With Heating Gas Conveying, Agitating, Scattering Or Disintegration Of Work (e.g., Fluidized Bed, Etc.) Patents (Class 432/58)
  • Patent number: 5861130
    Abstract: A modular ceramic protective part for a metal blowing grate (1) in a catalytic cracker regenerator, comprises a tubular nozzle portion (4) and a flange portion (6) extending substantially perpendicularly from one end thereof. The part is useful in chemical engineering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 19, 1999
    Assignee: Societe Europeenne Des Produits Refractaires
    Inventors: Klaus Werhahn, Louis Richaud, Jean Rech
  • Patent number: 5850781
    Abstract: An oven comprises a housing with at least two zones, which are each provided with a device for setting a cooking state in the relevant zone, such as the temperature and relative humidity, as well as a conveyor belt, which runs through each of the zones and on which food products to be heated can be held, which conveyor belt has at least one path with a plurality of windings. These two zones are situated one above the other. Each zone has at least one ventilation device and also a heating device for circulating hot air through that zone and parallel to the boundary region between two zones.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 22, 1998
    Assignee: Koppens B.V.
    Inventor: Hendrikus Antonius Jacobus Kuenen
  • Patent number: 5836240
    Abstract: An oven for preparing food products comprises a housing, a conveyor belt which is movable through the housing and on which the food products can be arranged, which conveyor belt follows a helical path, heating elements and booster devices for generating a stream of hot air through the housing in connection with heating the food products arranged on the belt. In the housing there are guide elements for guiding the stream of hot air over the belt in such a way that the products are uniformly heated in the transverse direction of the belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 17, 1998
    Assignee: Koppens B.V.
    Inventor: Hendrikus Antonius Jacobus Kuenen
  • Patent number: 5833452
    Abstract: A carrier for conveying components of a fuel cell to be sintered through a sintering furnace. The carrier comprises a metal sheet coated with a water-based carbon paint, the water-based carbon paint comprising water, powdered graphite, an organic binder, a wetting agent, a dispersing agent and a defoaming agent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 10, 1998
    Assignee: M-C Power Corporation
    Inventors: Richard Donelson, E. S. Bryson
  • Patent number: 5832848
    Abstract: A fluidized bed heat treatment apparatus is provided to be heated by combusting fuel gas in a manner to minimize or prevent the exhaust of carbon monoxide, the apparatus including a retort containing refractory particles to be fluidized, a first inlet in a lower region of the retort for introducing fuel/air mixture into the retort, a second inlet in a lower region of the retort for introducing secondary air into the retort, a temperature sensor located above the first and second inlets, a flame initiator located above the refractory particles, an externally located mixer to mix fuel and air in desired proportions and to supply same to the first inlet, and a control device arranged to control said externally located mixer in response to temperatures sensed by said temperature sensor whereby when the temperature sensor is below a predetermined temperature indicative of the bed being substantially not fluidized, a stoichiometric fuel/air mixture is supplied to the first inlet and when the temperature sensor sens
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 10, 1998
    Assignee: Quality Heat Treatment Pty, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ray William Reynoldson, Andrew Simpson Fitchett
  • Patent number: 5829160
    Abstract: A heater for a grain bin is attached to the inlet flange of a centrifugal inline blower and comprises a housing having a vertical front wall attached to the inlet flange of the blower and a parallel vertical rear wall. The front wall has an opening aligned with the opening into the blower. The rear wall has an opening aligned with the opening in the front wall so that the majority of the air entering the blower passes straight through the housing from the rear wall to the front wall. A sleeve surrounds the opening in the rear wall and induces some flow from the housing to mix with the flow into the blower. The combustion chamber is attached to the rear wall through an opening in the rear wall above the sleeve. The housing has two side walls converging to an open top through which air can escape. When heated air is required an air flow is induced from the combustion chamber to mix with the air flow through the housing to heat the total air flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 3, 1998
    Assignee: Jack Lange Holdings Ltd.
