Spaced Alternating Or Successive Chamber Exhausts Feed Plural Regenerators Patents (Class 432/181)
  • Patent number: 5770165
    Abstract: An improved structural support system for a regenerator used with a regenerative thermal oxidizer, including a perforated and corrugated rigid beam resting on a support surface. The perforated beam supports heat exchange materials either directly, or indirectly using a perforated grid. The beam includes a plurality of perforations permitting upward gas flow from the underside of the beam and through the heat exchange materials. The air distribution plenums under the beam are reduced in height from that of conventional systems. The novel structure results in a more reliable and efficient regenerator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 23, 1998
    Assignee: Smith Engineering Company
    Inventors: Thomas James Truppi, Erwin Hendricks, Gary Lee Martin, Melanius D'Souza
  • Patent number: 5755569
    Abstract: A regenerative thermal oxidizer is provided with a combustion chamber and a plurality of heat transfer columns. Heat transfer media within the columns include solid surfaces which define vapor flow passages. To permit higher volumetric vapor flow rates nearer the combustion chamber, the passages are larger in cross-sectional area and the solid surfaces have less total surface area in those portions of the heat transfer media nearer the combustion chamber than in those portions away from the combustion chamber. The larger cross-sectional area of the passages and reduced area of the solid surfaces decreases the resistance to vapor flow and allows the passages to accommodate the higher volumetric flow rate of the vapor stream passing through the hotter portions of the heat transfer media.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 26, 1998
    Assignee: Koch Engineering Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Lawrence D. Berg, Christopher R. Harmon, Richard L. Shilling, Neil Yeoman
  • Patent number: 5730945
    Abstract: A purge retention chamber is incorporated into an inlet manifold for a two heat exchanger RTO system. A bypass valve is mounted into the purge retention chamber adjacent a downstream end, and a purge face valve is mounted in the inlet manifold between upstream and downstream connection ends of the purge retention chamber. During normal operation, the bypass valve is closed and clean air fills the purge retention chamber. Dirty air to be cleaned passes through the purge face valve and moves to a heat exchanger in an inlet mode. When a purge mode begins, the purge face valve is closed and the purge bypass valve is opened. Now, clean purge gas moves into the inlet manifold and is delivered to a heat exchanger which is beginning to switch from an inlet mode to an outlet mode. The clean purge gas purges the heat exchanger. Once the purging is complete, the heat exchangers are switched between inlet and outlet modes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 24, 1998
    Assignee: Durr Environmental, Inc.
    Inventor: Joseph M. Klobucar
  • Patent number: 5707229
    Abstract: A regenerative thermal oxidizer includes a heat exchange column formed of a body which defines at least one entire flow passage through the heat exchanger. The structure of the heat exchange column assists in purging residual gas to be cleaned from the heat exchanger prior to that regenerative heat exchanger moving into a mode where it receives the cleaned gas. The heat exchanger columns preferably have 70 to 80 percent of their surface area used as the flow passages. In a further geometric arrangement made possible by the inventive heat exchanger described above, two heat exchanger columns are positioned on opposed sides of a combustion chamber. End faces of the two opposed heat exchangers transfer radiative heat energy from the hotter of the two heat exchanger end faces to the cooler of the two heat exchanger end faces. In this way, radiative heat energy is not lost, but is reused to heat the other of the heat exchangers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 13, 1998
    Assignee: Durr Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Joseph M. Klobucar
  • Patent number: 5700433
    Abstract: There is disclosed herein a system for use in a regenerative thermal oxidizer to position a rotatable valve body relative to a lower fixed surface and an upper surface and support the valve body from the lower surface. However, the support and positioning provides for sealing engagement between the body and the upper and lower surfaces. A plurality of assemblies, each secured to the lower surface engage an external and circumferential support flange on the valve body for accomplishing the support and positioning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 23, 1997
    Assignee: Eisenmann Corporation
    Inventor: Geoffrey Somary
  • Patent number: 5692893
    Abstract: A rotary valve suitable for a 2-bed regenerative fume incinerator which provides for purging of the beds and uninterrupted inflow and outflow during operation of the incinerator including the time intervals in which the valve is rotated from one position of operation to another and during the time intervals in which the beds are individually purged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 2, 1997
    Inventor: Reagan Houston
  • Patent number: 5692892
    Abstract: A continuous flow rotary valve for multiple bed regenerative fume incinerators which has a cylindrical valve housing with three or more bed ports spaced equally about the middle or central portion of the housing, feed and exit ports at opposite ends of the housing and a purge port spaced from the other ports. The valve also includes a cylindrical valve rotor having feed, exit and purge cavities in free flow fluid communication with the feed, exit and purge ports. The feed and exit cavities have radially outward openings which are circumferentially wider than the circumferential space on the housing between two bed ports. During rotary movement of the valve rotor from one operating position to another, the feed cavity will supply feed gas to two bed ports during a portion of the rotary movement and the exit cavity will receive exit gas from two beds during a different portion of the rotary movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 2, 1997
