Fluidized Bed Patents (Class 165/104.16)
  • Publication number: 20100028224
    Abstract: A process of converting oxygenates to light olefins is disclosed including an oxygenate feedstream with contacting catalyst inside a reactor and converting the oxygenate feedstream to said light olefins. The catalyst becomes spent as deposits from the reaction clog up pores on the catalyst surface. A portion of the spent catalyst is regenerated in a regenerator and a portion is circulated back to contact more of the oxygenate feedstream. A catalyst cooler attached to the reactor can cool the spent catalyst circulated through the cooler before the spent catalyst contacts more of the oxygenate feedstream. In an embodiment, all of the spent catalyst that enters the catalyst cooler is withdrawn from the bottom of the catalyst cooler.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2009
    Publication date: February 4, 2010
    Applicant: UOP LLC
    Inventor: Lawrence W. Miller
  • Publication number: 20100000474
    Abstract: A method for reducing corrosion of a superheater of a steam boiler. The superheater includes a superheater piping. The superheating piping includes a steam pipe where the steam to be superheated is directed. The steam pipe is separated by a protective shell having a surface settling in the flue gas space has a temperature that rises above an upper critical temperature, above which temperature in the flue gas space the compounds from the fuel are substantially in a gaseous form. A superheater of a steam boiler and a circulating fluidized bed boiler.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2005
    Publication date: January 7, 2010
    Applicant: KVAERNER POWER OY
    Inventors: Pertti Petänen, Kari Mäkelä, Kari Kuukkanen, Ari Kokko
  • Patent number: 7569086
    Abstract: A fluid bed reactor is configured to process a reactive material to form one or more products. The reactor includes a reaction vessel defining a compartment configured to receive the reactive material. A first cluster of heating conduits at least partially occupies the compartment and extends over a first vertical extent within the compartment. A second cluster of heating conduits partially occupies the compartment and extends over a second vertical extent within the compartment. The first cluster of heating conduits is vertically below the second cluster of heating conduits and spaced apart therefrom by a first separation distance. Feedstock inlets are configured to introduce the reactive material into a region that is vertically between the first and second clusters of heating conduits. The heating conduits in the first cluster have a first thickness while the heating conduits in the second cluster have a second thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2009
    Assignee: ThermoChem Recovery International, Inc.
    Inventor: Ravi Chandran
  • Publication number: 20090151902
    Abstract: A moving bed heat exchanger (155) includes a vessel having an upper portion (200), a lower portion (210) with a floor (272) including a discharge opening therein, and an intermediate portion (205). The vessel directs a gravity flow of hot ash particles (140) received thereby from the upper portion (200) through the intermediate portion (205) to the floor (272) of the lower portion (210) of the vessel, where the hot ash particles (140) are collected. Tubes in the intermediate portion (205) of the vessel direct a flow of working fluid in a direction substantially orthogonal to the direction of the gravity flow of the hot ash particles (140) through the intermediate portion (205) of the vessel such that heat from the hot ash particles (140) is transferred to the working fluid thereby cooling the hot ash particles (140).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2007
    Publication date: June 18, 2009
    Inventors: Robert V. Jacobs, Glen D. Jukkola, George D. Mylchreest, Bard C. Teigen, Richard E. Waryasz, John E. Ferguson, Laurie Ferguson
  • Publication number: 20090101310
    Abstract: A bed of particulate material 6 is supported by an air distribution bottom 5. Under the distribution bottom 5 exist one or more compartments 7, which each being supplied with cooling air from a fan installation 8. The distribution bottom 5 is sectionalised in a number of smaller areas 9. Each smaller distribution area 9 is connected to the compartment 7 by ducts 10, 11 and 12. The one duct 10 does have a fixed orifice area. The ducts 11 and 12 do have floaters 13A/13B end stop 14A/14B and bottom support 15A/15B. It is hereby obtained that the total pressure loss across the air distribution bottom can be reduced, and so that the flow of the treatment air through the material bed is distributed in a desirable manner across the entire air distribution bottom regardless of the composition of the material bed and the distribution thereon, and optimal heat exchange efficiency is obtained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2006
