GB2451163A - Removal of combustion deposits - Google Patents

Removal of combustion deposits Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2451163A
GB2451163A GB0810744A GB0810744A GB2451163A GB 2451163 A GB2451163 A GB 2451163A GB 0810744 A GB0810744 A GB 0810744A GB 0810744 A GB0810744 A GB 0810744A GB 2451163 A GB2451163 A GB 2451163A
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GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
boiler
sodium bicarbonate
solution
combustion
cleaning agent
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Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
GB0810744A
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GB0810744D0 (en
GB2451163B (en
Inventor
Terence Hamilton Yates
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Individual
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Individual
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Publication of GB0810744D0 publication Critical patent/GB0810744D0/en
Publication of GB2451163A publication Critical patent/GB2451163A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of GB2451163B publication Critical patent/GB2451163B/en
Expired - Fee Related legal-status Critical Current
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical

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Classifications

    • FMECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24DDOMESTIC- OR SPACE-HEATING SYSTEMS, e.g. CENTRAL HEATING SYSTEMS; DOMESTIC HOT-WATER SUPPLY SYSTEMS; ELEMENTS OR COMPONENTS THEREFOR
    • F24D19/00Details
    • F24D19/0092Devices for preventing or removing corrosion, slime or scale
    • FMECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24HFLUID HEATERS, e.g. WATER OR AIR HEATERS, HAVING HEAT-GENERATING MEANS, e.g. HEAT PUMPS, IN GENERAL
    • F24H9/00Details
    • F24H9/0005Details for water heaters
    • F24H9/0042Cleaning arrangements

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Thermal Sciences (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Detergent Compositions (AREA)
  • Cleaning By Liquid Or Steam (AREA)

Abstract

A method of removing sulphide combustion deposit from at least one heated metal surface exposed to combustion gases in a boiler 2 includes opening a port in the boiler to permit access to the metal surface. A non-acidic cleaning agent 1 of ammonium-free, non-effervescent solution of sodium bicarbonate is sprayed onto the heated surface/s. The solution also includes a wetting agent. Application of the solution permits the loosened combustion deposit to exhaust from the boiler via an exhaust flue. A further combination includes sodium bicarbonate, a dye or pigment for the sodium bicarbonate, an aqueous wetting agent and optionally a zirconium salt, for use in forming an aqueous solution for removal of sulphide combustion products from heated metal surfaces of domestic oil-fired pressure jet boilers.

