[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":1217},["ShallowReactive",2],{"site-footer-common":3,"glossary:steam-sootblower":45,"glossary-related:steam-sootblower":319},{"id":4,"extension":5,"footer":6,"meta":40,"navbar":41,"stem":43,"__hash__":44},"common\u002Fcommon.yml","yml",{"tagline":7,"links":8,"sections":9},"Acoustic cleaning intelligence for industrial fouling, soot, ash, dust and build-up.",[],[10,19,31],{"title":11,"links":12},"Product",[13,16],{"label":14,"to":15},"How it works","\u002F#product",{"label":17,"to":18},"Cost assessment","\u002F#hero",{"title":20,"links":21},"Company",[22,25,28],{"label":23,"to":24},"What we build","\u002F#about",{"label":26,"to":27},"Careers","\u002F#careers",{"label":29,"to":30},"Contact","\u002F#contact",{"title":32,"links":33},"Resources",[34,37],{"label":35,"to":36},"Blog","\u002Fresources\u002Fblog",{"label":38,"to":39},"Glossary","\u002Fglossary",{},{"links":42},[],"common","YocmZRy1AYfBbpgGVms-zhdiABlF8VTxHx6h4rDmZBA",{"id":46,"title":47,"aliases":48,"body":52,"category":294,"description":295,"extension":296,"meta":297,"navigation":298,"path":299,"relatedTerms":300,"seo":307,"sources":310,"stem":317,"term":47,"__hash__":318},"glossary\u002Fglossary\u002Fsteam-sootblower.md","Steam sootblower",[49,50,51],"sootblower","steam soot blower","steam blower",{"type":53,"value":54,"toc":286},"minimark",[55,64,69,139,143,236,240,247,251],[56,57,58,59,63],"p",{},"A ",[60,61,62],"strong",{},"steam sootblower"," projects high-pressure steam (typically 17–35 bar) through nozzles onto boiler tube banks to dislodge accumulated soot, ash and slag. Steam sootblowing is the dominant traditional boiler-cleaning technology, with major suppliers including Diamond Power (now part of ANDRITZ), Clyde Bergemann, Babcock & Wilcox and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.",[65,66,68],"h2",{"id":67},"types","Types",[70,71,72,85],"table",{},[73,74,75],"thead",{},[76,77,78,82],"tr",{},[79,80,81],"th",{},"Type",[79,83,84],{},"Use case",[86,87,88,101,112,120,131],"tbody",{},[76,89,90,98],{},[91,92,93],"td",{},[94,95,97],"a",{"href":96},"\u002Fglossary\u002Fik-long-retract-sootblower","IK (long retract)",[91,99,100],{},"Convective superheater, reheater, generating bank",[76,102,103,109],{},[91,104,105],{},[94,106,108],{"href":107},"\u002Fglossary\u002Fir-rotary-sootblower","IR (rotary)",[91,110,111],{},"Air heater, deep convective banks",[76,113,114,117],{},[91,115,116],{},"Wall blowers",[91,118,119],{},"Furnace waterwalls, short reach",[76,121,122,128],{},[91,123,124],{},[94,125,127],{"href":126},"\u002Fglossary\u002Fretract-sootblower","Retractable",[91,129,130],{},"High-temperature service, withdrawn between uses",[76,132,133,136],{},[91,134,135],{},"Fixed",[91,137,138],{},"Air heaters, smaller industrial duty",[65,140,142],{"id":141},"trade-offs-vs-sonic-horns","Trade-offs vs sonic horns",[70,144,145,160],{},[73,146,147],{},[76,148,149,152,154],{},[79,150,151],{},"Attribute",[79,153,47],{},[79,155,156],{},[94,157,159],{"href":158},"\u002Fglossary\u002Fsonic-horn","Sonic horn",[86,161,162,173,184,195,206,217,227],{},[76,163,164,167,170],{},[91,165,166],{},"Cleaning medium",[91,168,169],{},"High-pressure steam jet",[91,171,172],{},"Pulsed sound",[76,174,175,178,181],{},[91,176,177],{},"Tube erosion risk",[91,179,180],{},"Documented",[91,182,183],{},"None",[76,185,186,189,192],{},[91,187,188],{},"Steam \u002F energy consumption",[91,190,191],{},"Significant boiler steam",[91,193,194],{},"Plant compressed air only",[76,196,197,200,203],{},[91,198,199],{},"Frequency",[91,201,202],{},"Per shift typical",[91,204,205],{},"Every few minutes",[76,207,208,211,214],{},[91,209,210],{},"Effective on bonded slag",[91,212,213],{},"Yes",[91,215,216],{},"No",[76,218,219,222,224],{},[91,220,221],{},"Effective on dry friable deposits",[91,223,213],{},[91,225,226],{},"Yes (and earlier in the consolidation cycle)",[76,228,229,232,234],{},[91,230,231],{},"Moving parts in flue