    Inventor: Jack Lange
  • Patent number: 5787823
    Abstract: The present invention provides a system and method (1) for reducing the amount of air toxic elements, particularly mercury (16), in concentrations down to and including trace levels, from a flyash (2) laden combustion gas stream (4). The method includes a step of combusting a fuel (14), often coal or solid waste to form flyash, and a step to concentrate the interaction of the flyash (2) in the combustion gas stream (4) for use as a sorbent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 4, 1998
    Inventor: Bruce Mullein Knowles
  • Patent number: 5775890
    Abstract: A description is given of a plant for heat treatment of lumpy material, such as limestone, other carbonate materials, cement raw materials, or the like. The plant comprises a preheating zone, a burning zone, and connecting means which connect the material outlet of the preheating zone to the material inlet of the burning zone. A separating device is provided as a part of the connecting means and consists of a duct through which a gas stream can be induced to flow from below and upwards. On entry into the separating duct at the top of the duct, the preheated material will be dispersed in the counterflowing gas stream, whereby the material is divided into a fine fraction which suspended in the gas can be discharged via the discharge means provided at the upper end of the duct, and a fall-through coarse fraction which is normal manner can be fed via a connecting means to the material inlet of the burning zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 7, 1998
    Assignee: F. L. Smidth & Co. A/S
    Inventors: Bendt .O slashed.lbye, Bent M.ae butted.rsk
  • Patent number: 5743728
    Abstract: A method and system for calcining gypsum to recover gypsum in a form consisting essentially of calcium sulfate anhydrite is disclosed. The method includes the steps of feeding the ground gypsum material into a first kettle and heating the ground gypsum in the first kettle to the first predetermined temperature. The first predetermined temperature is preferably below 400.degree. F. so that the gypsum will still contain a sufficient amount of chemically-combined water so that it will self-fluidize by release of water vapor so that it will flow through the apparatus. The ground gypsum is then overflowed through at least one subsequent stage and heated to a final predetermined temperature to produce an anhydrite product. To produce insoluble calcium anhydrite or dead burn material, the final predetermined temperature is greater than 900.degree. F. and preferably within the range of about 900.degree. F.-1300.degree. F.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 28, 1998
    Assignee: USG Corporation
    Inventors: Michael L. Cloud, Kirk S. Moore
  • Patent number: 5730763
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process and an apparatus for gasifying liquid and/or fine-grain solid gasification substances and/or for reforming a gas, using a gasification agent, in a reaction (1). In the process the process heat is supplied by heat carrier particles which are heated within a substantially closed circuit in a heater (5) by combustion gases which are produced in a combustion chamber (3), and passed through the reactor (1) in counter-flow relationship with the gasification substance or the gas to be reformed and the gasification agent, and then returned to the heater (5) for renewed heating. In accordance with the invention the particles and the combustion gas form a fluidized bed above at least one grid (34, 34a, 34b, 34c, 34d, 34e) arranged in the heater (5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 24, 1998
    Assignee: Kortec AG
    Inventors: Mircea Tudor Manulescu, Jean-Paul Vandenhoeck
  • Patent number: 5713734
    Abstract: An equipment for and a method of calcining mineral materials comprising a precalciner consisting of a combustion zone followed by a reaction zone and then by a contact zone and by a post-combustion zone, the latter communicating itself with a separating cyclone, the reaction zone being fed with smokes coming from a firing furnace, the supply of mineral material being distributed between the combustion zone and the contact zone, the invention being applicable in particular to the manufacture of cement clinker while considerably decreasing the emission of nitrogen oxides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 3, 1998
    Assignee: TECHNIP
    Inventors: Michel Makris, Jacques Dupuis, Jean-Luc Sue
  • Patent number: 5704780
    Abstract: A partial flue gas stream is extracted from the rotary kiln of a cement plant. This partial bypass of hot flue gas is passed through a cooler (23) and then passed through a dust collector (24). Fine granular dust (30) from the dust collector (24) is fed directly to a dust collecting vessel. The coarse granular dust (28, 29) from the dust collector (24) is fed to a suspension type cyclone heat exchanger (33) operated directly with cooling air (32) and there cooled by means of direct heat transfer. The heated cooling air (39) extracted from the hot dust cooler (33) by a draft fan (40) is fed to the partial flue gas stream, such as by feeding it to the gas stream cooler (23).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 6, 1998
    Assignee: Deutz AG
    Inventor: Claus Bauer
  • Patent number: 5702245
    Abstract: A processing apparatus, conveyor and method for processing products or materials, such as food processing equipment or methods, is configured such that the conveyor travels in a generally helical path within a processing chamber to expose products on the conveyor to a gaseous processing media such as heated or cooled air. The conveyor includes gas flow compensation including a plurality of gas flow compensation members which partially block a portion of the surface of the conveyor, preferably toward the exterior of the conveyor in the helical path, to deflect or direct more of the gaseous food processing media away from the less densely distributed products or materials at the exterior of the conveyor caused when the conveyor follows the helical path. The processing media is thus preferably forced in the direction of the more densely distributed products toward the interior of conveyor to uniformly expose product on the conveyor to the processing media.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 30, 1997
    Assignee: Stein, Inc.
