WO2009116707A1

WO2009116707A1 - Cleaner for duct

Info

Publication number: WO2009116707A1
Application number: PCT/KR2008/004276
Authority: WO
Inventors: Daewon Jeong
Original assignee: Gs Engineering & Construction Corp.
Priority date: 2008-03-17
Filing date: 2008-07-22
Publication date: 2009-09-24
Also published as: KR20090099137A; KR100991831B1

Abstract

Provided is a cleaner for a duct for cleaning an inner wall of the duct. The cleaner includes: a head entered into the duct, and including one or more cleaning injection holes through which a cleaning source for cleaning an inner wall of the duct is injected toward the inner wall of the duct and one or more propulsion injection holes through which a propulsion source for propulsion is injected into the inner wall of the duct; a supply unit for supplying the cleaning source and the propulsion source to the head; and a head movement unit for rotating and moving the head. Therefore, the cleaner can thoroughly clean the entire inner portion of the duct and reduce costs for equipments for cleaning the duct and a problem in safety management for the equipments.

Description

CLEANER FOR DUCT

Technical Field

[1] The present invention relates to a cleaner for a duct for cleaning an inner wall of the duct. Background Art

[2] In general, a duct is used for waterworks or to transfer seawater and gas. When the duct has been used for a long period, the duct is gathered sediment such as rust, sludge, and the like. Therefore, the duct that has been used for a long period has to be periodically replaced or the inside of the duct has to be cleaned.

[3] Here, in a case where a duct is large enough to accommodate a person, the person may carry equipments for cleaning the duct and enter the duct to clean the inside of the duct.

[4] However, in a case where a duct is too small to accommodate a person, in order to remove rust and sludge on the inner wall of the duct and clean the duct, high pressure water is injected into the duct.

[5] In this cleaning operation, a worker cannot check with the naked eye to clean the inside of the duct, so that the inside of the duct may not be thoroughly cleaned, and a cleaned state may not be good. In addition, the high pressure water is injected in a direction of a length of the duct, so that friction between the high pressure water and the inner wall of the duct is weak, and the inside of the duct cannot be thoroughly cleaned. In addition, as the duct is longer, the pressure of the high pressure water has to be increased. Therefore, there is a problem in safety management for equipments and high pressure. In addition, although the pressure of the high pressure water at an inlet of the duct is high, the pressure is decreased as the high pressure water is closer to an outlet of the duct. Therefore, the entire duct cannot be thoroughly cleaned. Disclosure of Invention

Technical Problem

[6] The present invention provides a cleaner for a duct which can thoroughly clean the entire inner portion of the duct, reduce costs for equipments for cleaning the duct, and solve a problem in safety management for the equipments. Technical Solution

[7] According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a cleaner for a duct including: a head entered into the duct, and including one or more cleaning injection holes through which a cleaning source for cleaning an inner wall of the duct is injected toward the inner wall of the duct and one or more propulsion injection holes through which a propulsion source for propulsion is injected into the inner wall of the duct; a supply unit for supplying the cleaning source and the propulsion source to the head; and a head movement unit for rotating and moving the head. [8] In the above aspect of the present invention, the head may have a double structure to prevent the cleaning source and the propulsion source from mixing with each other. [9] In addition, the propulsion injection holes may be formed so that the propulsion source is injected in a different direction from the cleaning source, and a plurality of the propulsion injection holes may be formed along a circumference of the head. [10] In addition, the propulsion injection holes may be first and second propulsion injection holes having interior angles, that is, smaller separation angles, of from 80° to

