Abstract: Method and apparatus for removing extraneous matters from cooling water used in a tubular heat exchanger such as a condensor is disclosed. When a pressure difference between the portions upstream and downstream of a filter element exceeds a predetermined threshold value set in advance in accordance with the flow rate of the cooling water, a blow-down operation is started to remove the extraneous matters scraped off of the outer peripheral surface of the filter element by a turning flow. The extraneous matters are removed at a rate of clogging of the filter element of 50%, irrespective of the flow rate of the cooling water. The clogging rate can be sensed accurately, and the blow-down operation is effected with necessary and sufficient frequency.

Abstract: A foreign matter removing apparatus for removing foreign matters from cooling water such as sea water taken as the cooling water for the condenser of, for example, a power generating plant. The apparatus has an inversed frusto-conical barrel, a filter of a substantially same form as the barrel and disposed in the latter, a cooling water inlet pipe connected to a side portion of the barrel, a cooling water outlet pipe connected to an upper portion of the barrel, a foreign matter discharge pipe connected to a lower side portion of the barrel, and a butterfly valve disposed in the cooling water inlet at which the cooling water inlet pipe is connected to the barrel. The foreign matter discharge pipe is periodically opened while varying the opening degree or angular position of the butterfly valve thereby to remove and discharge foreign matters from the filter surface.

Abstract: A method and system for cleaning cooling tubes of a heat transfer unit including a steam chamber through which the cooling tubes extend and into which steam generated in a steam power generating plant is introduced so as to exchange heat with a cooling water flowing through the cooling tubes. Cleaning bodies are introduced into the cooling water and then distributed to the cooling tubes so as to clean the latter. The cooling tubes are divided into a plurality of groups, with each group including a plurality of the cooling tubes having the same trends of cleanliness. The cleaning bodies are respectively introduced to the groups in respective quantities suitable for cleaning the cooling tubes of each group in dependence upon the particular degree of cleanliness of the cooling tubes of the respective groups.

Abstract: A horizontal feedwater heater for use in heat power stations, of the type having a shell, a plurality of U-bent heat transfer tubes extended in the longitudinal direction of the shell and a vent tube extended in the longitudinal direction of the shell substantially at the center of the latter and adapted for extracting and discharging non-condensed gas. The feedwater heater has a baffle disposed at each side of the vent tube and having a horizontal plate portion extended horizontally from the vent tube and an inclined plate portion inclined downwardly from the end of the horizontal plate portion at an obtuse angle to the latter.

Abstract: A sorting apparatus for sorting elastic balls for cleaning the inner surfaces of heat transfer tubes of a heat exchanger.

Abstract: In a cleaning system for heat conductive conduits of a heat exchanger, a great number of balls are circulated through the conduits for mechanically removing incrustations formed on the inner surfaces of the conduits. In order to automatically operate the cleaning system, there are provided with ball counters, one of which counts the number of balls actually circulating the system and the other count the number of balls to be withdrawn out of the system or replaced with new balls because of worn out or breakage. The number of balls circulating is always maintained at a certain level necessary for effective cleaning by a controller which actuates various valves to maintain the number of balls in response to the signal generated by the ball counters.

Abstract: A method of monitoring the performance of a condenser and a system for carrying such method into practice, wherein a cooling water temperature, a cooling water flow rate, a condenser temperature and/or a heat flux through walls of cooling water tubes of the condenser are sensed by sensors to obtain values representing the operating conditions of the condenser, and an overall heat transmission coefficient or a heat transfer rate of the cooling water tubes is calculated at an arithmetic unit from the values representing the operating conditions. The cleanness of the cooling water tubes is calculated by an arithmetic unit from the value of the overall heat transmission coefficient or the heat transfer rate, and the performance of the condenser is judged by a performance judging unit based on the cleanness of the cooling water tubes.