Having 'chalked up' 40 years' experience in dry material processing and storage with 15 years in the design and development of acoustic cleaning systems (sonic horns), it still concerns me how companies worldwide continue to employ outdated and ineffective de-slagging methods of trying to remove/prevent particulate build up from occurring in such key plant applications as Boilers (power generation, industrial and marine), ESPs, SCR's, Baghouse Filters etc.

This is especially relevant to the Power Generation and Marine industries where, in my opinion, expensive (to purchase, install, operate and maintain) steam soot blowers are employed (or in many cases now lie redundant). Not only do they fail to provide effective tube cleaning, they also can contribute to tube erosion and corrosion. I receive many e-mails seeking help in finding a better solution such as this cry for help:-

'We have found your company on the internet while we have been searching for alternatives to steam soot blowers for thermal power plants and we are interested to learn about sonic soot blowers. With steam soot blowers our main problem is water which occurs when we are using steam soot blowers. It reacts with our ash to become like a stone in our boiler area and super heater pipe surface. We wish to learn about you sonic soot blower cleaning technology for our power plant. We are kindly waiting for your help'

So together with both my technical team and two leading UK universities, I set about designing a COST EFFECTIVE, HIGH PERFORMANCE and 'GREEN' range of sonic soot blowers for multi horn installations associated with power generation, ESP and Baghouse applications. Whilst it might be simple enough to offer an economically priced range of acoustic cleaners, up to now it has not been achieved without relying on outdated designs, poorer materials of construction and limitations in both the range of models offered and in achieving a 24/365 outstanding performance.

We have succeeded! Our result the all new Quattro range of sonic soot blowers (aka sonic horns or acoustic cleaners). Fabricated from 316 grade stainless steel and fitted with a unique Quattro Wave Generator, they ensure maximum cleaning performance over a wide range of plant applications. Already our initial installations in power plants as far afield as the USA and South Korea have received very high praise - a good foundation on which to build.

So take a look through the key plant sectors which are highlighted in our Quattrosonics website and see how your plant particulate build up problems can be eliminated by installing our sonic soot blowers to:

• Provide 24/365 prevention of ash build up
• Provide 360° total tube cleaning
• Afford no risk of tube erosion or corrosion
• Afford no damage to integral structure of boiler or other plant structures
• Significantly reduce the risk of soot fires
• Prevent internal damage to ESPs caused by mechanical rapping
• Significantly increase filter bag life and eliminate hopper blockage
• Provide an all round more effective 'green' solution for the prevention of particulate build up within key plant areas

If you have a particulate build up or material flow problem please let us know about it and, using our years of experience in the design and development of acoustic cleaning systems, we will find the best 'sonic solution' for your particular application.

- Donald F Cameron – Managing Director