IMPULSE® vs Soot Blowers

The Case for Retrofitting Modern Cleaning Technology

For decades, steam soot blowers have been the default installation for power plant boilers. Because they are integrated into the original plant design, many operators accept their high running costs and tube-wear risks as a “standard” operational burden.

However, as fuels change and efficiency targets tighten, traditional soot blowing is becoming a bottleneck. RJM’s IMPULSE® technology offers a high-performance retrofit solution that eliminates the mechanical and financial drawbacks of steam-based systems.

Explore the IMPULSE® Solution

Why Retrofit IMPULSE®?

While your plant may have been designed with soot blowers, retrofitting with IMPULSE® addresses three critical legacy issues:

The "Steam Tax" on Net Generation

Soot blowers consume high-value process steam that could otherwise be used to turn the turbine. By retrofitting with IMPULSE®, you eliminate this internal parasitic load, instantly increasing your saleable power output.

The Erosion Cycle

High-velocity steam and entrained ash cause tube thinning and pitting. IMPULSE® uses non-abrasive supersonic shockwaves that dislodge ash without making physical or thermal contact with the tube metal, extending the life of your pressure parts.

The "Shadowing" Problem

Soot blowers are limited to “line-of-sight” cleaning. They leave deposits in the “shadows” behind the tubes. IMPULSE® shockwaves wrap around the tubes, cleaning the entire 360° circumference and reaching deep into dense tube nests where soot blowers fail.

Head-to-Head: Traditional vs. Modern

Feature	Traditional Soot Blowers (OEM)	IMPULSE® Retrofit Solution
Operating Principle	High-pressure steam/air blast	Supersonic pulse detonation
Asset Impact	Risk of erosion and tube thinning	Zero erosion; non-abrasive
Cleaning Reach	Limited to line-of-sight	360° “Wraparound” cleaning
Utility Required	High-value process steam	Low-cost Ethylene & instrument air
Maintenance	High (moving parts, seals, motors)	Minimal (no moving parts)
Net Efficiency	Reduces saleable power	Maximises net generation

Seamless Integration

Transitioning from soot blowers to IMPULSE® is a straightforward capital upgrade designed to fit within existing plant footprints:

Negligible Recoil: IMPULSE® generates minimal recoil (~67.6 N), allowing it to be mounted on existing boiler casings without expensive structural reinforcement.
Flexible Layouts: We can utilise existing soot blower openings or create new strategic ports to target known fouling “dead zones.”
DCS Integration: The system is fully automated and integrates directly with your existing control room for online, demand-based cleaning.

Ready to upgrade your boiler cleaning?

Contact RJM International today for a technical assessment. Let our engineers show you how an IMPULSE® retrofit can optimise your plant’s availability and output.

Speak to a Retrofit Expert

Calculate Your Potential Savings

Switching from OEM soot blowers to an IMPULSE® retrofit isn’t just a technical upgrade, it’s a financial one.

Most plants see a full Return on Investment (ROI) in under 18 months, and often in less than 12 months if an unplanned outage is avoided.

Reclaim Your Saleable Power

Soot blowers are “steam scavengers.” Every kilogram of steam used for cleaning is a kilogram of steam that isn’t turning your turbine.

The IMPULSE® Advantage

Typical Steam Loss
A standard soot blower cycle can consume 1–3% of total plant steam.

The Result
On a 50MWe plant, that is up to 1.5MW of lost generation every time the system runs.

The Saving
By retrofitting to IMPULSE®, you return that steam to the cycle, instantly increasing your net revenue.

ROI Breakdown: A Typical Scenario

Based on a mid-sized Energy-from-Waste (EfW) or Biomass facility.

Financial Driver	Annual Estimated Saving
Increased Net Generation (Reclaimed Steam)	£150,000 – £350,000
Reduced Maintenance (No moving parts vs. motors/seals)	£40,000 – £80,000
Avoided Outages (Fewer tube leaks/pluggage events)	£500,000 – £1.2M+
Lower Auxiliary Power (Reduced ID Fan load)	£25,000 – £60,000
Total Annual Operational Gain	£715,000 – £1.69M+

Estimate Your Savings

If you are currently using traditional soot blowers, ask your operations team these three questions

How many forced outages per year are caused by tube erosion or “blind-spot” fouling?
What is the annual cost of maintaining soot blower motors, lances, and steam seals?
What would a 1% increase in net MW output be worth to your bottom line?