100°, and one or more cleaning injection hole may be disposed in a range of an exterior angle, that is, a larger angle among the separation angles, of the first and second propulsion injection holes. [11] In addition, a hose for connecting the head to the supply unit may have a double structure to prevent the cleaning source and the propulsion source from mixing with each other. [12] In addition, injection pressure of the cleaning source may be higher than that of the propulsion source. [13] In addition, the cleaning source may be dry ice particles and the propulsion source may be compressed air. [14] In addition, the cleaning source may be made by mixing dry ice particles and compressed air, and the propulsion portion may be compressed air. [15] In addition, the supply unit may include: a compressor for generating compressed air; a dry ice storage tank for storing the dry ice particles; and a mixer for mixing the compressed air with the dry ice particles. [16] In addition, the supply unit may further include a dehumidifier for dehumidifying the compressed air compressed by the compressor. [17] In addition, the supply unit may further include a cooler for cooling the compressed air compressed by the compressor. [18] In addition, the supply unit may further include: a dehumidifier for dehumidifying the compressed air compressed by the compressor; and a cooler which is disposed between the compressor and the dehumidifier to cool the compressed air compressed by the compressor.

[19] In addition, the cleaning source and the propulsion source may be compressed air.

[20] In addition, the head movement unit may be formed to move the head in a spiral direction.

Advantageous Effects [21] The cleaner for the duct according to the present invention injects the cleaning source toward the inner wall of the duct by rotating and moving the head along the inner wall of the duct, so that the cleaner can clean the entire inner portion of the duct thoroughly and reduce costs for equipments for cleaning the duct and safety management problems for the equipments. Brief Description of the Drawings

[22] FIG. 1 is a structural view of a cleaner for a duct according to the present invention.

[23] FIG. 2 is a side-sectional view illustrating duct cleaning operations of the cleaner according to the present invention.

[24] FIG. 3 is a front- sectional view illustrating the duct cleaning operations of the cleaner according to the present invention.

[25] FIG. 4 is a view illustrating a structure of a head of the cleaner for the duct.

Mode for the Invention

[26] FIG. 1 is a structural view of a cleaner for a duct according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side- sectional view illustrating duct cleaning operations of the cleaner according to the present invention. FIG. 3 is a front- sectional view illustrating the duct cleaning operations of the cleaner according to the present invention. FIG. 4 is a view illustrating a structure of a head of the cleaner for the duct.

[27] The cleaner for the duct according to the present invention includes: a head 10 which is entered into the duct 12, and includes one or more cleaning injection holes 12 through which a cleaning source 4 for cleaning an inner wall of the duct 2 is injected toward the inner wall of the duct 2 and one or more propulsion injection holes 14 and 15 through which a propulsion source 6 for propulsion is injected into the inner wall of the duct 2; a supply unit 20 for supplying the cleaning source 4 and the propulsion source 6 to the head 10; and a head movement unit 30 for rotating or moving the head 10.

[28] Therefore, as the head 10 rotates and moves along the duct 2, the entire of the inner wall of the duct 2 can be thoroughly cleaned by the cleaning source 4 injected from the head 10, so that the cleaned state is significantly high.

[29] In addition, the cleaning source 4 is directly injected toward the inner wall of the duct

2, so that friction force between the cleaning source 4 and the inner wall of the duct 2 is strong and the cleaned state is significantly high.

[30] In addition, since the head 10 is not fixed to an inlet of the duct 2 while cleaning but moved through the duct 2, a pressure condition of the cleaning source 4 is not affected by a length of the duct 2, and the cost for equipments for maintaining high pressure and safety management can be significantly reduced. In addition, the pressure of the cleaning source 4 can be maintained constant, so that the cleaned state is significantly high.

[31] Furthermore, the cleaner for the duct according to the present invention has features as follows.

[32] First, the cleaning source 4 may be gas such as compressed air, cleaning water such as high pressure water, particles such as powder, a combination thereof, or any material for cleaning the inner wall of the duct 2. Particularly, dry ice particles may be used as the cleaning source 4.

[33] Specifically, the dry ice particles are obtained by atomizing solid carbon dioxide.

When exposed to normal temperature, the dry ice particles are vaporized with high expansion. Therefore, when the dry ice particles are injected on the inner wall of the duct 2, the injected dry ice particles are permeated through sediment S such as rust, sludge, and the like on the wall of the duct 2, so that the sediment S can be removed and the duct 2 can be cleaned.

[34] Cleaning the inner wall of the duct 2 using the dry ice particles as described above has advantages as follows.

