Abstract: Granular matter placed in a vertical cylinder rotated back and forth between limiting angles creates a sidewards flying bed. A spoke is connected at one between a vertical drive shaft rotating the cylinder and a first hinge. A drive rod is connected between the first hinge and a second hinge on a rotating flywheel. Rotation of the flywheel causes the drive shaft to rotate through an angle varying back and forth between limiting angles. The cylinder's speed of rotation varies. During most of the time centrifugal forces greater than gravity act upon the granular material, causing the material to form a layer on the inner wall of the cylinder. In at least a portion of the recurring time intervals the acceleration and deceleration produce tangential forces greater than the centrifugal forces acting upon the layer, causing the granular material to fly sidewards in a direction tangential to the cylinder's circumference.

Abstract: The instant invention achieves uniformity of spills of granular material from fluid-entry faces of a panel bed by fixing the bed's position in space, and providing a constant push in a vertical direction on a deflector (preferably downward), the deflector moving in contact with the panel bed's fluid-exit wall when the bed is employed for filtration or countercurrent contacting. The constancy of the push causes the deflector's motion to occur at a constant combination of speed and displacement of the fluid-exit wall toward the fluid-entry faces of the panel bed, the combination causing a body movement of the granular material toward the fluid-entry faces, thereby causing spills of granular material to occur from the faces, renewing the faces. The constancy of the combination in the deflector's motion guarantees that the spills are uniform.

Abstract: There is provided method and apparatus for creating a longitudinally disposed, sharp pulse of liquid, useful for pulseback renewal of liquid-entry faces of a panel-bed liquid filter or a panel-bed liquid-powder contactor. Perforations are disposed along the wall of a tank in a path generally parallel to the tank's axis. Stoppers are provided for stoppering the perforations. With the perforations so stoppered, a liquid is introduced at high pressure into the tank. Thereafter, a quick unstoppering of the perforations releases the liquid from the tank in form of a longitudinally disposed, sharp pulse of liquid moving in a direction perpendicular to the tank's axis. If the tank is placed vertically alongside or within a space that in normal operation receives liquid from a panel bed, the sharp pulse can effectively pulseback the panel bed.

Abstract: There is provided method and apparatus for creating a longitudinally disposed, sharp puff of gas, useful for puffback renewal of gas-entry faces of a panel-bed gas filter or a panel-bed gas-powder contactor. Perforations are disposed along the wall of a tank in a path generally parallel to the tank's axis. Stoppers are provided for stoppering the perforations. With the perforations so stoppered, a gas is introduced at high pressure into the tank. Thereafter, quickly unstoppering the perforations releases the gas from the tank in form of a longitudinally disposed, sharp puff of gas moving in a direction perpendicular to the tank's axis. If the tank is placed vertically alongside or within a space receiving gas from a panel bed, the sharp puff can effectively puffback the panel bed.

Abstract: There is provided an improved method and apparatus for renewal of a plurality of faces across which gas enters a panel of a granular material. The panel is for contacting the gas and granular material with each other to effect physical or chemical treatment of at least one of them (for example, to filter dust from a gas or to remove a constituent from a gas by means of adsorption or absorption). In the panel, gas-entry faces are transversely disposed, upwardly spaced, and held in place by supporting members. These supporting members are subjected to a sharp motion in a direction toward the gas-entry faces, causing body movement of the granular material toward the faces, thereby causing moieties of granular material to fall away therefrom. Removal of these moieties and exposure of previously underlying granular material renew the faces. Flat-plate louvers are preferred supporting members.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for the horizontal conveying of a dry powder is provided, notably useful for conveying heat from a heat-producing operation to a heat-consuming operation. In this application, heat is conveyed by a hot powder flowing through a vertically vibrated duct, the intensity of the vibration being sufficient to place the powder in a liquid-like state. The flow of powder is accompanied by a fall in pressure, and there is included a step for raising the pressure of the powder.

Abstract: There is provided a granular-bed filter for cleaning a gas containing fine particulate matter (“dust”). A multiplicity of vertically disposed filter trays are assembled to form a “panel.” In each filter tray, an inclined porous plate supports a bed of granular material. Each bed presents an inclined gas-entry face that receives gas from a vertically-disposed dusty-gas-distribution compartment nearby the face's lower edge. A filter cake forms upon the gas-entry face. Preferably, the bed's depth is substantially the same at its upper and lower edges. Cleaned gas leaves a tray across the porous plate and flows into a vertically-disposed cleaned-gas-collection compartment. After an interval of filtration, gas-entry faces are renewed by producing en masse displacement of the material respecting the supporting plates, the displacement producing a spill of a surface layer from each gas-entry face. The displacement is preferably accomplished by causing the support plates to move sharply upward (e.g.