Unlike other detonation systems, IMPULSE® uses a low-CAPEX/low-OPEX model. Because there are no moving parts and the system uses standard industrial-grade ethylene and instrument air, the “cost per clean” is significantly lower than steam or compressed air systems.

Ready to run the numbers for your plant?

Our engineers can provide a bespoke Performance & ROI Audit. We will analyse your current steam consumption and fouling patterns to project exactly how much an IMPULSE® retrofit will save you.

Request a Bespoke ROI Analysis

Safety & Compliance: Engineered for the Modern Plant

When moving from steam-based cleaning to a detonation-based system like IMPULSE®, safety and reliability are paramount. Unlike “Bang & Clean” or traditional Shock Pulse Generators, the RJM IMPULSE® system is designed with multiple layers of protection to meet the strictest UK and European industrial standards.

Controlled Energy, Minimal Impact

Traditional explosive cleaning can be violent and unpredictable. IMPULSE® is fundamentally different

Low Recoil
The system produces a recoil of only ~67.6 N. This is significantly lower than competing systems, meaning it places virtually no mechanical stress on the boiler casing or supporting structures.

Acoustic Management
Because the detonation is contained and controlled within the combustion tube, the external noise profile is minimal, ensuring compliance with site noise regulations and protecting personnel.

Sophisticated Fuel Management (Ethylene Safety)

The system typically uses industrial-grade ethylene due to its high flame speed and cleaning efficiency. We manage this via a “Safety-First” architecture

Demand-Only Supply
Fuel and air are only mixed at the point of detonation. There is no large-scale storage of mixed gases.

Auto-Purge Cycles
The system automatically purges the combustion tubes with air before and after every pulse to ensure no residual fuel remains.

DCS Integration
The controller monitors all pressures and flow rates in real-time. If a deviation is detected, the system performs a fail-safe shutdown and alerts the control room via the plant’s Integrated Control System.

Reliability in All Climates

A common failure point for legacy detonation systems is “cold-start” reliability. IMPULSE® technology was developed to remain operational in extreme environments

No Moving Parts
By eliminating the lances, motors, and seals found in soot blowers, we remove the components most prone to mechanical failure.

Proven Performance
With over 260 installations worldwide, the system has a proven track record of reliable ignition and performance in everything from arctic conditions to high-heat biomass environments.

Regulatory & Environmental Compliance

By moving away from the aggressive mechanical force of steam, operators can align their cleaning regimes with stricter environmental regulations and internal asset-life extension targets.

Non-Destructive
Because the shockwaves are non-abrasive, IMPULSE® helps you comply with internal asset integrity audits by preventing the tube thinning associated with soot blowers.

Reduced Emissions
By keeping heat transfer surfaces cleaner for longer, the system reduces back-end temperatures and ID fan loads, contributing to a lower overall carbon footprint for the facility.

Speak with our Safety & Compliance Team

Real-World Case Studies

Unlike theoretical upgrades, the IMPULSE® system has been proven across hundreds of installations to extend campaign lengths and increase net generation.

Ince Bio Power, UK (Waste Wood Gasifier)

The Challenge

Severe slagging and fouling were limiting throughput and requiring frequent manual cleaning.

The Result

RJM installed 11 IMPULSE® units in 2024 (with 5 more in 2025). This delivered a 5% increase in availability, equivalent to 19 additional days of generation per year and a 1 MWe increase in net output by eliminating steam scavenging.

Evero Energy Works Hull, UK (MSW Gasifier)

The Challenge

Inconsistent fuel flow and excessive deposit build-up led to unreliable operation.

