circumferentially at 300mm intervals along the outer wall of the heat exchange tube.

4. An ammonium sulfate saturator capable of online cleaning and scale prevention according to claim 1, characterized in that: The rotary spraying mechanism includes a stainless steel spraying rod and a fan-shaped nozzle that can rotate 360°. The nozzle outlet diameter is 2-5mm and the working pressure is 0.8-1.2MPa.

5. An ammonium sulfate saturator capable of online cleaning and scale prevention according to claim 2, characterized in that: The circulation system includes a variable frequency circulation pump with a flow rate adjustment range of 50-200 m³ / h. The pump inlet of the variable frequency circulation pump is equipped with a filter screen assembly, which is a 100-mesh filter screen.

6. An ammonium sulfate saturator capable of online cleaning and scale prevention according to claim 1, characterized in that: The control system is a PLC controller, which integrates a temperature sensor, a pressure transmitter, and a scale thickness monitoring probe. The temperature sensor, pressure transmitter, and scale thickness monitoring probe are used to collect operational data and output control commands based on the collected parameters.

7. A method for operating an ammonium sulfate saturator capable of online cleaning and scale prevention as described in any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that: Includes the following steps: S1: Activate the ultrasonic anti-scaling component to suppress the adhesion of ammonium sulfate crystals on the inner wall of the heat exchange tube with high-frequency vibration of 20-40kHz. S2: Real-time monitoring of mother liquor concentration and scale thickness on the inner wall of heat exchange tubes; S3: When the scale thickness reaches the preset threshold, the online cleaning component is activated; S4: The rotary spray mechanism performs high-pressure rinsing of the inner wall of the heat exchange tube; S5: Dynamically adjust the flow rate of the circulation system according to the concentration of the mother liquor to maintain the supersaturation of the crystallization zone at 1.01-1.

05.

8. The operating method of the ammonium sulfate saturator capable of online cleaning and scale prevention according to claim 7, characterized in that: The total power of the ultrasonic anti-scaling component in S1 is 500-1500W.

9. The method for operating the ammonium sulfate saturator capable of online cleaning and scale prevention according to claim 7, characterized in that: The preset threshold for scale thickness in S3 is 0.5 mm. When cleaning, the cooling water of the heat exchange tube in the corresponding area is turned off, and the cooling water is restored after cleaning is completed. The duration of a single cleaning cycle in S4 is 15-30 minutes, and the cleaning medium is filtered saturated mother liquor.

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