    Inventor: Reagan Houston
  • Patent number: 5651668
    Abstract: An apparatus for thermally cleaning exhaust air containing combustible components comprises at least one combustion chamber for thermally cleaning an exhaust fluid stream and at least two containers adapted for gases to flow therethrough and containing heat storage material for heating the exhaust fluid stream to be cleaned before it enters the combustion chamber and for receiving heat from the cleaned exhaust fluid stream exiting the combustion chamber. Each of the containers has at least one first opening for connecting the container interior to the combustion chamber and at least one second opening for supplying exhaust fluid stream to be cleaned to the container interior and for withdrawing the cleaned exhaust fluid stream from the container interior. The containers accommodating the heat storage substances can be flexibly configured and, if desired, arranged one behind the other in a row.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 29, 1997
    Assignee: Durr GmbH
    Inventor: Reiner Schmid
  • Patent number: 5647741
    Abstract: A heat exchanger for a combustion apparatus capable of providing satisfactory sealing between an open end of an oxidizing agent duct and a regenerative structure. A regenerator includes a high-temperature section constituted by a regenerative unit made of a ceramic material and a low-temperature section constituted by a regenerative unit made of a metal material. The regenerator is formed with a plurality of communication passages which permit a combustion chamber and a suction/exhaust duct structure to communicate with each other. The communication passages are provided by a plurality of through-holes formed in the regenerative units. The number of the through-holes and an equivalent diameter thereof are determined so as to permit a pressure loss gradient in the low-temperature section positioned on the side of the suction/exhaust duct structure to be larger than that in the high-temperature section positioned on the side of the combustion chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 15, 1997
    Assignees: Chiyoda Corporation, Furnace Techno Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunzo Bunya, Hitoshi Kaji, Yasuo Hirose
  • Patent number: 5628629
    Abstract: An industrial furnace and a burner for regenerative combustion includes a heat storage member, a switching mechanism disposed on one end of the heat storage member, and a burner tile disposed on the opposite end of the heat storage member. The burner tile has a protruding portion extending ahead an air supply and gas exhaust surface. The switching mechanism has a stationary disk and a rotatable disk which slidably contacts the stationary disk. A speed of supply air to the furnace is in operation equal to or higher than a speed of exhaust air therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 13, 1997
    Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Nippon Furnace Kogyo Kaisha, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuhisa Mitani, Tomohiko Nishiyama, Ryoichi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 5626104
    Abstract: A boiler is provided with a radiation heat transfer section in its combustion chamber, which has therein, at least one regenerative-heating burner system including a pair of burners each with a regenerative bed. The burners receive combustion air and exhaust combustion gas which passes through the regenerative beds. Combustion is alternately effected in one of the burners and combustion gas is passed into the other burner, and exhausted through the corresponding regenerative bed of this other burner. Surplus thermal energy which is not completely consumed in the radiation heat transfer section is recovered in the regenerative bed. Combustion air then passes through the heated regenerative bed to heat the air. The boiler temperature is kept flat across the boiler. That is, the temperature is kept almost constant across the combustion chamber. This is done by maintaining a high rate of forced supply of more than 60 m/s for the combustion air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 6, 1997
    Assignee: Nippon Furnace Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ryoichi Tanaka, Mamoru Matsuo, Yosuke Kataoka, Hitoshi Yahara
  • Patent number: 5620668
    Abstract: A regenerative thermal oxidizer in which contaminated air is first passed through a hot heat-exchange bed and into a communicating high temperature oxidation (combustion) chamber, and then through a relatively cool second heat exchange bed. The apparatus includes a number of internally insulated, ceramic filled heat recovery columns topped by an internally insulated combustion chamber. Process air is directed into heat exchange media in one of said columns via an annular distribution system, which allows for the uniform flow of gas in the apparatus, and greatly reduces the flushing volume. Oxidation is completed as the flow passes through the combustion chamber, where one or more burners are located. From the combustion chamber, the air flows vertically downward through another column containing heat exchange media, thereby storing heat in the media for use in a subsequent inlet cycle when the flow control valves reverse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 15, 1997
    Assignee: W.R. Grace & Co.-Conn.
