Magnetic Lance Support System for Heat Exchanger Tube Cleaning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing water jet equipment for cleaning heat exchanger tubes faces challenges such as lance buckling and jet reaction due to high pressure, which can lead to safety risks for operators.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a rail with a rotation mechanism, a translation mechanism, and stackable trolleys with magnetic locking mechanisms, allowing for controlled movement and secure positioning of lances into tube bores, reducing the risk of buckling and jet reaction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If the lance is supported in a U-shaped channel member, then the rear portion of the lance is supported, but the lance still tends to flex and buckle and is difficult to accurately position into the tube bore
Solution Approach 1:
The support system is divided into multiple discrete support points along the lance length, with each support point providing localized stabilization. The lance passes through multiple openings in successive support members, creating segmented support zones that prevent flexing while maintaining positioning accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
Guide members with openings act as intermediaries between the lance and the support structure. These guide members provide precise alignment features that constrain the lace to the correct trajectory while allowing it to pass through, thereby improving positioning precision without compromising stability.
2Productivity
If high pressure water jet is used to clean tube bores, then cleaning effectiveness is improved, but jet reaction can blow backward and injure the operator
Solution Approach 1:
The system converts the harmful jet reaction force into a beneficial indicator. The reaction force is channeled through the lance into the support structure, where it activates detection mechanisms that alert operators to blockages. This transforms the dangerous backward blow into a useful signaling system that prevents injury.
Solution Approach 2:
The support structure incorporates feedback mechanisms that detect changes in lance loading caused by jet reaction. When the high-pressure water jet encounters a blockage, the resulting reaction force is transmitted to sensors in the support system, which provide real-time feedback to the operator about the cleaning progress and potential hazards.
3Area of stationary object
If the lance is made longer to reach distant tube bores, then cleaning coverage is improved, but the lance becomes more prone to buckling and bending
Solution Approach 1:
The long lance is effectively segmented into multiple shorter sections by the series of support members it passes through. Each support member provides intermediate stabilization points that prevent the entire lance from buckling as a single long element, thereby maintaining rigidity while extending cleaning coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of simply lengthening the lance in one dimension, the system adds support structures in perpendicular dimensions. The guide members and support frames create a three-dimensional framework that constrains the lance laterally, preventing buckling without requiring the lance itself to be thicker or stiffer.
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 system effectively prevents lance buckling and enhances operator safety by ensuring precise alignment and stable operation of lances during high-pressure water jet cleaning, improving the efficiency and safety of the cleaning process.
Implementation Method 1
stackable trolleys with magnetic locking mechanisms
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates generally to water jet equipment. Specifically, water jet equipment that includes a support frame comprised of a plurality of stackable trollies that support a plurality of lances as those lances are inserted into and withdrawn from heat exchanger tubes during a cleaning operation of the same. A method of cleaning elongated tubes by positioning and rotating the lances while moving in a first direction is further provided.