Primasonics International Limited

North Lakes Business Park,
Flusco,
Penrith,
Cumbria,
CA11 0JG
T: 01768 480372
F: 01768 867355
www.primasonics.com

 Primasonics is the only company to specialize in the design, manufacture and supply of both audible and inaudible Acoustic Cleaning Systems for the dry process, power generation, storage and transportation industries as diverse as petrochemical plants, cement plants, carbon black plants and the power generation industry. Primasonics Acoustic Cleaning Systems can be used in a variety of applications such as silos, hoppers, boilers, ID fans, filters and many more. Our Primasonics personnel are always pleased to make site visits to provide a presentation on Acoustic Cleaner theory and application. We will also be pleased to carry out a site survey and provide a detailed technical report and recommendations.

Case Study: LondonWaste Ltd

Fact file

Date: 2009 – 2011
Location: LondonWaste Limited
Product: Boiler Economiser
Principal: Primasonics® International Ltd (UK)
Problem: Solution required for the cleaning of boiler #3 economiser & reduce un-planned shutdowns

CLIENT BACKGROUND

LondonWaste Limited provide sustainable waste management services across London & the South East, their facilities recycle materials such as non- hazardous commercial & residual waste which is then converted into green energy providing enough energy for 72,000 homes throughout the year. Since 1994 London Waste Ltd has diverted more than 9 million tonnes of waste from landfill.

The area to be addressed within LondonWaste was the cleaning regime of the economisers. The normal method of cleaning for the economisers was carried out during their main outage where the economiser banks would be soaked from water sprays for a week followed by each separate bank being manually cleaned. This was effective when time permitted during the main outage, but because of extended running periods between major shut-downs it became necessary to have a mid-run clean of the economiser, the quickest way to carry out a clean was by Grit Blasting but this would take three days at a loss of production amounting to in the region of £20,000 per day, plus the cost of the clean at £11,000. LondonWaste personnel were tasked with finding a more cost effective, reliable & efficient cleaning method, their search lead them to Primasonics International Limited.

THE APPROACH

After initial discussions, Primasonics technical team arranged to visit LondonWaste to discuss in more depth the benefits & capabilities of acoustic cleaners & obtain the relevant application information, process parameters & drawings to allow Primasonics to establish the most suitable model of acoustic cleaner & installation locations. Following the site visit it was agreed that an initial trial would be carried out in the economiser of boiler #3. The economiser is comprised of three banks of horizontal tubes, 44 tubes wide, the top was 10 plain tubes deep, the middle 10 deep, half of which were plain tubes & half finned tubes & the bottom bank was 8 deep all of which were finned tubes.

THE SOLUTION

img1Primasonics technical team recommended the installation of 1x PAS 60 curved & 2x PAS 75 curved acoustic cleaners. Initially the acoustic cleaners were sounding for 25 seconds every 8 minutes & operating together with the steam soot blowers, however due to the cleaning efficiency & reliability of the acoustic cleaners the steam soot blowing regime was significantly reduced from twice daily to once per day in the top & middle banks & only once per week in the bottom bank.

 

Primasonics International Limited

The all new Quattro Range of Sonic Sootblowers

 Working in conjunction with two leading UK universities Primasonics have succeeded in designing a new cost effective, high performance & green range of Acoustic Cleaners. Sonic Soot Blowers are an innovative alternative to traditional steam soot blowers which can be expensive to purchase, install, operate & maintain. Fabricated from 316 grade stainless steel & fitted with a new design of wave generator the Quattro Range ensures maximum cleaning performance over a wide range of plant applications.

The Quattro Range of Sonic Soot Blowers eliminates particulate build up problems throughout key plant sectors.  Aimed at the multi horn installations associated with the Power Generation, ESP’s, Boilers (power generation, industrial & marine) & Baghouse applications Sonic Soot Blowers:-

  • Prevent ash build up
  • Provide 360° total tube cleaning
  • No risk of tube erosion or corrosion
  • No damage to integral structure of boiler or other plant structures
  • Significantly reduce the risk of soot fires
  • Prevent internal damage to ESP’s caused by mechanical rapping
  • Significantly increase filter bag life & eliminate hopper blockage
  • Require minimal maintenance

img2Sonic Soot Blowing encompasses the realm of sound transmission through particulate & solids. It is best described as the creation of rapid pressure fluctuations which, are transmitted into the particulate or “bonded” dry material causing the solid particles to resonate & dislodge from the surface they are deposited on or bonded to, without causing any structural damage to the plant. Once dislodged, the materials fall, either due to gravity or are carried away by the gas or air stream within the process.

The powerful sound waves are produced when the short bursts of standard plant compressed air enters the Sonic Soot Blower’s wave generator & forces the only moving part, an aerospace grade titanium diaphragm to flex creating the powerful “base” sound wave. This “base” tone is then transmitted by a range of different horn sections into selected fundamental frequencies between 60 – 350Hz. A periodic “sounding” typically 5 to 10 seconds every 2 – 30 minutes is all that is required.

Primasonics have a comprehensive range of Acoustic Cleaners & undertake detailed evaluations to identify the correct model for each customer’s individual requirement & application.