    Inventors: Thomas D. Driscoll, James T. Gallo, Michael P. Loos, David L. Petersen
  • Patent number: 5589142
    Abstract: A system for the abatement of industrial process emissions comprises a catalytic oxidizer and a selective catalytic reduction bank integrated into a single housing. The system utilizes at least two regenerative chambers in a controlled abatement process. The integrated system removes volatile organic compounds (VOCs), carbon monoxide (CO), and toxic oxides of nitrogen (NO.sub.x) from the process emissions. The singular housing of the present invention is efficient and eliminates the need for more than one supplementary heat source, while eliminating major pollutants from the emissions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 31, 1996
    Assignee: Salem Englehard
    Inventor: Sean T. Gribbon
  • Patent number: 5578276
    Abstract: A unique purge system for a two heat exchanger RTO system uses separate purge valves associated with each of the first and second heat exchangers. In this way, the purge valves allow strict control over the flow of clean gas through the purge valves and into the heat exchanger. The inventive system insures that the two RTO systems can continue to operate efficiently and safely, while insuring that no dirty gas will reach the outlet passages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 26, 1996
    Assignee: Durr Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Joseph M. Klobucar
  • Patent number: 5571006
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a regenerative burner, burner system and method of burning using regenerative burners which comprises a fuel supply section with its tip opening into a furnace provided along the burner axis; a flame stabilizing section, provided at the tip of the fuel supply section; a room temperature air supply section with its tip also opening into the furnace, provided around the fuel supply section; plural pre-heated high temperature air supply sections with their tips opening into the furnace, provided around but apart from the fuel supply section; heat storage material, upstream from the tip of the pre-heated high temperature air supply section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 5, 1996
    Assignee: Tokyo Gas Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ichiro Nakamachi, Kenji Koizumi
  • Patent number: 5540584
    Abstract: An inventive cam actuation structure provides a separate cam member for opening each of the valves in a regenerative thermal oxidizer. The separate cam structures allow the arrangement of the flow passages in any desired relationship relative to the other passages. In addition, the use of the separate cams allows great variability in the adjustment of the valve profiles relative to each other. Two valve actuation structure embodiments are disclosed. In a second feature of this invention, the inlet manifold is received within the outlet manifold. The heated gas in the outlet manifold preheats the gas in the inlet manifold, ensuring that impurities will not liquify within the inlet manifold. In a further feature of this invention, gravitational controls are used for the purge valve. A connection between the inlet valve and the weights for opening the purge valve ensures that the purge valve will not be opened when the inlet valve is opened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 30, 1996
    Assignee: Cycle-Therm
    Inventor: Darren Greco
  • Patent number: 5538420
    Abstract: A heat exchanger burn-out process for regenerative thermal oxidizers includes the steps of passing a super-heated gas through one of the heat exchangers and into the combustion chamber. The gas is preferably heated in a selectively opened injection line that includes a burner. The burner is designed to superheat the injection gas to a cleaning temperature. The cleaning temperature is selected to be high enough as to volatilize and/or combust the organic solids that are expected within the heat exchanger. The injection line is associated with one of the heat exchangers, and the other two of the normal three heat exchangers on the regenerative thermal oxidizer are switched between a supplemental injection mode, wherein cooling gas is injected through that heat exchanger, and an outlet mode wherein gas from the combustion chamber leads outwardly through the heat exchanger to an outlet manifold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 23, 1996
    Assignee: Durr Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph M. Klobucar, Gordon M. Harbison
  • Patent number: 5531593
    Abstract: A regenerative thermal oxidizer includes a heat exchange column formed of body which defines at least one entire flow passage through the heat exchanger. The structure of the heat exchange column assists in purging residual gas to be cleaned from the heat exchanger prior to that regenerative heat exchanger moving into a mode where it receives the cleaned gas. The heat exchanger columns preferably have 70 to 80 percent of their surface area used as the flow passages. In a further geometric arrangement made possible by the inventive heat exchanger described above, two heat exchanger columns are positioned on opposed sides of a combustion chamber. End faces of the two opposed heat exchangers transfer radiative heat energy from the hotter of the two heat exchanger end faces to the cooler of the two heat exchanger end faces. In this way, radiative heat energy is not lost, but is reused to heat the other of the heat exchangers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 2, 1996
    Assignee: Durr Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Joseph M. Klobucar
  • Patent number: 5522348
    Abstract: A boiler has a radiation heat transfer section with opposite sides and boiler water tubes therein for passing boiler water to be heated by combustion gas in the radiation heat transfer section. The boiler water moves substantially in a selected direction in the radiation heat transfer section. A plurality of regenerative-heating-type burner systems are connected to the radiation heat transfer section. Each burner system has a regenerative bed and a burner. The burner systems are in pairs on the opposite sides of the radiation heat transfer section. A first mechanism supplies combustion air through the bed and to the burner of each burner system while a second mechanism supplies fuel to each burner system to form a flame that produces the combustion gas. A third mechanism causes the flow of air and gas to be changed over at intervals. Each pair of burner systems is controlled separately for defining a plurality of temperature zones in the radiation heat transfer section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 4, 1996