Description

Removal of combustion deposits The present invention concerns a method of removal of combustion deposits from metal surfaces of boilers, such as domestic oil-fired pressure jet boilers (including condensing boilers).
Domestic oil-fired pressure jet boilers are generally fired in UK by kerosene or the like; they can also be fired by oils such as diesel oil or mazut (a heavy, lower quality fuel oil, often used to blend with other oils to form diesel oil).
Suiphide deposits formed by combustion of oil in domestic oil-fired pressure jet boilers tend to build up on various metal surfaces within the boiler. The actual location of deposit build-up depends upon the boiler design: the amount and nature of the deposits depend on the nature of the fuel and fuel consumption. The deposits (depending on the type of fuel) typically include sulphur, sulphur compounds, soot and metal ash. The thermal performance of a domestic oil-fired pressure-jet boiler depends on efficient heat transfer from hot burner gasses through the metal surfaces. Such deposits can adversely affect such heat transfer; they can also cause gas flow passages to become obstructed or restricted.
Such problems lead to heat wastage because much of the heat generated by combustion of the oil is lost, resulting merely in disadvantageous raising of the flue gas temperature. Conventional brushing and scraping during maintenance cycles do not fully remove such deposits.
Furthermore, when a boiler is not adequately cleaned, and is then brought back into service after such inadequate cleaning, residual deposit not cleaned away acts as a base for the formation of new deposits. These new deposits therefore form much faster than would be the case with properly cleaned boiler tubes.
Finally, largely because of the sulphur content of the fuel, the usual environment within a domestic oil-fired pressure jet boiler is acidic, which tends to accelerate corrosion of metal parts within the boiler. This is particularly true when the fuel is diesel or mazut.
The present invention provides an improved method for removing of sulphide combustion deposit from at least one heated metal surface in the interior of a boiler, which surface in use is exposed to combustion gases and heated thereby.
The method according to the invention comprises: (a) opening a port in the boiler to permit access to the heated metal surface in the interior of the boiler, and (b) directing a spray of non-acidic cleaning agent to the heated metal surface via the access port so as to at least loosen the combustion deposit, the cleaning agent comprising an ammonium-free non-effervescent solution of sodium bicarbonate, and a wetting agent for the solution; and (c) permitting the loosened combustion deposit to exhaust from the boiler via an exhaust flue.
The heated metal surface from which the sulphide combustion deposit is to be removed is typically of a thermally resistant metal such as is conventionally employed in domestic boilers.
The method according to the invention results in loosening of the sulphide combustion deposit on the metal surface before it is exhausted through the exhaust flue. Optionally, the loosened deposit may be removed from the surface mechanically, prior to exhausting in gas phase through the flue, together with exhaust combustion gases arising in the boiler.
The cleaning agent comprising the solution of the sodium bicarbonate and the wetting agent is preferably made up immediately before use, because protracted storage of an aqueous solution of sodium bicarbonate results in deterioration and degradation of the sodium bicarbonate.
In one embodiment of the invention, the cleaning agent may contain a zirconium salt, such as a zirconium carbonate, in a catalytic amount (an amount to catalyse breakdown of sulphide combustion deposits).
Preferably, the cleaning agent used in the method according to the invention contains no further active cleaning ingredients, which results in the advantage that the cleaning agent need only employ economically produced bulk ingredients. These ingredients are preferably of food grade such that there are no inherently harmful chemicals used, and the ingredients are safe to transport and use.
The cleaning agent may contain additional non-deleterious ingredients; an example of such an ingredient is a dye or pigment (which is preferably intimately mixed with sodium bicarbonate powder before the latter is dissolved in water to produce the cleaning agent used in the method according to the invention). Such a dye or pigment, which is preferably of food grade, offers the advantage that it is easier for the user to identify the cleaning agent before or after mixing with the detergent.
The cleaning agent is preferably applied to the heated metal surface in the form of droplets (especially atomised droplets) by spraying, typically by the use of manually operable spraying apparatus. Such spraying apparatus should be under relatively low pressure, so as to avoid impacting the deposit with the spray.
As indicated above, the solution used according to the invention is typically made up immediately before use; the solution should be mixed rapidly and used promptly, and not exposed to temperatures in excess of 50°C before application to the heated surface(s). Such rapid mixing and use is generally only suitable for professional use.
