US1661890A - Apparatus for cleaning the fire tubes of multitubular boilers and the like - Google Patents

Description

March 6, 1928. 1,661,890

' c. B. GARDNER APPARATUS FOR CLEANING THE FIRE TUBES OF MULTITUBULAR BOILERS AND THE LIKE Filed April 8, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 6, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES BRUCE GARDNER, or srnnronn, ENGLAND.

APPARATUS FOR CLEANING THE FIRE TUBES OF MULTITUIBULAR BOILERS AlNDjTHE LIKE.

Application filed April 8, 1327,,Seria1 no. 182,1 14, and ln Great Britain March 10, 1926."

This invention relates to tliat' class of apparatus particularly adapted for cleaning tie the tubes of a multi-tubular boiler, alt rough applicable also for use with air heat crs and some forms otteed water heaters, which apparatus is characterized by single nozzles or discharge openings corresponding in number to the fire or equivalent tubes to be cleaned, and arranged coaxially therewith, by which means all the tubes can be treated without anything more than establishing the supply of blowing fluid.

Ordinarily with apparatus of this particular class, the flow of hot gases to the fire tubes is unduly interfered with if an adequate flow of blowing fluid is provided and the object of the invention, which is to overcome this disadvantage, is achieved by employing blow-pipes from which the nozzles extend, arranged in two rows and relatively staggered, at distances sufficient to provide space for the ready flow of hot gases to or from theboiler tubes.

In order to keep the amount of fluid under pressure being used at any time within moderate limits, and also so as not unduly to interfere in. a boiler, with the heating of the boiler by hot gases passing through its fire tubes, the nozzles corresponding to the tire tubes are divided up into separate groups to whichfiuid under pressure can be supplied in succession through two or more conduits provided with controlling means, so that groups of fire tubes opposite the groups of nozzles can be cleaned in succession.

The tube cleaning apparatus is arranged in position with regard to one end of the tubes to assure its being in exact position with the nozzles properly disposed in relation to the ends of the boiler tubes.

Apparatus according to the invention can be variously constructed, as will be understood from the further description of the invention now about to be given with the aid of the accompanying drawings wherein Figs. 1 and 2 are sectional elevations of one form or arrangement of heating plant or boiler taken at right angles to each other, only a few of the blow-pipes being represented; and

Fig. 3 is a plan view thereof.

Referring to the drawings, 1 denotes the nozzles which are preferably equal in numher to the boiler tubes 2 and which, as in the arrangement shown in the drawings, may be short and carried by blow-pipes 4 fixed to the side or bottom of a box or header 3, so that fluid under pressure can flow through all the nozzles simultaneously. In the present instance, the box or header 3 is shown in two sections divided into chambers 3, eachprovided with a valvecontrolled fluid inlet p1pe such as 5, so that the nozzles, or blow-pipes and nozzles may be divided OH? or separated into groups to which fluid under pressure can be supplied in succession. In Fig. 2, valves 4 are shownfitted to each of the pipes l whereby admission of fluid to each vertical line of blowing nozzles 1 can be controlled toward and from the tubes by making appropriate constructional modifica 'lhe nozzles 1 carried by blow-pipes tions. at are so designed as to prevent their undue interference with the flowof hot gases to the lire tubes and for such purpose said'blowpipes are arranged in two rows relatively. staggered, those further from the boiler tubes being'provided with longer nozzles than the others, so that the eXit ends of all the nozzles shall terminate in the same plane;

It preferred, all of the blow-pipesmay be provided with relatively long nozzles of somewhat smaller cross-section than represented.

In Fig. 1 some of the blow-pipes I hav been omitted for the purpose of clearer disclosure, but the number of such pipes is ink tended to be equal to the number of vertical rows of tire tubes, less the. two outermost rows, each blow-pipe beingprovided with a series of nozzles 1 equal in number to the number of fire tubes in each row thereof except the outermost pair of blow pipes, which in this instance are provided with additional nozzles 1 for dealing with the'rows 0t fire tubes for which no blow pipes are provided. These blow-pipes l are shown depending from a header 8 shown insections, the,lat ter being supported outside the chamber 6 in which the blow-pipes with the nozzles are arranged 'l'oruse. When arranged in groups in different parallel vertical planes, these blow-pipes maybe connected to dilterent lhe apparatus may be placed either at the inlet or outlet end of the boiler tubes. \Vhen the temperature of the gases entering the boiler tubes is sufficiently low, it is generally preferable to arrange the apparatus at the inlet end of the boiler tubes, but where. the temperature is so high that it would cause injury to the apparatus or to parts hereof, it is preferable to arrange the appa atus at the outlet end of the boiler tubes. In the latter ease,if the pressure ofthe cleaning fluid at the nozzles is sutficiently high, the jets of fluid will clean theboiler tubes, or groups of tubes against the draught of the boiler,

' which in the meantime, may or may .not be emporarily reduced or stopped.

What I claim is 1. An apparatus of the class described, comprising a horizontal header having a fluid inlet, a series of blow pipes depending from the header in two rows, the pipes in one row beingstaggercd in relation to the pipes of the other row, and a. series of nozzles projecting horizontally from each blow pipe, the nozzles ofone row of pipesbeing longer than the nozzles of the other row of pipes and extending between the pipes of the last mentioiied row, with all thenoz'zles terminating in a common plane.

2, i .n apparatus of the class described, comprising a horizontal header having a fluid inlet, a series of blow pipes depending from the header in two rows, the pipes in one row being staggered in relation to the pipes of the other row, a series of nozzles projecting horizontally from each blow pipe, the nozzles of one row of pipes being longer than the nozzles of the other row of pipes and extending between the pipes of the last mentioned row, with all the nozzles terminating in a common plane, and a series of valves in said header, each of said valves being adapted to control a blow pipe.

3. An apparatus of the class described, comprising in combination with a nest of tubes, a horizontal header having a fluid inlet, a series of blow pipes depending from the header in two rows with the pipes in one row staggered in relation to the pipes in the other row, a series of nozzles projecting horizontally from each blow pipe. the nozzles of the pipes in one row being longer than the nozzles of the pipes in the other row and extended between the pipes of the last incutioncd row so that all the nozzles terminate in a common plane, said nozzles being eoaxial with the tubes of the nest of tubes, and a series of valves in said header, each of said valves being adapted to control a blow pipe.

4. An app: 'atus of the class tltsclllu-tl. comprising in combination with a nest of tubes, a chamber with which said tubes coniinuni ate, a horizontal header having a fluid inlet, a series of cleaning fluid pipes connected with and depending from the header into said chamber adjacentsaid tube ends in two rows with the pipes in one row staggored in relation to the pipes in the other row, and a series of nozzles projecting horizontally from each blow-pipe in coaxial alincnient with the tubes of the nest.

Signed at St()lte-on-'l'1'ent, England, this twenty-second day of March, 19:27.

CHARLES B RUCE G A RDN ER.

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