Mitsubishi Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha

The Kansai Electric Power Co., Inc.

Kenichi Nii

Shigeru Shimojo

Keiichi Iwamoto

Masaaki Torichigai

Takuzo Maeyama

Kiyoshi Koizumi

An improved cleaning system for a horizontal type tube assembly which can achieve cleaning of the outer surfaces of the tubes in the tube assembly automatically by remote control without necessitating human labor of workers who are compelled to work in a narrow limited space, is disclosed. The improvements reside in that the cleaning system comprises a cleaning main body section including a cleaning jig for an outer surface of a tube, a screw and a motor in combination for reciprocating the cleaning jig in the axial direction of the tube, another motor for diverting the direction of the cleaning jig, and a support plate for supporting the aforementioned members; an upper traversing section including a winding drum, lifting wires and a winding motor in combination for raising and lowering the cleaning main body section to any arbitrary height, a traveling roller for moving in the axial direction of the tube, and a drive motor for driving the traveling roller; the cleaning main body section further including a sensor for detecting the tube during rising and lowering of the cleaning main body section, and an urging plate which is mounted to the cleaning main body section via an expansible and contractible cylinder. Preferably, the cleaning jig is provided with air hammers for striking the outer surface of the tube.

Cleaning system for a horizontal type tube assembly

An automatic tube circumference scanning apparatus automatically performs inspections, repairs and other operation on a group of tubes arrayed in a narrow space and extending in horizontal directions. The apparatus includes an upper support/traverse section mounted on an upper tube in the group of tubes so as to be able to travel along a tube axis and to stop and grip the upper tube, a lower support/traverse section mounted on a lower tube so as to be able to travel, stop and grip the lower tube, a flexible rail extending vertically between the upper and lower support/traverse sections and fixed thereto, and a probe scanning section mounted on the flexible rail so as to be able to move up and down and which grips any arbitrary tube between the aforementioned upper and lower tubes for making a probe scan around such tube.

Automatic tube circumference scanning apparatus

Growing community of inventors

Osaka, Japan

Kenichi Nii