It is particularly preferred that the method according to the invention be carried out in a maintenance cycle, preferably when at least part of a domestic oil-fired pressure jet boiler has been removed to permit access and maintenance. Such a maintenance cycle preferably includes an inspection step before and/or after application of the cleaning agent. It is preferred to mechanically remove large and/or loose deposits from the surfaces to be cleaned, before application of the cleaning agent according to the invention.
The method according to the invention provides the further advantage that the sodium bicarbonate present in the cleaning agent results in at least partial neutralization of the acidic environment present in the boiler, thereby helping to combat corrosion caused by acid gases.
It is preferred that the cleaning agent used in the method according to the invention contains from 5 to 15 grams of sodium bicarbonate per litre of water and/or 1 to 5 grams of food-grade detergent as wetting agent. The detergent is preferably supplied in the form of an aqueous concentrate, to be diluted with water prior to use.
Examples of suitable food-grade detergents include anionic and non-ionic surfactants.
It is particularly preferred that the major surface active ingredient of the detergent (in proportions by weight) is an anionic surfactant, such as fatty acid soap, or an alkylsuiphonic acid salt.
Such an anionic surfactant is typically present in aqueous solution in a concentration of 5 to 25% by weight (prior to mixing with the sodium bicarbonate solution).
The detergent may also contain a relatively minor amount of one or more non-ionic surfactants, such as carboxymethyl cellulose, a starch or a polyethoxylatecl wetting agent. Such a non-ionic surfactant is typically present in aqueous solution in a concentration of up to 10% (such as up to 5%) by weight (prior to mixing with the sodium bicarbonate solution). The detergent is preferably substantially free of cationic surfactants, but may contain relatively minor amounts of aniphoteric surfactants.
The sodium bicarbonate may be provided in solid form (typically in the form of powder) for solution in water (and mixing with detergent) prior to use; such solid sodium bicarbonate is preferably dyed or pigmented as described above.
The present invention therefore comprises a pack for use in a method according to the invention, the pack comprising a first container containing solid (such as powdered) sodium bicarbonate, optionally a dye or pigment as described above, and optionally a zirconium salt, and a second container containing aqueous wetting agent. The contents of the first container are to be dissolved in water and mixed with the contents of the second container immediately prior to use in the method according to the invention.
The present invention further extends to the combination of sodium bicarbonate, a dye or pigment for the sodium bicarbonate, and optionally a zirconium salt, and a wetting agent, for use in forming an aqueous solution for removal of combustion products from heated metal surfaces in domestic oil-fired pressure jet boilers (including condensing boilers).
The present invention will now be illustrated in the following examples, in which reference is made to the accompanying drawings.
Example I
This example illustrates schematically the removal of deposit from a conventionally flued domestic oil fired pressure jet boiler; reference is made to.Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings which illustrates schematically how the process according to the invention can be put into operation.
grams of dyed powdered sodium bicarbonate and 15 ml of ammonium-free liquid detergent concentrate were dissolved in 2.5 litres of cold or warm water. The resulting solution was charged into a standard garden pressure sprayer 1 A conventionally flued domestic oil fired pressure jet boiler 2 is first prepared for cleaning. The door cover 3 is removed and then the baffles 4 are removed. Any loose deposits within the boiler 2 are removed by vacuuming or the like.
The door cover 3 is then loosely replaced and the burner 5 fired on domestic hot water mode for about 5 to 7 minutes until the flue 6 is hot. The door cover 3 is then again removed and with the burner still firing, solution from sprayer 1 is economically sprayed into the boiler 2 until deposits within the boiler have been satisfactorily removed. The service of the boiler should then be completed as normal, and the baffles 4 and door 2 replaced before the boiler is put back into service.
The solution from sprayer 1 should be sprayed as soon as practicable after the solution has been made up.
Example 2
This example illustrates schematically the removal of deposit from a balanced flue domestic oil fired boiler; reference is made to Figures 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings which illustrate schematically how the process according to the invention can be put into operation.
grams of dyed powdered sodium bicarbonate and 15 ml of ammonium-free liquid detergent concentrate were dissolved in 2.5 litres of cold or warm water. The resulting cleaning solution was charged into a standard garden pressure sprayer 1.
As flue products will always spill from low level or balanced flues (see Figs 2 and 3), the boiler 11 is heated to 55 to 70°C with the flue cover in place, but with baffles 13 removed. The flue cover 12 is then removed and the solution sprayed from sprayer I as described above with reference to Figure 1. The flue cover is then replaced and the burner again fired. Further cleaning solution is sprayed from sprayer 1.
The service of the boiler should then be completed as normal, and the baffles 13 and flue cover replaced before the boiler is put back into service.