gas",[91,233,213],{},[91,235,183],{},[65,237,239],{"id":238},"position-in-modern-cleaning-practice","Position in modern cleaning practice",[56,241,242,243,246],{},"Modern practice typically combines both: steam sootblowers for periodic deeper cleaning, ",[94,244,245],{"href":158},"sonic horns"," for continuous prevention between sootblower cycles. The combination outperforms either alone on most convective-pass duty.",[65,248,250],{"id":249},"related-terms","Related terms",[252,253,254,261,266,271,276,282],"ul",{},[255,256,257],"li",{},[94,258,260],{"href":259},"\u002Fglossary\u002Fsonic-sootblower","Sonic sootblower",[255,262,263],{},[94,264,265],{"href":96},"IK long retract sootblower",[255,267,268],{},[94,269,270],{"href":107},"IR rotary sootblower",[255,272,273],{},[94,274,275],{"href":126},"Retract sootblower",[255,277,278],{},[94,279,281],{"href":280},"\u002Fglossary\u002Fwater-cannon","Water cannon",[255,283,284],{},[94,285,159],{"href":158},{"title":287,"searchDepth":288,"depth":288,"links":289},"",2,[290,291,292,293],{"id":67,"depth":288,"text":68},{"id":141,"depth":288,"text":142},{"id":238,"depth":288,"text":239},{"id":249,"depth":288,"text":250},"alternative-cleaning","A steam sootblower projects high-pressure steam (typically 17–35 bar) through nozzles onto boiler tube banks to dislodge accumulated soot, ash and slag. Steam sootblowing is the dominant traditional boiler-cleaning technology, with major suppliers including Diamond Power (now part of ANDRITZ), Clyde Bergemann, Babcock & Wilcox and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.","md",{},true,"\u002Fglossary\u002Fsteam-sootblower",[301,302,303,304,305,306],"sonic-sootblower","ik-long-retract-sootblower","ir-rotary-sootblower","retract-sootblower","water-cannon","sonic-horn",{"title":308,"description":309},"Steam sootblower — the dominant traditional boiler-cleaning technology","A steam sootblower projects high-pressure steam jets onto boiler tube banks to dislodge soot and ash. Effective but causes documented tube erosion and consumes valuable boiler steam.",[311,314],{"title":312,"url":313},"Wikipedia — Soot blower","https:\u002F\u002Fen.wikipedia.org\u002Fwiki\u002FSoot_blower",{"title":315,"url":316},"Babcock & Wilcox — Sootblower and Boiler Cleaning Terminology","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.babcock.com\u002Fhome\u002Fabout\u002Fresources\u002Flearning-center\u002Fsootblower-and-boiler-cleaning-terminology-principles-and-applications","glossary\u002Fsteam-sootblower","XD3SJC43DwsBLNSvsJdGRtCtrjPlwojM--cj2MByKQo",[320,554,664,810,890,998],{"id":321,"title":260,"aliases":322,"body":326,"category":533,"description":534,"extension":296,"meta":535,"navigation":298,"path":259,"relatedTerms":536,"seo":541,"sources":544,"stem":552,"term":260,"__hash__":553},"glossary\u002Fglossary\u002Fsonic-sootblower.md",[323,324,325],"sonic soot blower","sonic sootblowers","acoustic sootblower",{"type":53,"value":327,"toc":527},[328,356,360,366,370,447,450,454,499,501],[56,329,58,330,333,334,337,338,342,343,342,347,342,351,355],{},[60,331,332],{},"sonic sootblower"," is a ",[94,335,336],{"href":158},"sonic horn"," applied specifically to boiler heat-transfer surfaces — ",[94,339,341],{"href":340},"\u002Fglossary\u002Feconomiser","economisers",", ",[94,344,346],{"href":345},"\u002Fglossary\u002Fsuperheater","superheaters",[94,348,350],{"href":349},"\u002Fglossary\u002Freheater","reheaters",[94,352,354],{"href":353},"\u002Fglossary\u002Fair-heater","air heaters"," and convective-pass tube banks. The term carries over the \"sootblower\" lineage from the steam and air lances that historically performed this duty, but the cleaning mechanism is fundamentally different: a sonic sootblower uses pulsed low-frequency sound rather than a steam jet.",[65,357,359],{"id":358},"why-the-boiler-industry-name-persists","Why the boiler-industry name persists",[56,361,362,363,365],{},"Operators and OEMs (Babcock & Wilcox, ANDRITZ, Valmet, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries) cataloguing boiler-cleaning hardware naturally