Blocking elements for ball catcher screens

Abstract

A ball catcher screen (10') for use with "T" type ball catchers (2) having a ball catcher extension (10e), the ball catcher screen (10') comprising: (a) a conical inlet (12'); (b) an elbow (14), at least a portion of which includes a planar solid region (14a); (c) a first screen section (10'a) extending between the conical inlet (12') and the elbow (14); and (d) a second screen section (10'b) extending from the elbow (14) into the ball catcher extension (10e), wherein at least a portion of the conical inlet (12') includes a solid cone blocking element (50), the first screen section (10'a) includes a solid first screen blocking element (52), and the second screen section (10'b) includes a solid second screen blocking element (54).

Description

FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to ball catchers used in heat exchanger cleaning systems and, more particularly, to blocking elements for ball catch screens that improve the movement of the cleaning ball through the ball catch.

[0002] It is known to collect cleaning balls used to clean closed fluid flow systems, such as heat exchangers, in a ball trap and then withdraw them from the ball trap into a ball collection chamber. Ball traps can be configured to extend outward from the main flow tube at essentially any angle.

[0003] US Patent No. 6,913,071 B1 to O. Livni et al., dated July 5, 2005, entitled "Ball Trap with Safety-Release Gate," discloses a ball trap configured for connection to a pipeline such that the main flow path of the fluid in the pipeline passes through the ball trap. The ball trap includes a strainer with a safety strainer closure. The strainer gate is movable between a closed position, in which cleaning balls are trapped in the ball trap, and an open position, in which the impedance of the fluid flowing in the pipeline is reduced. The system is configured so that the gate is normally in the closed position and can be moved to the open position for cleaning purposes or in response to a predetermined pressure differential between the upstream and downstream sides of the strainer.

[0004] French patent application No. FR 2 542 862 A1 by R. Bochinski et al., filed on March 16, 1984, entitled (in English translation) "Method and system for monitoring the availability of a device for cleaning the tubes of a condenser system of a power plant or the like," teaches a system comprising a cooling water supply line 3 with inlet 4, a cooling water outlet 5 with a retention screen 6, and a return line 7 connecting the screen 6 and the inlet 4, including a monitoring device and a ball insertion and removal device. The magnitude of the ball movement is measured directly or indirectly.The device comprises a system for measuring the amount of movement 11 in the return channel 7, a counting and storage device 12, a comparator of the measured amounts of movement with a threshold value and a display device 14 which outputs a signal when, during the measurement time, a predetermined number of balls has an amount of movement that is less than a predetermined value.

[0005] Today, it is increasingly common to use a ball catcher extending at a 90° angle from the main fluid flow pipe. Such a ball catcher is commonly referred to as a "T" type ball catcher (10 in the drawings).

[0006] Such ball catchers are generally equipped with a filter or screen element 100 that extends from the inlet opening 12 of the "T" into the ball catcher itself.

[0007] The inventors of the present disclosure have discovered that the "T"-type ball catchers in current use are not effective at collecting all of the cleaning balls in the system. That is, the fluid flow patterns in the "T"-type ball catchers in current use cause some of the cleaning balls to collect in areas of the ball catcher's screen from which they are not drawn into the ball collection chamber.

[0008] Therefore, there is a need for blocking elements for ball catcher screens that improve the movement of the cleaning balls through the ball catcher. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0009] The present invention relates to blocking elements for ball catcher screens which improve the movement of the cleaning ball through the ball catcher.

[0010] According to the teachings of the present invention, there is provided a ball catcher screen for use with "T" type ball catchers having a ball catcher extension, the ball catcher screen comprising: (a) a conical inlet; (b) an elbow, a portion of which includes a substantially planar solid region; (c) a first screen portion extending between the conical inlet and the elbow; and (d) a second screen portion extending from the elbow into the ball catcher extension, wherein at least a portion of the conical inlet includes a solid conical blocking member, the first screen portion includes a solid first screen blocking member, and the second screen portion includes a solid second screen blocking member.

[0011] According to the teachings of the present invention, the elbow is designed as a 90° elbow.

[0012] According to the teachings of the present invention, the first screen blocking member and the second screen blocking member are arranged to substantially surround the planar solid portion of the elbow.

[0013] According to the teachings of the present invention, the solid cone blocking element, the first screen blocking element and the second screen blocking element are integrally formed with the ball catcher screen.

[0014] According to the teachings of the present invention, the solid cone blocking element, the first screen blocking element and the second screen blocking element are individually molded and arranged on the ball catcher screen.

[0015] According to the teachings of the present invention, there is also provided a ball catcher for collecting cleaning balls, comprising: (a) a ball catcher housing having a water inlet opening, a water outlet, and a ball catcher extension, (b) wherein the ball catcher screen has at least: (i) a conical inlet; (ii) an elbow, at least a portion of which includes a substantially planar solid region; (iii) a first screen portion extending between the conical inlet and the elbow; and (iv) a second screen portion extending from the elbow into the ball catcher extension, at least a portion of the conical inlet including a solid conical blocking element; wherein the first screen portion includes a solid first screen blocking element and the second screen portion includes a solid second screen blocking element.

