EP2792425B1 - Method, device and use of a turbine system for cleaning the inside of a fluid tank - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a method for internally cleaning a fluid supply connection having a connection for the removal of fluid and a connection for the discharge of fluid into the fluid tank, in which an inert primary fluid is introduced, and in which Port for the discharge of fluid from the fluid tank, a secondary fluid in the form of recorded in the fluid tank fluid residues and / or discharged with such fluid residues or contaminants primary fluid is discharged, according to the subject of claim 1.

In addition, the invention relates to a system for internally cleaning a fluid supply connection and a fluid-discharge connection having fluid connection according to the subject-matter of claim 5. Furthermore, the invention relates to the use of a turbine system for internally cleaning a fluid tank inert fluid according to the subject-matter of claim 11. Within the meaning of the invention, a fluid tank is a closed container for the storage, storage and / or transport of gaseous and / or liquid media understood, such as. As propane, butane, butadiene, propene, isobutane, isobutene, cyclobutane, gasoline or diesel fuel, biodiesel, fuel oil, cyclobutane, mixtures of these media, or other volatile, organic compounds containing or consisting of these fluids or other combustibles containing fluids ,

Prior to performing maintenance and safety checks on a fluid tank, as well as to prepare for accommodating particular varying different fluids, fluid cleaning requires regular internal cleaning.

For the internal cleaning of fluid tanks, it is known, the interior with a primary fluid in the form of inert gas, eg. B. to purge with gaseous nitrogen to expel it contained fluid residues and contaminants. Due to the large quantities of gas required for flushing fluid tanks, such internal cleaning of fluid tanks is very cost-intensive. Conventionally, the fluid residues removed from a fluid tank and contaminants are not supplied to scheduled recovery, but destroyed only by flaring. A method and a plant according to the preamble of claims 1 and 5 are in the DE 32 13 711 A1 described. There, hot fuel gases from a combustion furnace are introduced into the interior of a fluid tank to be cleaned in order to flush it. Flammable substances discharged from the fluid tank are utilized in the incinerator. Due to the combustion, the fuel gases generated in the incinerator are chemically inert. They must therefore be cooled before being introduced into the fluid tank in a cooling device.

In the DE 20 2009 016 441 U1 it is proposed to incinerate residues of liquids and gases accumulating during the cleaning of fluid tanks, so as to heat the purge gas pumped by a pump suction conveyor unit in a fluid tank through a pipe for cleaning.

In the CA 2,184,285 C is indicated to purge a fluid tank with gaseous nitrogen, on which in a heat exchanger, the heat is transferred from flushed out of the fluid tank gaseous fluid residues.

From the DE 10 2011 001 374 A1 a turbine system according to the preamble of claim 11 is known, which contains a burner in which the acted upon with dyes exhaust air is burned from a paint shop to operate with the hot fuel gas to a gas turbine.

The object of the invention is to provide a method for the internal cleaning of fluid tanks, which allows a cost-effective internal cleaning of fluid tanks, and to provide a system for the internal cleaning of fluid tanks, which can be operated with low operating costs.

This object is achieved on the one hand by a method for the internal cleaning of fluid tanks with the features of claim 1 and a plant with the features of claim 5 and the use of a turbine system specified in claim 11. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are indicated in the dependent claims.

Due to the risk of explosion, fluid tanks filled with flammable gases or liquids can not be flushed with compressed air. For the cleaning of such fluid tanks by means of rinsing therefore the use of chemically inert primary fluid is required for safety reasons, such as. Nitrogen. The inventors have recognized that the cleaning effect of primary fluid used for cleaning fluid tanks can be significantly increased by conditioning the primary fluid prior to feeding it into a fluid tank, ie warming it to a temperature favorable for cleaning and rinsing. In particular, by heating the primary fluid it is possible to evaporate liquids taken up in the fluid tanks by transferring heat from the primary fluid and drive them out of the fluid tanks.