classify any device that removes soot, ash and slag from convective surfaces as a \"sootblower\". When acoustic cleaners entered the boiler aftermarket in the 1980s, they were absorbed into that taxonomy as ",[60,364,324],{}," to make procurement, maintenance and BLRBAC documentation straightforward. The device itself is identical to a sonic horn used on any other application.",[65,367,369],{"id":368},"sonic-sootblower-vs-steam-sootblower","Sonic sootblower vs steam sootblower",[70,371,372,384],{},[73,373,374],{},[76,375,376,378,380],{},[79,377,151],{},[79,379,260],{},[79,381,382],{},[94,383,47],{"href":299},[86,385,386,396,407,416,425,436],{},[76,387,388,390,393],{},[91,389,166],{},[91,391,392],{},"Pulsed sound (60–400 Hz, 140–180 dB)",[91,394,395],{},"Saturated or superheated steam jet",[76,397,398,401,404],{},[91,399,400],{},"Energy source",[91,402,403],{},"Compressed air, 4–7 bar",[91,405,406],{},"Boiler steam, typically 17–35 bar",[76,408,409,411,413],{},[91,410,231],{},[91,412,183],{},[91,414,415],{},"Retractable lance + nozzle",[76,417,418,420,422],{},[91,419,177],{},[91,421,183],{},[91,423,424],{},"Documented at lance tip and opposite tube row",[76,426,427,430,433],{},[91,428,429],{},"Typical firing interval",[91,431,432],{},"Every 3–15 minutes",[91,434,435],{},"Every shift or longer",[76,437,438,441,444],{},[91,439,440],{},"Best suited to",[91,442,443],{},"Dry ash, dust, light-to-moderate fouling",[91,445,446],{},"Hard slag, baked-on deposits",[56,448,449],{},"The two technologies are increasingly specified together: sonic sootblowers handle the continuous, preventive duty across the convective pass, while a smaller fleet of steam retractables remains for furnace waterwalls and high-temperature finishing superheaters where slag bonds at temperatures sound alone cannot defeat.",[65,451,453],{"id":452},"applications","Applications",[252,455,456,468,479,486,492],{},[255,457,458,462,463,467],{},[94,459,461],{"href":460},"\u002Fglossary\u002Frecovery-boiler","Kraft recovery boilers"," (superheaters, ",[94,464,466],{"href":465},"\u002Fglossary\u002Fgenerating-bank","generating banks",", economisers)",[255,469,470,474,475,478],{},[94,471,473],{"href":472},"\u002Fglossary\u002Fpc-boiler","Coal-fired utility boilers"," (economiser, ",[94,476,477],{"href":353},"air preheater"," cold end)",[255,480,481,485],{},[94,482,484],{"href":483},"\u002Fglossary\u002Fwaste-to-energy","Biomass and waste-to-energy boilers"," (ash-rich, chloride-laden flue gas)",[255,487,488],{},[94,489,491],{"href":490},"\u002Fglossary\u002Fheat-recovery-steam-generator","HRSGs in combined-cycle plants",[255,493,494,498],{},[94,495,497],{"href":496},"\u002Fglossary\u002Fboiler","Industrial process boilers"," in refining, petrochemicals and chemicals",[65,500,250],{"id":249},[252,502,503,507,511,517,522],{},[255,504,505],{},[94,506,159],{"href":158},[255,508,509],{},[94,510,47],{"href":299},[255,512,513],{},[94,514,516],{"href":515},"\u002Fglossary\u002Facoustic-cleaner","Acoustic cleaner",[255,518,519],{},[94,520,521],{"href":340},"Economiser",[255,523,524],{},[94,525,526],{"href":345},"Superheater",{"title":287,"searchDepth":288,"depth":288,"links":528},[529,530,531,532],{"id":358,"depth":288,"text":359},{"id":368,"depth":288,"text":369},{"id":452,"depth":288,"text":453},{"id":249,"depth":288,"text":250},"core-technology","A sonic sootblower is a sonic horn applied specifically to boiler heat-transfer surfaces — economisers, superheaters, reheaters, air heaters and convective-pass tube banks. The term carries over the \"sootblower\" lineage from the steam and air lances that historically performed this duty, but the cleaning mechanism is fundamentally different: a sonic sootblower uses pulsed low-frequency sound rather than a steam jet.",{},[306,537,538,302,539,540],"acoustic-cleaner","steam-sootblower","economiser","superheater",{"title":542,"description":543},"Sonic sootblower — definition, how it differs from steam sootblowers","A sonic sootblower is a sonic horn used specifically