    Inventor: Eugene J. London
  • Patent number: 5690730
    Abstract: A sintering method of cement clinkers in which preheated cement raw material powder is granulated and sintered in a fluidized bed granulating and sintering furnace, and granulated and sintered clinkers are introduced into a cooling device, for manufacturing high-quality cement clinkers by use of a single fluidized bed-granulating and sintering furnace efficiently with a small heat loss, wherein clinkers are discharged from the fluidized bed granulating and sintering furnace through a clinker dropping hole which is provided in a fluidizing gas distributor of the furnace or in a radial direction extending from the gas distributor, an opening area of the clinker dropping hole is regulated by a gate portion to maintain the differential pressure in a fluidized bed within a predetermined range, air for classifying and cooling the clinkers is blown into a discharge chute connected to the clinker dropping hole, the amount of the blown air is regulated to make the flow velocity of the air blowing from the clinker drop
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 25, 1997
    Assignees: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha, Sumitomo Osaka Cement Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Isao Hashimoto, Shozo Kanamori, Mikio Murao, Norio Yokota, Nichitaka Sato, Katsuji Mukai
  • Patent number: 5658142
    Abstract: A material drying system includes a pulse combustor having a combustion chamber and an elongate tailpipe forming a resonant system with the combustion chamber. The tailpipe has an inlet for material to be dried and an outlet through which the material is discharged in a pulsating gas stream when the combustor is in operation. The tailpipe discharges into a vertical drying duct which leads to a cyclone separator. Part of the exhaust gas leaving the cyclone separator is recycled and used to cool the combustion chamber and tailpipe. Part of the dried material leaving the cyclone separator can be mixed with new incoming wet material to lower the overall moisture content of the material to be dried. The pulse combustor provides a substantial portion of the motive force required to operate the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 19, 1997
    Assignee: Novadyne Ltd.
    Inventors: John A. Kitchen, Alan G. Buchkowski
  • Patent number: 5643548
    Abstract: A process and plant for drying and then separating moist salts, such as magnesium sulfite, in which the moist magnesium sulfite is heated to a temperature greater than or equal to about 200.degree. C. in a dryer and the passed through a solid materials lock into a separating plant. The dryer is heated by a circulating stream of exhaust vapors which is heated in a heat exchanger by exhaust gas generated in the separating plant so that the water of crystallization of the magnesium sulfite as well as residual humidity is eliminated during the drying process. Vapor-free acid anhydride, usually sulphur dioxide, is prepared in the separating plant from the dehydrated salt and a metal oxide, e.g., MgO, is recovered or otherwise used. The acid anhydride may be liquified and has a large degree of purity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 1, 1997
    Assignee: Austrian Energy & Environment SGP/Wagner-Biro GmbH
    Inventors: Josef Bammer, Bernhard Blocher, Wolfgang Glaser, Heinz Loquenz, Walter Staufer, Peter Yaldez
  • Patent number: 5614016
    Abstract: A method and plant for burning sludge or filter cakes during the cement clinker manufacture where the cement is manufactured in known manner by the cement raw meal being preheated, calcined and burned into clinker with subsequent cooling of the clinker and where the sludge is dried and finely divided prior to burning. The drying heat is provided by feeding hot raw meal from either the preheater or a separating cyclone installed in connection with the calciner to the drier unit, which may be a drier crusher. Applicable types of sludge include sewage sludge, beaching earth, paper sludge, fibre rejects, combustible chemical residues, e.g. waste derived from the manufacture of nylons and pesticides, and drill sludge resulting from oil exploration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 25, 1997
    Assignee: F.L. Smidth & Co. A/S
    Inventor: S.o slashed.ren Hundeb.o slashed.l
  • Patent number: 5588828
    Abstract: A vertical bright-annealing furnace 1 for metal strips includes a muffle-type heating station 12, a refractory-type heating station 13. The refractory-type heating station 13 includes a shell 24 lined with a heat-insulating material 26 and a second heater 27. These two stations 12 and 13 are connected to one another by a flexible connecting unit 14 which is extensible in the longitudinal direction of the heating zone. A metal strip S conveyed in the furnace 1 is heated in the muffle-type heating station 12 and subsequently heated in the refractory-type heating station 13 up to a predetermined temperature, for example, about 1,100.degree. C. According to this constitution, a large-sized vertical annealing furnace may be constructed. Also, the period of durability of the muffle may be extended, the running expenses may be decreased, and metal strip having good brightness may be produced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 31, 1996
    Assignees: Chugai Ro Co., Ltd., Acerinox, S.A.
