SHOCKSYSTEM™ -- Main Subsystems

Designed with flexibility in mind, the SHOCKSystem™ is configurable and can be installed in positive-pressure and balanced draft boilers.

The SHOCKSystem™ uses a simple design that requires fewer components to be installed, operated and managed by the control system. This simplicity is designed to match the extremely low cost of operating the non-erosive combustors repeatedly.

Unlike sootblowers, optimized cleaning does not require the cost and complexity of smart/intelligent controls. Once the SHOCKSystem™ is set up for a particular customer, the operator's primary options are "on" or "off", meaning "on" for continuous cleaning or "off" for unrelated boiler outages.

There are three main subsystems: mechanical, gas supply and the control console that make up the SHOCKSystem™. At the heart of the entire system is the combustor. The combustor directionally exhausts blast waves into the boiler at strategic locations where fouling is most severe.

MECHANICAL COMPONENTS

Combustor:

The combustor assembly is comprised of suspended pipe sections which pass the detonation into a nozzle which directionally exhausts the blast waves into the boiler.

Combustor Bends:

The SHOCKSystem™ can be installed in areas not accessible by traditional sootblowers. In some instances, traditional sootblowers cannot be utilized due to insufficient space for the sootblower to extend straight out from the boiler wall. The SHOCKSystem™ combustor can use elbow bend sections so that it may be installed around obstacles or along the boiler wall depending on space constraints.

Nozzle:

The nozzle is a short section attached to the combustor at the entry to the boiler that modifies and optimizes the direction and/or effectiveness of the exiting blast wave. This results in a more effective and efficient cleaning process.

GAS SUPPLY SYSTEM

The SHOCKSystem™ operates using an unsteady combustion process known as detonation. As with many combustion processes, both fuel and oxidizer sources are injected into a combustion chamber and then ignited. In the basic combustor, the fuel source can be almost any hydrocarbon (such as propane) while the oxidizer is either air or oxygen. A spark igniter, operated by the system controller, serves as the ignition source. The following subsections give more information regarding the primary gas supply systems - air, oxygen and fuel.

Air and Oxygen:

The air supply is typically connected to the plant facility's air system for efficiency and simplicity. The manifold or supply pressure must be about 100 psi (pounds per square inch), depending on the particular facility and system load. Air is conditioned using industrial-grade filters and air regulators to maintain constant upstream pressures. The supply line is then routed from the facility's air source to the valve panels, which meter the air flow to the combustor(s).

Oxygen may be used as an additional oxidizer to accelerate detonation. The gas is fed to a valve panel. which regulates the flow into the combustor as required by the particular cleaning schedule.

Fuel:

Liquid propane bulk tank

The SHOCKSystem™ can operate on a variety of fuels (for example, hydrocarbons or hydrogen). Typically propane is used, supplied either from a local bottle-farm or from a remote bulk storage tank. A bulk tank ensures several months supply of fuel gas and places the fuel storage outside the facility for increased safety and ease of refilling.

CONTROL SYSTEM

The control system is based on a standard industrial PLC (programmable logic control) platform. The HMI (Human Machine Interface) console is located in the control room and allows the operator to start the SHOCKSystem™, stop the entire system or take individual combustors offline if so desired. The system manages the correct timing for fuel mixing, injection and ignition. Each control system is capable of scheduling and controlling up to 12 combustors and requires minimal operator input and oversight via the standard HMI. In the event of a boiler trip, the SHOCKSystem™ automatically shuts down until the boiler comes back online and the system is authorized to resume operations. There are also component health and status indicators to allow operators visibility into the system that allows for safely controlling the overall operations and preventing downtime of the SHOCKSystem™.

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