on boiler heat-transfer surfaces. It uses low-frequency sound instead of high-pressure steam, eliminating tube erosion and steam consumption.",[545,548,551],{"title":546,"url":547},"Wikipedia — Sonic soot blowers","https:\u002F\u002Fen.wikipedia.org\u002Fwiki\u002FSonic_soot_blowers",{"title":549,"url":550},"Power Engineering — Tuning in to Acoustic Cleaning","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.power-eng.com\u002Fcoal\u002Ftuning-in-to-acoustic-cleaning\u002F",{"title":315,"url":316},"glossary\u002Fsonic-sootblower","P4GMPBzkg45PunQoZzULwSiL9umkIdcjjuo6yyJkX9c",{"id":555,"title":265,"aliases":556,"body":560,"category":294,"description":654,"extension":296,"meta":655,"navigation":298,"path":96,"relatedTerms":656,"seo":657,"sources":660,"stem":662,"term":265,"__hash__":663},"glossary\u002Fglossary\u002Fik-long-retract-sootblower.md",[557,558,559],"IK sootblower","long retract sootblower","IK lance",{"type":53,"value":561,"toc":649},[562,575,579,593,597,623,629,631],[56,563,564,565,567,568,570,571,574],{},"An ",[60,566,265],{}," advances a long horizontal steam lance into the boiler's convective-pass gas flow, rotates the lance through a full revolution while emitting steam jets through paired side nozzles, then retracts the lance back into a parked position outside the flue gas. The IK type is the workhorse of convective ",[94,569,540],{"href":345}," and ",[94,572,573],{"href":349},"reheater"," cleaning on industrial and utility boilers.",[65,576,578],{"id":577},"why-it-dominates-the-convective-pass","Why it dominates the convective pass",[252,580,581,584,587,590],{},[255,582,583],{},"Steam jets reach deep between tube banks",[255,585,586],{},"Lance rotation cleans 360° of surrounding tubes per insertion",[255,588,589],{},"Lance is fully withdrawn between operations, protecting it from continuous high-temperature exposure",[255,591,592],{},"Mature design with several decades of operating experience",[65,594,596],{"id":595},"trade-offs","Trade-offs",[252,598,599,605,611,617],{},[255,600,601,604],{},[60,602,603],{},"Tube erosion"," — documented at nozzle impingement points and on the directly-opposite tube row",[255,606,607,610],{},[60,608,609],{},"Steam consumption"," — typical IK consumes 5–15 tonnes of medium-pressure steam per cycle",[255,612,613,616],{},[60,614,615],{},"Mechanical complexity"," — drive motor, lance, packing, nozzles, all require maintenance",[255,618,619,622],{},[60,620,621],{},"Lance bowing"," — long lances sag and bow under thermal cycling",[56,624,625,628],{},[94,626,627],{"href":158},"Sonic horns"," complement IK sootblowers by providing continuous low-intensity cleaning between cycles, allowing the IK to fire less frequently and reducing its contribution to tube erosion.",[65,630,250],{"id":249},[252,632,633,637,641,645],{},[255,634,635],{},[94,636,47],{"href":299},[255,638,639],{},[94,640,270],{"href":107},[255,642,643],{},[94,644,275],{"href":126},[255,646,647],{},[94,648,526],{"href":345},{"title":287,"searchDepth":288,"depth":288,"links":650},[651,652,653],{"id":577,"depth":288,"text":578},{"id":595,"depth":288,"text":596},{"id":249,"depth":288,"text":250},"An IK long retract sootblower advances a long horizontal steam lance into the boiler's convective-pass gas flow, rotates the lance through a full revolution while emitting steam jets through paired side nozzles, then retracts the lance back into a parked position outside the flue gas. The IK type is the workhorse of convective superheater and reheater cleaning on industrial and utility boilers.",{},[538,303,304,540],{"title":658,"description":659},"IK long retract sootblower — the workhorse of convective-pass cleaning","An IK sootblower advances a long steam lance into the gas path, rotates through 360°, and retracts. The workhorse of convective superheater and reheater