Apparatus and method for cleaning pipelines, tubing and membranes using two-phase flow
US8083861B2 · kind B2 · utility
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 16, 2009 |
| Grant date | Dec 27, 2011 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 16, 2029 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC C)Chemistry; Metallurgy
- CPC primaryC11D2111/20
- WIPO fieldChemical engineering
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
An apparatus and method for cleaning passageways and the like with a two-phase mixture of gas under pressure and an aqueous cleaning solution. The two-phase cleaning mixture is generated in a module and is passed out of the module at a predetermined rate that determines droplet size, velocity and droplet density at the pipeline surface to be cleaned. The droplets impact the walls of the passageway to be cleaned, thereby fragmenting, eroding and removing contaminants in said passageway. These are then flushed out of the passageway by the two-phase flow. The flow of cleaning solution can be steady or pulsed. The apparatus and process include a clean-in-place system that is useful in food, beverage, pharmaceutical and similar process industries.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.