    Assignee: Nippon Furnace Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ryoichi Tanaka, Mamoru Matsuo, Yosuke Kataoka, Hitoshi Yahara
  • Patent number: 5515909
    Abstract: A flow switching apparatus has a simple structure and enables a rapid flow switching operation between two systems of flow, e.g., flows in which two kinds of fluid each having a temperature different from each other flows without causing any gas leakage. The apparatus comprises: a casing 18 partitioned by partition walls 5, 6 and 7 into four chambers among which two are defined as fixing chambers 2a and 2b connected to flows of two systems in which the flow directions of fluid are fixed and the remaining two are defined as switching chambers 4c and 4d connected to two systems of flow in which the flow directions of fluid are alternately switched. Communicating holes 8ac 8bc 8ad and 8bd are formed in the partition wall 7 and communicate each of the fixing chambers 2a and 2b with the switching chambers 4c and 4d.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 14, 1996
    Assignee: Nippon Furnace Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Ryoichi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 5503551
    Abstract: A single rotary valve is designed to control feed, purge and exit flow in a multiple bed regenerative fume incinerator system thereby replacing the large number of valves heretofore used to operate such a system. The housing of the rotary valve has ports for connection to at least one feed conduit, to at least one exit conduit, to at least 3 regenerator bed conduits and includes an annular opening on the valve axis for a purge gas conduit. The purge gas conduit extends through the annular opening and connects to an interior cavity of the valve rotor which has a peripheral opening registrable individually with the regenerator bed ports. The valve rotor divides the interior chamber of the valve housing into a feed subchamber and an exit subchamber and includes a sealing plenum preventing leakage from the feed subchamber to the exit subchamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 2, 1996
    Inventor: Reagan Houston
  • Patent number: 5482458
    Abstract: A rotary kiln (10) is employed which is inclined downwardly from its charge end (12) to its discharge end (14) and has a maximum length to breadth ratio of 5:1. The interior space of the kiln (10) is heated by means of at least one burner (B1, B2) directed into the kiln from one end thereof to a substantially constant elevated process temperature. Material is fed into the kiln (10) so that it occupies a maximum of 10% of the cross-sectional area of the internal space of the kiln (10) at the charge end (12). Upon entering the kiln the material is subjected almost immediately to the required process temperature. As it moves along the bottom of the kiln (10) from the charge to the discharge end (14), heat transfer to the material is primarily by radiation from the combustion space and from the lining of the kiln (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 9, 1996
    Inventor: Robin A. Kyffin
  • Patent number: 5460519
    Abstract: This invention discloses a method and apparatus for heat recovery so constructed that in the process of supplying an oxidizing agent through an oxidizing agent supply path into the main body of a combustion apparatus and discharging a hot exhaust gas of combustion from the interior of the main body of the combustion apparatus, the oxidizing agent and the exhaust gas are caused to flow through a gas-pervious regenerating member formed in a lateral wall of the main body of the combustion apparatus and the area for passing the oxidizing agent in the regenerating part heated by the exhaust gas is changed along the course of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 24, 1995
    Assignees: Furncie Techno Co. Ltd., Chiyoda Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuo Hirose, Hitoshi Kaji
  • Patent number: 5456216
    Abstract: This invention has an object of providing a compact and inexpensive apparatus and method of combustion for a pipestill heater which enjoys high thermal efficiency insusceptible of the restriction imposed by either the inlet temperature of the process fluidor the magnitude of the allowable pressure drop in the coil, incurs only a sparing possibility of polluting the environment, and produces only a petty pressure fluctuation in the combustion chamber.In the pipestill heater of this invention, the combustion devices which are disposed so as to confront the combustion chambers of the furnace are each provided with an air permeable heat accumulator made of a refractory material and a duct part having an oxidizing agent supply path and an exhaust gas discharge path formed therein, whereby the oxidizing agent for combustion is heated with the exhaust gas through the heat accumulator by virtue of the relative rotation of the heat accumulator and the duct part with rotating means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 10, 1995
    Assignee: Chiyoda Corporation
    Inventors: Hitoshi Kaji, Yuji Fukuda
  • Patent number: 5443040
    Abstract: A pipestill heater capable of increasing heat efficiency without using a large-sized oxidizing agent heating unit. The pipestill heater includes a radiation section and a convection section for preheating process fluid by exhaust gas of an elevated temperature discharged through a gas discharge path. A combustion device including a combination of a burner and a heat exchanger is arranged on a furnace floor constituting a part of a furnace wall. The heat exchanger includes a regenerator heated by exhaust gas to heat an oxidizing agent and a duct structure including an oxidizing agent passage and an exhaust passage. The regenerator is rotated relative to both passages. Exhaust gas is guided through both a gas discharge path and an exhaust passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 22, 1995
    Assignee: Chiyoda Corporation
