Control of detonative cleaning apparatus

Abstract

An apparatus is provided for cleaning one or more surfaces within a vessel having a vessel wall separating a vessel exterior from a vessel interior and having a wall aperture. The apparatus has at least one elongate conduit having an upstream first end and a downstream second end and positioned to direct a shockwave from the second end into the vessel interior. A source of fuel and oxidizer is coupled to the conduit to deliver the fuel and oxidizer to the conduit An initiator is positioned to initiate a reaction of the fuel and oxidizer to produce the shockwave. At least one sensor coupled to the conduit to detect motion indicative of a detonation. A control system coupled to the initiator, the source, and the sensor for receiving input from the sensor and controlling operation of the initiator and source responsive to said input.

1 . An apparatus for cleaning one or more surfaces within a vessel having a vessel wall separating a vessel exterior from a vessel interior and having a wall aperture, the apparatus comprising:
 at least one elongate conduit having an upstream first end and a downstream second end and positioned to direct a shockwave from the second end into the vessel interior; and   a source of fuel and oxidizer coupled to the conduit to deliver the fuel and oxidizer to the conduit;   an initiator positioned to initiate a reaction of the fuel and oxidizer to produce the shockwave;   at least one sensor coupled to the conduit to detect motion indicative of a detonation; and   a control system coupled to the initiator, the source, and the sensor for receiving input from the sensor and controlling operation of the initiator and source responsive to said input.   
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein:
 the sensor is a piezoelectric sensor.   
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein:
 the sensor is a contact accelerometer.   
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein:
 the sensor is a contact vibration sensor.   
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein:
 the sensor is in contact with an exterior of the conduit without an associated aperture to the interior of the conduit.   
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein:
 there are a plurality of such conduits and such initiators, each of the conduits associated with an associated one or more of the initiators; and   the sensors are series coupled to the control system.   
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 6  wherein:
 the control system is programmed to generate maintenance or service requests responsive to the input.   
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 6  wherein:
 the control system is programmed to determine detonation failures of the conduits individually.   
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 8  wherein:
 the control system is programmed to individually adjust operational parameters of the conduits responsive to the determined failures.   
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein:
 the control system communicates with a remote monitoring system.   
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein:
 the control system is programmed to determine a detonation success or failure status.   
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein:
 the control system is programmed with a plurality of different cleaning processes and to execute the processes responsive to corresponding sensed conditions.   
   
   
       13 . A method for cleaning a surface within a vessel, the method comprising:
 introducing fuel and oxidizer to at least one elongate conduit having an upstream first end and a downstream second end and positioned to direct a shockwave from the second end into the vessel interior;   initiating a reaction of the fuel and oxidizer;   detecting a motion of the conduit;   responsive to the detecting, determining a characteristic of the reaction; and   responsive to the determined characteristic, adjusting at least one parameter of the introducing and initiating so as to provide feedback control of the characteristic.   
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein:
 the detecting comprises detecting an acceleration.   
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 13  wherein:
 the detecting comprises detecting a vibration parameter.   
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 13  wherein:
 the determining comprises determining a sufficiency of a detonation.   
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising:
 responsive to the determined characteristic, generating an automated maintenance or service request.   
   
   
       18 . An apparatus for cleaning one or more surfaces within a vessel having a vessel wall separating a vessel exterior from a vessel interior and having a wall aperture, the apparatus comprising:
 at least one elongate conduit having an upstream first end and a downstream second end and positioned to direct a shockwave from the second end into the vessel interior; and   a source of fuel and oxidizer coupled to the conduit to deliver the fuel and oxidizer to the conduit;   an initiator positioned to initiate a reaction of the fuel and oxidizer to produce the shockwave;   a pressure switch coupled to the conduit to be exposed to pressure associated with the reaction; and   a control system coupled to the initiator, the source, and the pressure switch for receiving input from the pressure switch and controlling operation of the initiator and source responsive to said input.   
   
   
       19 . The apparatus of  claim 18  wherein the pressure switch is a binary switch, with an open condition associated with pressure below a threshold and a closed condition associated with pressure above the threshold. 
   
   
       20 . The apparatus of  claim 18  wherein the pressure switch is along an upstream half of a length of the conduit.