Heat-exchanger provided with a steel ball scatterer

Abstract: The known structure for removing soot or the like adhered to heat transfer tubes (2) of a heat-exchanger by providing a steel ball scatterer (3) above the heat transfer tubes (2) and intermittently scattering steel balls towards the heat transfer tubes (2), is improved. The improvements reside in that within a main body casing of the heat-exchanger, a plurality of steel ball collision preventing plates (9A,9B) having their central portions warped upwards are provided between the steel ball scatterer (2) and the heat transfer tube group (2), in order to prevent fins of finned heat transfer tubes (2) from being damaged by steel balls falling from the steel ball scatterer (3) and directly colliding against the fins.

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION: Field of the Invention: The present invention relates to a heat-exchanger provided with a steel ball scatterer (see for example DE-B-1 263 969). Description of the Prior Art: In order to remove soot or the like adhering to surfaces of heat transfer tubes in a heat-exchanger of an exhaust gas economizer or the like, a heat-exchanger having a steel ball scattering device assembled therein has heretofore come into practical use. Fig. 1 is a general vertical cross-section view showing one example of such heat-exchanger in the prior art, and Fig. 2 is a perspective view partly cut away of the same heat-exchanger. In these figures, reference numeral 1 designates a main body casing of a heat-exchanger, in which heat transfer tube groups 2 are disposed and steel ball scatterers 3 are provided above (on the upstream of) the heat transfer tube groups. To these steel ball scatterers 3 are fed steel balls from a steel ball feeder 4. The steel balls scattered by the steel ball scatterers 3 would fall while removing soot or the like adhered to the heat transfer groups 2. Then they would be returned to the above-mentioned steel ball feeder 4 by a steel ball conveyor 5. Reference numeral 6 designates a gas inlet, numeral 7 designates a gas outlet, the gas inlet 6 is provided at one end of the heat-exchanger main body 1 above the steel ball scatterers 3, and the gas outlet 7 is provided at one side portion of the heat-exchanger main body 1 lower than the heat transfer tube groups 2. Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing one example of the steel ball scatterer 3, and in this figure, reference numeral 3a designates a steel ball feed pipe having a square cross-section and numeral 3b designates a scattering plate, whose upper surface configuration forms a part of a spherical surface. The number of steel ball scatterers 3 disposed within the heat-exchanger is determined depending upon a projection cross-section area of the heat transfer tube groups and a steel ball scattering area of one steel ball scatterer, and if the steel ball scattering area of one steel ball scatterer is broad, the number of the disposed steel ball scatterers can be made small. In the case of removing soot or the like adhered to surfaces of heat transfer tubes in a heat-exchanger of an exhaust gas economizer or the like by scattering steel balls by means of the above-described steel ball scattering device, a scattering rate and a scattering method of steel balls are regulated depending upon the amount of soot or the like adhered to the heat transfer tubes. More particularly, in the case where the adhered amount is much (an adhering rate is large), unless steel balls are continuously scattered at a large rate, the adhered amount of soot or the like would increase and a predetermined heat transfer performance could not be maintained. On the other hand, in the case where the adhered amount is little, a heat transfer performance could be maintained even if the scattering rate is made small or even if intermittent scattering at a long time interval is effected. In addition, a scattering range and a scattering height of steel balls of a steel ball scatterer are, in the case of the spherical surface type scatterer shown in Fig. 3, represented by the following equations: scattering range x = η·v o ·cos ·t scattering height y = η·vo··t - 1 2 g·t 2 where η: restitution coefficient between a steel ball and a scattering plate, vo: velocity of a steel ball when it collides with a scattering plate, : angle (with respect to the horizontal direction) of a velocity of a steel ball flying out of a scatterer, t: time elapsted after collision, and g: acceleration by gravity. As will be seen from these equations, a scattering range as well as a scattering height are related to the velocity (v o ) of a steel ball when it collides with a scattering plate. (This collision velocity (v o ) is proportional to a square root of a height of fall in the case of natural falling.) Accordingly, as steel balls are made to fall onto a scattering