WO2004094319A1 - Method for flow improvement and reduction of fouling in process equipment - Google Patents
Method for flow improvement and reduction of fouling in process equipment Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- WO2004094319A1 WO2004094319A1 PCT/NO2004/000116 NO2004000116W WO2004094319A1 WO 2004094319 A1 WO2004094319 A1 WO 2004094319A1 NO 2004000116 W NO2004000116 W NO 2004000116W WO 2004094319 A1 WO2004094319 A1 WO 2004094319A1
- Authority
- WO
- WIPO (PCT)
- Prior art keywords
- fluid
- potential
- fouling
- electric potential
- electric
- Prior art date
Links
Classifications
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F28—HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL
- F28F—DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION
- F28F19/00—Preventing the formation of deposits or corrosion, e.g. by using filters or scrapers
- F28F19/004—Preventing the formation of deposits or corrosion, e.g. by using filters or scrapers by using protective electric currents, voltages, cathodes, anodes, electric short-circuits
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B08—CLEANING
- B08B—CLEANING IN GENERAL; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL
- B08B17/00—Methods preventing fouling
-
- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C02—TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE
- C02F—TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE
- C02F1/00—Treatment of water, waste water, or sewage
- C02F1/46—Treatment of water, waste water, or sewage by electrochemical methods
- C02F1/4602—Treatment of water, waste water, or sewage by electrochemical methods for prevention or elimination of deposits
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F28—HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL
- F28F—DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION
- F28F13/00—Arrangements for modifying heat-transfer, e.g. increasing, decreasing
- F28F13/16—Arrangements for modifying heat-transfer, e.g. increasing, decreasing by applying an electrostatic field to the body of the heat-exchange medium
-
- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C02—TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE
- C02F—TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE
- C02F1/00—Treatment of water, waste water, or sewage
- C02F1/008—Control or steering systems not provided for elsewhere in subclass C02F
-
- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C02—TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE
- C02F—TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE
- C02F2209/00—Controlling or monitoring parameters in water treatment
- C02F2209/03—Pressure
-
- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C02—TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE
- C02F—TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE
- C02F2209/00—Controlling or monitoring parameters in water treatment
- C02F2209/05—Conductivity or salinity
-
- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C02—TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE
- C02F—TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE
- C02F2209/00—Controlling or monitoring parameters in water treatment
- C02F2209/06—Controlling or monitoring parameters in water treatment pH
-
- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C02—TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE
- C02F—TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE
- C02F2209/00—Controlling or monitoring parameters in water treatment
- C02F2209/40—Liquid flow rate
-
- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C02—TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE
- C02F—TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE
- C02F2303/00—Specific treatment goals
- C02F2303/22—Eliminating or preventing deposits, scale removal, scale prevention
Definitions
- This invention relates to a method and apparatus for improvement of flow rates and reduction of fouling in process equipment such as for instance heat exchangers where fluids are flowing in single or multiphase.
- An improved flow rate will cause that the heat exchanger becomes more efficient, i.e. a lower deposition rate and a higher removal rate of inorganic agents.
- the fluid may be a pure fluid, colloidal fluid or contain inclusions in the form of particles.
- WO 94/02422 it is described a device and method where the water flow is exposed to microwave radiation which frequency is tuned to be absorbed by one or several of the following ions/compounds of the water: Ca 2+ , CO 3 2" , HCO 3 " , C0 2 , CaHCO 3 + , H 2 CO 3 , and H 2 O. It is believed that the electromagnetic radiation causes the precipitates to be form on a micro-scale in the bulk flow to be carried away instead of on the surfaces of the process equipment.
- the main objective of this invention is to provide a method and apparatus for improving/enhancing the flow velocity in process equipment where a process liquid is flowing in order to reduce/eliminate the problem with fouling.
- Another objective of this invention is to provide a method and apparatus for improving/enhancing the flow velocities at the heat transfer surfaces in heat exchangers in order to increase the efficiency of the heat exchangers and at the same time reduce/eliminate the problem of fouling.