When using gaseous primary fluid for purging, such as nitrogen, for the cleaning of railroad tank cars, tankers or even ship tanks with a tank volume, which is often in the order of 20m ³ , very large gas quantities of 700m ³ or more needed, which leads to considerable costs.

Therefore, an idea of the invention is also to heat the primary fluid used for internally cleaning fluid tanks before it is introduced into the fluid tank in order to reduce the amount of primary fluid required for flushing a fluid tank. Moreover, it is an idea of the invention to recover the energy needed to heat the primary fluid from secondary fluid received in the fluid tanks and contaminants removed from the fluid tanks.

According to the invention, therefore, it is proposed to at least partially supply the secondary fluid discharged from a fluid tank during purging to a means for chemically reacting the secondary fluid to release heat to transfer the heat released therein at least partially to the primary fluid supplied to the fluid tank. With this measure, it is particularly possible to reduce the time required for the cleaning of fluid tanks and to shorten in this way, the maintenance intervals for example railroad tank cars, tankers or ships. The device for the chemical reaction of the secondary fluid may for example be a burner in which the secondary fluid is burned with another combustible fluid. The burner is integrated in a turbine system preferably designed as a micro gas turbine and generates a hot gas stream, which is acted upon for generating kinetic energy, a gas turbine, which is coupled in motion with a mechanical energy consumer. The thermal energy contained in the exhaust gas flow of the gas turbine can then be transferred, for example, in the conditioning device at least partially to the primary fluid supplied to the fluid tank.

An idea of the invention is therefore also to use a turbine system, in particular a micro gas turbine for cleaning or flushing a fluid tank with a primary fluid, wherein the turbine system comprises a burner and a compressor coupled to a gas turbine. In this case, the burner is supplied with a secondary fluid which consists of fluid residues accommodated in the fluid tank and / or primary fluid charged with such fluid residues or contaminants, and the exhaust gas released by the turbine system is supplied to a conditioning device for conditioning the primary fluid.

In order to increase the power of the gas turbine and to increase the temperature of the exhaust gas flow generated by the gas turbine, it is advantageous if the mechanical energy consumer is a compressor for compressing the combustion air supplied to the burner, wherein the combustion air compressed by the compressor thermal Energy is transferred from the exhaust stream. The mechanical energy consumer may alternatively or additionally also be an electrical generator which generates electrical current.

Moreover, it is possible to heat a corresponding fluid tank with the heat released in the chemical reaction of the secondary fluid from the outside, which can lead to significant energy savings, especially in the winter time.

It is advantageous to provide in a system for the internal cleaning of fluid tanks, a line section, the conduit for the discharge of secondary fluid from a fluid tank communicates with the conduit for supplying primary fluid into the fluid tank to re-supply the secondary fluid discharged from the fluid tank to the fluid tank. In this way, it is possible to apply a fluid tank with primary fluid which is at least partially circulated, so that the amount of primary fluid required for rinsing a fluid tank can be reduced by this measure.

By arranging in this line section a heat exchanger for the transfer of waste heat from the exhaust gas of the gas turbine to the primary fluid once again supplied to the fluid channel, the primary fluid used for rinsing a fluid tank can be conditioned to a process temperature which is favorable for the cleaning.

In the following the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the embodiments schematically illustrated in the drawing.

Fig. 1

eine erste Anlage für das Innenreinigen eines Fluidtanks; und

Fig. 2

eine zweite Anlage für das Innenreinigen eines Fluidtanks.

Show it:

Fig. 1

a first facility for internally cleaning a fluid tank; and

Fig. 2

a second system for the internal cleaning of a fluid tank.

The in the Fig. 1 shown plant 10 is used for the interior cleaning of a fluid tank 12, for example, mounted on a substructure in a tanker truck or integrated into a railway tank car. The fluid tank 12 has a connection 14 for the supply of fluid into the interior 16. Through a connection 18 of the fluid tank 12, it is possible to remove fluid from the interior 16.

