Having Angled Floor Or Wall Patents (Class 34/583)
  • Patent number: 10760003
    Abstract: A process for treating waste comprising Mixed Plastic Waste is disclosed. The process comprises includes feeding the waste to a pyrolysis reactor, pyrolysing the waste in the pyrolysis reactor to produce a fuel and using the fuel to run a generator to produce electricity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: Recycling Technologies LTD
    Inventor: Adrian Edward Griffiths
  • Patent number: 10518238
    Abstract: The present invention relates to apparatuses for fluidized bed using multiple jets to introduce gas into a fluidized bed region and methods of fluidizing. The apparatus for introducing fluidizing medium to a fluidized bed reactor comprises a vessel defining a fluidized bed region and in which solid feed stock is fed, a gas distribution grid housed in the lower portion of the vessel through which a first fluidizing medium is introduced to fluidize the solid feed stock, a plurality of jets positioned through the gas distribution grid through which a second fluidizing medium is introduced into the fluidized bed region for fluidization of the solid feed stock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: SYNTHESIS ENERGY SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventor: John D. Winter
  • Patent number: 10502637
    Abstract: This disclosure is directed to simulated food particles. In one possible configuration and by non-limiting example, the disclosure includes a method for design and control of properties of simulated food particles for process monitoring and validation of aseptically processed multiphase foods and biomaterials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: HBC Holding Company, LLC
    Inventors: Josip Simunovic, Pablo Marcelo Coronel
  • Patent number: 10359319
    Abstract: This disclosure is directed to simulated food particles. In one possible configuration and by non-limiting example, the disclosure includes a method for design and control of properties of simulated food particles for process monitoring and validation of aseptically processed multiphase foods and biomaterials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: HBC Holding Company, LLC
    Inventors: Josip Simunovic, Pablo Marcelo Coronel
  • Patent number: 10246653
    Abstract: This powder transport device comprises: transport pipe (11) that can transport powder by way of gravity by having a prescribed angle of inclination; a porous plate (12) that is disposed along the transport pipe (11) so as to divide a line cross section into a top section and bottom section and form a powder line (11d) in the top section; an inert gas supply line for fluidization (13) that is provided under the porous plate (12) and supplies an assist gas (g) to the powder line (11d) through the porous plate (12); and a deposit status monitoring device (20) that constantly monitors the state of the powder deposited on the top face side of the porous plate (12) in the powder line (11d).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HITACHI POWER SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Yasuo Soda, Yoshinori Koyama, Yasunari Shibata, Haruto Shinoda
  • Patent number: 9964357
    Abstract: Drying and separation vibrating fluidized bed for processing wet coal by high-temperature hot air. Wet coal is fed into a vibrating separation chamber connected to a hot air supply duct. The wet coal is vibrated as it is dried and is layered as heat and mass transfer occur between the high-temperature air and the wet coal particles. Hot air enters the bottom of separation chamber through a distribution plate that includes asbestos fiber cloth sandwiched between clamping plates. The wet coal is fed through a feeding distribution device that separates the coal pieces as they enter the separation chamber. After the coal is dried and layered, the heavy and light material exits the separation chamber through two discharge impellers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: CHINA UNIVERSITY OF MINING AND TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Yuemin Zhao, Xuliang Yang, Pengfei Zhao, Zhenfu Luo, Zengqiang Chen, Chenlong Duan, Shulei Song
  • Patent number: 9834733
    Abstract: A char removal pipe including a removal pipe (22), a perforated plate (26) that partitions the interior of the removal pipe (22) into a powder channel (29) and a gas chamber (30), and an assist gas supplying device (28) that supplies an assist gas to the gas chamber (30). The perforated plate (26) is formed so that the pressure loss when the assist gas flows from the gas chamber (30) to the powder channel (29) through the perforated plate (26) is greater than the pressure loss when the assist gas flows through accumulated powder formed by the accumulation, on the perforated plate (26), of powder flowing in the powder channel (29).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Takashi Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 9597294
    Abstract: A continuous dosage form coating apparatus uses vibrational impulses to maintain a dosage forms in a fluid state to expose them to a coating material atomized by spraying.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: GlaxoSmithKline LLC
    Inventor: Frederick Henry Fiesser
  • Patent number: 9435019
    Abstract: A mask includes a plate-shaped body including openings, and a modified portion including at least one first curved portion protruding from the plate-shaped body in a first direction and longitudinally extending in a second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jeong-Won Han
  • Patent number: 9199806