- the present invention is partly based on an effect that was discovered by the present inventor, and which formed basis for another invention that is protected by for example US 6 334 957 or the corresponding EP 1 021 376.
- This patent family gives a thorough description of the effect, and is therefore included by reference in this application. Here, it will only be given a short summary of the effect:
- US 6 334 957 discloses a regulation method that ensures that the imposed DC potential exactly opposes the electric friction potential at all times and an apparatus for performing the method.
- the present invention is based on the discovery that the elimination of the electric friction factor for liquids flowing in pipes, heat exchangers, reactors and all other forms of industrial process equipment, is also a convenient and effective mean for preventing and in some cases even revert already formed fouling and scaling. That is, by enhancing the flow velocities at the surfaces of heat exchangers and other process equipment where fluids are flowing, one will reduce the deposition rate of precipitates thus reduce/prevent formation of scales, fouling, and any other types of solid deposits on the walls of the heat exchanger/process equipment. This is believed to be due to that the enhanced flow velocity at the solid-liquid boundary (the heat exchanger wall) will carry away a larger portion of the solid precipitates in the bulk stream.
- the imposed electric potential shall exactly counter-balance the natural occurring electric friction potential of the flow.
- these potentials will cancel each other such that no electric fields will be felt by the process liquid. Consequently, there will be no risk of inducing any electrochemically alterations of the processes in the flowing process fluid, including alterations of chemical equilibriums, ionising compounds, creating radicals, induce unwanted chemical reactions etc.
- the naturally occurring electric friction potentials are usually small, in the order plus/minus a few Volts or less, such that one can manage with much less powerful and thus energy efficient fields than in prior art methods.
- the method according to the invention will therefore be absolutely risk free, both in terms of electrochemistry and handling safety, such that it becomes suited for all thinkable processes, no matter which process liquid that flows through the process equipment.
- the invention is based on scientific knowledge, such that the method according to the invention will be fully controllable and give consistent results.
- a further advantage is that the invention represents no pollution problem since no matter is added or removed when implementing the invention and no chemical reactions are induced in the process fluids that may cause unwanted detrimental effects on the process and/or the environment.
- the term electric contribution factor means the combined effect of the corrosion potential and the fluid flow friction potential on the total friction factor for the fluid flow.
- the invention is related to all kinds of heat exchangers (HE), including air-cooled HE, plate and frame HE, compact HE, shell and tube HE, double-pipe HE, spiral HE, shell-and tube condensers, air-cooled condensers, plate and compact condensers, direct contact condensers, cooling towers, steam generators, boilers, and evaporators.
- HE heat exchangers
- the invention is also related to either the process fluid side or cooling/heating medium side of the heat transfer surface, or both. Also, all other types of industrial and non-industrial process equipment where process liquids are flowing and where scaling/fouling may pose a problem are included.
- the inventive idea is to employ a DC electric potential that exactly counteracts the combined build-up of an electric potential due to the friction from the flowing fluid and the corrosion potential.
- the electrical potential across the boundary layer (at the liquid-wall interface) is reduced to zero such that the electric contribution to the fluid flow friction at the surface is reduced to zero, and consequently, a maximum increase in the flow rate near the surface will be achieved, which again leads to a reduction/elimination of the deposition rate of suspended precipitates.
- the naturally occurring potentials at the liquid-solid interface will be less than ⁇ 5 V, but typically less than ⁇ 2.5 V, and often in the order of ⁇ l.OV or less.
- the inventive method may be implemented in a device comprising a control unit which ensures that the imposed DC-potential exactly counters the naturally occurring potential at the liquis-solid boundary.
- the control unit comprises three parts: a measuring/calculator unit, an electrical DC-potential generator, and a regulator. These components are of conventional nature and need no further description. A similar system is thoroughly described in US 6 334 957 or the corresponding EP 1 021 376.