[35] First, since cleaning using the dry ice particles is performed by expansion of dry ice in addition to injection pressure, the cleaning state is much higher than that in a case using high pressure water, sandblast, or compressed air.

[36] Second, since water is not used, works such as painting the inner wall of the duct 2 can be immediately performed after cleaning, so that the entire working time can be significantly reduced.

[37] Last, in the cleaning using water, since wastes are mixed with water, it is difficult to remove the wastes, so that there is a problem of pollution. However, in the cleaning using the dry ice particles, wastes are remained dry, so that it is easy to remove the wastes, so that the problem of pollution can be solved.

[38] In order to properly perform the cleaning using the dry ice, the dry ice particles may be mixed with high pressure compressed air so as to be used. Specifically, the dry ice particles can be rapidly transferred to the head 10 by pressure of the compressed air, and the dry ice particles are injected toward the inner wall of the duct 2 with high pressure, so that the dry ice particles can be easily permeated through the sediment S.

[39] The propulsion source 6 may use the same or different material from the cleaning source 4 to generate propulsion. Particularly, if high pressure compressed air is used as the propulsion source 6, the propulsion source 6 that is not liquid can be easily used.

[40] If the cleaning source 4 and the propulsion source 6 have the same material, a space of the head 10 for supplying the cleaning source 4 and the propulsion source 6 does not need to be divided. However, according to the current embodiment, if the cleaning source 4 and the propulsion source 6 have different materials, the head 10 may have a double structure to prevent the cleaning source 4 and the propulsion source 6 from mixing with each other. Specifically, an internal space of the head 10 may be divided into a cleaning portion 1OA and and a propulsion portion 1OB. The cleaning portion 1OA is supplied with the cleaning source 4 and connected with the cleaning injection hole 12. The propulsion portion 1OB is supplied with the propulsion source 6 and connected with the propulsion injection holes 14 and 15.

[41] In addition, similar to the head 10, a hose 16 for connecting the head 10 to the supply unit 20 may have a double structure for preventing the cleaning source 4 and the propulsion portion 6 from mixing with each other.

[42] The head 10 may have several cleaning injection holes 12. In addition, since the head

10 can be moved throughout the duct 2, the cleaning injection hole 12 may be formed at only a portion of the head 10 along a circumference thereof. In addition, only a single cleaning injection hole 12, or a plurality of cleaning injection holes 12 may be formed at the head 10 along the length of the head 10.

[43] the propulsion injection holes 14 and 15 formed at the head 10 may have such a structure that the head 10 can be moved forward to the inner wall of the duct 2. Particularly, the propulsion injection holes 14 and 15 may be formed so that the propulsion source 6 can be injected in a different direction from a direction of the injected cleaning source 4, so that the head 10 does not drop against gravity. In addition, a plurality of the propulsion injection holes 14 and 15 may be formed along the circumference of the head 10. Particularly, the plurality of the propulsion injection holes 14 and 15 may be the first and second propulsion injection holes 14 and 15 that have interior angles, that is, smaller separation angles, of from 80° to 100°, and the cleaning injection hole 12 is formed to be disposed in a range of an exterior angle, that is, a larger angle among the separation angles, of the first and second propulsion injection holes 14 and 15, so that the head 10 can easily keep its balance while cleaning the duct 2.

[44] In addition, one or more first propulsion injection holes 14 may be formed in the direction of the length of the head 10. and one or more second propulsion injection holes 15 may be formed alike.

[45] The supply unit 20 may include: a compressor 22 for generating compressed air; a dry ice storage tank 24 for storing the dry ice particles; and a mixer 26 for mixing the compressed air with the dry ice particles. The compressor 22 for the cleaning source and the compressor 22 for the propulsion source may be separated from each other, or the compressor 22 may be used for both the cleaning source and the propulsion source.