    Publication date: April 23, 2009
    Applicant: FØNS TECHNOLOGY ApS
    Inventor: Mogens Juhl Fons
  • Patent number: 7520249
    Abstract: A circulating fluidized bed reactor is provided that includes a reaction chamber having a vertical partition wall forming two independent subchambers that include a combustion subchamber and a cooling subchamber. A combustion fluidizing gas is provided to the combustion subchamber to maintain a circulating fluidized bed therein. At least one centrifugal separator receives flue gas from the combustion subchamber and separates particles from the flue gas. At least one external bed receives the particles from the at least one centrifugal separator and provides the particles to the combustion subchamber. An external bed fluidizing gas is provided to the external bed to fluidize the particles therein. The cooling subchamber cools the external bed fluidizing gas received from the external bed. A heat exchanger cage receives the flue gas from the centrifugal separator and the external bed fluidizing gas from the cooling subchamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2009
    Assignee: ALSTOM Technology Ltd
    Inventors: Jean-Xavier Morin, Corinne Beal, Silvestre Suraniti, Emmanuel Flores, Daniel Baglione
  • Patent number: 7410356
    Abstract: A circulating fluidized bed boiler having improved reactant utilization. The circulating fluidized bed boiler includes a circulating fluidized bed having a dense bed portion; a lower furnace portion adjacent to the dense bed portion; and an upper furnace portion, wherein the dense bed portion of the circulating fluidized bed boiler is maintained below the stoichiometric ratio (fuel rich stage) and the lower furnace portion is maintained above the stoichiometric ratio (fuel lean stage), thereby reducing the formation of NOx.; a reactant to reduce the emission of at least one combustion product in the flue gas; and a plurality of secondary air injection ports downstream of the circulating fluidized bed for providing mixing of the reactant and the flue gas in the furnace above the dense bed, wherein the amount of reactant required for the reduction of the emission of the combustion product is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: Mobotec USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian S. Higgins, Jay S. Crilley
  • Patent number: 7240639
    Abstract: A fluidized bed reactor, comprising a furnace, a heat exchange chamber, a substantially vertical discharge channel connected to the lower part of the heat exchange chamber for removing particulate material from the heat exchange chamber to the furnace, and a substantially vertical auxiliary channel for transferring particulate material from the heat exchange chamber to the furnace and from the furnace to the heat exchange chamber, the lower part of said auxiliary channel being provided with nozzles for fluidizing gas and with a flow conduit for connecting said auxiliary channel to the furnace and a flow conduit in the upper part for connecting said auxiliary channel to said heat exchange chamber. The furnace, heat exchange chamber, discharge channel and auxiliary channel preferably form an integrated structure having the discharge channel and the auxiliary channel adjacently arranged between the furnace and the heat exchange chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2007
    Assignee: Foster Wheeler Energia Oy
    Inventors: Timo Hyppänen, Kari V. O. Kauppinen, Pekka Lehtonen, Harri Vilokki, Kimmo Väliaho
  • Patent number: 7194983
    Abstract: A circulating fluidized bed boiler including a furnace, a separator which is connected to the furnace to separate fluidized bed material from a flow leaving the furnace, as well as a return duct between the separator and the furnace to return the separated fluidized bed material into the furnace. The return duct includes a loop seal equipped with a heat exchanger and a supply of fluidizing medium and having an inlet and an outlet, which open into a chamber including the heat exchanger, i.e. a heat exchanger chamber, and are situated at different heights, the outlet being connected through a return conduit to the furnace. The flow cross-section area of the outlet is at an angle to the flow cross-section area of the inlet in such a way that the fluidized bed material is transferred in the heat exchanger chamber in lateral direction with respect to the inlet direction of its inlet flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2007
    Assignee: Kvaerner Power Oy
    Inventor: Ari Kokko
  • Patent number: 7108835
    Abstract: An arrangement of cooling tubes within a Fischer-Tropsch slurry reactor simplifies removal and reinstallation of cooling tubes for reactor maintenance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2006
    Assignee: Rentech, Inc.