    Inventors: Masato Nagata, Jose Cornejo
  • Patent number: 5580241
    Abstract: A circulating fluidized bed thermal reactor such as a boiler or gasifier, having the riser divided into a sequence of stages by a plurality of restrictions which create multiple beds dynamically suspended. Circulation occurs below transport velocity, solids distribution is substantially uniform, average bed density can be varied from near-zero to very high values, solids mobility is unrestricted, temperature is uniform. Gases follow multistage CSTR flow regime, specially suited for fuels which break down into volatiles upon heating, such as biomass, hazardous wastes and most fuels other than coal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 3, 1996
    Assignee: Biothermica International Inc.
    Inventor: Paulo G. Koeberle
  • Patent number: 5568776
    Abstract: A fluidized bed hearth floor comprises a supporting metal sheet provided with fluidization-gas injection nozzles. The supporting sheet is made of refractory metal, and is covered with a plurality of flat elements made of refractory metal, each flat element being fixed to the supporting sheet by welding in a localized zone, e.g., substantially at a point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 29, 1996
    Assignee: GEC Alsthom Stein Industrie
    Inventors: Sylvestre Suraniti, Jean-Xavier Morin, Frederic Maillot
  • Patent number: 5553897
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a fastening system for fastening a through pipe to a hearth wall, the pipe opening into a box. The fastening system comprises external pipe-securing means for securing the pipe to said screen, and an internal metal guide tube fitted over said pipe and having one of its ends interposed between said pipe and the orifice through which said pipe passes, its other end being externally threaded. The guide tube carries a rigid washer which is disposed so as to abut against the inside face of the inside layer, and against which a wall of the box is mounted, which wall is provided with an orifice that is larger than the cross-section of the guide tube, a sealing device being clamped against the wall of the box by a nut screwed onto the threaded end of the guide tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 10, 1996
    Assignee: GEC Alsthom Stein Industrie
    Inventor: Fr ed eric Maillot
  • Patent number: 5546875
    Abstract: A process of improving overall quality of coals or other solid fuels comprising heat treating those coals in a controlled, spontaneous, fluidized bed reactor system. The bed system is of such a geometry that in combination with the control system a higher velocity region exists where the fluidizing gas and fuel are fed than where the treated solids exit. The offgas exiting the top of the reactor has a velocity of the average of the inlet gas velocities. Treated coal is withdrawn intermediate to top and bottom. Residence time is controlled by the amount of the solid fuel feed, the location of the treated solid fuel overflow, and the temperature is maintained by oxygen to flue gas ratio, feedstock size and fluidizing velocity. The unit can be operated in a drying mode or a devolatilization mode, to control volatiles, moisture and fines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 20, 1996
    Assignee: Energy and Environmental Research Center Foundation
    Inventors: Stanley J. Selle, Douglas R. Hajicek, Michael D. Mann, Nanak S. Grewal
  • Patent number: 5535990
    Abstract: An apparatus for magnetic annealing of amorphous metal alloy cores. The apparatus includes a fluidized bed for heating the core, a conveyor for transporting the core and immersing the core in the fluidized bed and at least one winding for applying a magnetic field to the core. The apparatus can include a chill bath and/or a second fluidized bed for cooling the core. A chamber can be provided between the two fluidized beds for slow cooling the core by convection and radiation prior to cooling the core at a faster rate in the second fluidized bed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 16, 1996
    Assignee: Cooper Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Lawrence M. Burrage, John F. Baranowski, Lawrence G. Wilson, Gary L. Goedde, James V. White
  • Patent number: 5536167
    Abstract: An apparatus for sintering cement clinker with a spouted fluidized bed granulating furnace and a fluidized bed sintering furnace is provided which includes a perforated distributor having a multiplicity of nozzle holes through which gas for granulating injected raw material for cement while spouting and fluidizing the same is introduced; a dropping port through which granulated raw material for cement is discharged and which is disposed to face a spouted fluidized bed, wherein classifying gas is introduced through the dropping port at a classifying flow velocity which is selected to be different from a flow velocity of gas to be introduced through the multiplicity of nozzle holes into the spouted fluidized bed granulating furnace, and means is provided therein to discharge the granulated raw material for cement while classifying the same by using the effect of the classifying gas which is introduced through the dropping port; and an injection chute for injecting the granulated raw material for cement from the