- the regulation unit calculates the magnitude of the imposed DC-potential due to information of measured fluid properties upstream of the part of the pipe/duct that is exposed to the DC field, and where that the measured fluid properties may be one or more of the properties contained in the group comprising average flow velocity, corrosion potential, pH, concentration of specific ions contained in the fluid, electrical conductivity, pressure, and temperature.
- FIG. 1 A preferred embodiment of the invention, when implemented on a shell and tube heat exchanger of is shown schematically in Figure 1.
- the arrows indicate the flow directions.
- the invention 1 is connected to the heat exchanger 2 by two or more connectors of conventional type (not shown in the Figure).
- One connector is connected to a ring 4 in the inlet for the cooling/heating medium 3 which is electrically insulated from the rest of the system.
- One connector is connected to a ring 7 in the inlet for the process fluid 6 which is also electrically insulated from the rest of the system.
- a third connector is connected to the heat exchanger itself at the point marked 9. If the invention is used for flow improvement of the process fluid, the connecting point 9 will be at the outlet for the process fluid 5.
- the connecting point 9 will be at outlet 8.
- ring 4 is used, and for the process fluid, ring 7 is used.
- the estimation of the set point is based on capacitance measurements.
- the capacitance is measured between the ring 4, or 7, and the heat exchanger 9 itself by the alternating current method, as a function of the applied DC-potential. Its positive and negative ends are connected to 9 and 4, or 1 , respectively.
- the potential at which the capacitance shows a minimum value corresponds to the un- electrified condition of the heat exchanger, and is the particular DC-potential used as set point for the regulator.
- the electrical DC-generator applies the potential between 4, or 7, and 9, and is controlled by the regulator.
- FIG. 2 Schematic representation of liquid flow system is presented in Fig. 2.
- the tube is in the loop which contains two reservoirs with simulated fluid and the peristaltic pump (P).
- the flow velocity is controlled by the height (H), while the temperature of liquid is controlled by a thermo reservoir 2.
- This reservoir also serves for avoiding the periodic pressure changes which arise during the work of the peristaltic pump and which can influence the frequency of quartz crystal oscillation.
- the 5 MHz AT-cut 15 mm diameter and 0.3 mm thick quartz crystals were used. Both sides of crystals were coated with titanium by cathodic sputtering. The decrease in frequency change is linearly related with an increase of electrode mass.
- These coated working quartz crystals (QCM1, QCM2 and QCM3, see Figs. 3 and 4) were glued into cylindrical holders, which were affixed to the tube in three different ways, see Fig. 3. One side of the crystals were exposed to the solution in the tube and served as working electrodes (QCM1, QCM2 and QCM3, see Figs. 3 and 4). Another side of these crystals faced the air.
- the working quartz electrodes were inserted into three separately controlled oscillators - QCM drivers (Fig. 4) configuration of which allows the working electrodes to be grounded.
- Home-made voltammetric and frequency measurement system was used (Fig. 4).
- a high precision frequency counter performs a measurement with accuracy in 0.1-0.2 Hz for about 5 MHz frequency in 3 ms.
- the same potential was applied simultaneously to all three electrodes and the changes of the frequency of these quartz supported electrodes with time were separately recorded for 600 s. Then the same experiment was repeated for another potential. In such a way, the potential range from 1 V to -1 V vs. the standard hydrogen electrode (from 0.8 V to -1.2 V vs. the silver/silver chloride/saturated KC1 electrode) with 0.1 V increments was investigated.
- Fig. 8 the same solution and the same conditions of the measurements as given in Fig.5 but the measurements were performed the next day after the experiments, the results of which are presented in Fig 7.
- the size of particles is approximately 100 nm and still growing, though much slower.
- the data presented in Fig. 8 show the influence of the potential (growth effects are small).
- Fig. 9 solution turned to be more opalescent, the size of particles is larger than 100 nm and solution turned to be more opalescent (white colour of the solution is visually observed).