cleaning.",[661],{"title":315,"url":316},"glossary\u002Fik-long-retract-sootblower","UWMSBNBfp6ftsYiv_bE3SEQ56Nm0HV9Mcho_ohsWXeQ",{"id":665,"title":270,"aliases":666,"body":669,"category":294,"description":799,"extension":296,"meta":800,"navigation":298,"path":107,"relatedTerms":801,"seo":803,"sources":806,"stem":808,"term":270,"__hash__":809},"glossary\u002Fglossary\u002Fir-rotary-sootblower.md",[667,668],"IR sootblower","rotary sootblower",{"type":53,"value":670,"toc":794},[671,680,684,701,705,775,778,780],[56,672,564,673,675,676,679],{},[60,674,270],{}," is a short, fixed-position rotating steam lance with permanently-installed nozzles. Unlike the ",[94,677,678],{"href":96},"IK long-retract design",", the IR lance does not withdraw between operations — it rotates in place, projecting steam onto adjacent tube banks within its rotation radius.",[65,681,683],{"id":682},"typical-applications","Typical applications",[252,685,686,692,695],{},[255,687,688,691],{},[94,689,690],{"href":353},"Air heater"," cold-end cleaning",[255,693,694],{},"Deep convective superheater banks where insertion is impractical",[255,696,697,700],{},[94,698,699],{"href":460},"Recovery boilers"," — used alongside IK retract designs",[65,702,704],{"id":703},"trade-offs-vs-ik","Trade-offs vs IK",[70,706,707,721],{},[73,708,709],{},[76,710,711,713,716],{},[79,712,151],{},[79,714,715],{},"IR rotary",[79,717,718],{},[94,719,720],{"href":96},"IK long retract",[86,722,723,734,745,754,764],{},[76,724,725,728,731],{},[91,726,727],{},"Lance withdrawal",[91,729,730],{},"Continuous in flue gas",[91,732,733],{},"Withdrawn between cycles",[76,735,736,739,742],{},[91,737,738],{},"Reach",[91,740,741],{},"Short, fixed radius",[91,743,744],{},"Long, traverses across pass",[76,746,747,750,752],{},[91,748,749],{},"Continuous-exposure damage",[91,751,213],{},[91,753,216],{},[76,755,756,758,761],{},[91,757,615],{},[91,759,760],{},"Lower",[91,762,763],{},"Higher",[76,765,766,769,772],{},[91,767,768],{},"Coverage",[91,770,771],{},"Local",[91,773,774],{},"Cross-section of pass",[56,776,777],{},"IR lances suffer accelerated wear from continuous flue-gas exposure compared with IK retracts but are mechanically simpler and suit applications where the cleaning zone is fixed.",[65,779,250],{"id":249},[252,781,782,786,790],{},[255,783,784],{},[94,785,47],{"href":299},[255,787,788],{},[94,789,265],{"href":96},[255,791,792],{},[94,793,690],{"href":353},{"title":287,"searchDepth":288,"depth":288,"links":795},[796,797,798],{"id":682,"depth":288,"text":683},{"id":703,"depth":288,"text":704},{"id":249,"depth":288,"text":250},"An IR rotary sootblower is a short, fixed-position rotating steam lance with permanently-installed nozzles. Unlike the IK long-retract design, the IR lance does not withdraw between operations — it rotates in place, projecting steam onto adjacent tube banks within its rotation radius.",{},[538,302,802],"air-heater",{"title":804,"description":805},"IR rotary sootblower — short rotating lance for air heaters and convective banks","An IR sootblower is a short fixed rotating lance with permanently-positioned nozzles. Common on air heaters and deeper convective banks; smaller than IK long retracts.",[807],{"title":315,"url":316},"glossary\u002Fir-rotary-sootblower","IrstHhTcdAMm6Uwt6MUrNzBrscTKxXs-G8HXxpnEGgY",{"id":811,"title":275,"aliases":812,"body":815,"category":294,"description":880,"extension":296,"meta":881,"navigation":298,"path":126,"relatedTerms":882,"seo":883,"sources":886,"stem":888,"term":275,"__hash__":889},"glossary\u002Fglossary\u002Fretract-sootblower.md",[813,814],"retractable sootblower","retract blower",{"type":53,"value":816,"toc":876},[817,823,834,838,852,855,857],[56,818,58,819,822],{},[60,820,821],{},"retract sootblower"," withdraws its lance into a parked position outside the boiler flue gas between cleaning operations. The retracted position protects the lance from continuous high-temperature exposure, allowing the use of relatively economical materials for long-life lances even in service above 1,000 °C.",[56,824,825,826,828,829,833],{},"The two principal retract designs are the ",[94,827,720],{"href":96}," (used for cross-pass convective-bank cleaning) and