Shock Pulse Technology: Innovation for efficient boiler cleaning

Compared to conventional steam-based sootblowing systems, the Shock Pulse Generator enables effective boiler cleaning with significantly lower energy consumption. Consequently, process steam can be used entirely for power generation rather than being diverted for cleaning purposes.

The generated shock pulses clean the heating surfaces gently without placing mechanical stress on the tube bundles. Furthermore, no additional moisture enters the process, positively impacting corrosion resistance and the long-term operational reliability of the plant.

Compared to widespread manual explosion cleaning methods that rely on detonations to remove deposits, Shock Pulse Technology offers a significantly higher level of safety. Fully automated operation eliminates all manual intervention and the handling of hazardous materials such as explosives. This drastically reduces risks to operating personnel while enhancing process safety.

The sawtooth-shaped flue gas temperature profile typical of conventional Shower Cleaning Systems (SCS) is completely eliminated. Installed Shock Pulse Generators clean the boiler automatically, continuously, and safely. This establishes constant operating conditions, contributing to improved heat transfer, higher plant availability, and more efficient power generation.

The health and safety of users operating our systems is central to everything we do.

Unlike various high-risk manual procedures – such as traditional explosive cleaning or gas detonation using mobile ignition lances – the autonomously triggered shock combustion in Shock Pulse Generators takes place outside the boiler within a robust, pressure-resistant vessel. This physical separation and containment of the combustion process alone makes boiler cleaning using Shock Pulse Generators an inherently safe system.

To guarantee the safety of Shock Pulse Generators, Explosion Power complies with the European Pressure Equipment Directive (PED) 2014/68/EU, under which accreditation the corresponding CE mark is issued. All Shock Pulse Generators from Explosion Power are CE certified and carry an EU Declaration of Conformity in accordance with the aforementioned directive.

Explosion Power makes no compromises when it comes to quality and safety assurance. Equipped with four continuous endurance test rigs and four final inspection test rigs, we rigorously evaluate and verify the high quality of our Shock Pulse Generators. By June 2023 alone, we had performed over 400,000 Shock Pulses in our 24/7 Test Facility.

Upon ignition, a piston mechanism opens the combustion chamber, discharging the generated Shock Pulse into the boiler via a nozzle. This creates a spherical pressure wave that induces vibrations in the flue gases, heating surfaces, and deposits. This combined action safely and effectively clears fouling and deposits from the tube bundles.

This depends on various parameters, such as the fouling rate, ash behavior, tube pitch, and many other factors. Based on these parameters, the operator can select an appropriate shock pulse pattern. The intensity of the generated shock pulses can be flexibly adjusted by setting the charge pressure accordingly prior to combustion. This allows the cleaning performance to be optimally tailored to specific operating conditions and deposit types.

A major advantage of Explosion Power Shock Pulse Generators is adaptive boiler cleaning. Operating parameters (number of cycles) are continuously adjusted to the condition of the boiler on a semi- or fully automated basis, guided by live process data and the required level of cleanliness.

This also depends on various parameters such as boiler dimensions, specific problem areas, and ash behaviour. Shock Pulse Generators can be deployed in all areas of the boiler, starting from the combustion chamber and radiation passes right through to the economisers. The units can withstand operating temperatures of up to 1,300 °C. When installed on both sides, boiler widths of up to 24 metres can be effectively cleaned. The straightforward system architecture allows operators to start with a single SPG unit and retrofit additional devices as operational requirements evolve over time. Multi-line application across parallel boiler streams is also fully supported.