Claims (5)

  1. Claims 1 A method of removing sulphide combustion deposit from at least one heated metal surface located in the interior of a boiler, which metal surface in use is exposed to and heated by combustion gases and is in communication with an exhaust flue, which method comprises: (a) opening a port in said boiler to permit access to said heated metal surface in the interior of the boiler, (b) directing a spray of non- acidic cleaning agent to said heated metal surface via the access port so as to at least loosen said combustion deposit, the cleaning agent comprising an ammonium-free non-effervescent solution of sodium bicarbonate, and a wetting agent for the solution; and (c) permitting said loosened.combustion deposit to exhaust from said boiler via said exhaust flue.
  2. 2 A method according to claim 1, wherein baffles are taken out from the interior of the boiler prior to step (b).
  3. 3 A method according to claim I or 2, wherein the cleaning agent is produced by dissolving sodium bicarbonate in water and then mixing the solution with the wetting agent immediately before step (b).
  4. 4 A method according to any of claims I to 3, further comprising at least partial mechanical removal of said combustion deposit from the heated metal surface after step (b).
  5. 5. A method according to any of claims 1 to 4, wherein the cleaning agent further comprises at least one zirconium salt.
    6 A method according to any of claims 1 to 5, wherein the cleaning agent contains no further active cleaning ingredients.
    7 A method according to any of claims 1 to 6, wherein the cleaning agent contains a dye or pigment.
    8 A pack for use in a method according to any of claims 1 to 7, the pack comprising a first container containing solid sodium bicarbonate and optionally a dye or pigment therefor and/or a zirconium salt, and being ammonium-free, and a second container containing aqueous wetting agent and being substantially acid free.
    9 In combination, sodium bicarbonate, a dye or pigment for said sodium bicarbonate, an aqueous wetting agent, and optionally a zirconium salt, for use in forming an aqueous solution for removal of suiphide combustion products from heated metal surfaces of domestic oil-fired pressure jet boilers.
GB0810744A 2007-06-13 2008-06-12 Removal of combustion deposits Expired - Fee Related GB2451163B (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GBGB0711315.2A GB0711315D0 (en) 2007-06-13 2007-06-13 Removal of combustion deposits

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB0810744D0 GB0810744D0 (en) 2008-07-16
GB2451163A true GB2451163A (en) 2009-01-21
GB2451163B GB2451163B (en) 2010-01-06

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GBGB0711315.2A Ceased GB0711315D0 (en) 2007-06-13 2007-06-13 Removal of combustion deposits
GB0810744A Expired - Fee Related GB2451163B (en) 2007-06-13 2008-06-12 Removal of combustion deposits

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Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GBGB0711315.2A Ceased GB0711315D0 (en) 2007-06-13 2007-06-13 Removal of combustion deposits

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GB (2) GB0711315D0 (en)
IE (1) IES20080483A2 (en)

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB1523491A (en) * 1976-11-23 1978-09-06 Colgate Palmolive Co Methods and compositions for cleaning ovens and the like
US4144185A (en) * 1978-02-24 1979-03-13 The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Interior Method and composition for removing calcium sulfate scale deposits from surfaces
US5834411A (en) * 1994-09-23 1998-11-10 Church & Dwight Co., Inc General purpose aqueous cleaner
EP1873452A1 (en) * 2005-08-09 2008-01-02 Asahi Glass Company, Limited Method for removal of acidic adherent matter

Family Cites Families (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6583103B1 (en) * 2002-08-09 2003-06-24 S.C. Johnson & Son, Inc. Two part cleaning formula resulting in an effervescent liquid

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB1523491A (en) * 1976-11-23 1978-09-06 Colgate Palmolive Co Methods and compositions for cleaning ovens and the like
US4144185A (en) * 1978-02-24 1979-03-13 The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Interior Method and composition for removing calcium sulfate scale deposits from surfaces
US5834411A (en) * 1994-09-23 1998-11-10 Church & Dwight Co., Inc General purpose aqueous cleaner
EP1873452A1 (en) * 2005-08-09 2008-01-02 Asahi Glass Company, Limited Method for removal of acidic adherent matter

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB0810744D0 (en) 2008-07-16
GB2451163B (en) 2010-01-06
IES20080483A2 (en) 2009-03-18
GB0711315D0 (en) 2007-07-25

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PCNP Patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee

Effective date: 20170612