    Inventors: William H. Hawthorne, Mark D. Ibsen, Peter S. Pedersen, Mark S. Bohn
  • Patent number: 7096931
    Abstract: Ribbed heat exchange tubes in which the aspect ratio of the ribs is less than 5, provide greater indirect heat exchange than conventional heat exchange tubes with or without fins, when used in a slurry comprising a liquid phase, in which is dispersed flowing gas bubbles or particulate solids and flowing gas bubbles. The ribs, and typically also the longitudinal axis of the heat exchange tubes, are aligned in a direction parallel to, or spirally along the gas bubble flow direction. This is useful to increase either (i) the productivity of a slurry Fischer-Tropsch hydrocarbon synthesis reactor without an increase in the temperature in the reactor or (ii) increasing the production of higher molecular weight hydrocarbons by reducing the reaction temperature at a given feed conversion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2006
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Min Chang, Richard Frank Bauman
  • Patent number: 6911185
    Abstract: A fluidized-bed reactor for the oxychlorination of ethylene, oxygen and HCL, comprises a heat exchanger, having tube packets in the fluidized-bed for releasing the heat evolved from exothermic reaction to a heat-transfer medium in the tube packets, in particular to water/steam. The tube packets come into contact with water via a ring pipe and the steam being removed via a ring pipe to provide an economical solution with which expensive drilled passages are avoided, the calculation for ring pipes is facilitated and a large number of wall passages is dispensed with. This is achieved by the ring pipe being mounted as a collector or chamber directly on the reactor wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2005
    Assignee: Krupp Unde GmbH
    Inventor: Harmut Schön
  • Patent number: 6782848
    Abstract: A method for adjusting a supply of gaseous medium to a fluidized bed boiler performing a combustion process and including a pipe grate comprising a plurality of pipes. An active area of the pipe grate is adjusted to form at least one inactive bed area that is out of use by shutting off the supply of gaseous medium to some of the pipes of the pipe grate utilizing pipe-specific control means included in at least some of the pipes of the pipe grate. Cooling medium is conducted through cooling channels located in the pipes in the at least one inactive bed area at least during the combustion process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2004
    Assignee: Kvaerner Power Oy
    Inventor: Jouni Kinni
  • Patent number: 6779492
    Abstract: The circulating fluidized bed reactor device comprising a reactor chamber delimited horizontally by walls, a centrifugal separator and a back pass for heat recovery The reactor device allows for the introduction of a fluidizing gas into the reactor chamber and for maintaining a fluidized bed of particles in said chambers. The gas to be dedusted is transferred from the reactor chamber into the separator, and the separated particles are discharged from the separator and the dedusted gas is transferred from the separator into the back pass. The reactor chamber and the separator both have a common wall with the back pass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2004
    Assignee: Alstom (Switzerland) Ltd.