short wall-blower retracts (used for ",[94,830,832],{"href":831},"\u002Fglossary\u002Fwaterwall","waterwall"," cleaning).",[65,835,837],{"id":836},"why-retract-over-fixed-designs","Why retract over fixed designs",[252,839,840,843,846,849],{},[255,841,842],{},"Lance does not see continuous flue-gas exposure",[255,844,845],{},"Lance materials can be less exotic (and cheaper)",[255,847,848],{},"Inspection and replacement of the lance is straightforward",[255,850,851],{},"Cleaning sequencing can be precisely controlled in time",[56,853,854],{},"The mechanical complexity (drive motor, packing, sealing, position sensing) is the trade-off — retract designs need more maintenance than fixed alternatives.",[65,856,250],{"id":249},[252,858,859,863,867,871],{},[255,860,861],{},[94,862,47],{"href":299},[255,864,865],{},[94,866,265],{"href":96},[255,868,869],{},[94,870,270],{"href":107},[255,872,873],{},[94,874,875],{"href":831},"Waterwall",{"title":287,"searchDepth":288,"depth":288,"links":877},[878,879],{"id":836,"depth":288,"text":837},{"id":249,"depth":288,"text":250},"A retract sootblower withdraws its lance into a parked position outside the boiler flue gas between cleaning operations. The retracted position protects the lance from continuous high-temperature exposure, allowing the use of relatively economical materials for long-life lances even in service above 1,000 °C.",{},[538,302,303,832],{"title":884,"description":885},"Retract sootblower — withdrawable steam lance for high-temperature service","A retract sootblower withdraws its lance into a parked position outside the flue gas between operations, protecting it from continuous high-temperature exposure.",[887],{"title":315,"url":316},"glossary\u002Fretract-sootblower","s6q5kIYRPVlMOv7nzwcFYnLTqunbYwILUkGHVik1TaY",{"id":891,"title":281,"aliases":892,"body":896,"category":294,"description":985,"extension":296,"meta":986,"navigation":298,"path":280,"relatedTerms":987,"seo":989,"sources":992,"stem":996,"term":281,"__hash__":997},"glossary\u002Fglossary\u002Fwater-cannon.md",[893,894,895],"smart water cannon","water gun","water lance (waterwall)",{"type":53,"value":897,"toc":980},[898,912,916,924,926,952,957,959],[56,899,58,900,903,904,906,907,911],{},[60,901,902],{},"water cannon"," projects a high-pressure water jet onto boiler ",[94,905,832],{"href":831}," tubes to crack slag deposits by thermal shock. The rapid temperature differential between the cool water and the hot slag fractures the bonded slag layer, allowing the next portion to fall away. Water cannons are the standard cleaning tool for furnace ",[94,908,910],{"href":909},"\u002Fglossary\u002Fslagging","slagging"," on coal-fired and biomass utility boilers.",[65,913,915],{"id":914},"aimed-shots-not-sweeps","Aimed shots, not sweeps",[56,917,918,919,923],{},"Modern ",[920,921,922],"em",{},"smart"," water cannons (notably Clyde Bergemann) are computer-controlled to aim specific shot patterns at known fouling zones. Operators see a heat-flux map from radiant-section thermocouples; the cannon fires shots calibrated to the slag thickness in each zone. Compared with manual aiming, this dramatically reduces water consumption and tube-fatigue risk.",[65,925,596],{"id":595},[252,927,928,934,940,946],{},[255,929,930,933],{},[60,931,932],{},"Tube fatigue"," — repeated thermal cycling can crack tubes at the impingement zone over years of service",[255,935,936,939],{},[60,937,938],{},"Water consumption"," — substantial volumes of demineralised water needed",[255,941,942,945],{},[60,943,944],{},"Slag knock-down hazard"," — large fallen slag pieces can damage waterwall lower zones",[255,947,948,951],{},[60,949,950],{},"Effective only on slag"," — does not address dry friable deposits on convective surfaces",[56,953,954,956],{},[94,955,627],{"href":158}," are not effective on furnace slag and water cannons are not effective on dry convective-pass deposits. The two technologies serve different zones of the boiler and do not directly