    Abstract: A bin system and a char recovery unit are provided with: a bin for storing char; three char discharge lines placed at the predetermined slope angle for causing the char to fall with the force of gravity so as to discharge the char into the bin; four switching lines placed at the predetermined slope angle for causing the char to fall with the force of gravity so as to feed the char stored in the bin; and assist gas feed units as assist devices for assisting the flow of the char that falls with the force of gravity through the char discharge lines. This allows for equipment downsizing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HITACHI POWER SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshinori Koyama, Osamu Shinada, Yasunari Shibata, Hiromi Ishii, Takashi Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 8276504
    Abstract: A popcorn making machine includes a main unit comprising a fan pumping air into a chamber, enclosing a heater and a bowl. The bowl has sidewalls tapered downwardly with mini-nozzles attached thereto. Hot airflows are introduced from the chamber through the mini-nozzles into the bowl tangentially to its inner surface, forming a main hot airflow circulation. A central nozzle is mounted at the bowl's bottom, including slots, introducing additional airflows, tangential to the nozzle's surface, from the chamber into the bowl, forming an additional hot airflow circulation surrounding the nozzle, co-directed with the main circulation. The main unit comprises a receptacle collecting popcorn coming from the bowl. The claimed machine optionally includes a coater unit for coating popcorn with oil, salt, etc., and a compact cabinet enclosing the main and coater units. The above design provides for a fast and essentially even heating of corn kernels for efficient popping thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Pavel Polynovkin
    Inventor: Mikhail Korin
  • Patent number: 7465772
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for continuous polymerization of olefin(s), and a method for transferring a polymer powder from one reactor to another in the apparatus are disclosed. The apparatus includes a plurality of serially disposed gas-phase polymerization reactors including a combination of an upstream and downstream reactors and a gas exchange vessel disposed between both reactors. The gas exchange vessel is connected to the upstream and downstream reactors by a first and second transfer conduits, respectively. The gas exchange vessel has a gas distributor plate therein which partitions the gas exchange vessel into an upper section having a gas exchange chamber and a lower section. In the gas exchange chamber, the gas transferred from the upstream reactor together with a polymer powder is exchange at least partly with fresh gas introduced through the gas distributor plate via the lower section. The polymer powder is then transferred to the downstream reactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2008
    Assignee: Sumitomo Chemical Company, Limited
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Takemura, Yoichi Konno, Kazuki Wakamatsu
  • Patent number: 6993856
    Abstract: A jet spouted fluidized bed drier is described in which the bottom half of the drier chamber comprises a first lower conical part, and the top half of the drier chamber comprises a second upper conical part surrounding a conical grid located near to the top end of the second part. The drier chamber thus comprises two conical parts connected together at their wide ends. The result of this arrangement is that the collision zone becomes a toroid with an essentially triangular cross-sectional shape defined essentially by the conical internal surface of the top part and the conical outer surface of the conical grid. This revised structural arrangement has been found to be able to process materials which either cannot be processed, or cannot be processed efficiently, with known jet spouted fluidized bed driers. Additionally, this revised structural arrangement has been found to be able to process materials more efficiently, and to a lower desired final liquid content values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2006
    Assignee: Her Majesty the Queen in right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of Natural Resources
    Inventors: Marzouk Benali, Mouloud Amazouz
  • Patent number: 6813846
    Abstract: A photosensitive material is dried by radiating heat from a guide plate, having high emissivity, which is disposed along a conveying path and is heated by a ceramic heater. Further, the photosensitive material is dried by a warm air, which is heated by a heater, blown onto the photosensitive material from nozzles. In the drying, because the warm air is also heated by the heated guide plate, the warm air can be risen to a predetermined temperature efficiently. Accordingly, because transferring the radiating heat and the blowing the warm air are performed at a same position (a same member), the drying can be performed efficiently without enlarging the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2004
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Futoshi Yoshida
  • Patent number: 6723291
    Abstract: A novel flow deflector employed in a fluidized bed reactor for olefin polymerization is disclosed, which is installed on the entry conduit of the reactor, comprising an annular plate and a cone plate and providing at least three paths for the recycle stream to enter the mixing chamber, thereby permitting all the liquid and/or solid material to achieve a more complete and uniform mixing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignees: China Petrochemical Corporation, Tianjin United Chemical Corporation