In the plant 10 there is a nitrogen-filled pressure vessel 20. The pressure vessel 20 can be connected to the fluid tank 12 via a connection 22 via the connection 14. From the pressure vessel 20 may in the fluid tank 12 through the conduit 22 in this manner as a primary fluid nitrogen gas are supplied to flush the interior 24 of the fluid tank 12 therewith. The nitrogen gas from the pressure vessel 20 in the plant 10 serves as a primary fluid for the fluid tank 12. In order to move the nitrogen gas from the pressure vessel 20 through the conduit 22 into the fluid tank, in the plant 10, optionally, a conveying unit configured as a pump or a compressor be provided, which is arranged in the line 22 between the pressure vessel 20 and the heat exchanger 48 or between the heat exchanger 48 and the fluid tank 12.

The system 10 includes a micro gas turbine formed turbine system 26 with a burner 28. Via a line 30, which can be connected to the terminal 18 of the fluid tank 12, it is possible, the burner 28 in the turbine system 26 with fluid residues or polluted nitrogen gas as to supply a secondary fluid from the fluid tank 12. In order to move the nitrogen gas charged with fluid residues or contaminants from the fluid tank 12 through the conduit 30 into the combustion chamber 28, the plant 10 preferably, but not necessarily, includes a suction conveyor unit 31 designed as a compressor or pump. The burner 28 has a combustion chamber 32, in which the nitrogen gas charged with fluid residues or contaminants from the fluid tank 12 is burned with a fuel gas supplied from the outside and with combustion air.

The burner 28 is for this purpose preferably designed as a so-called two-stage burner, which has a pilot stage as a first burner stage, in which the fuel gas is supplied, and as a second burner stage has a main stage, in which introduced the pressurized with fluid residues or contaminants nitrogen gas is to burn it there in a burner flame generated by the pilot stage.

It should be noted that in a modified embodiment, the burner 28 is for burning fluid residue or contaminants from the fluid tank 12 can also be a burner which burns nitrogen gas charged with fluid residues or contaminants without supplying additional fuel gas. In this case, however, it must be ensured that the fluid residues and contaminants in the nitrogen gas from the fluid tank 12 have combustion characteristics at least approximately corresponding to the combustion characteristics of fuel gas.

The burner 28 thereby generates a hot gas jet, which is conducted via a hot gas duct 34 to a gas turbine 36. In the gas turbine 36, the thermal energy of the hot gas generated by the burner 28 is converted into kinetic energy, which is then transferred to a compressor 38 motion-coupled to the gas turbine and an electric generator 40. The compressor is for compressing intake air which is supplied to the burner 28 through an intake air passage 42. By means of the electric generator 40 electrical energy can be provided for a not further illustrated line network with electrical consumers.

The exhaust gas of the gas turbine 36 is guided through an exhaust passage 44. For transferring heat from the exhaust gas of the gas turbine 36 to the intake air supplied to the burner 28, the turbine system 26 includes a heat exchanger 46 that transfers heat from the exhaust gas of the gas turbine 36 to the compressed combustion air supplied to the burner 28.

The exhaust passage 42 of the turbine system 26 is connected to a heat exchanger 48. The heat exchanger 48 is for conditioning nitrogen gas from the pressure vessel 20, which is supplied through the conduit 22 to the fluid tank 12 for purging from the interior thereof. The heat exchanger 48 is designed for heating nitrogen gas supplied from the pressure vessel 20. By means of the heat exchanger 48, it is possible to heat the nitrogen gas from the pressure vessel 20 from the ambient temperature up to 600 ° C.

By flushing the fluid tank 12 with heated nitrogen gas, it can be achieved that with a comparatively small amount of purge gas, a fluid tank 12 having a large internal volume such as rail tank cars, tank trucks, and ships fluid tanks has interior volumes of up to 700m ^{3 are} not uncommon, can be rinsed. The conditioning of the introduced into a fluid tank 12 primary fluid thereby not only causes dissolved in the interior of a fluid tank 12 contaminants, but also that in a fluid tank 12 recorded residual fluid swirled not only with the primary fluid, but by the heat transfer mostly in one gaseous state of aggregation can be transferred.