The Result

By retrofitting IMPULSE® alongside combustion optimisations, the plant achieved its longest continuous campaign of 111 days. Turnaround cleaning times were slashed from four days to just 12 hours.

Utility Coal Plant, USA (261MW Riley Power Unit)

The Challenge

High maintenance costs and limited cleaning reach of OEM soot blowers.

The Result

Two IMPULSE® systems were installed in the reheat section. The plant successfully decommissioned two steam soot blowers, and operational run times increased from 12 months to 18 months.

Advanced Solutions for Boiler Ash Fouling and Slagging

Address the root causes of slagging and fouling with RJM’s bespoke engineering. From combustion audits to IMPULSE® cleaning, we provide integrated solutions that extend generation campaigns, maximise MWe output, and reduce the need for manual cleaning interventions.

Boiler Ash Fouling and Slagging

IMPULSE Cleaning® System

The IMPULSE® Cleaning System is a development of the pulse detonation propulsion technology pioneered by GE and uses a supersonic shock wave, created by the detonation of a mixture of fuel and air, to dislodge material that has built up on surfaces within the boiler.

IMPULSE® Cleaning System

IMPULSE® vs Shock Pulse Cleaning

Evaluate the operational advantages of IMPULSE® over high-maintenance shock pulse systems. This comparison highlights how our pulse-combustion technology delivers more consistent cleaning performance with significantly lower operating costs and reduced mechanical wear on your plant.

IMPULSE® vs Shock Pulse Cleaning

Comparing IMPULSE® Cleaning with Traditional Soot Blowers

Discover why IMPULSE® technology offers a superior, non-erosive alternative to steam soot blowers. Learn how to eliminate tube erosion, reduce steam consumption, and improve cleaning coverage across all heat transfer surfaces for enhanced boiler reliability.

IMPULSE® vs Soot Blowers

Other Projects You May Like

Energy Works Hull

Full plant performance upgrade

Energy From Waste

View Project

Tradebe, Fawley

NOx abatement strategy

Energy From Waste

View Project

AGL Bayswater, New South Wales

Innovative NOx reduction solution

Coal

View Project

Kosovo B, Pristina

Major NOx and dust reduction project

Coal

View Project

ZETES 2 Unit 3 Power Station

New Coal Burner Upgrade Project

Coal

View Project

Miranda Sugar Processing Plant

Gas Burner Upgrade Project

Gas

View Project

Coventry & Solihull Waste Disposal Company

Reducing ammonia content from emissions

Energy From Waste

View Project

Confidential

Tuning programme to resolve poor combustion

Coal

View Project

Customer Reviews

I would like to thank RJM for its support in 2020 which helped us successfully pass the 95% installed capacity test. This enabled Energy Works Hull to qualify for the Contract for Difference subsidy scheme. I believe RJM was instrumental in the screw design, screw speed and fuel feed operation to help us achieve this. I also think the RJM approach of great ideas, designing, modelling and implementing has helped us with this success.

Mark Roberts Head of Engineering, Evero

A very professional service that exceeded expectations. They really enjoyed doing the engineering – you can tell that from the way they worked. I would highly recommend RJM International for any combustion engineering.

Bruse Toase Head of Engineering, Indivus Limited

The team at RJM brought great experience, data analytics and modeling to help us solve our challenging combustion issues at our 1200 MW station in Vietnam. It was a pleasure working with a team which was as determined and dedicated as we were to find the solutions.

Kevin Pierce Plant Manager, AES-VCM Mong Duong II, Vietnam

This plant is now operating better than ever before.

Ömer Buğer CEO, Eren Enerji

SG6 has been running all week at 12-13MW with no issues and I just wanted to say thanks so much for the work on this – it’s a phenomenal improvement.

John Lynch Energy and Oil Movements Processing Manager, Irving Oil, Whitegate Refinery

We operate an incinerator for hazardous industrial waste. Our fuel composition is poorly specified and varies hour by hour. Despite this, the team from RJM took great interest in our plant and produced a very helpful assessment of NOx emissions based upon an analysis of our operational data and a pragmatic review of the equipment involved.