    Inventor: Wenqing Wu
  • Patent number: 6711831
    Abstract: In a compact combined spray drying and after-treatment apparatus having internal gas filters and an internal fluidized bed in the drying chamber and a fluidized bed in the after-treatment zone, pipe means are used for conducting a stream of particle-loaded gas formed in the after-treatment zone to suitable locations in the drying chamber without disturbing the normal operation of the drying chamber and the fluidized bed therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2004
    Assignee: Niro A/S
    Inventors: Ove Emil Hansen, Jens Mourits Sørensen, Martin Andreas Grønlund Scholten, Eric Franzen
  • Patent number: 6631567
    Abstract: The invention concerns an apparatus for the removal of moisture from particulized, solid food products, comprising; a housing (9); a perforated plate (2), creating two chambers (3, 4) in the housing (1), gas-inlets (5, 6), present below the perforated plate (2); an outlet (8) in the perforated plate (2), provided with a removable plug (9); heating means (15, 18) for the gases. The invention further concerns a process for the removal of moisture from solid, small particles, by subjecting these particles, while in an annular, fluidized bed to a heat treatment for a specific time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2003
    Assignee: Unilever Patent Holdings BV
    Inventor: Sander ten Have
  • Publication number: 20030159311
    Abstract: A grain drier comprises two main bodies and a rocking device for actuating the main bodies to rock. The main bodies are mounted on a stand and are provided in the hollow interior with a plurality of bellows-like devices, with each having a hot air admitting port and a plurality of air holes for circulating the hot air stream so as to effect the process of drying the grain deposited on the outer side surface of the slantingly-arranged bellows-like device. The rocking device is fastened with the stand.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2002
    Publication date: August 28, 2003
    Inventor: Chun-Chien Yu
  • Publication number: 20030154624
    Abstract: A drying hopper for plastic resin pellets has an inverted frusto-conical lower section and a diffuser with an inverted frusto-conical lower section and an inverted upright frusto-conical upper section. A supply conduit is connected to the upper section and to a source of heated drying air. An inverted frusto-conical basket is disposed in the hopper in spaced relationship with the lower portion of the diffuser and also in spaced relationship with the lower portion of the hopper. The basket is perforated so that a through flow of heated drying air occurs across an annular frusto-conical passageway for drying of the pellets. The air flow outwardly through the lower end portion of the diffuser passes substantially continuously through the pellets and across the passageway for final highly efficient drying of the pellets and thence to a space outwardly of the basket and upwardly for initial drying of the pellets in the hopper thereabove.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2002
    Publication date: August 21, 2003
    Inventor: Charles F. Sears
  • Publication number: 20030121172
    Abstract: A process and apparatus for the purging of excess hydrocarbons or monomer from polymer materials using a settled bed non-fluidized conditioning vessel having an internal gas distribution system which insures uniform gas distribution within the vessel and solids bed and provides for mass flow of solids. The gas distributor consists of several pipes or distribution legs configured parallel to the converging hopper walls of the vessel, having gas injection ports along their axial length. The injection ports are located so that the gas is evenly distributed across the cross section of the vessel at the level of the port. The size of the ports may be varied along with the spacing between ports such that specified pressure drops occur across any cross section of the vessel. The invention may be applied externally to a vessel such that the gas distribution legs enter through the vessel walls, or inserted entirely within the vessel, or even attached to the internal walls.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2001
    Publication date: July 3, 2003
    Inventor: Thomas W. Kay
  • Patent number: 6497791
    Abstract: A pre-treatment device for wood chips for pulping comprises a tube through which the wood chips fall into a digester. Steam is injected into the tube through rings of nozzles, which are angled circumferentially to impart a rotary and turbulent motion to the falling chips. Some nozzles are angled downwardly to encourage the chips to flow freely through the tube, some are horizontal to encourage a longer dwell time near the nozzles. Digesting liquor is also sprayed onto the chips from spray nozzles after the first ring of steam nozzles. The heat and steam expel air and other non-condensable gases and volatiles from the chips, allowing them to absorb the liquor. At the bottom of the tube, the chips are propelled down and outwards by jets of higher-pressure steam, spreading and packing them into the digester.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2002
    Assignees: Jack T. Baker, Myles M. Miller
    Inventor: Jack T. Baker
  • Patent number: 6463675
