Abstract: An integrated gasification combined cycle power generation system in which a carbonaceous material, such as coal, is gasified combusted in a gasifier to provide synthesis gas which mixes with ash produced as a result of the gasification. The mixture is cooled below the softening temperature of the ash before the gas is separated from the ash and is used to drive a gas turbine. Heat from the combustion process is removed from the gas and the ash and is used to produce steam.

Abstract: A fluidized bed system in which a plate is disposed in an enclosure and is adapted to support particulate material. A nozzle is supported by the plate for receiving air and water and directing the air and water and into the particulate material to fluidize and cool same.

Abstract: An expansion seal assembly for sealingly connecting first and second conduits which experience relative thermal expansion and contraction due to the flow of hot material through the conduits. The conduits each comprise a plurality of hollow tubes integral therewith, a portion of the second conduit telescopically overlapping a portion of the first conduit in a spaced relationship to permit the relative axial and lateral movements of the conduits. A fluid circulatory system is provided for passing a heat transfer fluid through the tubes to remove heat from the material passing within the conduits. First and second corrugated plates extend outwardly from the first and second conduits, respectively and are sealed with a composite fabric belt dimensioned to permit the relative movements. Alternatively, a first plate extends outwardly from the second conduit and the second plate is rigidly secured to and extends between the first conduit and the first plate having corrugations to permit the relative movements.

Abstract: A fluidized bed reactor and system and method utilizing same for the combustion of waste fuels in which the reactor vessel is divided into three vessels. Waste fuel is introduced into the fluidized bed within one vessel where it is mixed with bed make-up material that is controlled to provide an ideal environment for the generation of pyrolytic gases. The fluidized bed material is pneumatically and gravitationally conveyed downwardly, and injected into a fluidized bed within the second vessel where the involatile organic material undergoes combustion in an oxidizing atmosphere. The bed material in the second vessel is pneumatically conveyed upwardly and divided into two portions, one of which is recycled back to the first vessel. The other portion of the bed material in the second vessel is circulated to a fluidized bed within the third vessel where heat is recovered.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method for determining the mass flow rate of solids in a cyclone separator having an inlet for receiving a mixture of solids and gases and an outlet for discharging the separated gases. The method includes measuring the gas pressures at the inlet, in the separator, and at the outlet, and utilizing these pressure values to establish a ratio of the pressure drop across the outlet to the pressure drop across the separator. This ratio is then used to determine the mass flow rate of the solids into the cyclone.

Abstract: A system and method for resisting thermoacoustic oscillations in systems comprised of hot and cold components is disclosed. More particularly, a combined cycle power generation system 32 having a gas turbine 40, a gas turbine discharge duct 34, and a gas turbine recuperator 36 and 38 is disclosed. The system 32 is designed to resist severe thermoacoustic oscillations over its entire load range by providing for an asymmetrical arrangement of the hot section L-l, including the gas discharge duct 34 and the plenum 36 of the recuperator, and the cold section l, including the heat exchange tubes 38 of the recuperator. Also disclosed is a steam generation system 42 having a plenum 46, a burner 48, and a furnace 44. The steam generation system 42 is also designed to resist severe thermoacoustic oscillations by providing for an appropriate burner length L and by providing for an asymmetrical arrangement of a hot burner section L-l and a cold burner section l within the burner 48.

Abstract: A fluidized bed combustion method utilizing fine and coarse sorbent feed to control the temperature of a cooling fluid such as water or steam circulating through a fluid flow circuit of a fluidized bed combustor. Fuel particles, such as coal, along with relatively fine and relatively coarse sorbent material, such as limestone, are fed into the furnace section of a fluidized bed reactor. The fuel is combusted, and a fluidizing gas such as air is introduced into the furnace section. Flue gases and entrained material pass from the furnace section, and the entrained material is separated from the flue gases. The separated entrained material passes to a recycle heat exchange section and is cooled before being passed to the furnace section. The recycle heat exchange section is provided with heat exchange surfaces which form part of a fluid flow circuit to transfer heat from the separated entrained material to a cooling fluid such as water or steam which is circulating through the circuit.

Abstract: A burner assembly in which an annular passage is provided for transporting an fuel/air mixture to a furnace inlet. A conical divider member is disposed within the annular passage for dividing the stream of fuel/air passing through the passage into two radially-spaced coaxial, passagaes. A plurality of angularly-spaced walls are disposed within one of said passages for dividing the latter passage into a plurality of segments for splitting up fuel/air stream so that, upon ignition of said fuel, a plurality of flame patterns are formed. Ribs are provided on one of the surfaces defining the other passage to concentrate the fuel portion of the mixture flowing through said latter passage to form an additional flame pattern which is surrounded by the above-mentioned plurality of flame patterns.

Abstract: A fluidized bed combustion system in which a separator receives a mixture of flue gases and entrained particulate material from a fluidized bed in a furnace. A pressure seal valve, in the form of two ducts, connects an outlet of the separator to the furnace for recycling the separated particulate material back to the furnace. A pressure head builds up in one of the ducts and air is introduced to the other duct to dampen pressure fluctuations in the furnace and promote the flow of the particulate material back to the furnace.

Abstract: A method for reducing sulfur oxides emissions in a combustion process in which flue gases containing entrained fuel and sorbent particles are humidified so that the sulfur oxides are absorbed on the sorbent particles to reduce the discharge of the sulfur oxides into the environment.

Abstract: A reactor for reducing sulfur oxides emissions in a combustion process in which flue gases containing entrained fuel and sorbent particles are humidified so that the sulfur oxides are absorbed on the sorbent particles to reduce the discharge of the sulfur oxides into the environment.

