Condenser Ball Cleaning Device

Product Details

I. Overview:

The glycol ball cleaning device is a device used for effectively cleaning the condenser cooling tubes during the operation of a steam turbine power generating set. The performance of this device directly impacts the cleanliness of the condenser and its heat transfer efficiency. Its application range is quite extensive, covering not only condensers of steam turbines but also cooling tubes of fixed tube sheet heat exchangers in the oil and chemical industries. Operable without reducing load during continuous work, this device can be utilized at any time, ensuring the cleanliness of cooling tubes, extending their lifespan, reducing labor intensity, and is an essential component for improving the economic benefits of power plants and ensuring the safe operation of condensers.

Our factory's rubber ball device is a replacement for other rubber ball cleaning devices on the market. The main components, the secondary filter and the ball collection net, come in two current types. It features the following characteristics:

1. Innovative and rational design structure; 2. Easy to operate; 3. High gel ball recovery rate (≥96%); 4. Strong secondary filter screen filtration capacity.

Section II: Gel Ball Cleaning System Diagram

The rubber ball cleaning system consists of a secondary filter, ball collection net, ball loading chamber, rubber ball pump, manifold, valves, pipelines, and electrical control equipment.

III. Working Principle:

Select appropriate sponge rubber balls, with the wet diameter slightly larger than the cooling tube inner diameter (about 1-2mm) and having a wet specific gravity similar to water. Insert the balls into the ball chamber through the handhole, with a quantity approximately 10% of the copper tube count in the condenser's water inlet. Then, start the ball pump and open the ball valves at both ends of the system. The balls are propelled into the condenser water chamber by the slightly higher pressure water flow at the cycle water inlet. As the balls are soft, elastic, and porous, they are compressed under the pressure difference between the cycle water inlets and outlets, squeezing through the cooling tubes and scrubbing the inner diameter. This action removes dirt from the tube walls, which is then carried away with the water flow. The balls are then collected through the outlet pipe and separated from the water by the collection net, where they are pumped back into the ball chamber by the ball pump, repeating the cycle for continuous automatic cleaning of the condenser cooling tubes.

IV. Components of the Gel Ball Cleaning Device:

1. Secondary Filter: The secondary filter is one of the main equipment in the cooling water purification system, removing all debris larger than 6mm. It plays a crucial role in ensuring the smooth flow of rubber balls and the normal operation of the condenser. For detailed working parameters and other information, refer to the manual for "New Type Electric Rotating Jet Secondary Filter."

2. Catching Net: The catching net is a crucial component in the rubber ball cleaning system, installed on the condenser outlet pipe section. Its function is to separate rubber balls from the cooling water, and it must be capable of not leaking or jamming balls. After the balls are recovered, they are guided out through a conduit from the catching net and returned to the ball-loading room. Our factory's catching net features the current structural design, with its grate plate being rotatable. When the rubber ball unit is in operation, the grate plate is positioned for catching balls. When the cleaning unit is not in use, the grate plate can rotate to align with the water flow direction, reducing water resistance and also serving to clear debris from the grate plate.

The rotation and positioning of the mesh plate is executed by an electric actuator (manual control for the small ball collection mesh). Whether the mesh plate is in place is a crucial factor for ensuring the ball collection efficiency of the net.

3. Ball Charging Room

The ball loading chamber is a device in the胶球cleaning system for adding, retrieving, storing balls, and observing the ball circulation. It is divided into Type I and II based on the storage volume of the balls and into electric and manual types based on user requirements. When the switch valve for controlling the operation status of the ball loading chamber is set to the "ball in" position, balls can freely and continuously circulate within the system. When the switch valve is set to the "ball out" position, balls are blocked inside the loading chamber, allowing cooling water to pass through, with all balls that have been circulated returning to the loading chamber.

4. Spherical ball pump

The rubber ball pump is the power source that continuously circulates rubber balls in the rubber ball cleaning system. The water flow from the ball collection net, after passing through the rubber ball, increases the head pressure and is sent into the cooling water pipes. This pump is a fixed, faultless centrifugal pump, featuring non-clogging, non-crushing of balls, and minimal wear on the balls. Depending on different operating conditions, different parameter specifications of rubber ball pumps are selected. For small condensers and heat exchanger systems, a low-flow pump should be chosen to reduce hot water backflow; for systems with long rubber ball conveying pipelines and significant pressure losses, a high-head pump should be selected to ensure the normal circulation of the balls.

5. Operational Control Cabinet (CGK-Ⅱ)

(1) Employed with an HMI touch screen control for more advanced and rational operation, with a low failure rate. (HMI human-machine interface touch screen and PLC)

(2) Achieve precise location control for more accurate and thorough detection, ensuring high recovery rates of the balls. The entire process is automated. Long-distance control (operation and monitoring) via a single cable is achievable.

6. Divertor

The separator is a three-way (pipe) valve. By switching its guide plates, it allows the rubber balls to enter the condenser side that needs cleaning. It can also be used as a three-way pipe for the convergence of the ball catch net outlet pipes and the divergence of the collection pipe.

V. Installation Instructions and Precautions:

Prior to the operation of the rubber ball cleaning device, thoroughly clean the condenser water chamber and the interior walls of the copper tubes, and replace any copper tubes with cracks or internal diameter deformation one by one to ensure the smooth passage of rubber balls.

(2) Seal off all dead corners of the condenser individually to prevent the hiding of ball clay, which can affect cleaning efficiency and the recovery rate of ball clay.

(3) The system pipeline layout should be simple, short, and straight, with as few bends as possible.

(4) Select the ball valve pump reasonably, ensuring sufficient flow rate, with the outlet pressure slightly higher than the circulating water pressure (approximately 0.02 MPa or more).

(5) Regularly inspect the ball room's gel ball inventory, continuously replenish as needed, to meet cleaning requirements.

(6) Regularly inspect the collection rate; for instance, if the recovery rate is low, check the following three aspects.

Is the ball collection grate in the collection position and properly in place?

b. Is there any debris in the condenser water chamber, blocking the cooling tube openings, and hindering the passage of the rubber balls?

c. Is the outlet pressure of the ball pump normal?