- Decrease in deposition rates, observed at higher flow rates (Figs. 10 and 11), may be related with "washing" of particles from the electrode surface.
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- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Thermal Sciences (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
- Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
- Electrochemistry (AREA)
- General Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
- Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- Hydrology & Water Resources (AREA)
- Environmental & Geological Engineering (AREA)
- Water Supply & Treatment (AREA)
- Organic Chemistry (AREA)
- Water Treatment By Electricity Or Magnetism (AREA)
Abstract
Description
Claims
Priority Applications (5)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
JP2006507895A JP2006524311A (en) | 2003-04-23 | 2004-04-23 | Method for improving flow and reducing fouling in process equipment |
EP04729329A EP1673308A1 (en) | 2003-04-23 | 2004-04-23 | Method for flow improvement and reduction of fouling in process equipment |
AU2004232620A AU2004232620B2 (en) | 2003-04-23 | 2004-04-23 | Method for flow improvement and reduction of fouling in process equipment |
CA002522792A CA2522792A1 (en) | 2003-04-23 | 2004-04-23 | Method 0f flow improvement and reduction of fouling in process equipment |
US10/554,278 US20070017811A1 (en) | 2003-04-23 | 2004-04-23 | Method for flow improvement and reduction of fouling in process equipment |
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
GB0309224A GB2400808B (en) | 2003-04-23 | 2003-04-23 | Method for flow improvement and reduction of fouling in process equipment |
GB0309224.4 | 2003-04-23 |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
WO2004094319A1 true WO2004094319A1 (en) | 2004-11-04 |
Family
ID=9957154
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
PCT/NO2004/000116 WO2004094319A1 (en) | 2003-04-23 | 2004-04-23 | Method for flow improvement and reduction of fouling in process equipment |
Country Status (11)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (1) | US20070017811A1 (en) |
EP (1) | EP1673308A1 (en) |
JP (1) | JP2006524311A (en) |
KR (1) | KR20060034629A (en) |
CN (1) | CN100361903C (en) |
AU (1) | AU2004232620B2 (en) |
CA (1) | CA2522792A1 (en) |
GB (1) | GB2400808B (en) |
RU (1) | RU2335463C2 (en) |
WO (1) | WO2004094319A1 (en) |
ZA (1) | ZA200509443B (en) |
Cited By (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
KR100694661B1 (en) * | 2006-11-27 | 2007-03-14 | 허관용 | Apparatus for preventing bio-fouling and method thereof |
Families Citing this family (5)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
NO20043150D0 (en) | 2004-07-23 | 2004-07-23 | Ntnu Technology Transfer As | "Heat recovery method and equipment" |
EP2555909A1 (en) * | 2010-04-05 | 2013-02-13 | Husky Injection Molding Systems S.A. | Molding apparatus including source providing electrical charge to conduit |
RU2482413C2 (en) * | 2011-06-29 | 2013-05-20 | Государственное образовательное учреждение высшего профессионального образования Казанский государственный технический университет им. А.Н. Туполева (КГТУ-КАИ) | Method to prevent formation and growth of carbonaceous deposits on walls of heat exchange channels |
WO2021069395A1 (en) * | 2019-10-07 | 2021-04-15 | Epff Electrical Pipe For Fluid Transport Ab | Prevention of microbiological growth in heat exchangers |
US11959695B2 (en) * | 2019-10-29 | 2024-04-16 | Fositek Corporation | Liquid cooling system with water quality monitoring |
Citations (4)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US5171431A (en) * | 1990-06-05 | 1992-12-15 | Hartmut Schulte | Electronic lime controller with controls responsive to flow rates and water hardness |