    Inventors: Daniel Baglione, Jean-Claude Semedard, Pierre Gauville, Jean-Xavier Morin, Emmanuel Flores, Alain Quaranta, Christian Bonnand
  • Publication number: 20040069454
    Abstract: A composition and method for enhancing the thermal conductivity in heat transfer systems. The composition comprises a powder having average particle sizes in the nanometer to micron size range, a coating for imparting corrosion resistance and/or acting as a dispersant, and a heat transfer medium. The heat transfer medium is selected from the group of interpolymers, polymers, gaseous and liquid fluids, and phase change materials. Suitable powders include metals and metal oxides, alloys or blends thereof, and carbon derivatives. The surface of the powder is modified by surface complexes or physical adsorption with a coating compound. The coated powder, when mixed with a heat transfer medium, forms a colloidal dispersion which exhibits enhanced heat transfer capacity and thermal conductivity, stable chemical composition, faster heat transfer rates, and dispersion maintenance which are beneficial to most heat transfer systems.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2001
    Publication date: April 15, 2004
    Inventors: Patrick V. Bonsignore, Michael H. Gurin
  • Patent number: 6698501
    Abstract: Heat exchangers utilizing flat surfaced passages to contact, contain and utilize fluidized small solid particles is provided. Top and bottom woven wire mesh or perforated sheet corrugated with rounded or flat-sided ridges are attached to respective top and bottom sides of said passage to increase its surface and to prevent said small solid particles from exiting said heat exchanger. A variety of shapes of the small solid particles are provided to further enhance the heat transfer rate. More energy efficient systems of all kinds will result from the use of these smaller heat exchangers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2004
    Inventor: William H. Fleischman
  • Patent number: 6681722
    Abstract: A collection element arrangement is provided having sleeve attachments near their lowermost ends which simulate a continuous sloping surface, or floor. The sleeve attachments upper surfaces forming the floor permit collected solids to flow down the sloping surface back into the furnace or reactor chamber. Stainless steel can be used for the collection elements and sleeve attachments since the floating floor accommodates differential thermal expansion between CFB components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2004
    Assignee: The Babcock & Wilcox Company
    Inventors: Mikhail Maryamchik, Michael J. Szmania, David J. Walker, Donald L. Wietzke
  • Patent number: 6637503
    Abstract: A lower heat exchanger for preheating powdered raw materials has a system of cyclones. The exchanger is divided into a high temperature part and a low temperature part, mutually interconnected with an interconnecting tube of hot gas. Lowest member of low temperature part is a counter current shaft exchanger having an input under the level of hot gas output from the highest cyclone of high temperature part. Heated-up powdered raw material is transported from the low temperature part into the high temperature part by a transport tube, to which the hot gas stream is led. To this stream, powdered raw material from the output of counter current shaft exchanger is led. To the output tube arranged between the input chamber of a rotary kiln and the first cyclone of high temperature part, the inputs for fuel, combustion gas, hot gasses, and/or precalcined raw material are ended.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2003
    Inventors: Jaroslav Pospí{haeck over (s)}il, Josef {haeck over (Z)}ajdlík, Zden{haeck over (e)} k Michálek, Petr Krej{haeck over (c)}í, Alois Pumprla
  • Patent number: 6631698
    Abstract: A circulating fluidized bed reactor includes a furnace, defined by a substantially vertical and planar first wall, and a particle separator having a return duct adjacent to the first wall. In the lower part of the return duct is arranged a gas seal adjacent to a planar tube wall, which wall is the planar wall or a wall defining a space in gas flow connection with the furnace. The width of the horizontal cross section of the lower part of the return duct, measured in the direction of the first wall, is larger than its depth, measured perpendicular to the width. The gas seal includes a seal structure that includes water tubes bent from the tube wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2003
    Assignee: Foster Wheeler Energia Oy
    Inventors: Timo Hyppänen, Kari Kauppinen
  • Patent number: 6619383
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2003
    Inventor: Arthur M. Squires
  • Publication number: 20030170582