[0016] According to the teachings of the present invention, blocking elements for a ball catcher screen are also provided, the blocking elements comprising: (a) a solid cone blocking element adapted for placement at a conical inlet of the ball catcher screen, (b) a solid first blocking element adapted for placement at a first screen portion of the cone catcher screen; and (c) a solid second screen blocking element adapted for placement at a second screen portion of the ball catcher screen.

[0017] According to the teachings of the present invention, the first screen blocking member and the second screen blocking member are configured to be arranged to substantially surround a planar solid portion of an elbow of the cone catcher screen.

[0018] According to the teachings of the present invention, there is also provided a method for enhancing the movement of the cleaning ball through the ball catcher of a closed fluid flow system by blocking portions of a ball catcher screen disposed within a ball catcher housing so as to alter fluid flow through the ball catcher, the method comprising: (a) attaching a solid conical blocking member to a conical inlet of the ball catcher screen; (b) attaching a solid first screen blocking member to a first screen portion of the ball catcher screen; and (c) attaching a solid second screen blocking member to a second screen portion of the ball catcher screen; (d) initiating fluid flow in the closed fluid flow system.

[0019] According to the teachings of the present invention, the mounting of the solid first screen blocking member and the mounting of the solid second screen blocking member are configured such that the first screen blocking member and the second screen blocking member are mounted to substantially surround a planar solid portion of an elbow of the ball catcher screen. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] The invention is described herein purely by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a transparent isometric view of a "T" type ball catcher shown with a ball catcher screen, constructed and operative in accordance with the teachings of the present invention, disposed within the ball catcher housing; Fig. 2 a transparent isometric side view of the ball catcher screen from above in Fig. 1 is; Fig. 3 a transparent side view of the ball catcher screen in Fig. 1 is; Fig. 4 a transparent isometric side view from below of the ball catcher screen in Fig. 1 is; Fig. 5A a detail of a section of Fig. 4 is; and Fig. 5B a detail of the blocking elements in Fig. 5A is. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0021] The present invention relates to blocking elements for ball catcher screens which improve the movement of the cleaning ball through the ball catcher in a closed fluid flow system.

[0022] The principles and operation of the ball catcher screen blocking elements according to the present invention will be better understood with reference to the drawings and the accompanying description.

[0023] With reference to the drawings: Fig.1 shows a transparent view of a “T” type ball catcher 2 having a ball catcher housing 10 with a water inlet opening 12, a water outlet 13 and a ball catcher extension 10e.

[0024] Also shown is a ball catcher screen 10' mounted within the ball catcher housing 10. It should be understood that in such ball catcher devices, the main fluid flow stream is located between the water inlet opening 12 and a water outlet 13, and that the cleaning balls are directed into the ball catcher extension through a smaller fluid flow path.

[0025] As mentioned above, the inventors of the present disclosure sought a solution to the problem of fluid flow patterns in currently common "T"-type ball catchers, which caused some of the cleaning balls to collect in areas of the ball catch screen, preventing the cleaning balls from being drawn from the ball catch into the ball collection chamber. The present invention is the solution to this problem.

[0026] The ball catcher screen 10' is equipped with a conical inlet 12' that tapers inward and is connected to a first screen section 10'a of the ball catcher screen 10'. The first screen section 10'a extends from the inlet to an elbow with a second screen section 10'b of the ball catcher screen, which extends from the elbow 14 into the ball catcher extension 10e, which serves to connect the first 10'a and second 10'b sections of the screen. The ball catcher screen 10' shown here is provided with a 90° elbow 14.

[0027] The inventors of the present disclosure have found that by attaching solid blocking elements to at least a portion of the conical inlet 12' and the 90° elbow 14, as shown in the drawings, the fluid flow patterns of the ball catcher are sufficiently altered to direct the cleaning balls into areas of the ball catcher screen so that the cleaning balls are drawn from the ball catcher into the ball collection chamber.

[0028] Although the drawings attached hereto are intended to illustrate a preferred embodiment of the ball catcher screen blocking elements of the present invention, it will be readily understood that the size, shape and precise position of the blocking elements on the ball catcher screen may vary within the scope of the present invention.

[0029] Given these conditions, the inventors of the present disclosure have determined that the preferred position of the cone blocking element 50 is in the area opposite the 90° extension 16. Preferably, but not necessarily, the cone blocking element 50 is configured to cover 30 percent of the circumference of the conical inlet.