Abstract: There is provided an improved panel-bed method and apparatus for achieving an intimate contact of a gas and a loose granular solid material (e.g., for filtering dust from the gas). A bed of the material is housed in a tall, narrow panel, across which gas moves in a substantially horizontal direction. Gas-entry portions of the granular bed are supported by louvers that slope inwardly and upwardly from nearby their outer edges. The total area of the gas-entry faces presented by these gas-entry portions is greater than the projected vertical frontal area of the panel. After an interval of the contact, gas-entry faces of the granular material are renewed by causing en masse displacement of the material respecting the supporting louvers, the displacement producing a spill of a surface layer from each gas-entry face. This displacement is preferably accomplished by causing louvers to move sharply upward (e.g., as may be caused by an upward blow of a hammer).

Abstract: A vibrated bed of particles is created by vibrating a chamber. Particles are flowed to a ceiling of the chamber and cascade through a gas flowing though the chamber, exchanging heat with the gas. Particles spouted to the ceiling spread there and cascade. Larger particles, raised above the ceiling by a lateral vibrated elevator, cascade from channels beneath openings in the ceiling. A plenum and tubes release protective gas through the vibrated bed. Tubes embedded in the vibrated bed move fluid to exchange heat with the particles in the vibrated beds. Serialized chambers are reversed and particles flow from one chamber to another.

Abstract: A vibrated bed of particles is created by vibrating a chamber. Particles are flowed to a ceiling of the chamber and cascade through a gas flowing though the chamber, exchanging heat with the gas. Particles spouted to the ceiling spread there and cascade. Larger particles, raissed above the ceiling by a lateral vibrated elevator, cascade from channels beneath openings in the ceiling. A plenum and tubes release protective gas through the vibrated bed. Tubes embendded the vibrated bed move fluid to exchange heat with the particles in the vibrated beds. Serialized chambers are reversed and particles flow from one chamber to another.

Abstract: The relatively small degree of backmixing of gas in a well-arranged fast fluidized bed is exploited to introduce heat into a fluidized bed reaction system wherein a fluidized bed treatment zone receiving heat and for the purpose of conducting an endothermic treatment of matter can have a gas atmosphere, such as relatively pure steam, that is maintained independently of and without admixture by any gas or gases that are associated with a step for introducing the heat. The treatment advantageously constitutes a treatment of a carbonaceous matter, such as coal or petroleum or municipal solid waste, with hot steam for purpose of gasifying or carbonizing or cracking the matter. The arrangement is also useful for a broad range of endothermic chemical or physical treatment of matter at high temperature.

Abstract: There is provided a puffback technique for cleaning a panel bed contactor suitable for chemical or physical treatment of gas and granular material. Free surfaces for entry of gas are supported cooperatively by louvers. A puffback technique is provided for cleaning the gas entry surfaces to rid them of granular material "spent" by the treatment, including accumulated dust if the treatment includes filtration to remove dust from a gas. The puffback consists of a reverse transient flow across the panel bed of an intensity moderated so that the reverse pressure differential exceeds a first critical minimum for a time interval between about 5 and 150 milliseconds (preferably less than 50 milliseconds if the treatment includes filtration) and achieves a top value beyond a second critical minimum.

Abstract: There is provided an improved panel bed gas-solid contactor fitted for puffback cleaning and for use with a relatively fine granular material, such as smaller than about 20 mesh, at large gas face velocities (i.e., the horizontal velocity of gas across the panel bed), in which the fine material is prevented from blowing away from gas exit portions of the panel bed by mounting a column of closely spaced louvers next to these portions, providing a second column of substantially horizontal louvers spaced apart from the closely spaced louvers, and filling the space between the two louver columns with a coarser granular material, such as 10-14 mesh. The coarser material is also preferably denser. The contactor is well suited for use at elevated temperatures.