plate from a higher position, the steel balls can be scattered over a broader range. In the case of removing soot by intermittently scattering steel balls, soot or the like having adhered to heat transfer tubes by that time would leave the heat transfer tubes and would scatter simultaneously with scattering of the steel balls, and so, a concentration of soot and the like in an exhaust gas would be temporarily increased. Generally, on the downstream side of a heat-exchanger is disposed an electric dust collector, and if its dust collecting power is insufficient, soot or the like would be released into the atmospheric air, and contamination of the atmospheric air would be resulted. Therefore, in the case of abrupt increase of a soot concentration in an exhaust gas as described above, it is necessary to design a capacity of an electric dust collector so as to meet such abrupt increase, and so, a scale of the apparatus would become large. In addition, in the method for removing soot by scattering steel balls as described above, since steel balls are made to directly collide with heat transfer tubes, damage of heat transfer tube fins is inevitable. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal cross-section view showing a part of a finned heat transfer tube 8, and Fig. 5 is a transverse cross-section view of the same. With reference to these figures, a top portion of a fin 8b mounted to a pipe 8a is damaged and deformed by collision with a falling steel ball as shown at 8c in Fig. 4. This damage depends upon a colliding velocity of a steel ball, and the larger the colliding velocity is, the greater is the damage. A colliding velocity of a steel ball against a fin depends upon a height of natural falling of a steel ball as described above, and it also relates to a scattering height of a steel ball. Accordingly, as a scattering range of steel balls by a steel ball scatterer is broadened, a scattering height would become higher and damage of a fin would become larger. However, if it is tried to prevent damage of fins by sacrificing a scattering range of steel balls, a number of disposed steel scatterers must be remarkably increased, and this is practically impossible. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION: It is the object of the present invention to provide an improved heat-exchanger provided with a steel ball scatterer, in which possible damage of fins on heat transfer tubes can be suppressed to minimum without deteriorating steel ball scattering characteristics, and thereby a life of heat transfer tubes can be greatly prolonged. According to a feature of the present invention as defined in claim 1, there is provided a heat-exchanger provided with a steel ball scatterer, wherein a group of finned heat transfer tubes and a steel ball scatterer above the heat transfer tube group are provided within a main body casing through which gas containing soot and dust flows, improved in that a plurality of steel ball collision preventing plates having their central portions warped upwards are provided between the steel ball scatterer and the heat transfer tube group. Also, according to the present invention, owing to the above-described structural feature of the heat exchanger, falling steel balls would collide against the steel ball collision preventing plate and would not directly collide with the upper portions of the heat transfer tubes, and so, damage of the heat transfer tubes can be prevented. In addition, since the central portions of the steel ball collision preventing plates are warped upwards, a scattered density of steel balls can be maintained uniform. The above-mentioned and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent by reference to the following description of preferred embodiments of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS: In the accompanying drawings: Fig. 1 is a general vertical cross-section view showing one example of a heat-exchanger in the prior art to which the present invention is pertinent; Fig. 2 is a perspective view partly cut away of the same heat-exchanger in the prior art; Fig, 3 is a perspective view showing one example of a steel ball scatterer in the prior art; Fig. 4 is a longitudinal cross-section view showing a part of a finned heat transfer tube; Fig. 5 is a transverse cross-section view of the same; Fig. 6 is a schematic transverse cross-section view showing the proximity of a heat transfer tube group in a preferred embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a steel ball collision preventing plate in the second preferred embodiment; Fig. 8 is a diagram illustrating results of tests conducted in connection to damaged conditions of fins of heat transfer tubes; and Fig. 9 is a diagram illustrating results of tests conducted in connection to scattered conditions of steel balls. