Patent ID: 8381604
Filing Date: 2013-02-26
Classification: F23J,F28G

Abstract:
1. A method for cleaning a heat transfer surface in a boiler, comprising the steps of: providing a temperature sensing sootblower comprising an elongated lance tube configured to travel within the boiler while directing a cleaning fluid through one or more nozzles toward the heat transfer surface to remove fireside deposits from the heat transfer surface; providing a temperature sensor carried by the lance tube within the boiler configured to obtain temperature measurements of flue gas within the boiler while the lance tube is located within the boiler; activating the sootblower to measure a temperature adjacent to the heat transfer surface during a first pass to cause the temperature sensor to create a temperature profile for the heat transfer surface; activating the sootblower to emit a minimum cleaning flow sufficient to prevent the lance tube from overheating during the first pass; incrementing the minimum cleaning flow during the first pass in response to a temperature of the lance tube measured by a lance tube temperature sensor carried by the lance tube; identifying a region of the heat transfer surface as a region that requires cleaning based at least in part on the measured temperature; and activating the lance tube of the sootblower to clean the region adjacent to the heat transfer surface during a second pass in response to the identification of the region that requires cleaning.