The discharged during flushing of a fluid tank 12 via the line 30 with contaminants secondary fluid is chemically reacted in the burner 28 of the turbine system 26 with compressed combustion air with the supply of fuel gas. Burner 28 thus acts as a means for chemically reacting secondary fluid in the form of primary fluid and residual fluid and contaminants from fluid tank 12 to release heat.

The structure of the plant 100 in Fig. 2 corresponds basically to the structure of the system 10 Fig. 1 , Assemblies of the plant 100 in Fig. 2 , which are to assemblies in the Appendix 10 from in Fig. 1 are identical in the Fig. 2 in terms of the Fig. 1 numbers increased by the number 100 as reference numerals.

In contrast to the system 10 off Fig. 1 There are 100 in the plant Fig. 2 a conduit section 150 which connects the secondary fluid discharge line 130 from the fluid tank 112 to the primary fluid supply line 122 in the fluid tank 112. By means of the system 100, the primary fluid can be partially circulated through the fluid tank 112, so that it passes through it several times. In a modified embodiment of the system 100, instead of the Saugfördereinheit 131 or additionally be provided for this in the line 122 designed as a pump or compressor stage pressure conveying unit.

It should be noted that the hot exhaust gas of the turbine system 26, 126 in the systems 10, 100 can also be used to heat the fluid tank 12, 112 to be cleaned from the outside. For this purpose, it is possible to pressurize a fluid tank 12, 112 from the outside with hot exhaust gas flowing out of the exhaust gas duct 44, 144 from the gas turbine 36, 136 or with the residual heat contained in this exhaust gas, e.g. To heat water or steam to heat, with which a corresponding surface of a fluid tank 12, 112 is acted upon.

In summary, the following is to be noted: The invention relates to a method for interior cleaning of a connection 14, 18 for the supply of fluid and a connection 14, 18 for the removal of fluid having fluid tank 12, 112, in which through the connection 14, 18 for the Feeding fluid into the fluid tank 12, 112 primary fluid is introduced. By the method, at the port (14, 18) for discharging fluid from the fluid tank 12, 112 secondary fluid in the form of fluid contained in the fluid tank 12, 112 and / or primary fluid loaded with such fluid residue or contaminant is used as a secondary fluid dissipated. According to the invention, the primary fluid supplied to the fluid tank 12, 112 is heated to a process temperature which is favorable for the internal cleaning of the fluid tank 12, 112.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

10, 100

investment

12, 112

fluid tank

14, 114

connection

16, 116

inner space

18, 118

connection

20, 120

pressure vessel

22, 122

management

26, 126

turbine system

28, 128

burner

31, 131

suction unit

30, 130

management

32, 132

combustion chamber

34, 134

Hot gas duct

36, 136

gas turbine

38, 138

compressor

40, 140

generator

42, 142

intake air passage

44, 144

exhaust duct

46, 48, 146, 148

heat exchangers

150

line section

Claims (11)

