Temperature Sensing Sootblower

Abstract

A temperature sensing sootblower that may be configured as a modification to an existing sootblower or a specially constructed sootblower that, in addition to its normal soot blowing functions, has the capability to measure the flue gas, lance tube, and/or cleaning fluid temperatures. One or more thermocouples or other temperature measuring devices are carried by the soot blower lance tube that is inserted into the boiler. This allows for the temperature of the flue gas, lance tube, and cleaning fluid to be measured as the sootblower lance tube is inserted into and retracted from the boiler. Multiple temperature measuring devices may be located on the sootblower lance to measure the temperature across heat transfer surfaces and at different locations along the lance tube. A data transfer device transmits the temperature measurements from the rotating thermocouple to a non-rotating data acquisition unit for use in boiler cleaning and other operations.

The invention claimed is: 
     
         1 . A temperature sensing sootblower, comprising:
 an elongated lance tube configured to travel within a boiler while directing a cleaning fluid through one or more nozzles toward the heat transfer surface to remove fireside deposits from the heat transfer surface;   a temperature sensor carried by the lance tube within the boiler configured to obtain temperature measurements of flue gas within the boiler while the lance tube is located within the boiler.   
     
     
         2 . The temperature sensing sootblower of  claim 1 , wherein the temperature sensor is configured to obtain temperature measurements of the flue gas within the boiler while the lance tube travels within the boiler. 
     
     
         3 . The temperature sensing sootblower of  claim 2 , further comprising a boiler cleaning controller configured to adjust the boiler cleaning operation in response to the temperature measurements from the temperature sensor. 
     
     
         4 . The temperature sensing sootblower of  claim 3 , further comprising a data acquisition unit for receiving and recording the temperature measurements from the temperature sensor and transmitting the temperature measurements to the boiler cleaning controller. 
     
     
         5 . The temperature sensing sootblower of  claim 4 , wherein the lance tube rotates and the data acquisition unit is fixed to a non-rotating structure, further comprising a data transfer device for transferring the temperature measurements from the temperature sensor to the data acquisition unit while the temperature sensor rotates with the lance tube. 
     
     
         6 . The temperature sensing sootblower of  claim 5 , wherein the data transfer device comprises a slip ring fixed to the lance tube. 
     
     
         7 . The temperature sensing sootblower of  claim 1 , further comprising a lance tube extension supporting the temperature sensor beyond a leading end of the lance tube in an insertion direction of the lance tube. 
     
     
         8 . The temperature sensing sootblower of  claim 7 , wherein the lance tube extension supports the temperature sensor beyond the lance tube extension in the insertion direction. 
     
     
         9 . The temperature sensing sootblower of  claim 1 , further comprising a groove in the lance tube, wherein the temperature sensor comprises a thermocouple positioned within the grove. 
     
     
         10 . The temperature sensing sootblower of  claim 9 , further comprising a welding rod positioned above the thermocouple within the grove and an overlay weld positioned above the welding rod sealing the thermocouple within the grove. 
     
     
         11 . The temperature sensing sootblower of  claim 1 , further comprising a second thermocouple in contact with the lance tube for measuring the temperature of the lance tube. 
     
     
         12 . The temperature sensing sootblower of  claim 1 , further comprising a second thermocouple extending through a hole in the lance tube into an interior of the lance tube for measuring the temperature of a cleaning fluid inside the lance tube. 
     
     
         13 . The temperature sensing sootblower of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a second thermocouple in contact with the lance tube for measuring the temperature of the lance tube; and   a third thermocouple extending through a hole in the lance tube into an interior of the lance tube for measuring the temperature of a cleaning fluid inside the lance tube.   
     
     
         14 . A temperature sensing sootblower, comprising:
 an elongated lance tube configured to travel within a boiler while directing a cleaning fluid through one or more nozzles toward a heat transfer surface to remove fireside deposits from the heat transfer surface;   a temperature sensor carried by the lance tube within the boiler configured to obtain temperature measurements of the lance tube while the lance tube is located within the boiler.   
     
     
         15 . The temperature sensing sootblower of  claim 14 , wherein the temperature sensor is configured to obtain temperature measurements of the lance tube while the lance tube travels within the boiler. 
     
     
         16 . The temperature sensing sootblower of  claim 14 , further comprising a boiler cleaning controller configured to increase the flow rate of the blowing medium and/or to retract the lance tube in response to temperature measurements from the temperature sensor indicating that the lance tube has exceeded a predetermined temperature. 
     
     
         17 . The temperature sensing sootblower of  claim 16 , further comprising a data acquisition unit for receiving and recording the temperature measurements from the temperature sensor and transmitting the temperature measurements to the boiler cleaning controller. 
     
     
         18 . The temperature sensing sootblower of  claim 17 , wherein the lance tube rotates and the data acquisition unit is fixed to a non-rotating structure, further comprising a data transfer device for transferring the temperature measurements from the temperature sensor to the data acquisition unit while the temperature sensor rotates with the lance tube. 
     
     
         19 . The temperature sensing sootblower of  claim 18 , wherein the data transfer device comprises a slip ring fixed to the lance tube. 
     
     
         20 . The temperature sensing sootblower of  claim 14 , further comprising a groove in the lance tube, wherein the temperature sensor comprises a thermocouple positioned within the grove. 
     
     
         21 . The temperature sensing sootblower of  claim 20 , further comprising a welding rod positioned above the thermocouple within the grove and an overlay weld positioned above the welding rod sealing the thermocouple within the grove. 
     
     
         22 . A temperature sensing sootblower, comprising:
 an elongated lance tube configured to travel within a boiler while directing a cleaning fluid through one or more nozzles toward a heat transfer surface to remove fireside deposits from the heat transfer surface;   a temperature sensor extending through a hole in the lance tube into an interior of the lance tube for measuring the temperature of a cleaning fluid inside the lance tube while the lance tube is located within the boiler.   
     
     
         23 . The temperature sensing sootblower of  claim 22 , wherein the temperature sensor is configured to obtain temperature measurements of the cleaning fluid inside the lance tube while the lance tube travels within the boiler. 
     
     
         24 . The temperature sensing sootblower of  claim 22 , further comprising a groove in the lance tube, wherein the temperature sensor comprises a thermocouple positioned within the grove. 
     
     
         25 . The temperature sensing sootblower of  claim 23 , further comprising a welding rod positioned above the thermocouple within the grove and an overlay weld positioned above the welding rod sealing the thermocouple within the grove.