    Inventors: Hitoshi Kaji, Toshiaki Yoshioka
  • Patent number: 5431147
    Abstract: A burner device of regenerative and alternate combustion type including a pair of burners and a regenerative bed, which permits flow passage changeover to be taken selectively between the pair of burners, via the regenerative bed, by four-way and three-way valves which are simultaneously operated by one actuator. Preferably, both two valves are connected coaxially together. The four-way and three-way valves have a same angle of rotation for executing their respective flow passage changeover actions, but they each have its own inoperative area defined differently from each other to produce a difference in timing for supply of fluid to one of the two burners, thereby providing a lead time for prior supply of air and a delay time for delaying supply of fuel to facilitate ignition in one of the burners during the alternate combustion operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 11, 1995
    Assignee: Nippon Furnace Kogyo Kaisha, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryoichi Tanaka, Masao Kawamoto
  • Patent number: 5427521
    Abstract: A valve flushing system supplies a cleaning gas to a relatively large plenum, which in turn communicates with a restricted passage directing the flow along a face of the valve disk. In a main feature of this invention, a flushing gas flow moves through a restricted path along a face of a valve disk away from a valve disk contact area with a valve seat. In this way, the flushing gas prevents a potential leakage gas flow from approaching the valve/valve seat interface. In this way, leakage is reduced. Although the efficiency of the system may be reduced by a small amount, the resulting prevention of leakage more than justifies this potential small decrease in efficiency. The use of the relatively large plenum ensures that there will be complete and adequate coverage of the valve disk preventing any leakage across the valve disk. In an important feature of this invention, supply passages extend into the plenum along a direction which does not include a component moving in the direction of the valve disk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 27, 1995
    Assignee: Rose Controls Corp.
    Inventor: Richard Greco
  • Patent number: 5417927
    Abstract: A multiple bed regenerative incinerator is cycled at regular intervals by an automatic control which causes fuel gas to be added to the impure inlet air for a first part of each cycle interval and interrupts the flow of fuel gas to the impure air inlet during a last part of each cycle interval thereby improving the purging of fuel gas from the regenerator being fed the impure air. Fuel gas flow may be adjusted by the control in response to signals from a monitor sensing the lower explosive limit of the impure air/fuel gas mixture. The control may cause the fuel gas to be delivered to a burner in a combustion chamber interconnecting the hot ends of the regenerators during the last part of each cycle interval. High dilution of fuel limits fume temperature and NOx production.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 23, 1995
    Inventor: Reagan Houston
  • Patent number: 5401165
    Abstract: A regenerative combustion furnace system including a combustion chamber, a pair of primary regenerators, a pair of secondary regenerators, and a gas flow assembly. The gas flow assembly provides gas flow to and from each of the secondary regenerators which are in communication with each respective primary regenerator, and each primary regenerator is in communication with the combustion chamber. Each of the secondary regenerators includes a plurality of flues and a plenum. Each flue includes a primary regenerator port, a plenum port, and a variable position valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 1992
    Date of Patent: March 28, 1995
    Assignee: Morgan Construction Company
    Inventor: Daniel P. Smith
  • Patent number: 5401167
    Abstract: A gas burner particularly intended to produce diffusion flames of good emissivity and luminosity in an industrial furnace, for example a reverberation furnace such as may be used in glass making. The burner has a plate forming a burner nozzle having a central through first bore surrounded by a circular array of six smaller diameter second bores. One of the second bores is parallel with the axis of the central first bore. Whereas the other five second bores are each respectively disposed at an acute angle of substantially 22.5.degree. to the axis of the central first bore. Fuel gas is supplied to the central first bore through a central tube and to the second bores through an annular passage between the central tube and a surrounding tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 28, 1995
    Assignee: British Gas plc
    Inventor: Peter Martin
  • Patent number: 5365863
    Abstract: A regenerative thermal oxidation system is useful for treating a waste gas stream that contains volatile organic compounds. The volatile organic compounds are oxidized in an oxidation chamber. The heat and oxygen necessary to support the oxidation reactions is provided by a hot oxidation gas stream produced by the combustion of wood waste with excess air in a combustion chamber. The heat generated by the oxidation and combustion reactions is recovered in a plurality of regenerators. Any particulates in the hot oxidation gas stream are removed by a particulate removal system such as a cyclone separator or a high temperature filter. Preferably at least two regenerators containing heat exchange material are used to recover the heat from the oxidation reactions. The first regenerator is in heating service for heating the waste gas stream before it enters the oxidation chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 22, 1994
    Assignee: Smith Engineering Company
    Inventor: Melanius D'Souza
  • Patent number: 5352115
    Abstract: A regenerative thermal oxidizer having regenerative heat exchangers includes a heat exchange column formed of a body which defines at least one entire flow passage through the heat exchanger. The heat exchange column assists in purging residual gas to be cleaned from the heat exchanger prior to that regenerative heat exchanger moving into a mode where it receives the cleaned gas. This reduces inadvertent emissions of gas to be cleaned to the environment. In one embodiment, a monolithic body includes all of the flow passages. In a second embodiment, a plurality of blocks are utilized to form the heat exchanger column. In a third embodiment, a number of cylindrical tubes are utilized. The heat exchanger columns preferably have 70 to 80 percent of their surface area used as the flow passages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 4, 1994