US5725778A (en) * | 1995-10-17 | 1998-03-10 | Electronic Descaling 2000, Inc. | Current driver for electronic descaling |
WO1999057444A1 (en) * | 1998-04-30 | 1999-11-11 | Applied Plasma Physics As | Method for reducing pressure loss in connection with transport of fluid in pipes/ducts |
US6334957B1 (en) * | 1997-10-10 | 2002-01-01 | Magne Waskaas | Method for reduction of flow resistance in pipes and ducts |
Family Cites Families (4)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
NL8802179A (en) * | 1988-09-02 | 1990-04-02 | B & D Ingenieursburo | DEVICE FOR TREATING LIQUID FOR PREVENTING AND / OR REMOVING CASTLE DEPOSITS. |
US5230807A (en) * | 1992-03-31 | 1993-07-27 | Miriam Peterson | Electrical water treatment system with indicators displaying whether control limits are maintained |
US5480522A (en) * | 1994-01-04 | 1996-01-02 | Makiko Yoshida | Self-energizing fluid treatment apparatus employing external electrodes |
US6086722A (en) * | 1996-07-17 | 2000-07-11 | Texaco Inc. | Minimizing evaporator scaling and recovery of salts during gasification |
-
2003
- 2003-04-23 GB GB0309224A patent/GB2400808B/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
-
2004
- 2004-04-23 EP EP04729329A patent/EP1673308A1/en not_active Withdrawn
- 2004-04-23 KR KR1020057020129A patent/KR20060034629A/en not_active Application Discontinuation
- 2004-04-23 RU RU2005136859/15A patent/RU2335463C2/en not_active IP Right Cessation
- 2004-04-23 JP JP2006507895A patent/JP2006524311A/en active Pending
- 2004-04-23 CN CNB2004800173522A patent/CN100361903C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 2004-04-23 CA CA002522792A patent/CA2522792A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 2004-04-23 AU AU2004232620A patent/AU2004232620B2/en not_active Ceased
- 2004-04-23 WO PCT/NO2004/000116 patent/WO2004094319A1/en active Application Filing
- 2004-04-23 US US10/554,278 patent/US20070017811A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 2004-04-23 ZA ZA200509443A patent/ZA200509443B/en unknown
Patent Citations (4)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US5171431A (en) * | 1990-06-05 | 1992-12-15 | Hartmut Schulte | Electronic lime controller with controls responsive to flow rates and water hardness |
US5725778A (en) * | 1995-10-17 | 1998-03-10 | Electronic Descaling 2000, Inc. | Current driver for electronic descaling |
US6334957B1 (en) * | 1997-10-10 | 2002-01-01 | Magne Waskaas | Method for reduction of flow resistance in pipes and ducts |
WO1999057444A1 (en) * | 1998-04-30 | 1999-11-11 | Applied Plasma Physics As | Method for reducing pressure loss in connection with transport of fluid in pipes/ducts |
Non-Patent Citations (1)
Title |
---|
ANONYMOUS: "Strom reduser friksjonen", INTERNET ARTICLE, 4 March 2002 (2002-03-04), XP002292246, Retrieved from the Internet <URL:http://www.emtr.no/Newsroom/strm_reduserer.htm> [retrieved on 20040812] * |
Cited By (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
KR100694661B1 (en) * | 2006-11-27 | 2007-03-14 | 허관용 | Apparatus for preventing bio-fouling and method thereof |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
JP2006524311A (en) | 2006-10-26 |
RU2335463C2 (en) | 2008-10-10 |
CN1809511A (en) | 2006-07-26 |
EP1673308A1 (en) | 2006-06-28 |
GB0309224D0 (en) | 2003-06-04 |
RU2005136859A (en) | 2006-06-10 |
GB2400808A (en) | 2004-10-27 |
AU2004232620B2 (en) | 2007-09-27 |
CN100361903C (en) | 2008-01-16 |
KR20060034629A (en) | 2006-04-24 |
AU2004232620A1 (en) | 2004-11-04 |
CA2522792A1 (en) | 2004-11-04 |
ZA200509443B (en) | 2007-03-28 |
US20070017811A1 (en) | 2007-01-25 |
GB2400808B (en) | 2006-07-12 |
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