SMART Clean™
Intelligent Sootblowing
System for Pulp + Paper
SMART Clean™ Intelligent Sootblowing System is the next generation of boiler cleaning optimization systems. It is designed to recognize the plant’s performance and operational objectives, regardless of changes in factors that influence the slagging and fouling conditions of the boiler.
Our SMART Clean™ system is a superior way to intelligently manage your sootblower operations and increase the heat transfer in your heat exchangers. Traditional sootblowing systems are either based on fixed cycles, or at the operator’s discretion to start the cleaning process. This style of cleaning can result in lower heat transfers, adversely affecting the thermal efficiency and plant heat rate of your boiler.
SMART Clean™ transforms your sootblowing system into an intelligent closed-loop control system that uses real-time boiler data to initiate cleaning events at the appropriate time and intensity. Equipped with the SMART Control platform, SMART Gauge and Thermodynamic Modeling (TDM) feedback, the SMART Clean™ system is the ultimate weapon against carry over and plugging problems.
SMART Clean™ Process Summary
The SMART Clean™ process is an iterative and self-teaching process based on the following steps:
Step 1
Gathering Information
Boiler process and performance data is gathered indirectly from boiler operations (steam temperatures, flue gas temperatures, etc.) and directly from installed sensors.
Step 2
Information Analysis
Clyde Industries has developed software analysis algorithms to cut through massive volumes of data. The software takes information from the direct and indirect sources to calculate the cleanliness of heat exchangers and to provide cleaning solutions.
Step 3
Automated Action
The system uses the analysis to activate the specific cleaning device and direct it according to the local cleaning requirements. Manipulating cleaning factors like blowing pressure, blowing speed and zone-by-zone control optimizes the process. The goal of the process is to deliver the optimum cleaning intensity and frequency to the fouling location, when and where it needs it.
Step 4
Measurement of Response
Once the cleaning process is over, the software will record its impact on ash removal using calculations based on the deposit accumulation ratio and predicted heat transfer degradation rate. The system then determines the priority for each sootblower based on the foulness levels of each zone and selects the highest priority sootblower first for the next cleaning cycle. This ensures that heavily fouled areas are cleaned before becoming problematic.
Variable Pressure/Flow Control Module
A variable flow/pressure module can be added as an option to allow operators the ability to adjust cleaning pressures from the control system, rather than the poppet valve. Using this, the cleaning pressure can be varied to provide the proper intensity to clean each tube bank and can also provide cleaning media savings, when used in conjunction with Single Pass Cleaning.
Note: The pressure control valve must be capable of modulating with input of the control system.
SMART Systems
Infrared Pyrometer
Infrared Pyrometer continuously measures the flame and gas temperature in the furnace, in a nonintrusive way.
SMART Gauge Sensor
SMART Gauge sensors measure the development of deposit build up in the superheater and reheater by analyzing weight changes of heat exchanger bundles over time.
SMART Convection /Thermodynamic Model
SMART Convection reads the deposit situation in the convection area to optimize boiler cleaning.
SMART Controls
As the control center of SMART Clean™, SMART Controls interprets the recommendations made from SMART Furnace and SMART Convection and determines the optimal cleaning strategy to maximize boiler efficiency.
