ATCS-Automatic Tube Cleaning System

Product Description




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Current Trends

Heat Exchanger Fouling
Heat exchanger fouling, the growth of deposits on heat
transfer surfaces, decreases performance and productivity.
It is extremely costly to companies, industry and power
plants that are constantly seeking methods to eliminate it.
Several systems exist that combat the problem-offline or
online.

Offline Solutions
The offline solution requires shutting down the process for the cleaning. It uses
chemicals or mechanical means to do the job. Using chemicals that are harmful to
the environment requires extreme safety measures and specialized disposal.
Between cleaning treatments, fouling accumulates and hampers performance. These
drawbacks make the offline methods of heat exchanger cleaning expensive,
cumbersome and inefficient.

The Online Method
The online method, on the other hand, is both environmentally sound and extremely
cost effective. Online cleaning doesnt require shutting down since it is an ongoing
process. Fouling doesnt accumulate because the cleaning procedure is constantly
taking place. In short, online heat exchanger cleaning is the most resourceful option
available today.

CQM's SolutionATCS
CQM`s patented ATCS, Automatic Tube Cleaning System, provides the most up-to-
date online fouling mitigation solution for:
Central Air Conditioning Systems
Industrial Cooling and Refrigeration
Industrial Processes (e.g. Refineries, Petrochemicals)
Power Plants

The ATCS keeps heat exchangers clean by running sponge balls through the heat
exchanger tubes on preset time cycles, eliminating foulant and residue deposits and
build-up. It also eliminates expensive downtime by keeping processes running. This
environment-friendly system is the key to energy-saving cost effective tube
cleaning.

The CQM ATCS Solution is currently being used worldwide in
over 2200 locations including: Daewoo Heavy Industries, LG
Electronics, Hyundai Motor and Samsung in South Korea,
Bosch, Hilton and Efes Pilsen in Turkey, Fiat Engineering in
Italy, Motorola and Samsung in China, Novo Nordisk in
Denmark, Canon and Toyota in Japan and Ashdod Refinery,
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Dead-Sea Industries and Israel Electric Company in Israel. For a detailed client list
visit the CQM website: www.cqm-tech.com.

How Does the ATCS Work?

CQM's patented ATCS maintains heat exchangers, keeping them clean without
time-consuming intervention. Sponge balls slightly larger in diameter than the tubes
are injected at set intervals into the system. These rub the tubes clean and are then
trapped on the outlet of the heat exchanger where they are collected for the next
cleaning cycle.

The ATCS cycle is fully automatic and controlled by a PLC controller as follows:

Air Pressure Driven



1. The Cycle Begins: The Balls are in the Collector and all Control Valves (1 & 2)
are closed.
2. Ball Injection: The balls are injected simultaneously by air pressure that
is approximately 2 bars higher than the heat exchanger inlet pressure.
The Controller commands the Control Valve 1 to open for a few seconds,
pressurizing the Injector.
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3. This action creates a strong water flow from the Injector through the
Collector to the Injection Point, carrying the cleaning balls towards the
Heat Exchanger Inlet Tube Sheet.
4. Tube Cleaning: The water flow carries the balls along the Heat Exchanger
Tubes. The soft balls are slightly larger than the tubes internal diameter,
enabling them to remove the thin layer of sediment that has accumulated.
5. Ball Collection: The balls move out of the heat exchanger and into the Ball
Trap, eliminating the possibility of balls being carried downstream into the Heat
Exchanger.
6. Ball Return: The Controller commands the Control Valve 2 to open, enabling all
the balls to be pushed toward the Collector.
7. The Balls are washed to remove sediment. The water flows without the Balls
down the drain.
8. All Control Valves are closed.
9. The Cycle Ends


Pump Driven
For water cooling applications of high temperature, vacuum or water pressure
higher than 8 bar, such as found in steam condensing power plants an electric Pump
is used to circulate the balls via the Collector, Heat Exchanger and Trap. The same
is used in non-water cooling applications. The following diagram presents this type
of system at both the Ball Injection and Collection stages:

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CQM's ATCS includes the following design features:

The Cleaning Balls
are all injected simultaneously.
arrive together at the tube sheet.
achieve an optimum spread at each cycle.
are all collected simultaneously in each cycle.
do not flow through the pump-making them lasting longer before
replacement.
have a typical life cycle of 6-12 months for sponge balls or 3-4 years
for HTB - High Temperature Balls - CQM's OEM.


The Ball Trap
available in three configurations: Inline, T-type and Angular to fit a
wide range of available installation spaces and interfaces.
patented unique design eliminates ball "runaway.
has a screen designed as a round cylinder to eliminate friction that
preserves the balls.
is designed to enable the balls to flow gently in it, preserving ball life
and preventing balls from flowing out of it.
contains an emergency opening section with an electric motor and a
pressure indicator that activate an emergency opening without
interrupting the main flow.
available with Dual/Multi Trap: two or more Traps may be installed with
a single injection and collection system (Injector and Collector) to cost
effectively provide cleaning of multi sectioned condensers. The System
Controller ensures that balls are alternately injected into each of the
Condenser sections.

Installation Process
The ATCS typical installation time is less than 20 man-hours. The only operations
that require system line shutdown is the assembly of the trapping unit on the Heat
Exchanger's tube side outlet pipe and cutting a small hole for the ball injection on
the Heat Exchanger's tube side inlet pipe.

All other installation activities can be performed while the system is operating.