compete.",[65,958,250],{"id":249},[252,960,961,967,971,976],{},[255,962,963],{},[94,964,966],{"href":965},"\u002Fglossary\u002Fwater-lance","Water lance",[255,968,969],{},[94,970,875],{"href":831},[255,972,973],{},[94,974,975],{"href":909},"Slagging",[255,977,978],{},[94,979,47],{"href":299},{"title":287,"searchDepth":288,"depth":288,"links":981},[982,983,984],{"id":914,"depth":288,"text":915},{"id":595,"depth":288,"text":596},{"id":249,"depth":288,"text":250},"A water cannon projects a high-pressure water jet onto boiler waterwall tubes to crack slag deposits by thermal shock. The rapid temperature differential between the cool water and the hot slag fractures the bonded slag layer, allowing the next portion to fall away. Water cannons are the standard cleaning tool for furnace slagging on coal-fired and biomass utility boilers.",{},[988,832,910,538],"water-lance",{"title":990,"description":991},"Water cannon — high-pressure water lance for boiler waterwall slag","A water cannon projects a high-pressure water jet onto boiler waterwalls to crack slag deposits by thermal shock. The standard cleaning tool for furnace slag, with care for tube fatigue.",[993],{"title":994,"url":995},"Clyde Industries — Water Cannon","https:\u002F\u002Fclyde-industries.com\u002Fproducts-and-solutions\u002Fwater-cannon","glossary\u002Fwater-cannon","B1ZdzNxHCFNLcoio5f730_KTMBbHrbp8pSD45i2XgiU",{"id":999,"title":159,"aliases":1000,"body":1003,"category":533,"description":1199,"extension":296,"meta":1200,"navigation":298,"path":158,"relatedTerms":1201,"seo":1206,"sources":1209,"stem":1215,"term":159,"__hash__":1216},"glossary\u002Fglossary\u002Fsonic-horn.md",[245,1001,1002],"sonic cleaning horn","industrial sonic horn",{"type":53,"value":1004,"toc":1192},[1005,1034,1038,1046,1050,1112,1116,1152,1156,1163,1165],[56,1006,58,1007,1009,1010,1013,1014,342,1018,342,1022,342,1026,570,1029,1033],{},[60,1008,336],{}," is a pneumatically-driven sound emitter that produces high-intensity, low-frequency sound waves — typically between 60 and 400 Hz at sound pressure levels of 140 to 180 dB — used to dislodge particulate fouling from inside industrial process equipment. Sonic horns are the most common form of ",[94,1011,1012],{"href":515},"acoustic cleaner"," and the default specification for cleaning ",[94,1015,1017],{"href":1016},"\u002Fglossary\u002Felectrostatic-precipitator","ESPs",[94,1019,1021],{"href":1020},"\u002Fglossary\u002Ffabric-filter","baghouses",[94,1023,1025],{"href":1024},"\u002Fglossary\u002Fselective-catalytic-reduction","SCR catalysts",[94,1027,1028],{"href":345},"boiler heat-transfer surfaces",[94,1030,1032],{"href":1031},"\u002Fglossary\u002Fhopper","hoppers and silos",".",[65,1035,1037],{"id":1036},"how-a-sonic-horn-works","How a sonic horn works",[56,1039,1040,1041,1045],{},"Compressed plant air admitted through a ",[94,1042,1044],{"href":1043},"\u002Fglossary\u002Fsolenoid-valve","solenoid valve"," drives a metal diaphragm — typically titanium or 316 stainless — into resonant oscillation at the horn's fundamental frequency. The oscillating pressure field is amplified by an exponential bell horn and projected into the vessel as a near-spherical sound wave. Particulate already deposited on internal surfaces receives an oscillating acceleration that overcomes adhesion; loosened material is then carried out with the gas flow before it can sinter, bridge or bond. Because the cleaning is acoustic and non-contact, the horn can fire while the plant is online without tube erosion, refractory damage or thermal shock.",[65,1047,1049],{"id":1048},"key-parameters","Key parameters",[70,1051,1052,1062],{},[73,1053,1054],{},[76,1055,1056,1059],{},[79,1057,1058],{},"Parameter",[79,1060,1061],{},"Typical range",[86,1063,1064,1072,1080,1088,1096,1104],{},[76,1065,1066,1069],{},[91,1067,1068],{},"Fundamental frequency",[91,1070,1071],{},"60–400 Hz",[76,1073,1074,1077],{},[91,1075,1076],{},"Sound pressure level",[91,1078,1079],{},"140–180 dB",[76,1081,1082,1085],{},[91,1083,1084],{},"Compressed-air