Heat exchanger life extension via in-situ reconditioning
US9377245B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 15, 2013 |
| Grant date | Jun 28, 2016 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 4, 2034 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
- CPC primaryF28F2265/00
- WIPO fieldMaterials, metallurgy
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
A method of in-situ reconditioning a heat exchanger includes the steps of: providing an in-service heat exchanger comprising a precipitate-strengthened alloy wherein at least one mechanical property of the heat exchanger is degraded by coarsening of the precipitate, the in-service heat exchanger containing a molten salt working heat exchange fluid; deactivating the heat exchanger from service in-situ; in a solution-annealing step, in-situ heating the heat exchanger and molten salt working heat exchange fluid contained therein to a temperature and for a time period sufficient to dissolve the coarsened precipitate; in a quenching step, flowing the molten salt working heat-exchange fluid through the heat exchanger in-situ to cool the alloy and retain a supersaturated solid solution while preventing formation of large precipitates; and in an aging step, further varying the temperature of the flowing molten salt working heat-exchange fluid to re-precipitate the dissolved precipitate.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.