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Trapping Unit
Injector
Collector
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The ATCS Benefits

CQM's ATCS provides a comprehensive and cost-effective solution for the most
common type of condensers and heat exchangers known as tube and shell. These
are found in industry, facilities and power plants and provide the following benefits:

Central Air Conditioning and Industrial Refrigeration: Up to 25% savings in
energy costs, as well as typically 600 tons of GHG per 1000 T.R. per year
Electric Power Plants: Up to 4% increase in annual power generation
Industrial Processes: Significant increase in productivity
Reduction of operation and maintenance costs

General Benefits:
Simplicity of design for greater reliability
Easy to operate
Hassle-free integration in less than 20 man-hours
Simple maintenance
Cost effective
Environment friendly-no chemicals
Heat Exchanger efficiency is not compromised (ATCS doesnt re-
circulate effluent water)


Dual-Trap ATCS
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CQM's ATCSthe Best Choice

The CQM engineering team created the ATCS to streamline the cleaning
process and make it almost hassle-free. ATCSs innovative design provides a
leading edge solution for cleaning condenser tubes on an ongoing basis. This
unique system overcomes many of the problems that are common in other
systems.

The main advantages of CQM's ATCS over other on-line automatic cleaning
products (sponge balls, brushes and tube inserts) are:

Excellent Cleaning Quality: Balls are periodically injected by a
single thrust carried by the fluid and reaching all tubes, both
central and peripheral.

Full Proof Ball Trap: In other solutions, balls are frequently lost
in the system, with the possibility of causing damage to
downstream equipment, environmental concerns and higher
operating costs. No need to automatically count or replaced worn
balls

Simplicity: delivering high reliability with a minimum of
mechanical, electrical and control interfaces.

Wide Range of Applications:
- Sweet/fresh water to sour corrosive chemical solutions
- Bulk Fluid / tube skin temperature: from -60 to 280 C (-76 to
540 F)
- Fluid specific gravity of 0.3 to 11
- No limit to fluid pressure
- Vertical or horizontal flow alignment

Wide Range of Sizes: from 7 to 70 mm diameter balls, catering
to both small and large applications (from air conditioners to
large industrial plants).
Customized Cleaning Periods for high level performance,
better control and minimized ball deterioration.
Rapid Installation for minimal work stoppages. No need for
guiding vanes in heat exchanger inlet nozzle.
High Viability for cost sensitive markets.
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ATCS has a proven track record that rivals other ball cleaning
methods. The comparative illustration and table below describe the
advantages of CQMs ATCS over other systems available today:


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The Injection Process
CQMATCS Similar Ball Cleaning
Systems
Run by the injection of air under
pressure that pushes the water and the
balls into the system.
Use a Centrifugal Pump that works 24
hours a day. The Pump moves the Balls
from the Trapping Unit and circulates
them under pressure to the injection
point.
The Balls are injected into the heat
exchanger all together in one
concentrated shot at set intervals for
superior spreading that cleans ALL
tubes.
The Balls touch the Pump Impeller and
only a few Balls are injected at a time
causing possible Ball damage and
limiting the reach of the Balls. Some
tubes may remain dirty.
There are no moving parts (air pressure
driven) or just a small Pump operating
occasionally (pump driven). There is no
need for continuous injection or high
energy costs for operating the Pump.
The Pump continuously injects Balls
that are affected by hard water and
must be replaced regularly. The Pumps
continuous operation results in high
energy costs.


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The Trapping Method
CQMATCS Similar Ball Cleaning
Systems
Has a trap located outside the main
water line and the Ball collection point
at the end of the trap. It has a cylindrical
screen with round holes that is not
sensitive to the accelerated
deterioration process.
Use a trap inside the main water line
with the Ball collection point at the
center of the trap. The trap has two
steel mechanical trapping wings that
are mechanically turned. The trap is
characterized by an accelerated
deterioration process.
The open area of the screen is at least
3.5 times larger than the surface of
the inlet line section. This results in a
low pressure drop and protection of the
Balls from premature damage.
The surface of the strainer open area is
1.5 times larger (maximum) than the
cross section surface of the inlet line
section. The trapping wings require
ongoing cleaning and treatment and the
Balls push against the screen causing
damage. The collection process is more
cumbersome.
The cylindrical trapping screen is
perforated with especially large holes
that prevent clogging of the trap.
Flat bar layout with elongated and
especially narrow passages that get
clogged very easily.
Trap unit screen with round holes
eliminate "runaway" Balls into the
system water.
Narrow square passages in the trap
layout cause Balls to get stuck and
become "runaways into the main water
source and lead to clogging.
No moving parts in the trap structure
eliminates the need for continuous
maintenance or treatment.
Mechanical turnover layout of the
trapping wings is made of slots that
only release some of the balls into the
main water source. This can lead to
"runaway Balls and requires ongoing
maintenance.
The main cover (one manhole on main
cover and one on the back side of the
Ball Trap) is outside the main line
making access simple, quick and
convenient.
The manholes in the trapping layout are
on the main line making maintenance
especially difficult and necessitating
removing the complete trapping unit
from the main pipe in the event that a
big part needs replacement.

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About CQM
CQM plays an active role in the fouling mitigation arena, with its
manufacturing, customer service, R&D, engineering, marketing
and sales. The company, founded in 1994, sells systems
worldwide and is led by a multi-disciplinary team of energy and
industry experts. All CQM systems comply with the CE Directives,
ISO 9001: 2000 and Green Label Certification Standards and can
be found in industry, petrochemical plants, power plants,
commercial structures (hotels, hospitals, office buildings) and
more.














Contact CQM Today:
Moshav Tirat Yehuda 51
D.N. Hamerkaz
Israel, 73175
Phone: 972-3-9732080
Fax: 972-3-9732059
Email: info@cqm-tech.com