consumption",[91,1086,1087],{},"8–14 Nm³\u002Fmin at 4–7 bar",[76,1089,1090,1093],{},[91,1091,1092],{},"Operating temperature (with appropriate materials)",[91,1094,1095],{},"−40 °C to +500 °C",[76,1097,1098,1101],{},[91,1099,1100],{},"Firing cycle",[91,1102,1103],{},"5–15 s burst, repeated every 3–15 minutes",[76,1105,1106,1109],{},[91,1107,1108],{},"Mass",[91,1110,1111],{},"15–60 kg depending on horn size",[65,1113,1115],{"id":1114},"frequency-selection","Frequency selection",[56,1117,1118,1119,342,1123,1126,1127,342,1131,1135,1136,342,1139,1143,1144,570,1148,1033],{},"Lower frequencies (60–125 Hz) project longer wavelengths and penetrate further into large open vessels — ",[94,1120,1122],{"href":1121},"\u002Fglossary\u002Fpreheater-cyclone","preheater cyclones",[94,1124,1125],{"href":460},"recovery-boiler superheaters",", large ",[94,1128,1130],{"href":1129},"\u002Fglossary\u002Fesp-field-bus-section","ESP fields",[94,1132,1134],{"href":1133},"\u002Fglossary\u002Fsilo","silos",". Higher frequencies (230–400 Hz) carry more energy per unit volume and suit finer dust loads in ",[94,1137,1138],{"href":1020},"fabric-filter compartments",[94,1140,1142],{"href":1141},"\u002Fglossary\u002Fhoneycomb-catalyst","catalyst layers"," and smaller hopper geometries. See ",[94,1145,1147],{"href":1146},"\u002Fglossary\u002Flow-frequency-acoustic-cleaner","low-frequency acoustic cleaner",[94,1149,1151],{"href":1150},"\u002Fglossary\u002Fhigh-frequency-acoustic-cleaner","high-frequency acoustic cleaner",[65,1153,1155],{"id":1154},"sonic-horn-vs-steam-sootblower","Sonic horn vs steam sootblower",[56,1157,1158,1159,1162],{},"Sonic horns are increasingly specified alongside or in place of ",[94,1160,1161],{"href":299},"steam sootblowers"," because they consume no boiler-grade steam, cause no tube erosion, require almost no moving parts and can fire every few minutes without operator intervention. They are less effective on hard, fused slag than retractable steam lances, so on furnace waterwalls and high-temperature superheaters they typically complement rather than replace mechanical cleaning.",[65,1164,250],{"id":249},[252,1166,1167,1171,1175,1181,1187],{},[255,1168,1169],{},[94,1170,516],{"href":515},[255,1172,1173],{},[94,1174,260],{"href":259},[255,1176,1177],{},[94,1178,1180],{"href":1179},"\u002Fglossary\u002Fbell-horn","Bell horn",[255,1182,1183],{},[94,1184,1186],{"href":1185},"\u002Fglossary\u002Fdiaphragm-horn","Diaphragm horn",[255,1188,1189],{},[94,1190,1191],{"href":1146},"Low-frequency acoustic cleaner",{"title":287,"searchDepth":288,"depth":288,"links":1193},[1194,1195,1196,1197,1198],{"id":1036,"depth":288,"text":1037},{"id":1048,"depth":288,"text":1049},{"id":1114,"depth":288,"text":1115},{"id":1154,"depth":288,"text":1155},{"id":249,"depth":288,"text":250},"A sonic horn is a pneumatically-driven sound emitter that produces high-intensity, low-frequency sound waves — typically between 60 and 400 Hz at sound pressure levels of 140 to 180 dB — used to dislodge particulate fouling from inside industrial process equipment. Sonic horns are the most common form of acoustic cleaner and the default specification for cleaning ESPs, baghouses, SCR catalysts, boiler heat-transfer surfaces and hoppers and silos.",{},[537,1202,301,1203,1204,1205],"acoustic-cleaning-system","bell-horn","diaphragm-horn","low-frequency-acoustic-cleaner",{"title":1207,"description":1208},"Sonic horn — definition, frequency, SPL and industrial applications","A sonic horn is a pneumatically-driven low-frequency sound emitter (typically 60–400 Hz at 140–180 dB SPL) used to dislodge particulate fouling from boilers, ESPs, baghouses and process vessels.",[1210,1213,1214],{"title":1211,"url":1212},"Power Engineering — Sonic Horns: A User's Introduction","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.power-eng.com\u002Fcoal\u002Fsonic-horns-a-userrsquos-introduction\u002F",{"title":549,"url":550},{"title":546,"url":547},"glossary\u002Fsonic-horn","YzrhN0kKzqSaQo0wfn0rueNZ-V43mcg5zahqeWi3lnU",1782613719176]