    Abstract: In a method in connection with a pipe grate (2) for a fluidized bed boiler, air or a corresponding gaseous medium is supplied to the fluidized bed boiler through several pipes (8). The active area of the grate, in which the supply of air or the like to the pipe grate takes place, is adjusted with pipe-specific control means (10) which are included in at least some of the pipes of the pipe grate (2).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2003
    Publication date: September 11, 2003
    Inventor: Jouni Kinni
  • Patent number: 6612250
    Abstract: Method of controlling the temperatures of an exothermic process carried out in a suspension of solids in a reactor system formed by a wind box (2), a vertical riser (5), which is essentially not cooled, a particle separator (6), at least one set of recycling channels (9), which are not cooled, and at least one cooled set of recycling channels (12). According to the invention, the flow of solids travelling through the recycling channel (9), which is no cooled, as adjusted based on the temperature difference (T2−T1) between the upper and lower parts of a riser (5), which is not cooled, and the flow of solids travelling through the heat exchanger (12) is adjusted based on the temperature (T1) of the lower part or the temperature (T2) of the upper part of the riser tube. The control of the riser temperature is thus exclusively based on the regenerative heat transfer of the solids returned from the heat exchangers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2003
    Assignee: Einco Oy
    Inventors: Seppo Kalervo Ruottu, Lauri Tapio Ruottu
  • Patent number: 6609482
    Abstract: In a soda recovery boiler, flue gases are led through a so-called economizer (3) to recover heat from flue gases. The flue gases are cooled in the last stage (3b) of the economizer (3) with a circulation water cooler (4) for flue gases, separate from the supply water system of the boiler. The circulation water cooler (4) for flue gases is used for preheating combustion air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2003
    Assignee: Kvaerner Power Oy
    Inventors: Tuomo Ruohola, Antti Raukola, Aki Hakulinen
  • Publication number: 20030089318
    Abstract: A circulating fluidized bed boiler has reduced corrosion in the exchanging tube in an external heat exchanger. The circulating fluidized bed boiler has a furnace which combusts a fuel which is fluidized together with a bed material, a cyclone dust collector into which an flue gas which is generated by the combustion in the furnace is introduced and which catches particles in the flue gas, a separation loop, in a seal box, which separates corrosive components from the particles so as not to introduce the corrosive components to the external heat exchanger which is arranged downstream of the seal box.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2002
    Publication date: May 15, 2003
    Applicant: Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shuzo Watanabe
  • Patent number: 6554061
    Abstract: A recuperative and conductive heat transfer system (10, 10′) that is operative to effect therewith the heating within the second portion (20, 20′) of the heat transfer system (10, 10′) of a “working fluid” flowing through the heat s transfer surfaces (32, 32′) as a consequence of the transfer thereto by conduction of heat from a multiplicity of regenerative solids (24, 24′). The multiplicity of regenerative solids (24, 24′) derive their heat from a recuperation thereby within the first portion (12, 12′) of the heat transfer system (10, 10′) from either an internally generated or an externally generated source of heat (22, 22′).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2003
    Assignee: Alstom (Switzerland) Ltd
    Inventors: Glen D. Jukkola, Paul R. Thibeault, Michael S. McCartney
  • Patent number: 6532905
    Abstract: A circulating fluidized bed (CFB) boiler has one or more bubbling fluidized bed enclosures containing heating surfaces and located within a lower portion of the CFB boiler to provide a compact, efficient design with a reduced footprint area. The heating surfaces are provided within the bubbling fluidized bed located above a CFB grid and/or in a moving packed bed below the CFB grid inside the lower portion of the CFB boiler. Solids in the bubbling fluidized bed are maintained in a slow bubbling fluidized bed state by separately controlled fluidization gas supplies. Separately controlled fluidization gas is used to control bed level in the bubbling fluidized beds or to control the throughput of solids through the bubbling fluidized beds. Solids ejected from the bubbling fluidized beds can be returned directly into the surrounding CFB environment of the CFB boiler, or purged from the system for disposal or recycle back into the CFB.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2003
    Assignee: The Babcock & Wilcox Company
    Inventors: Felix Belin, Mikhail Maryamchik, Sundara M. Kavidass, David J. Walker, Donald L. Wietzke
