Keeping bulk solids
material on the move
with Sonic Soot Blowers
By Donald F Cameron, Managing Director
Primasonics® and Quattrosonics®
S
o what are Sonic Soot
Blowers?
They are pneumatically
operated horns that
produce low frequency – high energy
sound waves. These sound waves
are produced when compressed air
enters the Wave Generator and forces
the only moving part, a titanium
diaphragm, to flex. Sonic Soot Blowers
are employed wherever ash, dust,
powders or granular materials are
processed, generated, stored or
transported.
The Quattrosonic Sonic Soot Blowers
were designed as a replacement
for the somewhat primitive and
abrasive boiler tube cleaning. Steam
Soot Blower systems used in Power
Industries, however, sharing many
of the same qualities as Primasonics
Acoustic Cleaner range they are just as
effective in Bulk Solids Processing and
Transporting industries too.
How do they work?
Sonic Soot Blowers are extremely
simple in their operation, requiring
only normal plant compressed air for
their initial energy source. Compressed
air enters the Wave Generator and
forces the only moving part, the
ultra-high grade titanium diaphragm
to oscillate very rapidly within its
specially designed housing. These
rapid oscillations create the base
tone and the different body sections
convert, amplify and distribute this
base tone into a range of selected key
fundamental frequencies.
Quattro Range
is featured in a
technical brochure
and a video showing
them in operation is
available on request.
Sonic Soot Blowers produce very rapid
sonic sound pressure pulses (up to 350
per second) which produce in turn,
a positive (+) ‘push’ followed by a
negative (-) ‘pull’ effect which weakens
the bond between the particles
themselves and the surface to which
they are adhered to. This then causes
these adherence bonds to break thus
dislodging the particles which are then
removed either by gravity or in the gas
stream.
Cleaning Efficiency – because Sonic
Soot Blowers use powerful sonic sound
waves, these sound waves travel at a
speed of 344 metres per second and
in a 360° radius. This means that the
entire circumference of the tubes and
internal structure can be easily reached
instead of just the leading edge of the
tubes as with a steam soot blower.
A periodic ‘sonic sounding’ is all that
is required to achieve these goals!
Typically 5 - 10 seconds every 6 – 12
minutes.
Continuous plant operation is possible
because particulate build-up is
eliminated. By strategically placing the
Sonic Soot Blower they will eliminate
the need for operators to enter
potentially hazardous and dangerous
areas of processing plant to carry out
manual cleaning.
Primasonics have successfully installed
their range of Sonic Soot Blowers
within the Solids Handling Industries
in;
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Silos
Boilers
Hoppers
Superheaters
Filters
Economisers
Ductwork
Air Heaters
Fans
SCR’s
Cyclones
ESP’s
Air Classifiers
What is required to operate a Sonic
Soot Blower?
Only two things are needed both of
which already exist within all plants,
namely standard plant compressed
air and an electrical control supply.
The compressed air requirements are,
firstly a pressure of between 5 & 6
bar (500 – 600 kPa) and secondly a
usage of between 18 & 22 litres per
second (38 – 42 CFM ) but remember
the Sonic Soot Blower will only be
30
PECM Issue 14
‘sounded’ for a few seconds at periodic
intervals. The solenoid valve which is
used to turn on and off the Sonic Soot
Blower requires an electrical supply,
usually either 220 or 110 V AC or 24
V DC.
Can Sonic Soot Blowers be easily
retrofitted?
Indeed they can, in fact most of our
sales are to end users or engineering
companies who wish to ins tall Sonic
Soot Blowers to replace either
unreliable or inefficient steam/water
soot blowers. Therefore we can usually
use the access point left vacant by the
removal of the rotary or retractable
steam soot blowers where possible or
else mount the Sonic Soot Blowers on
any available hatches. Installation of
Sonic Soot Blowers is quick and easy.
Why do Sonic Soot Blowers come
in a range of frequencies?
Each particular sound frequency
has its own individual sound wave
pattern (rather like DNA). The higher
the sound frequency, the shorter
the sound wave and the lower the
frequency the longer the sound
wave. We have therefore carefully
selected five different specific sound
frequencies (350 – 230 – 120 – 75
& 60 Hz) for our range of Sonic Soot
Blowers because these five different
frequencies will provide effective
particulate de-bonding over a wide
range of applications and plant sizes.
The different sound frequencies are
achieved by altering the design of the
main body of the Sonic Soot Blower.
The Quattrosonics Sonic Soot Blower
range is featured in a technical
brochure and a video showing them
in operation is available on request.
Also Primasonics will provide a free
site survey and report to highlight
how their range of Sonic Soot Blowers
can eliminate many of the process
challenges currently experienced within
the Solids Handling Industries.
For further information contact
Primasonics International Ltd by:Tel: 44 (0) 1768 866648
Email: [email protected]
Web Page: www.primasonics.com