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS: Now a prior art heat exchanger will be described in greater detail. The preferred embodiment of the invention can be applied to the apparatus shown in Fig. 1. In this figure, at first, gas containing soot or the like is introduced through a gas inlet 6, and after the gas has been made to perform heat-exchange at the heat transfer tube group 2, it is made to flow out through a gas outlet 7. Then soot or the like would adhere to the heat transfer tubes in the heat transfer group 2, and would degrade a heat transfer performance of the tubes. When the heat transfer performance has been degraded up to a certain heat transfer performance value, steel balls are scattered for the purpose of recovering a heat transfer performance. On this occasion, a scattering rate can be chosen small at the time of commencing the scattering, thereafter the scattering rate can be increased either in a stepwise manner or continuously as by regulating a rotational speed of a rotary ejector associated with a steel ball feeder 4, and eventually a predetermined amount of steel balls are scattered to recover the heat transfer performance. In the following, description will be made on a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 6 is a schematic transverse cross-section view showing the proximity of a heat transfer tube group, and Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a steel ball collision preventing plate in the same preferred embodiment. In Fig. 6, reference numeral 2 designates a heat transfer tube group, which is composed of a plurality of finned heat transfer tubes 8A, 8B, ..... arranged in a zig-zag manner at a plurality of levels. In the illustrated embodiment, first-level protectors (steel ball collision preventing plates) 9A and second-level protectors 9B are disposed respectively above first-level finned heat transfer tubes 8A and second-level finned heat transfer tubes 8B. Each of these protectors 9A and 9B is a steel plate having an upwardly convex curvature as shown in Fig. 7, and they are arranged so as to cover the finned heat transfer tubes 8A and 8B, respectively, as spaced at a predetermined interval from the finned heat transfer tubes. Although not illustrated further above the protectors 9A and 9B is disposed a steel ball scatterer similar to that in the prior art as described above with reference to Figs. 1 and 2, for example, a steel ball scatterer as illustrated in Fig. 3. In such an apparatus, steel balls fed through steel ball feeder pipes in a steel ball scatterer would fall and collide against a scattering plate and would fly and disperse in the circumferential direction, and they would fall towards the heat transfer tube group 2 under the scattering plate. And after they have once collided with the protectors 9A or 9B, they would be scattered again. In this way, while repeating collision and rescattering, the steel balls would fall through the heat transfer tube group 2 and thus remove soot and dust adhered to the finned heat transfer tubes 8A, 8B, ... . As described above, according to the illustrated embodiment, an impact force of a steel ball scattered and dispersed by the steel ball scatterer is weakened by making it once collide with a protector, and so, even if it subsequently collides with a heat transfer tube, damage of a fin can be suppressed to minimum because its impact force has been weakened. Now, in a dust removing apparatus of the type of scattering steel balls, since uniformity of a scattering density of steel balls influences a dust removing effect and consequently influences a heat transfer performance as a heat-exchanger, it is necessary to equalize the scattering density as much as possible. On the other hand, as the steel balls scattered by a steel ball scatterer would not fall vertically but would fall while slightly expanding, if a protector of flat plate shape is used, steel balls collided with the protector would scatter slightly outwards as viewed from the steel ball scatterer, and so, there is a possibility that a scattered density may become non-uniform. However, according to the illustrated embodiment, a scattered density can be maintained uniform by employing the collision preventing plates 9A and 9B warped upwards. It is to be noted that as the material for the collision preventing plate, not only metallic materials such as a steel plate or the like but also synthetic high-molecular material such as FRP or the like could be used depending upon a used temperature condition. Next, results of tests for the effects of this preferred embodiment will be explained. The test conditions are as follows: 1) Heat transfer tube group : projected cross-section 1 m x 1 m 2) Heat transfer tube specification : (a) tubes : material STB35, nominal diameter 34 mm, thickness 3.2 mm (b) fins : material SPCC, diameter 64 mm, thickness 1.6 mm, pitch 2.5 fins/in 