  • Publication number: 20030019613
    Abstract: Heat exchangers utilizing flat surfaced passages to contact, contain and utilize fluidized small solid particles is provided. Top and bottom woven wire mesh or perforated sheet corrugated with rounded or flat-sided ridges are attached to respective top and bottom sides of said passage to increase its surface and to prevent said small solid particles from exiting said heat exchanger. A variety of shapes of the small solid particles are provided to further enhance the heat transfer rate. More energy efficient systems of all kinds will result from the use of these smaller heat exchangers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2001
    Publication date: January 30, 2003
    Inventor: William H. Fleischman
  • Publication number: 20030015150
    Abstract: A circulating fluidized bed (CFB) boiler has one or more bubbling fluidized bed enclosures containing heating surfaces and located within a lower portion of the CFB boiler to provide a compact, efficient design with a reduced footprint area. The heating surfaces are provided within the bubbling fluidized bed located above a CFB grid and/or in a moving packed bed below the CFB grid inside the lower portion of the CFB boiler. Solids in the bubbling fluidized bed are maintained in a slow bubbling fluidized bed state by separately controlled fluidization gas supplies. Separately controlled fluidization gas is used to control bed level in the bubbling fluidized beds or to control the throughput of solids through the bubbling fluidized beds. Solids ejected from the bubbling fluidized beds can be returned directly into the surrounding CFB environment of the CFB boiler, or purged from the system for disposal or recycle back into the CFB.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2001
    Publication date: January 23, 2003
    Inventors: Felix Belin, Mikhail Maryamchik, Sundara M. Kavidass, David J. Walker, Donald L. Wietzke
  • Publication number: 20020195066
    Abstract: A boiler incidental facility includes at least one jet nozzle, equipped in an air supply duct or an air exhaust duct connected with a furnace. During operation, steam is heated and supplied to the jet nozzle and spurted in a direction in alignment with an air flow in an air supply duct or in an air exhaust duct. Reactive and meditative chemicals may be injected into the air flow either through the net nozzles or adjacent to the net nozzles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2002
    Publication date: December 26, 2002
    Inventor: Seiji Inoue
  • Patent number: 6470833
    Abstract: A fluidized bed reactor includes a furnace defined by side walls, a roof, and a continuous bottom, and has a solid particle bed in the furnace. Vaporizing surfaces form at least two principally vertical chambers. The chambers have a round or polygonal cross section, and extend from the bottom upwards to at least 80% of the height of the furnace. Also, the chambers are spaced away from the side walls of the furnace and are arranged separately within the furnace, for the furnace volume to be free so that the particles move even in the proximity of the chambers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2002
    Assignee: Foster Wheeler Energia Oy
    Inventor: Timo Hyppänen
  • Publication number: 20020148597
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for obtaining combustion gases of high calorific value, wherein carbonaceous materials are allothermically gasified in a fluidized layer containing solid particles, using a gaseous gasifying agent and by supply of heat, and the gases thus produced are separated from the solid particles and withdrawn. Said method is characterized in that the solid particles are indirectly heated in a first descending bed and supplied to a second ascending fluidized bed in which the fluidized layer is formed and gasification takes place for the greatest part. The method further relates to an apparatus for performing said method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2002
    Publication date: October 17, 2002
    Inventor: Thomas Steer
  • Publication number: 20020124996
    Abstract: A recuperative and conductive heat transfer system (10, 10′) that is operative to effect therewith the heating within the second portion (20, 20′) of the heat transfer system (10, 10′) of a “working fluid” flowing through the heat transfer surfaces (32, 32′) as a consequence of the transfer thereto by conduction of heat from a multiplicity of regenerative solids (24, 24′). The multiplicity of regenerative solids (24, 24′) derive their heat from a recuperation thereby within the first portion (12, 12′) of the heat transfer system (10, 10′) from either an internally generated or an externally generated source of heat (22, 22′).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2000
    Publication date: September 12, 2002
    Applicant: ALSTOM Power N.V.