    Abstract: In a spray drying process utilizing a spray dryer having internal gas filters and an internal fluidized bed and comprising an after-treatment of the product in a separate unit outside the spray drying chamber, which treatment produces a particle-loaded gas stream, said particle-loaded gas stream is conducted from the separate unit to the spray drying chamber. The stream passes, together with the spent drying gas in the drying chamber, the filters integrated in said chamber. Several plant modifications are suggested for performing the process which involves substantial savings by making external particle collectors superfluous.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2002
    Assignee: Niro A/S
    Inventors: Ove Emil Hansen, Jens Mourits Sørensen, Martin Andreas Grønlund Scholten
  • Patent number: 6269553
    Abstract: In the case of a drying apparatus for the drying of bulk material, more especially synthetic resin granules or powder, the volume flow rate setting means (11) comprises at least two flow through off/on means, which are arranged in at least two duct branches (22), connected in parallel, of the gas supply duct (10) and are able to be switched over by the switching and regulation means (2) between an opened and a closed position so that the drying gas volume flow introduced into the receiving space (3) is set by the number and/or selection of the opened flow off/on means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2001
    Inventor: Klaus Wilhelm
  • Patent number: 6253465
    Abstract: A multi-chamber fluidized bed classifying apparatus comprising; a main chamber having a fluidized bed arranged on wind boxes, through a perforated gas distributing plate is divided into a drying chamber and a classifying chamber by a partition plate, and a communication passage is defined under the plate. The wind boxes have respective lower ends connected to discharge devices respectively. The wind box is connected to a processing fluidization gas supply system for supplying the fluidization gas into the box, while the wind box is connected to a classifying fluidization gas supply system for supplying the fluidization gas into the box. The classifying fluidization gas supply system is provided with a flow control unit which adjusts the quantity of gas supplied into the classifying chamber to control the size of classified particles. The processing fluidization gas supply system is provided with a control unit, which adjusts the gas quantity and/or the temperature of gas supplied into the drying chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2001
    Assignee: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Noboru Ichitani, Isao Hayashi, Mikio Murao
  • Patent number: 6237247
    Abstract: A spray dryer apparatus and method suitable for the production of detergents, cleaners and components thereof wherein the inner wall of the drying chamber is provided with an air-permeable textile material lining at a distance from the inner wall, and at least one outlet for compressed gas is provided between the inner wall and the textile material lining whereby adherence of sticky deposits on the inner wall of the drying chamber is avoided or reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2001
    Assignee: Henkel Kommanditgesellschaft auf Aktien
    Inventor: Jan Van Den Meersche
  • Patent number: 6195913
    Abstract: A drying tunnel applicable to products of fruits and vegetables for drying, using ambient temperature dry air. The tunnel has an outer casing fitted with two independent stories which has openings at the ends of the upper floor, which crossed inside in an upward direction by a conveyor belt which is in turn crossed in a counterflow direction by a particular flow of drying air at ambient temperature. Humidity of the products is absorbed by traveling along the conveyor belt which passes through the upper flow. The upper floor is blown by fans treated by air passing through a refrigeration evaporator, condenser, and compressor located on the upper floor. Air curtains are at the tunnel openings to minimize escaping air. Air filters are included to eliminate suspended particles from the product surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2001
    Assignee: CMC Maquinaria Hortofruiticola
    Inventors: Jaime-Andras Catala Canet, Jose Catala Canet, Pedro Moreno Barber
  • Patent number: 6185843
    Abstract: A pneumatic conveyance tobacco dryer which includes a conveyance duct having a first portion, a second, upwardly extending portion and a third, curved portion intercommunicating the first and second portions. A tobacco feed chute extends downwardly and opens into the second portion of the duct. The geometry of the dryer at and in the region of the feed chute is such as to effect the object of reducing the contact of tobacco particles with the inner surfaces of the conveyance duct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2001
    Assignee: British American Tobacco (Investments) Limited
    Inventors: William John Stone, Ian Ernest Tatham, Werner Hirsch, Arno Eugen Weiss
  • Patent number: 6148541
    Abstract: A fluid-bed drying unit, particularly but not exclusively used in the field of tobacco drying comprising a drying chamber having a loading inlet and an outlet for discharging the product and provided with openings for the passage of a drying medium. The drying chamber has a substantially tubular shape extending along a longitudinal axis and a substantially triangular vertical cross-sectional shape; the longitudinal axis is substantially inclined with respect to a horizontal axis and means are provided to inject a drying fluid substantially at right angles to the longitudinal axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2000
    Assignee: Garbuio S.p.A.