[0030] As illustrated herein, at least a portion of the 90° elbow 14 includes a substantially planar solid region 14a that is substantially at a 45° angle to both the first 10'a and second 10'b portions of the screen. It will be readily understood that the substantially planar solid region 14a is also substantially at a 45° angle to the fluid flow path between the water inlet opening 12 and the water outlet 13 of the ball catcher housing 10. The inventors of the present disclosure have found that extending the solid region surrounding the region 14a further improves the fluid flow patterns within the ball catcher so that the cleaning balls can be better directed into areas of the ball catcher screen such that the cleaning balls are drawn from the ball catcher into the ball collection chamber. To this end, the blocking elements 52 and 54 on the first 10'a and second 10'b portions, respectively, are provided.second 10'b screen section so as to substantially surround the solid region 14a.

[0031] It should be noted that an innovation of the present invention is a method for improving the movement of the cleaning ball through the ball catcher in a closed fluid flow system once the fluid flow is started by blocking portions of the ball catcher screen to modify the fluid flow through the ball catcher.

[0032] Another innovation of the present invention is the attachment of the blocking elements to the ball catcher screen. It should be noted that each of the blocking elements is individually molded, and this positioning can be performed during the manufacture of the ball catcher screen. Alternatively, the blocking elements can be molded integrally with the screen. That is, the screen itself can be provided with solid areas so that, during manufacture of the ball catcher screen element, the position of the solid sections of the screen material corresponds to the preferred positions of the blocking elements 50, 52, and 54.

[0033] It will be appreciated that the blocking elements for use in retrofitting existing ball catchers used in closed fluid flow systems can be independently manufactured for installation as retrofitted components.

[0034] It will be appreciated that the above descriptions are intended to serve only as examples, and that many other embodiments are possible within the spirit and scope of the present invention.

Claims

[1] A ball catcher screen (10') for use with "T" type ball catchers (2) having a ball catcher extension (10e), the ball catcher screen (10') comprising: (a) a conical inlet (12'); (b) an elbow (14), at least a portion of which includes a planar solid region (14a); (c) a first screen section (10'a) extending between the conical inlet (12') and the elbow (14); and (d) a second screen section (10'b) extending from the elbow (14) into the ball catcher extension (10e), wherein at least a portion of the conical inlet (12') includes a solid cone blocking element (50), the first screen section (10'a) includes a solid first screen blocking element (52), and the second screen section (10'b) includes a solid second screen blocking element (54). [2] The ball catcher screen (10') according to claim 1, wherein the elbow (14) is designed as a 90° elbow. [3] The ball catcher screen (10') according to claim 1, wherein the first screen blocking element (52) and the second screen blocking element (54) are mounted to surround the planar solid region (14a) of the elbow (14). [4] The ball catcher screen (10') according to claim 1, wherein the solid cone blocking element (50), the first screen blocking element (52) and the second screen blocking element (54) are formed integrally with the ball catcher screen (10'). [5] The ball catcher screen (10') according to claim 1, wherein the solid cone blocking element (50), the first screen blocking element (52) and the second screen blocking element (54) are individually formed and attached to the ball catcher screen (10'). [6] A ball catcher (2) for collecting cleaning balls, the ball catcher comprising: (a) a ball catcher housing (10) with a water inlet opening (12), a water outlet (13) and a ball catcher extension (10e); (b) a ball catcher screen (10') having at least the following: (i) a conical inlet (12'); (ii) an elbow (14) at least a portion of which includes a planar solid region (14a); (iii) a first screen section (10'a) extending between the conical inlet (12') and the elbow (14); and (iv) a second screen section (10'b) extending from the elbow (14) into the ball catcher extension (10e); wherein at least a portion of the conical inlet (12') includes a solid cone blocking element (50), the first screen portion (10'a) includes a solid first screen blocking element (52), and the second screen portion (10'b) includes a solid second screen blocking element (54). [7] Blocking elements (50, 52, 54) for a ball catcher screen (10'), the blocking elements comprising: (a) a solid cone blocking element (50) adapted to be attached to a conical inlet (12') of the ball catcher screen (10'), (b) a solid first screen blocking element (52) adapted to be attached to a first screen portion (10'a) of the ball catcher screen (10'); and (c) a solid second screen blocking element (54) adapted to be attached to a second screen portion (10'b) of the ball catcher screen (10'). [8] The blocking elements according to claim 7, wherein the first screen blocking element (52) and the second screen blocking element (54) are designed or mounted to surround a planar solid region (14a) of an elbow (14) of the ball catcher screen (10'). [9] A method of improving the movement of a cleaning ball through a ball catcher (2) of a closed cleaning machine by blocking portions of a ball catcher screen (10') mounted in a ball catcher housing (10) so as to alter the fluid flow therethrough, the method comprising: (a) Attaching a solid cone blocking element (50) to a conical inlet (12') of the (b) attaching a solid first screen blocking element (52) to a first screen section (10'a) of the (c) attaching a solid second screen blocking element (54) to the second screen section (10'b) of the and (d) initiating a fluid flow in the closed fluid flow system. [10] The method according to claim 9, wherein the mounting of the solid and the are performed such that the and the are mounted so as to surround a planar solid region (14a) of an elbow (14) of the.

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