Abstract: A rotary cutoff device for reducing noise generated by the impeller blading of rotating centrifugal fans. The rotary device includes a casing partially enclosing a rotor mounted near the centrifugal fan discharge opening. The rotor containing a plurality of resonator cavities consisting either of quarter wave length resonators or of Helmholtz type resonators, each cavity being oriented preferably transverse to the rotor axis and having a length/diameter ratio in the range of 8/1-16/1. The rotor can be rotatably adjustable relative to the fan impeller, or it can be driven by a motor at a surface speed 30-100% that of the fan impeller surface speed, so that the rotor resonator cavities act as either quarter wave length or Helmholtz resonators to absorb effectively the acoustic pulsations generated by the centrifugal fan blade pass frequency of the fan and its harmonics, and reduce substantially the noise generated by centrifugal fans.

Abstract: A fluidized bed steam generation system and method in which recycled flue gases are used to assist in passing solid particulate material from the separator, through the loopseal, and back into the furnace. The solid particulate material separated in the cyclone separator and passed back to the furnace is assisted by recycled flue gases which have passed through the heat recovery section, an air heater, and a baghouse. The use of the recycled flue gases decreases the oxygen content which can cause oxidizing or burning of the solid particulate material which results in overheating or agglomeration of the loopseal.

Abstract: A blade damper for use in fluid flow control devices having damper blades mounted on an axle and having extension ears mounted at opposite ends of the damper blades. The extension ears are mounted in a 90 degree relationship to the damper blades and are semi-circular at their boundary to allow for rotation with the damper blades. The extension ears prevent fluid leakage through boundary planes perpendicular to the axle when the damper is open thereby providing near linear side blade opening versus fluid flow characteristics.

Abstract: A pyrolyzer unit and two-staged furnaces are provided in a compact furnace assembly for combusting coal to generate power. Coal is reacted in the pyrolyzer to produce a clean hot fuel gas and char. The hot fuel gas is combusted in the first-stage furnace, which contains a high-temperature heat exchanger utilized to heat a pressurized air stream for expansion in a gas turbine and a heat exchanger for superheating steam for expansion in a steam turbine to produce power. Char is combusted in the second-stage furnace and the resulting combustion products are mixed with primary combustion gas from the first-stage furnace to product a secondary combustion gas and preheat the pressurized air stream, and also to superheat steam. The heated air stream is expanded in a gas turbine to produce shaft power to drive an air compressor and an electric power generator.

Abstract: Emissions of nitrous oxide (N.sub.2 O) are lowered in a fluidized bed reactor utilizing two-staged combustion. A lower region of the furnace section is operated under substoichiometric conditions so that combustion in the lower region is incomplete, thereby inhibiting formation of N.sub.2 O and nitrogen oxides (NO.sub.x). An upper region of the furnace section is operated under oxidizing conditions to promote further combustion. An amount of particulate material is present in the upper region, and this amount of particulate material in the upper region is controlled to maintain a temperature in the upper region for destroying N.sub.2 O formed during combustion. The amount of particulate material present in the upper region may in turn be controlled by controlling the particulate material entrained from the lower region to the upper region. The temperature is also preferably controlled within a range to permit sulfur capture by sorbent particles so that emissions of N.sub.2 O, NO.sub.

Abstract: A fluidized bed reactor in which partitions disposed within a vessel form first and second furnace sections, first and second troughs and a heat exchange section such that the first trough is disposed between the first furnace section and the heat recovery section and the second trough is disposed between the second furnace section and the heat recovery section. A fluidized bed is formed in each of the furnace sections for the combustion of fuel to generate heat and to generate a mixture of combustion gases and entrained particulate solids. The mixtures from the furnace sections are received in first and second horizontal cyclone separators, both formed within the vessel for separating the entrained particulate solids from the combustion gases. Outlets extend from the horizontal cyclones to discharge the separated solids to the first and second troughs, respectively.

Abstract: A fluid-cooled jacket formed by a plurality of panels surrounding and cooling the inlet portion of an air-swept distributor, a component of a fluidized bed reactor system. Each panel contains inlet and outlet tubes, inlet and outlet headers, and a heat exchange portion partitioned to direct the fluid flow through the heat exchange portion. The heat dissipated from the reactor is extracted to prevent the temperature of the entire distributor and the fuel from rising, which allows the use of fuels having a lower temperature softening point.

Abstract: A heat recovery steam generator (HRSG) which contains multiple superheater and reheater tube units, each unit including an upper and lower header connected pressure-tightly together by a plurality of vertically-oriented tubes provided in alternate parallel banks, with the tubes of adjacent units being provided in an internested arrangement. Each superheater and reheater unit contains primary straight tubes and secondary bent tubes which are offset from the primary straight tubes in a direction perpendicular to the upper and lower headers and parallel to the direction of hot gas flowing transversely past the internested tubes. The ratio of the number of superheater tubes to reheater tubes in each row of tubes is provided in proportion to the desired heat transfer from the hot combustion gas to the superheated or reheated steam passing through the tubes in the generator assembly.

Abstract: A fluidized bed combustion system and method in which a plurality of enclosures, each having a furnace section and integral recycle section are joined using common walls. Openings are provided in lower portions of the common walls for permitting the fluidized bed material to flow between adjacent or opposing furnace sections and between adjacent recycle sections. Openings are also provided in upper portions of the common walls for equalizing the gas pressure between the adjacent or opposing furnace sections.