Cleaning Lance Storage Spool with Adjustable Friction Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Industrial equipment such as heat exchangers and piping in facilities face operational performance issues due to residue buildup, requiring effective cleaning methods involving high-pressure water and chemical streams, but existing solutions lack efficient storage and control mechanisms for cleaning lances.
Innovation Solution
A storage apparatus with a rotatable spool and adjustable engagement wheel that allows for controlled winding and unwinding of cleaning lances, preventing tangling and snagging, and a motorized system for retracting lances with variable speed control to manage resistance and maintain efficient operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a spool system is used to store and retract cleaning lances, then storage efficiency and organization are improved, but the risk of tangling and snagging increases without proper control mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The engagement wheel is made adjustable between elevated and lowered positions, allowing dynamic control of the frictional force applied to the spool. This dynamic adjustment enables the system to adapt to different operational states (winding vs. unwinding) and prevents tangling by controlling the retraction speed and tension on the cleaning lance
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the frictional force parameter by adjusting the engagement wheel position. When lowered, high friction enables controlled winding; when elevated, reduced friction allows free unwinding. This parameter change resolves the contradiction between controlled storage and prevention of tangling
2Ease of operation
If frictional force is applied to control spool rotation, then winding control is improved, but resistance to movement increases
Solution Approach 1:
The engagement wheel provides dynamic friction control - high friction during winding for control, low friction during unwinding for ease of movement. This resolves the contradiction by making the resistance force variable rather than constant
Solution Approach 2:
The frictional force is extracted as a controllable parameter through the engagement wheel mechanism, allowing it to be applied selectively during winding while being removed during unwinding, thus controlling resistance only when needed
3Reliability
If variable speed control is implemented for lance retraction, then cleaning performance consistency is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The engagement wheel acts as an intermediary mechanical element that provides variable speed control through friction modulation. This simple mechanical intermediary achieves performance consistency without requiring complex electronic or hydraulic speed control systems
Solution Approach 2:
The friction-based engagement wheel provides automatic speed regulation based on the load conditions during retraction. The system self-adjusts the retraction speed to maintain consistent cleaning performance without external control inputs, reducing system complexity
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
The solution provides a safe and efficient method for storing and controlling cleaning lances, preventing tangling and snagging, and ensuring consistent cleaning performance by managing resistance and maintaining variable speed retraction, thus enhancing operational safety and efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
an engagement wheel disposed adjacent to the spool with a contact surface for contacting the contact surface on the rim of the spool and applying frictional force to the spool upon rotational movement of the spool
Data Source
AI summary
A storage apparatus for one or more cleaning lances is provided. The storage apparatus can be utilized in connection with a driving apparatus that controls the cleaning movements of a cleaning lance with respect to certain industrial equipment such as a heat exchanger. The driving apparatus can be utilized to feed an additional length of the cleaning lance to the tubes of exchanger or to retract the cleaning lance from the tubes of the exchanger. The storing apparatus can be utilized to store the cleaning lance, regulate the distribution and movement of the cleaning lance, and prevent tangling or snagging of the cleaning lance during the cleaning process.