Blockage in the oil-rich pipeline of the tubular furnace
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The tubular furnace here was shut down some time ago. When using steam to clean the pipelines today, it was found that all the excess oil had not been removed at that time; due to the cold weather, the excess oil in the pipelines froze. Blowing with steam was ineffective, so a tube furnace was later used for heating. Is this approach in violation of the regulations? Are there any other methods?
Is it only the pipe inside the tubular furnace that is blocked? What about the external pipeline network? In a tubular furnace, heating can be carried out by ignition, starting with a low temperature and gradually increasing it; combined with steam cleaning, this issue should be solvable. If the external pipeline network gets clogged, it can only be taken apart and burned.
When we often can’t get air to flow, we simply use a pump to force it in
It is best not to use fire, as it can lead to accidents or carbon formation. Is there steam available for purging and displacement in the furnace? No, try turning on the heating furnace tube and using steam for purging.
This is very dangerous; if the pipe is already blocked, using a pump to force things through it can cause the pipe to burst or damage the pump. It’s better to take measures to clear the pipes. For steam cleaning of pipes, a combination of internal and external methods can be considered: direct steam cleaning inside the pipe, along with indirect steam heating from the outside, which can make the process faster. Barbecuing is dangerous! Unless the flange connection part can be removed.
Guys, this kind of situation has occurred in my previous coking plant: the coking was so severe that steam couldn’t get through at all, so we had to cut open the furnace tubes and use long iron rods to push things aside
It seems the quality of your cleaning oil is average. If only freezing is involved, baking at a low temperature could be considered; the temperature in the furnace must be carefully controlled. A slight increase in temperature allows the oil-washing process to proceed as usual. If the operation is not done properly and burning occurs, it can cause serious problems.
The common cleaning methods include physical cleaning and chemical cleaning. Physical cleaning involves using mechanical force to break up the coked carbon residues inside the pipes, and then using high-pressure steam to blow those residues out, thereby clearing the pipes. Chemical cleaning achieves the purpose of removing slag by utilizing chemical reactions to destroy the structure of the carbon slag or to react with it. It is recommended to use chemical cleaning.
As long as coking occurs, the partition must be removed, cleaned, or replaced – there is no better solution; this has happened in our factory.
A slow baking method at low heat can be used, but it is best not to introduce steam at the same time, as allowing steam to flow for an extended period without circulation will cause water to accumulate inside the pipes. It is also important to disconnect the outlet flange. If the location of the blockage can be determined, an oxy-acetylene torch can also be used for localized heating while steam is introduced.