Ian Richards Senior Process Engineer, Tradebe

RJM have made a valuable contribution in the development of the Uskmouth Conversion Project. I have been particularly impressed by RJM’s ability to simplify the technically-complex risks associated with the development of a new fuel and combustion system to critical commercial drivers for Board briefings. RJM have some great people who are without doubt world-leading in their sphere of expertise.

Ernie Rowe Head of Conversion, SIMEC Atlantis Energy

RJM have worked co-operatively with us in proceeding towards the goal of full conversion of Uskmouth Power Station; bringing a flexible approach to this first-of-a-kind project, including taking on works outside their normal realm to ensure the development progressed.

Sophie Murr Head of Project Controls, Uskmouth Power Station

This was a very critical project, being both technically challenging and operating to a tight schedule. The results have enabled the plant to generate reliably while meeting the latest emissions targets.

Peter Lithgow AES Country Manager, Bulgaria

RJM played a key role in the delivery of the Uskmouth Conversion FEED project. RJM’s technical capability in solid fuels, combustion and CFD modelling was essential to the successful outcome of the project and WSP is proud to have had RJM as part of the project team.

Mike Hewson Project Manager WSP (Uskmouth Conversion Project)

RJM International provided an excellent Biomass Conversion Project Scoping Study in 2015 that far exceeded our expectations. It included a number of innovative and cost-effective options for which we are currently seeking approval to proceed. And unlike those studies received previously from others, RJM’s very comprehensive study did not cost a fortune.

James Busche Chief Executive Officer, SIMEC Uskmouth Power

The performance is outstanding and following our comprehensive cost analysis per tonne of NOx reduction, the RJM solution is by far the lowest cost option we could have chosen to meet IED compliance. The lower our NOx, the greater number of hours we can generate, so we are thrilled with the performance of RJM’s Ultra-Low NOx burners. The project was completed on time and within budget.

Neil Cranswick Station Manager, Rugeley Power Station, UK

We will definitely consider to use RJM in future projects.

Olivier Marquette CEO, AES Bulgaria

The team praised the professional manner in which each obstacle was overcome by RJM and the planning and execution of all the activities during the installation and commissioning of the new RJM burner. Overall, we consider RJM’s activity to have been ‘excellent’ and I would like to thank all of you at RJM for your commitment to this project.

Peter Bell Whitegate Refinery, RWE Generation UK

This was a very challenging project technically and in terms of schedule but the results have exceeded expectations, with emissions well below the required limits. We will definitely use RJM in future projects.

Lyle Woodard Director of Construction Global Engineering and Construction Group, AES Corporation, USA

RJM is definitely a great company to work with. The work RJM did here was also very good value for money, so we are completely satisfied.

Jos Peeters Senior Asset Engineer, Essent Energie, the Netherlands

We are very satisfied with RJM and we would definitely recommend the company to other plants as experienced providers of low NOx expertise and an organisation that can solve any low NOx or combustion problem.

Peter Kiss Engineering Leader, AES Tisza, Hungary

The twenty week planned outage went very smoothly and the burner project was well organised with staged deliveries of burner components. All components were installed safely, efficiently and within budget, and thanks to the full CFD survey, commissioning and optimisation was completed in just four days, with the full burner retrofit firing at full load right from Day 1.

Guy Sharp Technical Support Engineer, SSE Ferrybridge, UK

Thanks to the ADA balancing programme carried out by RJM International, we have been able to improve our burner flame profiles and achieve a level of consistency which meet all our reliability, flexibility and emissions criteria, even at this new reduced load level of 135MWe, down from 155MWe.

Ing. Tonino Maglio Plant Manager, Edipower Brindisi, Italy

RJM accomplished an exhaustive assessment of our boiler firing system operations and its report gave Edipower a comprehensive overview of San Filippo’s boiler performance, clear indications on possible hardware upgrades that could be implemented to reduce emission levels and their individual expected contribution to the overall benefit together with a budgetary estimation of their relevant investment.

Alessandro Sacconi Mechanical Engineering Co-Ordinator, Edipower, San Filippo, Italy