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 16, 1996
    Assignees: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha, Sumitomo Cement Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Norio Yokota, Nichitaka Sato, Katsuji Mukai, Toshiyuki Ishinohachi, Isao Hashimoto, Mikio Murao, Shozo Kanamori, Chikanori Kumagai
  • Patent number: 5490469
    Abstract: A method of heating of bed material in a PFBC plant including a combustor and wherein bed level adjustment due to a load change is accomplished by injecting bed material into or discharging it from the combustor through feeding devices, the method including the steps of arranging two storage vessels, each adapted for injecting the bed material therefrom into the combustor and for storing bed material discharged from the combustor, and heating and maintaining the bed material in the storage vessels at the temperature corresponding to the bed temperature while maintaining the bed level of the combustor constant, by discharging bed material with the temperature of the bed from the combustor via the feeding device adapted for discharge of bed material, into one of the storage vessels with a predetermined feed speed and at the same time and at the same feed speed injecting bed material from the second storage vessel into the combustor via the feeding device adapted for injection of bed material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 13, 1996
    Assignee: ABB Carbon AB
    Inventors: Roine Brannstrom, Hjalmar Nevestveit
  • Patent number: 5478234
    Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing cement clinker is disclosed in which raw material powder of cement pre-heated by a pre-heating unit such as a suspension pre-heater and pre-calcined by a calciner is charged into a granulating furnace as to be granulated, thus-obtained granulated material is charged into a sintering furnace as to be sintered, and the sintered material is cooled and recovered by a cooling unit, the apparatus having a granulating furnace so that the granulating performance of the granulating furnace is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 1993
    Date of Patent: December 26, 1995
    Assignees: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha, Sumitomo Cement Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Norio Yokota, Nichitaka Sato, Katsuji Mukai, Toshiyuki Ishinohachi, Hideho Hayashi, Isao Hashimoto, Mikio Murao, Shozo Kanamori, Chikanori Kumagai, Tatsuya Watanabe
  • Patent number: 5462216
    Abstract: In a process for brazing a metal in a continuous manner, a work consisting of a base metal and a part to be brazed thereto is disposed in a box-like heat retaining container which is opened at its upper portion to surround lower and side surfaces of the work and fixing the work by a retaining jig. The work within said heat retaining container is heated by a continuous combustion in a gas burner, so that the temperature of said work is risen to a predetermined preheating temperature. Then, the work is subjected to a soaking treatment at the preheating temperature by switching-over the combustion in the gas burner to a pulse combustion. The continuous combustion in the gas burner is restarted to rise the temperature of the work to a brazing temperature, and then, the part is brazed to said base metal with the temperature of the work maintained at the brazing temperature by switching-over the combustion in the gas burner to a pulse combustion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 31, 1995
    Inventor: Makoto Nishimura
  • Patent number: 5452669
    Abstract: Incineration apparatus for incinerating a particulate material comprises a furnace housing (2), feeding means (7) for feeding material to be incinerated into said housing (2), and gas supply means (6a-c) for introducing a gas into the material in a lower part of said housing (2) so as to form a fluidised bed (8). Said gas supply means (6a-c) is spaced from the walls of said furnace housing (2) such that said walls are insulated from the fluidised bed (8) by an insulating layer of particulate material not in a fluidised state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 26, 1995
    Assignee: Richards Engineering Limited
    Inventor: Ian A. Bailey
  • Patent number: 5443022
    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: September 29, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 22, 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: 5441406
