Cognitive Cleaning System for Heat Exchanger Deposit Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cleaning methods for industrial equipment, such as preheat trains and heat exchangers, are inefficient and costly due to the need for frequent shutdowns, high operational costs, and increased carbon emissions, with existing solutions being non-versatile and aggressive, particularly for copper surfaces.
Innovation Solution
A cleaning solution comprising hydrogen peroxide, a complexing agent, calixarene, and water, combined with mechanical and chemical action, which forms intensive gas bubbles to loosen and remove deposits without heating, and a cognitive cleaning system that models fouling accumulation and generates customized cleaning schedules to maintain equipment efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional cleaning methods using hot detergent solutions are used, then cleaning effectiveness is improved, but solution aggressiveness and toxicity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the temperature parameter from hot (conventional) to cold (0-30°C), and modifies the chemical composition by using ozone instead of hot detergent solutions. This resolves the contradiction by achieving effective cleaning through ozone's oxidative properties without the aggressiveness associated with heated chemical solutions.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces the thermal-chemical cleaning mechanism (hot detergent solutions) with a cold ozone-based chemical oxidation mechanism. This substitution eliminates the need for heating while maintaining or improving cleaning effectiveness, thereby reducing solution aggressiveness and toxicity.
2Reliability
If equipment is cleaned during plant shutdowns, then thorough cleaning is achieved, but productivity and operational efficiency decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning system is designed to be applied before fouling becomes severe, during scheduled maintenance periods or between production cycles. The cold ozone treatment can be performed quickly and effectively without requiring plant shutdowns, as it works efficiently on moderate fouling levels and can be applied during brief maintenance windows.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention enables continuous or near-continuous operation by allowing cleanings to be performed during brief maintenance periods without requiring full plant shutdowns. The efficient cold ozone cleaning process can be completed quickly, minimizing disruption to production continuity.
3Productivity
If frequent cleanings are performed to maintain heat transfer efficiency, then equipment performance is improved, but operational costs and carbon emissions increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses ozone, which is generated on-demand and naturally decomposes into oxygen. This eliminates the need for expensive, long-lived chemical cleaners that require disposal and neutralization. The low cost of ozone generation and its benign decomposition products significantly reduce operational costs and carbon emissions associated with frequent cleanings.
Solution Approach 2:
Ozone is a powerful oxidizing agent that efficiently removes fouling and scale deposits through oxidation. This strong oxidative action maintains heat transfer efficiency effectively, allowing for optimized cleaning frequencies that balance performance maintenance with reduced operational costs and lower carbon footprint compared to conventional chemical cleaners.
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 effectively removes various deposits from different surfaces with reduced aggressiveness, forming a corrosion-resistant layer and increasing heat transfer efficiency by up to 70-80%, while reducing carbon emissions and allowing for continuous operation without shutdowns.
Implementation Method 1
forming intensive gas bubbles to loosen and remove deposits
Implementation Method 2
hydrogen peroxide... forming intensive gas bubbles
Data Source
AI summary
A method is used for cleaning heat exchanger systems. The method is performed at a computer system having one or more processors and memory storing one or more programs configured for execution by the one or more processors. The method determines component percentages of a cleaning solution based, at least in part, on operational parameters of a heat exchanger system. The operational parameters include chemical composition of fluids passing through the heat exchanger system and operating temperatures of the fluids passing through the heat exchanger system. The component percentages of the cleaning solution include: (1) hydrogen peroxide. 2-90 wt. %: (2) a complexing agent. 3-30 wt. %: (3) water-soluble calixarene. 0.01-10 wt. %; and (4) water. The complexing agent includes a polybasic organic acid or a sodium salt thereof, or a derivative of phosphorous acid.