    Inventors: Glen D. Jukkola, Paul R. Thibeault, Michael S. McCartney
  • Publication number: 20020092643
    Abstract: A recuperative heat exchanger is provided for the efficient transfer of heat between two fluids of differing initial temperatures. In a preferred embodiment, a cross-flow heat exchanger includes an array of parallel tubes that are further disposed within one or more beds of confined metal particulates confined by screens and through which a relatively cold fluid flows. A second relatively hot fluid is directed through the particulate beds in a direction perpendicular to the tube array. Because of the high thermal conductivity of the particulates, heat is conducted across the beds to walls of the tubes which comprise the walls of the confined beds in a direction substantially transversely to the fluid flow. In an alternative embodiment, a counter-flow heat exchanger preferably includes a number of adjacent beds of conductive particulates confined at their top and bottom by screens and on their sides by parallel solid plates. Adjacent plate beds are connected with plenums at opposite ends.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2001
    Publication date: July 18, 2002
    Inventors: Sherwood Luther Fawcett, James Nelson Anno, Angela Anno
  • Patent number: 6415528
    Abstract: A drying device for drying bulk material has one or more storage containers for the bulk material and a heating device for heating the drying air for drying the bulk material. A drying air conduit is connected to the heating device and the storage containers and guides the drying air to the storage containers. One or more first mixing valves are arranged in the drying air conduit upstream of the storage containers, wherein the first mixing valves are used to adjust the temperature of the drying air before the drying air enters the storage containers. The heating device has also the function of regenerating the drying units provided for removing the moisture from the drying air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2002
    Assignee: Motan Holding GmbH
    Inventors: Klaus Höller, Holger Kühnau, Frank Fischer, Carl Litherland
  • Patent number: 6415743
    Abstract: In a combustion installation for burning a fuel, which installation includes a hearth operating as a circulating fluidized bed, and in which installation at least a fraction of the flow of solid particles resulting from the combustion of the fuel in the hearth is returned to the hearth via a heat exchanger operating as a fluidized bed, the method of decreasing nitrogen oxide emissions consisting in the heat exchanger being fed with a fluidization gas which is considerably poorer in oxygen than air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2002
    Assignee: ABB Alstom Power Combustion
    Inventors: François Malaubier, Eugène Guilleux
  • Publication number: 20020074107
    Abstract: Apparatus and process for heat exchange with fluid beds comprises heat-exchange tubes located longitudinally with respect to the axis of a fluidization zone with a rectangular pitch, one side of which having a length at least one and a half times the length of the other side and/or with a triangular pitch, having two sides each at least one and a half times the length of the shortest side reduces the impact of the heat-exchange tubes on the fluidization characteristics of the fluid bed. The invention is particularly suitable for oxidation reactions using molecular oxygen-containing gas in the presence of a fluid bed of fluidizable catalyst, such as (a) the acetoxylation of olefins, (b) the oxidation of ethylene to acetic acid and/or the oxidation of ethane to ethylene and/or acetic acid, (c) the ammoxidation of propylene and/or propane to acrylonitrile and (d) the oxidation of C4's to maleic anhydride.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2001
    Publication date: June 20, 2002
    Inventors: Stanley John Becker, Timothy Crispin Bristow, Michele Fiorentino, David Newton, Bruce Leo Williams
  • Patent number: 6305330
    Abstract: A top-supported circulating fluidized bed boiler system includes a furnace, having sidewalls of a tube wall construction, for combusting fuel and producing combustion products, a particle separator, connected to the furnace, for separating particles from the combustion products from the furnace, an external, preferably non-cooled, heat exchange chamber connected to the particle separator for removing heat from the combustion products, a return duct, connected to the heat exchange chamber, for returning particles separated by the separator to the furnace, a rigid support construction for supporting elements of the system, and a suspension arrangement for suspending the heat exchange chamber from the rigid support construction. The suspension arrangement includes, for preferably 60% or more of its length, at least one of steam tubes and water tubes at a temperature of about 300 to about 550° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2001
    Assignee: Foster Wheeler Corporation
    Inventor: Scott Darling
  • Patent number: 6279513