    Assignee: Durr Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Joseph M. Klobucar
  • Patent number: 5346393
    Abstract: A damper system for three bed thermal regenerative oxidizers is disclosed, which employs two blades pivotally mounted in a body having two chambers separated by a septum. The first chamber receives an inlet gas through a first aperture and has a second aperture providing a flow path to a first regenerator bed. The second chamber incorporates a third aperture communicating with a second regenerator and a fourth aperture communicating with a third regenerator. The septum intermediate the first and second chambers incorporates a fifth aperture for communication between the chambers. Positioning of the first damper blade to seal the fifth aperture allows flow from the inlet to the first regenerator bed. Repositioning of the first blade to a second position covering the second aperture allows flow from the inlet through the aperture in the septum into the second chamber and through the third aperture to the second regenerative bed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 13, 1994
    Assignee: Smith Engineering Company
    Inventor: Melanius D'Souza
  • Patent number: 5279235
    Abstract: A unique valve mechanism for opening and closing inlet, outlet, and purge valves in a regenerative incinerator is disclosed. The valves are mechanically opened and closed by a cam arrangement which insures proper timing, and optimal volume flow through the valves during each cycle. Further, a method of the present invention begins the purge mode while the inlet valve is opened, and completes it after the outlet valve has opened. This reducing the required time for each cycle of operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 18, 1994
    Assignee: Air Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard Greco
  • Patent number: 5275556
    Abstract: This invention is directed to a heat recovery type combustion apparatus which has a regeverative member of ceramic material attached to the lateral wall of the main body of the combustion apparatus, a rotary duct set in place and adapted to communicate with the regeverative member, an air conduit for allowing flow of combustion air and an exhaust gas conduit for allowing flow of exhaust gas arising from combustion of fuel in the combustion apparatus both formed in the interior of the rotary duct, and rotary means adapted to rotate the rotary duct and enable the combustion air to be heated with the exhaust gas through the medium of the regeverative member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 4, 1994
    Assignees: Furnace Techno Co., Ltd., Chiyoda Corp.
    Inventor: Yasuo Hirose
  • Patent number: 5259757
    Abstract: Smokeless burnout of regenerative thermal oxidizer systems is accomplished by isolating the incineration system from the process flow and drawing fresh air into the heating regenerator at approximately one-fourth of the normal process flow. A purge/burnout fan is employed to induce flow through an idle regenerator drawing high temperature gas from the retention chamber through the idle regenerator. Gas is directed from the purge/burnout fan back into the retention chamber to oxidize contaminants which has been volatilized from the media in the third regenerator. The reduced flow rate of the system and maintaining flow through the regenerator being burned out while continuing to cycle the remaining regenerators as heating and cooling regenerators builds the temperature in the burnout regenerator until volatilization of all contaminants is achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 9, 1993
    Assignee: Smith Engineering Company
    Inventors: Marlin D. Plejdrup, Melanius D'Souza
  • Patent number: 5240403
    Abstract: An improved regenerative thermal oxidizer ("RTO") and improved method of operating same in order to provide a substantially steady-state flow of contaminant-laden air into the RTO. The RTO includes an automatically-operated balancing valve structure for minimizing pressure variations experienced at the inlet of the RTO. The balancing valve is connected to and provides a selectively closeable bypass path for air flow between the high pressure and low pressure sides of an exhaust fan. The balancing valve opens the bypass path whenever flush valves of the RTO are all closed. The RTO further includes a hydraulic control system for minimizing variations in the operation of the RTO due to varying ambient or seasonal temperature conditions to which the RTO may be subjected. The RTO additionally includes a gravity-actuated damper valve structure near the top of a vertically arranged exhaust stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 31, 1993
    Assignee: Moco Thermal Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Donald I. McAnespie
  • Patent number: 5221522
    Abstract: A regenerative thermal oxidizer for removing pollutants from industrial exhaust gas flows by high temperature oxidation is composed of at least two regenerative units having a modular construction and a much more compact design than previously achieved in units of comparable size. The more compact design is achieved without any sacrifice in thermal efficiency by providing a regenerative bed having one hot-face area and two cold-face areas connected by an inlet/outlet crossover duct. The bed has "w"-shaped cross-section to support and contain interlocking heat-exchange elements without the use of hot-face or cold-face area retaining members. Each unit has inlet and outlet flow dividing mechanisms, an inlet duct, and an outlet duct. The inlet duct contains the inlet flow dividing mechanism and communicates with an inlet manifold and the cold-face areas for conducting process gas to the cold-face areas during inlet mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 1992
    Date of Patent: June 22, 1993
    Assignee: Regenerative Environmental Equipment Co., Inc.