    Inventor: Mansueto Favaro
  • Patent number: 5983597
    Abstract: A method and device for feeding sheet material, whereby the sheet material is fed in a given traveling direction along one face of a plate by a fluid bed movable along the face in the traveling direction; the fluid bed being formed by at least one jet of fluid, which is directed in a direction substantially tangent to the face and concordant with the traveling direction, and is fed inside a window formed through the plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 16, 1999
    Assignee: G.D. Societa' Per Azioni
    Inventors: Giuseppe Venturi, Fiorenzo Draghetti, Fulvio Boldrini, Marco Ghini
  • Patent number: 5974692
    Abstract: An apparatus for air-treatment of products comprises an endless conveyor belt following through part of its length a helical path forming a stack of tiers. Side plates at one longitudinal edge of the conveyor belt form an outer cylinder wall delimiting the stack radially outwards. An inner cylinder wall delimits the stack radially inwards. Thereby, a central space is defined by the inner cylinder wall and an annular space is defined between the outer cylinder wall and the inner cylinder wall. An end closure substantially adjoins the outer cylinder wall at one end of the stack. Means are provided for blowing air through the central space towards the end closure and back through the annular space between the outer and inner cylinder walls for air-treatment of products carried by the conveyor belt in the helical path. The air is conditioned and blown through the annular space between the outer and inner cylinder walls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 2, 1999
    Assignee: Frigoscandia Equipment AB
    Inventor: Sten P.ang.hlsson
  • Patent number: 5839207
    Abstract: A bed plate for a fluid bed apparatus comprises a great plurality of bulges or dents each having at least one through-going gas flow opening defined therein. Conventional bed plates having openings of the gill type inevitably comprises small cracks or notches formed in the edge portion defining each of the gas flow openings. According to the invention the gas flow openings are formed in the bulges or dents in a manner so as to exclude the formation of such notches in the edge portion. This may, for example, be done by forming such openings with crack free edges prior to or after the formation of the bulges or dents. Thus, the openings may be formed by punching, drilling, laser cutting or the like. Each of the gas flow openings is directed in relation to the plane of the bed plate so as to cause a flow of gas, which is passed through the opening, to contact an adjacent part of the bed plate, which interconnects the bulges or dents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 24, 1998
    Assignee: Niro A/S
    Inventors: Mogens A Christensen, Benny H. Madsen
  • Patent number: 5700687
    Abstract: A compost curing and odor control system in which biofilters are disposed in overlying relation to the compost curing area the floors of both the biofilters and curing area consist of a series of elongated planks of generally trapezoidal cross sectional configuration placed in abutting relation with the longer parallel sides of the trapezoid lying in the plane of the floor and forming between them a narrow slit through which air is passed by means of an underlying air plenum in pneumatic communication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 23, 1997
    Assignee: Bedminster Bioconversion Corporation
    Inventor: Larry J. Finn
  • Patent number: 5615493
    Abstract: In a spray drying device with a drying chamber and at the bottom thereof a fluidized bed, which is maintained on a perforated plated, the fluidized layer is divided by means of separation means into two zones, of which only one is supplied with particles from the spray drying chamber, whereas the second zone is substantially supplied with particles only from the first zone and is designed for treatment of the particles while they pass through the zone in a flow without substantial back mixing. The device makes it possible to manufacture a product which without after-treatment, is substantially dustless and has the desired particle size distribution, degree of dampness and surface treatment. Furthermore, an improved exploitation of energy is achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 1, 1997
    Assignee: Niro Holding A/S/
    Inventor: Christian R. Funder
  • Patent number: 5596817
    Abstract: In a drying or cooling chamber (1) having a mainly cylindrical upper section (2) joining an underlying mainly conical or frusto-conical lower section (3), an inlet (6) for processing gas is provided at the upper end of the cylindrical section (2) and an outlet (7) for the processing gas at the lower or upper end of the chamber. Deposition of products on the inner surfaces of the chamber is minimized by injection by nozzle means (8) of at least one jet of pressurized gas at a high flow velocity but a low flow rate compared to the flow velocity and the flow rate of the processing gas at a level of the cylindrical section (2) remote from the processing gas outlet (7) and at a point close to a circumferential wall (9) of the cylindrical section (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 28, 1997
    Assignee: Niro Holding A/S
    Inventor: Ove E. Hansen
  • Patent number: 5533276
    Abstract: A column of fast moving air with entrained seed cotton is jetted upward from a nozzle in the bottom of a fountain dryer. The column will remain intact until it hits the top of the fountain dryer. At the top, the column will disburse and the mixture of air with entrained cotton will return to the bottom of the dryer in an annulus between the column and the wall of the dryer. There will be an interface of the upward column with the downward annulus. The opposing flows will be roiled and cause turbulence at the interface between the upward column and the downward annulus. The rolling and turbulence will be increased along the walls of the vessel by structure which will reverse the direction of the downward flow of the cotton. The downward flow of the cotton is collected in an annular plenum surrounding the bottom of the column and is directed to an outlet duct. The outlet duct and the annular plenum with the inlet at the center thereof, form a banjo separator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 9, 1996
    Assignee: Vandergriff, Inc.