3) Protector specification : material SS41, thickness 3 mm, width 40 mm, radius of curvature 100 mm, disposed 80 mm above and 30 mm above the upper edge of the first level heat transfer tube. 4) Used steel balls : diameter 5 mm 5) Steel ball scattering rate : 5000 kg/cm 2 h (average scattering height : about 1.3 mm from the heat transfer tube) Results of comparative tests for a damaged condition of a fin of a heat transfer tube (amount of plate thickness change at the upper edge portion of the fin 8B shown in Fig. 4) in the case of providing the protectors and in the case of not providing protectors, are shown in Fig. 8. In the case of not providing the protectors, as shown in Fig. 8(a), amounts of deformation of the fins on the heat transfer tubes at the first and second levels are such that after operation equivalent to working of a practical machine for about 2 years, deformation on one side of 1 mm is resulted, and similarly for about 4 years, deformation on one side of 1.7-2.3 mm is resulted. It is to be noted that with respect to the fins on the heat transfer tubes at the third and subsequent levels, even after operation equivalent to working of a practical machine for about 10 years, deformation of 0.65 mm is resulted, and so, practically there exists no problem. Whereas, in the case of additionally providing the protectors according to the above-described embodiment of the present invention, as shown in Fig. 8(b), after operation equivalent to working of a practical machine for about 10 years, only deformation of 0.55 mm or less is observed for all the heat transfer tubes, and thereby, effectiveness of the protector according to the present invention has been confirmed. As will be apparent from the detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention above, the present invention can bring about the following effects and advantages. That is, according to the present invention, in the case of removing soot and dust adhered to surfaces of heat transfer tubes in a heat-exchanger by scattering steel balls towards the heat transfer tubes, damage of the fins of the heat transfer tubes can be suppressed to minimum without largely degrading scattering characteristics of the steel balls, and so, a life of the heat transfer tubes can be greatly prolonged. While a principle of the present invention has been described above in connection with one preferred embodiment of the invention, it is a matter of course that many apparently widely different embodiments of the present invention could be made without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

Claims: A heat-exchanger comprising a main body casing (1) through which gas containing soot and dust flows; a group (2) of finned heat transfer tubes (8A, 8B, ...) horizontally arranged within said main body casing (1); and at least one steel ball scatterer (3) provided above said group (2) of heat transfer tubes; characterized in that a plurality of upwardly curved convex steel ball collision preventing plates (9A, 9B) are disposed horizontally between the steel ball scatterer(s) (3) and the heat transfer tubes (8A, 8B, ...) having their warped upward central portions directed toward the steel balls dropping from the steel ball scatterer(s) (3). The heat-exchanger of claim 1, characterized in that the steel ball collision preventing plates (9A, 9B) are disposed parallel to and in levels above each other such that the steel ball collision preventing plates (9A) of an upper level are positioned above gaps left between the steel ball collision preventing plates (9B) of a lower level. The heat-exchanger of claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the steel ball collision preventing plates (9A, 9B) are made from a metallic material or from a synthetic high-molecular material. The heat-exchanger of one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one steel ball scatterer (3) is composed of a combination of a spherical scattering plate (3b) and a steel ball feed pipe (3a) directed toward said scattering plate (3b).

Inventors: FUJIIKE HIROSHI, HIGASHI TSUNEO, KATO MASAMI, MAKINO KATSUAKI, MIYAMOTO HIROSHI, NAKAMURA SATOSHI, TANAKA TADASHI, FUJIIKE, HIROSHI, HIGASHI, TSUNEO, KATO, MASAMI, MAKINO, KATSUAKI, MIYAMOTO, HIROSHI, NAKAMURA, SATOSHI, TANAKA, TADASHI, Fujiike, Hiroshi, c/o Mihara Machinery Works of, HIGASHI, TSUNEO C/O MIHARA MACHINERY WORKS OF, KATO, MASAMI, CHUBU ELECTRIC POWER COMPANY, INC., Makino, Katsuaki, c/o Hiroshima Technical Inst. of, Miyamoto, Hiroshi, c/o Hiroshima Technical Inst.of, Nakamura, Satoshi, c/o Chubu Electric Power Co.Inc, TANAKA, TADASHI, CHUBU ELECTRIC POWER COMPANY, INC
Applicants: CHUBU ELECTRIC POWER, MITSUBISHI HEAVY IND LTD, CHUBU ELECTRIC POWER COMPANY, INCORPORATED, MITSUBISHI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Application year: 1991
Main classification: F28G1
IPC codes: F28G1