    Inventor: James T. Cash
  • Patent number: 5217373
    Abstract: The presence of the oxides of nitrogen in the exhaust gas leaving a regenerator is limited by injecting water or water vapour into the regenerator 1 during its firing phase and causing the water or water vapour to reach the combustion chamber 26 of the regenerator 1 by way its heat storage bed 11 which has been preheated during a previous heat collecting phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 8, 1993
    Assignees: British Gas PLC, Hotwork Developments Ltd.
    Inventor: James H. Goodfellow
  • Patent number: 5184951
    Abstract: An apparatus having an incineration chamber and at least one burner for oxidizing fumes is provided. First and second regenerators are in fluid communication with the incineration chamber, as is a bypass which introduces unburnt fumes to the incineration chamber without passing them through either of the regenerators. While the fumes are in the bypass, a purging device, including a purge fan and accompanying conduits and valves, introduces a purge gas to either one of the regenerators to force unburnt fumes therefrom. The purged fumes and the purge gas are mixed with the incoming fumes from the bypass in an annular plenum downstream of the purged regenerator before they are introduced to the incineration chamber for oxidation. The flow of incoming fumes to the system may be continuous, even during purging, and the purge fan may also be continuously operated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 1992
    Date of Patent: February 9, 1993
    Assignee: Process Combustion Corporation
    Inventors: Peter B. Nutcher, Peter J. Waldern
  • Patent number: 5161968
    Abstract: An apparatus having an incineration chamber and at least one burner for oxidizing fumes is provided. First and second regenerators are in fluid communication with the incineration chamber, as is a bypass which introduces unburnt fumes to the incineration chamber without passing them through either of the regenerators. While the fumes are in the bypass, a purging device, including a purge fan and accompanying conduits and valves, introduces a purge gas to either one of the regenerators to force unburnt fumes therefrom. The purged fumes and the purge gas are mixed with the incoming fumes from the bypass in an annular plenum downstream of the purged regenerator before they are introduced to the incineration chamber for oxidation. The flow of incoming fumes to the system may be continuous, even during purging, and the purge fan may also be continuously operated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 1991
    Date of Patent: November 10, 1992
    Assignee: Process Combustion Corporation
    Inventors: Peter B. Nutcher, Peter J. Waldern
  • Patent number: 5160258
    Abstract: A device at a heat treatment oven of the type using a combination of radiation heat and convection heat, and where in connection to the oven chamber are provided means (4, 19) arranged to circulate the oven atmosphere through the oven chamber and a channel (20, 21) situated outside the oven chamber and back to the oven chamber, whereby the device incorporates a gas burner (7) arranged at combustion to emit its flame in a direction, which at least partly touches or coincides with the circulation channel (20, 21) for the oven atmosphere, and where the gas burner (7) is arranged to direct its flame into a vessel (22), provided in the circulation channel (20, 21) for the circulating atmosphere.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 1990
    Date of Patent: November 3, 1992
    Assignee: Triline AB
    Inventor: Lars Karlsson
  • Patent number: 5145363
    Abstract: Combustible impurities in oxygen-containing offgases are burnt according to a method and by an apparatus of the type in which at least some of the heat of combustion is recovered by a regenerative heat exchange in two identical heat exchange zones (10, 11) containing a solid heat exchange material and separated by a combustion chamber (15). The air or gas to be purified flows through both of the heat exchange zones and by means of valves (1, 2, 3, 4). The direction of flow is changed periodically so that the two zones are alternately heated and cooled in periods of 0.1-60 minutes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 8, 1992
    Assignee: Haldor Topsoe A/S
    Inventors: Kai H. Nielsen, Frands E. Jensen
  • Patent number: 5134945
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a regenerative thermal oxidizer apparatus and a method for purifying gases by thermal oxidation and by exchange of heat by inleting and outleting gases. The oxidizer has at least three regenerative thermal chamber units and these units have on a single surface both an inlet opening and an outlet opening which are typically connected to inlet and outlet gases. Set against the inlet and outlet openings is a slidable gate which has a single opening which moves through cycles so that its single opening coincides with the inlet opening of its chamber unit, or a space which is closed between the inlet and outlet opening, or coincide with the outlet opening. In other words, the gate cycles between inleting gases, no gas movement, and outleting gases. There are means providing for moving the gate through the aforesaid cycle and, as mentioned, inlet ducts and outlet ducts connected to their respective openings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 4, 1992
    Inventors: Richard G. Reimlinger, James L. Nester
  • Patent number: 5129332