[46] Furthermore, in a case where the compressed air is humid, humid air may be injected into the inner wall of the duct 2, and moisture remains in the duct 2 after cleaning. Therefore, the supply unit 20 may further include a dehumidifier 28 for dehumidifying the compressed air compressed by the compressor 22. [47] In addition, since a temperature of the air is significantly increased while the air is compressed by the compressor 22, when the high temperature compressed air is mixed with the dry ice particles, the dry ice particles may be vaporized before being injected into the inner wall of the duct 2 through the head 10. Therefore, the supply unit 20 may further include a cooler 29 for cooling the compressed air compressed by the compressor 22. Here, while the compressed air is cooled by the cooler 29, condensed water may be generated. Therefore, the cooler 29 may be disposed between the compressor 22 and the dehumidifier 28. Specifically, after the compressed air compressed by the compressor 22 is cooled by the cooler 29, the compressed air may be dehumidified by the dehumidifier 29.

[48] The head movement unit 30 may move the head 10 in any path so that the duct 2 can be thoroughly cleaned. Specifically, the head movement unit 30 may be constructed to move the head 10 in a spiral direction and easily transfer the head 10.

[49] Specifically, when the head movement unit 30 rotates the head 10 at a predetermined angle, the head 10 rotates and moves along the circumference of the duct 2 by propulsion. In addition the head 10 is moved in the direction of the length of the duct 2. Therefore, the head 10 moves in the spiral direction along the inner wall of the duct 2.

[50] The head movement unit 30 may be any power transmission device such as a motor to rotate and move the head 10.

[51] as a distance between the cleaning injection hole 12 of the head 10 and the inner wall of the duct 2 is shorter, the cleaning source 4 can be strongly injected into the inner wall of the duct 2, so that the cleaned state can be improved. For this, the propulsion injection holes 14 and 15 may be larger than the cleaning injection hole 12 of the head 10. In addition, the supply unit 20 may be configured so that the injection pressure of the propulsion source 6 is higher than the injection pressure of the cleaning source 4.

[52] While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

[1] A cleaner for a duct, comprising: a head entered into the duct, and including one or more cleaning injection holes through which a cleaning source for cleaning an inner wall of the duct is injected toward the inner wall of the duct and one or more propulsion injection holes through which a propulsion source for propulsion is injected into the inner wall of the duct; a supply unit for supplying the cleaning source and the propulsion source to the head; and a head movement unit for rotating and moving the head. [2] The cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the head has a double structure to prevent the cleaning source and the propulsion source from mixing with each other. [3] The cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the propulsion injection holes are formed so that the propulsion source is injected in a different direction from the cleaning source, and a plurality of the propulsion injection holes are formed along a circumference of the head. [4] The cleaner according to claim 3, wherein the propulsion injection holes are first and second propulsion injection holes having interior angles, that is, smaller separation angles, of from 80° to

100°, and wherein one or more cleaning injection holes are disposed in a range of an exterior angle, that is, a larger angle among the separation angles, of the first and second propulsion injection holes. [5] The cleaner according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein a hose for connecting the head to the supply unit has a double structure to prevent the cleaning source and the propulsion source from mixing with each other. [6] The cleaner according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein injection pressure of the cleaning source is higher than that of the propulsion source. [7] The cleaner according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the cleaning source is dry ice particles and the propulsion source is compressed air. [8] The cleaner according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the cleaning source is made by mixing dry ice particles and compressed air, and the propulsion portion is compressed air. [9] The cleaner according to claim 8, wherein the supply unit comprises: a compressor for generating compressed air; a dry ice storage tank for storing the dry ice particles; and a mixer for mixing the compressed air with the dry ice particles. [10] The cleaner according to claim 9, wherein the supply unit further comprises a de- humidifier for dehumidifying the compressed air compressed by the compressor. [11] The cleaner according to claim 9, wherein the supply unit further comprises a cooler for cooling the compressed air compressed by the compressor. [12] The cleaner according to claim 9, wherein the supply unit further comprises: a dehumidifier for dehumidifying the compressed air compressed by the compressor; and a cooler which is disposed between the compressor and the dehumidifier to cool the compressed air compressed by the compressor. [13] The cleaner according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the cleaning source and the propulsion source are compressed air. [14] The cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the head movement unit is formed to move the head in a spiral direction.