    Abstract: A method and system for introducing combustion gases to the upper portion of the dense phase or transition portion of a circulating fluidized bed reactor. The combustion gases are produced in a burner external to the dense phase portion of the reactor wherein the burner receives a mixture of liquid or gaseous fuel and air so as to initiate and maintain combustion within the burner. The combustion gases are then quenched prior to entering the dense phase portion of the reactor so as to reduce the temperature of the combustion gases thereby preventing overheating or sintering of the particulate and significant oxidation reduction in the dense phase portion of the reactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 15, 1995
    Assignee: Dorr-Oliver Incorporated
    Inventors: Stanley A. Bunk, George Tomasicchio
  • Patent number: 5425331
    Abstract: A fluidized bed reactor in which a plurality of air bars are supported by a plurality of tubes in an upright enclosure. The air bars support a bed of particulate material and discharge air into the bed to fluidize the material. A cooling fluid is passed through the tubes to transfer heat from the air bars.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 20, 1995
    Assignee: Foster Wheeler Energy Corporation
    Inventor: Iqbal F. Abdulally
  • Patent number: 5405122
    Abstract: A method of heat treating an amorphous metal alloy by immersing the alloy in a fluidized bed to heat the alloy to a temperature below its recrystallization temperature. The alloy is maintained in the fluidized bed for a time sufficient to reduce internal stresses While minimizing crystal growth and nucleation of crystallites in the alloy. Then, the alloy is removed from the fluidized bed and cooled. A magnetic field can be applied to the alloy before, during or after heating the alloy in the fluidized bed. The magnetic field is applied for a time sufficient to achieve substantial magnetic domain alignment while minimizing crystal growth and nucleation of crystallites in the alloy. The cooling step is effective to maintain the magnetic domain alignment in the alloy. The cooling step can be performed with a chill bath or a fluidized bed which is cooled by a circulating gas such as nitrogen or air. The alloy can be slowly cooled by convection and radiation after it is removed from the first fluidized bed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 11, 1995
    Assignee: Cooper Power Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Lawrence M. Burrage, John F. Baranowski, Lawrence G. Wilson, Gary L. Goedde, James V. White
  • Patent number: 5381827
    Abstract: For use in gas phase polymerization apparatus having an agitator in a fluidized bed polymerization reactor, the present invention provides a gas distributor which has holes, and caps covering the respective holes from above and each having an opening oriented in a substantially horizontal direction at an angle of about 90 to about 135 deg with, and outwardly of, a tangent to a circle centered about the center of the reactor whereby an increase in the gas solid ratio can be prevented in the region above the distributor to ensure efficient discharge of the polymer produced, and the polymer particles can be prevented from falling into a gas room thereunder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 17, 1995
    Assignee: Sumitomo Chemical Company, Limited
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Koura, Yoshizumi Sasaki, Kazuki Wakamatsu, Kazuyuki Takemura
  • Patent number: 5376622
    Abstract: A melting-and-solidification manufacturing method for manufacturing an ingot of a high critical temperature superconductive oxide belonging, in particular, to the YBaCuO, BiSrCaCuO, or TlBaCaCuO families, wherein:an ingot of oxide having the appropriate stoichiometery is used;the ingot is held horizontally by levitation on a film of gas inside a furnace;the ingot is melted;a vertical thermal gradient is established inside said furnace such that nucleation starts at the bottom portion of said ingot;while maintaining said thermal gradient, the overall temperature of the furnace is lowered at a rate of not more than 0.1.degree. C./hour down to the temperature which corresponds to complete ingot solidification; andfinally, conventional oxygenation treatment is applied to said ingot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1993
    Date of Patent: December 27, 1994
    Assignee: Alcatel Alsthom Compagnie Generale d'Electricite
    Inventor: Christian Belouet
  • Patent number: 5368824
    Abstract: A gas distribution system employing an array of parallel gas inlet pipes and a pair of transverse gas inlet pipes located below the first group of pipes to fluidize a particulate bed in a reaction vessel and to remove non-fluidizable particles that may be introduced into or form in the bed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 1993
    Date of Patent: November 29, 1994
    Assignee: Marquess and Nell Inc.