    Abstract: A unique valve mechanism for opening and closing inlet, outlet, and purge valves in a regenerative incinerator is disclosed. The valves are mechanically opened and closed by a cam arrangement which insures proper timing, and optimal volume flow through the valves during each cycle. Further, a method of the present invention begins the purge mode while the inlet valve is opened, and completes it after the outlet valve has opened. This reducing the required time for each cycle of operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 1991
    Date of Patent: July 14, 1992
    Inventor: Richard Greco
  • Patent number: 5101741
    Abstract: A method of cleaning flow structure within a regenerative fume incinerator of the type having a plurality of heat exchange chambers for directing fluid into and out of a combustion chamber. Each of the heat exchange chambers have a separate inlet and outlet line which are cyclically opened such that air to be cleaned is continuously being directed into the combustion chamber through one of the chambers, and cleaned air is continuously directed out of the combustion chamber through an alternative one of the chambers. The flow structure, valves and manifolds may become clogged with residue from the air being combusted. An alternate inlet line communicates from the source of fluid directly into the combustion chamber. That line is opened when cleaning of the flow structure is desired. At the same time flow to the normal inlet manifold is closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 1991
    Date of Patent: April 7, 1992
    Assignee: JWP Air Technologies
    Inventors: Paul J. Gross, Raymond Elsman
  • Patent number: 5098286
    Abstract: The present invention is a regenerative gas incineration apparatus having three heat regenerators containing refractory heat exchange material. Gas is cycled through the regenerators first in one direction, then in another. The regenerators are each connected to combustion chamber having an air-fuel system and at least one burner. A system of valved ductwork is utilized to direct gas to be processed into and upwardly through a heating first regenerator into the combustion chamber, downwardly through a cooling second regenerator and exhausting the processed gas to the atmosphere. The temporarily idle third regenerator is purged of partially treated gas remaining from a previous cycle and this gas is directed to the combustion chamber. The flow of the gas through the system is periodically changed enabling the heat recovered by cooling regenerator in the previous cycle to be used to heat incoming gas in the next.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 1991
    Date of Patent: March 24, 1992
    Assignee: Smith Engineering Company
    Inventor: James A. York, deceased
  • Patent number: 5092767
    Abstract: A linear combustion emitter regenerator process capable of operating at high temperatures for sustained periods of time, that includes flowing reactants including fuel and air to a combustion zone; adding regenerated heat to at least one of the reactants flowing to the zone; combusting the reactants at the zone to produce combustion products at high temperature, to heat radiant emitter; operating the emitter to radiate energy from the zone passing selective wavelengths of said radiated energy spectrum through an optical filter and converting the radiation from the emitter into photovoltaic-produced electricity; mounting optical filter on water-cooled window to act as a heat shield to protect photovoltaic cells from overheating; reflecting back to the emitter portions of the spectral emission not able to activate the photovoltaic cells; extracting heat absorbed by liquid-cooled window by means of a heat exchanger to transfer heat to incoming combustion air; extracting heat from the combustion products for retu
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1991
    Date of Patent: March 3, 1992
    Inventor: James G. P. Dehlsen
  • Patent number: 5061177
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process and a device for indirectly heating a flow of gaseous fluid. According to the invention, the flow of fluid to be heated is first subjected to a first heat exchange with combustion products, in a heat exchanger (3), and is subsequently subjected to a second heat exchange with a heat-exchanging fluid circulating in a second heat-exchanger (5). The flow of fluid to be heated is then circulated in a third exchanger (7) where it is subjected to a heat exchange with the combustion products before the latter are used at the time of the first heat exchange. The third heat exchanger (7) can comprise radiating tubes (51) and convection surfaces for heating the flow of fluid in circulation, essentially by convection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 1990
    Date of Patent: October 29, 1991
    Assignee: Gaz de France
    Inventors: Gaston Knipiler, Philippe Suhas, Gosselin Dominique
  • Patent number: RE33814
    Abstract: Separate intake air and exhaust gas manifolds along each long checker-brick regenerator, each of which manifolds have separate adjustable sideports, valves, or gates in each branch duct that do not have to be readjusted each regeneration cycle, and which gates may be preadjusted and/or at-will adjusted from a common and even remote location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 1981
    Date of Patent: February 4, 1992
    Assignee: Toledo Engineering Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Robert O. Bradley, Heywood J. Knighton, deceased, Robert J. Naveaux