    Abstract: A fluid bed chamber assembly that is affixed to or incorporated onto the bottom portion of a combustion chamber of a package boiler assembly to increase combustion efficiency of the boiler. The fluid bed chamber assembly comprises a lower region and an upper region. The lower region having a plurality of inlet means for admitting fluidizing gas to the lower region for fluidizing a bed of particles contained therein, heat exchange tubes disposed about the side walls of the lower region, and first and second in-bed heat exchange tubes which are disposed substantially horizontal within the lower region. The upper region comprises at least one secondary air inlet means, at least one tertiary air inlet means, at least one fuel feed inlet means, and at least one recycle inlet means, all of which are disposed within the side wall of the conversion fluid bed chamber assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2001
    Inventor: Michael J. Virr
  • Patent number: 6276441
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a heat transferring device for transferring heat energy from a first gaseous flow into a second gaseous flow. The heat transferring device includes first and second circulating fluidized bed reactors. A first gaseous flow enters the first bed and carries heat transferring particles into a first cyclone. A second gaseous flow enters the second bed and carries heat transferring particles into a second cyclone. The particles accumulated at the bottom of the first cyclone, are presented with a recirculation channel to the first bed and a cross-over channel to the second bed. Likewise, the particles accumulated at the bottom of the second cyclone, are presented with a recirculation channel to the second bed and a cross-over channel to the first bed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2001
    Assignee: Neste OY
    Inventor: Seppo Ruottu
  • Patent number: 6263958
    Abstract: Heat exchangers that utilize flat surfaced passages to contact, contain and utilize fluidized small solid particles. A variety of flat surfaced small solid particles with high heat transfer surfaces are provided to further enhance the heat transfer rate. Astonishingly high heat transfer coefficients have been reported for surfaces immersed in fluidized beds. More energy efficient systems of all kinds will result from the use of these smaller heat exchangers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2001
    Inventor: William H. Fleishman
  • Patent number: 6237541
    Abstract: A process chamber is placed in connection with a circulating fluidized bed reactor for utilizing internal or external circulation of solid material or both in heat transfer purposes. Said process chamber is located inside the furnace of the circulating fluidized bed reactor adjacent to at least one of the furnace walls. The interior of said process chamber is provided with heat exchanger means for heat transfer from the solid material to heat transfer medium inside the heat exchanger means. The process chamber comprises a top closed barrier wall forming the roof of the process chamber, wherein the inlet of the solid material into the process chamber is arranged to the lower part of the wall of the process chamber and the outlet of the solid material out of the process chamber is arranged to the upper part of the wall of the process chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2001
    Assignee: Kvaerner Pulping Oy
    Inventors: Michael G. Alliston, Ari Kokko, Tero Luomaharju, Timo Mero
  • Patent number: 6230633
    Abstract: A conveyor/cooler of hot loose materials produced by fluid bed boilers and various industrial processes includes one or more feeding channels, which are substantially vertical or at any inclination. Because of gravity, the material leaves the combustion chamber of the boiler. A metallic container is connected to the downstream end of the discharging channels. A metallic conveyor belt driven by a motor is placed within the container, and the material from the downstream end of the channels is laid on the conveyor belt, thus forming a travelling continuous bed. The belt therefore constitutes a regenerative heat exchanger which absorbs heat from the material during the forward run and gives it back to the air during the backward run.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2001
    Inventors: Mario Magaldi, Alberto Carrea
  • Patent number: 6206088
    Abstract: A heat exchanger system includes a first heat exchanger followed by a second heat exchanger disposed in a dense fluidized bed, the second heat exchanger being made up of a plurality of nests of tubes disposed along the path of the particles in suspension in the dense fluidized bed. The second heat exchanger is provided with at least two feeds situated on either side of its center, each of the feeds receives a distinct mixture of the input fluid and of the output fluid of the first heat exchanger, so that the temperature of the fluid fed into each of the nests is an increasing function of the distance between it and the inlet via which the particles are fed into the dense fluidized bed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2001
    Assignee: GEC Alsthom Stein Industrie
    Inventors: Jean-Claude Semedard, Pierre Gauville, Christian Enault