Automated Particulate Sampling in Boiler Steam Cycles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for monitoring particulate matter in boiler/steam cycle processes fail to accurately isolate the impact of flow-altering events on corrosion transport, as they either require continuous sampling or rely on aged discrete samples, leading to loss of information on relative percentages of soluble and insoluble contaminants and underestimating particle counts based on mass of metal oxides captured.
Innovation Solution
An automated system that diverts a portion of the fluid flow stream into a sample container and filters it through a 0.45 micron filter only during excursions or 'spikes' in particle counts, allowing for correlation of particle indices with the mass of insoluble particulates, enabling identification and characterization of flow-altering events without continuous sampling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If continuous sampling is used to monitor particulate matter, then measurement precision is improved, but loss of time and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic sampling at predetermined time intervals rather than continuous sampling. The automated sampler collects discrete samples at scheduled times, which reduces time loss and device complexity while still providing sufficient measurement precision to detect flow-altering events and correlate particle counts with particulate weights.
2Device complexity
If discrete samples are collected and aged, then device complexity is reduced, but measurement precision deteriorates due to loss of information on relative percentages of soluble and insoluble contaminants
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary filtration through a 0.45 micron filter before sample storage and analysis. This preliminary action removes particulate matter from the sample stream, preserving the relative percentages of soluble and insoluble contaminants for accurate later analysis without requiring complex real-time monitoring equipment.
3Productivity
If automated sampling during excursions is implemented, then productivity is improved by avoiding continuous sampling, but measurement precision may worsen due to infrequent sampling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a particle counter that continuously monitors particle counts in the fluid stream and provides feedback signals when excursions or spikes are detected. This feedback mechanism triggers automated sampling during these events, ensuring sufficient measurement precision for correlating particle counts with particulate weights while maintaining high productivity by sampling only when necessary.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables precise isolation of corrosion transport components from steady state corrosion, providing accurate characterization of flow-altering events and their impact on metal transport, even during infrequent occurrences, by correlating particle counts with actual particulate weights and identifying anomalies in metal oxide concentrations.
Implementation Method 1
filters it through a 0.45 micron filter
Implementation Method 2
measuring the particle counts in the fluid stream
Data Source
AI summary
An improved method for isolating the impacts of flow-altering events in corrosion transport from those due to steady state corrosion in boiler/steam cycle processes. The method includes monitoring, in real time, with a particle counter or particle monitor levels of suspended particles in a fluid flow stream and of automatically collecting insoluble particulates large enough to be captured on a 0.45 micron filter when, and only when, these levels exceed an “event threshold”. For use in subsequently characterizing flow-altering events without necessarily weighing the collected particulates for each excursion above this threshold, an average particle count/particle index is obtained and compared with the actual weight of insoluble particulates captured. When excursions are highly infrequent, concentrations of insoluble metal oxides likely to be present in the flow stream and capable of producing above-threshold PC/PIs can be determined and used to identify anomalies when particulates are captured.