Abstract: There is provided an improved panel bed of granular material useful for filtering dust from a gas and especially suitable for construction in tall panels of high gas-treating capacity. Free surfaces for entry of gas are supported cooperatively by "chevron louvers" each having an upper and a lower surface, articulated at an edge joint within the panel bed. The upper surface has an outer edge that supports the outer edge of a given free surface, and the lower surface has an outer edge contiguous with the inner edge of the next subjacent free surface. Cleaning is by puffback to remove dust accumulated on the gas entry surfaces during filtration along with a portion of the granular material. A line drawn through the outer edge of the lower surface of a louver and the edge joint of the next subjacent louver forms an angle of less than about 60.degree. to the horizontal, preventing dust that has penetrated into the panel bed from being dragged downward within the bed during the puffback cleaning.

Abstract: There is provided a pulseback technique for cleaning and renewing a panel bed contactor suitable for chemical or physical treatment of liquid and granular material. Free surfaces for entry of liquid are supported cooperatively by louvers. A pulseback technique rids the liquid entry surfaces of granular material spent by the treatment, including accumulated fine dirt particles if the treatment includes filtration to remove the dirt. The pulseback consists of a reverse transient flow across the panel bed of a intensity moderated so that the reverse pressure differential exceeds a critical minimum difference for not more than about 2000 milliseconds and attains a top value within about 600 milliseconds after the pressure differential surpasses the critical minimum difference.

Abstract: A panel bed fitted for puffback cleaning is arranged so that gas entry faces of the granular material in the panel bed can be wetted by a liquid. Efficiency of treatment of a gas for removal of particulate matter by filtration is improved, especially for fine particulate matter at low loading in the gas, and advantageously with use of relatively coarse granular filtration medium. The liquid may be vaporized by the gas, leaving solid dissolved or suspended in the liquid to accrete upon the granular material of the bed. The panel bed is useful for removing sulfur dioxide from combustion products by absorption by a liquid absorbent, such as a suspension of slaked lime particles in water.

Abstract: There is provided an improved panel bed of granular material useful for chemically or physically treating a gas and a granular material in a countercurrent contact. The contacting equipment is unusually compact and affords an unusually low pressure drop in the gas. Free surfaces of the granular material for entry of gas are supported cooperatively by "louvers" each having a gently curved upper surface, the outer edge of which supports the outer edge of a given free surface. The gently curved upper surface of the louver inclines from its outer edge first downward and toward the granular material bed and then upward toward an inner edge relatively deep within the granular material bed. The inner edge of a supporting surface is either above the inner edge of the superjacent free surface of granular material or, if below, a line drawn through these edges is inclined at an angle of less than about 45.degree. to the horizontal.

Abstract: Methods are provided for countercurrent heat exchange between gas and a solid granular material arranged in an improved panel bed. The methods afford outstandingly low pressure drop in the gas, and especially short residence times of gas in the panel bed during its heating or cooling. The methods are useful at extreme temperatures, such as temperatures beyond 2000.degree.F. They are useful for heating air for process use against products of combustion of a fuel; for heating air for combustion of low-grade fuels and wastes of low heating value against their products of combustion; for heating a feed gas to a process against a gaseous or vapor effluent therefrom; and for removing particulate matter from the gas being heated or cooled, as, for instance, when the gas is an effluent from a fluidized bed of particulate solids.

Abstract: Granulated coals or cokes derived from coal, in sizes up to about 3/4 inch and containing ash matter with an initial deformation temperature above about 2,300.degree.F, are fed to a slow fluidized bed comprising relatively large particles of coke intermingled with roughly spherical ash agglomerates, maintained at about 2,050.degree.F to 2,650.degree.F, and supplied with a gasification medium, for example, steam mixed with oxygen or air. A fast fluidized bed of coke fines is superposed above the slow bed and is contiguous therewith. Gasification products are discharged together with relatively fine particles of coke, which are collected and returned to the fast bed. Ash agglomerates are withdrawn from the bottom of the slow bed via a standpipe leading to a mechanical grate. An oxidizing medium is introduced below the grate to consume coke particles that accompany the ash agglomerates entering the standpipe.

Abstract: A panel bed fitted for puffback cleaning is provided with an arrangement for supplying a precoat surface layer deposit of a fine catalytic particulate medium, significantly finer in size than the granular material charged to the panel bed, at each gas entry surface of the panel. The modified panel bed is advantageous for converting sulfur dioxide and oxygen present in combustion products of a fuel containing sulfur to sulfur trioxide, which may then advantageously be absorbed by limestone particles charged to the panel bed. Particles at least partially converted to calcium sulfate would be removed from the panel bed periodically by puffback for their disposal. Sulfur dioxide may also be converted to elemental sulfur by catalytic reactions and adsorbed on activated carbon in the panel bed.