Abstract: A device for recovering cleaning elements, such as form-rubber balls or other particles, from a heat-exchanger stream traversing a tube-bundle heat exchanger comprises a vertically oriented cylindrical housing or duct traversed axially by the main stream of heat-exchanger fluid and at least one separating sieve built into the housing for intercepting particles entrained in the stream and recovering them therefrom. The separating sieve is inclined to the axis of the housing and has, at least partially, an ellipsoidal boundary where it meets the inner wall of the housing. At the lower part of the sieve a collecting tube is provided, along the ellipsoidal boundary, and is formed with a laterally open longitudinally extending slit constituted a mouth through which the particles pass into this tube. A fitting at the low point of the tube conducts the collected particles from the collecting tube.

Abstract: An apparatus for separating cleaning elements from a fluid, especially a fluid traversing a heat exchanger into which the elements are introduced to clean the tubes thereof, comprises a vertical duct provided with an array of bars forming a grate inclined to the axis of the duct for separating the cleaning elenents, e.g. foam-rubber balls, from the heat exchanger stream traversing the duct. According to the invention, at the bottom of the grate there is provided a diagonal tube which extends along a chord or diameter of the tube and is provided with a longitudinally extending inlet slit into which the cleaning elements pass. The tube and slit are so oriented that the main stream of fluid passes tangentially across the tube and across the slit to create a turbulence thereat to prevent buildup of the cleaning elements at the base of the grate.