    Inventor: Arvel L. Vandergriff
  • Patent number: 5453254
    Abstract: Disclosed are a process and apparatus for effecting chemical and/or physical reactions by means of solid-gas contact. The apparatus has a shaftlike reaction chamber widening in upward direction and divided into compartments by means of horizontal grids. The process is performed by introducing a particulate solid of about 0.5 to 5 millimeters particle size into the reaction chamber and passing a gas stream in upward direction through that chamber at an output sufficient to keep the particles in floating condition. A floating bed of solid particles will be formed in the reactors then and excellent solid-gas contact suitable for affecting chemical and physical reactions is provided hereby. A special embodiment relates to the removal of nitrogen oxides from flue gases with the aid of a particulate catalyst.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 26, 1995
    Assignee: N.V. Kema
    Inventors: Jan B. Lefers, Pieter Lodder
  • Patent number: 5395596
    Abstract: An apparatus and method of operating a fluidized bed reactor for combusting refuse derived fuel is disclosed. The reactor includes a fluidized furnace section 30 and stripper/cooler section 80. A downwardly sloping grid 28 extends across the furnace section 30 and stripper/cooler section 80 to a drain 78 in the stripper/cooler section 80, and directional nozzles 38 disposed in the grid fluidize the beds in the furnace section 30 and stripper/cooler section 80 and forcibly convey relatively large particulate material across the grid 28, through the furnace section 30 and stripper/cooler section 80, and to the drain 78 for disposal. A refractory layer 36 is provided along the grid 28 surface to reduce the height of the nozzles 38 within the furnace section 30, thereby helping to prevent relatively large particulate material from becoming entangled with or stuck to the nozzles 38.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 7, 1995
    Assignee: Foster Wheeler Energy Corporation
    Inventors: Justin P. Winkin, Walter R. Campbell, Jr., Stephen J. Goidich, John Tang, Iqbal F. Abdulally, John W. Phalen
  • Patent number: 5392531
    Abstract: A bed plate (13) for a fluidized bed apparatus is made from a plate (23) from sheet metal and comprises openings (22) for fluidizing air or gas of the so-called "gill-type". In order to reduce or prevent fall-through of product, at least one of the edge portions (24,34) defining the opening (22) has been deformed so as to increase the extension thereof along the plane of the bed plate, and so as to thereby reduce or eliminate the orthographic projection on said plane of the opening (22). Such deformation may comprise compression and/or stretching. The edge portion or portions (24,34) are preferably deformed to such an extent that a partial overlap is obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 28, 1995
    Assignee: Niro Holding A/S
    Inventors: Mogens Christensen, Benny Madsen, Mikael Bonde
  • Patent number: 5386647
    Abstract: A fluid bed reactor is provided with a loosely mounted, flexible multiperforate gas distributor plate so that in use the interaction of the flow of fluidizing gas, the plate and fluidized solids causes the plate to be flexed thereby cleaning the plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 7, 1995
    Assignee: Amax Coal West, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert G. Bauer, Michael W. Shackelford, Mark H. Berggren
  • Patent number: 5371955
    Abstract: A bulk material reactor which has a travelling bed (3) made up of the bulk material held inside a reactor housing (1), with an input assembly (14, 15) on the top and an outlet assembly (4) on the bottom of the travelling bed, a gas supply line (10) and a gas discharge line (18) at different ends of the travelling bed (3), wherein the travelling bed (3) is disposed around a central column (2), the floor (6) of which adjoins the discharge assembly (4), holding the bulk material at an angle of repose; it possesses an advantageous gas supply and can thereby be combined into major reactor assemblies without difficulty, because the interior of the central column (2) constitutes the gas line (10) and the central column (2) has an outlet opening (11) in its floor (6).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 1993
    Date of Patent: December 13, 1994
    Assignee: Nymic Anstalt
    Inventor: Juergen Ritter