1. Method for cleaning the inside of a fluid tank (12, 112) that has a connection (14, 18) for supplying fluid and a connection (14, 18) for discharging fluid,
   in which an inert primary fluid is introduced into the fluid tank (12, 112) via the connection (14, 18) for supplying fluid; and
   a secondary fluid, in the form of flammable fluid residues accommodated in the fluid tank (12, 112) and/or primary fluid charged with such fluid residues or contaminants, is discharged from the fluid tank (12, 112) via the connection (14, 18) for discharging fluid, wherein
   the primary fluid supplied to the fluid tank (12, 112), for cleaning the inside of the fluid tank (12, 112) by flushing, is heated to a process temperature, and wherein
   the secondary fluid discharged from the fluid tank (12, 112) is supplied at least in part to a burner (28, 128) in order to chemically convert the secondary fluid with release of heat by burning,
   characterized in that
   the burner (28) generates a hot gas stream which, in order to generate kinetic energy, is supplied to a gas turbine (36, 136) which is coupled in terms of movement to a mechanical energy consumer (38, 40, 138, 140), wherein
   the gas turbine (36, 136) generates an exhaust gas stream that is charged with residual heat, at least part of which is transferred, in a heat exchanger (48, 148), to the primary fluid supplied to the fluid tank (12, 112).
2. Method according to Claim 1, characterized in that the mechanical energy consumer is a compressor (38, 138) for compressing combustion air supplied to the burner (28, 128), wherein waste heat from the exhaust gas stream is transferred to the combustion air compressed by the compressor (38, 138).
3. Method according to one of Claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the mechanical energy consumer is an electrical generator (40, 140) which is used to generate electrical current.
4. Method according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the fluid tank (12, 112) is heated from the outside using the heat released by chemical conversion of the secondary fluid.
5. Installation for cleaning the inside of a fluid tank (12, 112) that has a connection (14, 18) for supplying fluid and a connection (14, 18, 114, 118) for discharging fluid,
   having a line (30, 130), which can be connected to the connection (14, 18, 114, 118) for supplying fluid, for supplying an inert primary fluid to the fluid tank (12, 112); and
   having a line (30, 130), which can be connected to the connection (14, 18, 114, 118) for discharging fluid, for discharging a secondary fluid, in the form of flammable fluid residues accommodated in the fluid tank (12, 112) and/or primary fluid charged with such fluid residues or contaminants,
   and having a conditioning device (48, 148) for heating the primary fluid supplied to the fluid tank (12, 112) to a process temperature for cleaning the inside of the fluid tank (12, 112) by flushing,
   characterized by
   a turbine system (26, 126) which has a gas turbine (36, 136) and contains a burner (28, 128), connected to the line (30, 130) for discharging secondary fluid, for generating a hot gas stream acting on the gas turbine, wherein the turbine system (26, 126) has an exhaust gas duct (44, 144) receiving the exhaust gas of the gas turbine (36, 136), which exhaust gas duct is connected to a heat exchanger (48, 148) for transferring residual heat from the exhaust gas of the gas turbine (36, 136) to the primary fluid conveyed in the line (22, 122) for supplying primary fluid to the fluid tank (12, 112).
6. Installation according to Claim 5, characterized by a heat exchanger (46, 146) for transferring heat from the exhaust gas of the gas turbine (36, 136) to combustion air supplied to the burner (28, 128).
7. Installation according to Claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the gas turbine (36, 136) is coupled in terms of movement to a compressor (38, 138) for compressing combustion air supplied to the burner (28, 128).
8. Installation according to one of Claims 5 to 7, characterized in that the gas turbine (36, 136) is coupled in terms of movement to an electric generator (40, 140) for generating electrical current.
9. Installation according to one of Claims 5 to 8, characterized by a line section (150) which connects the line (130) for discharging secondary fluid from the fluid tank (112) to the line (130) for supplying primary fluid to the fluid tank (112) in order to feed the secondary fluid discharged from the fluid tank (112) back to the fluid tank (112).
10. Installation according to one of Claims 5 to 8, characterized by a line section (150) which connects the line (130) for discharging secondary fluid from the fluid tank (112) to the line (130) for supplying primary fluid to the fluid tank (112) in order to feed the secondary fluid discharged from the fluid tank (112) back to the fluid tank (112), wherein a heat exchanger (148) for transferring waste heat from the exhaust gas of the gas turbine (136) to the primary fluid fed back to the fluid tank (112) is arranged in the line section (150).
11. Use of a turbine system (26, 126) for cleaning the inside of a fluid tank (12, 112) using an inert primary fluid,
    wherein the turbine system (26, 126) comprises a burner (28, 128) and a gas turbine (36, 136) coupled to a compressor (38, 138),
    wherein the burner (28, 128) is supplied with a secondary fluid that consists of flammable fluid residues accommodated in the fluid tank (12, 112) and/or primary fluid charged with such fluid residues or contaminants, and
    wherein the exhaust gas released by the turbine system (26, 126) is supplied to a heat exchanger (48, 148) for heating the primary fluid to a process temperature for cleaning the inside of the fluid tank (112) by flushing.

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