    Inventors: David J. Nell, Frederick A. Zenz
  • Patent number: 5354039
    Abstract: A gas diffusing nozzle device for a fluidized bed furnace having high thermal resistance and durability especially, in a high-temperature environment and capable of being manufactured at a low cost, fluidizing a fluid layer uniformly using a fluidized gas jet with a low pressure loss and controlling the flow rate of the fluidized gas jet at the outer circumferential and central portions of the interior of a retort (11) in an arbitrary and individual manner. This device is provided with a circumferential gas supply pipe (19), a central gas supply pipe (24), and a circumferential gas diffusing nozzle section (14) and a central gas diffusing nozzle section (15) respectively connected to these two gas supply pipes. Each of the gas diffusing nozzle sections has a plurality of nozzle pipes (16b, 22) with a plurality of downwardly directed fluid gas ejection ports (17) formed in the lower surfaces thereof, and at least one ring-shaped nozzle pipe (16a, 21) joined to the free ends of these nozzle pipes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 11, 1994
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Komatsu Seisakusho
    Inventors: Hidemitsu Takenoshita, Hisashi Hattori, Yoichiro Hanada
  • Patent number: 5343631
    Abstract: A process and apparatus for cooling coal dried in a fluid bed reactor are disclosed in which heated dried coal is separated into coarser and finer fractions and the coarser and finer fractions are separately cooled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 6, 1994
    Assignee: Amax Coal West, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael W. Shackelford, Robert G. Bauer, George W. Land
  • Patent number: 5341753
    Abstract: A circulating fluidized bed combustor comprises a fluidized bed combustion chamber, a recirculating system for recirculating fluidized solids through the combustion chamber, and a plurality of fluid injection nozzles disposed around the walls of the combustion chamber above the loop seal returns for injecting a high velocity fluid for improved mixing gases and solids in the combustion chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 30, 1994
    Assignee: Pyropower Corporation
    Inventor: David B. Russell
  • Patent number: 5340089
    Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for heat treating a product. The apparatus includes an infrared lamp assembly having an infrared lamp disposed within the interior of a quartz conduit. Air is admitted to the interior of the conduit at a controlled rate to cool the conduit while minimizing adverse impact on the efficiency of the infrared lamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 23, 1994
    Assignee: BGK Finishing Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: James E. Heath, John R. Eppeland
  • Patent number: 5338335
    Abstract: A method for the treatment of waste products, in particular oil-contaminated chips of reactive metals such as magnesium and magnesium alloys includes heading the chips to a temperature close to or above the boiling point of the oil and below the melting point of the metal. Preferably, a closed, cylindrical rotating furnace having inner, slanting blades/wings on the wall of a furnace is used. Chips are fed from a container via a transporting device into the furnace. A closed outlet system conducts the chips from the furnace. Oil vapour is conducted out of the furnace and is coalesced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 16, 1994
    Assignee: Norsk Hydro a.s.
    Inventor: Surendra K. Saxena
  • Patent number: 5332139
    Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for heat treating a product. The apparatus includes a retort having a volume sized to receive a bed of fluidized particles having a predetermined elevation within the volume and a plurality of electrically powered infrared radiation sources. The sources are submerged within the bed of fluidized particles. Use of the apparatus to reclaim foundry sand is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 26, 1994
    Assignee: BGK Finishing Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: James E. Heath, John R. Eppeland, James S. Nelson
  • Patent number: 5325607
    Abstract: A reactor for drying solids in a heated fluidized bed comprising over the fluidized bed a vapor-collecting space provided with a vapor outlet. Means for feeding the water-containing solids are provided over the vapor-collecting space. A conical distributor surface, which is rotatable about a vertical axis, is provided in the vapor-collecting space below the supplying means and slopes at an angle of 25.degree. to 70.degree. from the horizontal and is formed with at least one aperture. The aperture occupies 10 to 90% of the theoretical overall area of the distributor surface. The distributor surface is rotated at a speed of 20 to 250 revolutions per minute.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 5, 1994
    Assignee: Metallgesellschaft Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Hans-Jurgen Weib, Wolfgang Frank, Wladyslaw Lewandowski, Wolfgang Scheler
  • Patent number: 5325606
    Abstract: Damp sodium bicarbonate filter cake is pre-dried and calcined to produce light soda as in a process comprising a carbon dioxide ebullated fluid bed pre-dryer working in connected series relationship with a plurality of carbon dioxide ebullated fluid bed/bag filter calcination systems such that bicarbonate decomposition during pre-drying is minimized and the thermal treatment of small particles during calcination is optimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1992
    Date of Patent: July 5, 1994
    Assignee: Niro A/S
    Inventor: Erik Liborius
  • Patent number: 5316735
    Abstract: In a vertical cylindrical casing (1) of the apparatus along the axis thereof a gas-supplying pipe (8) is disposed, the end face (11) of which is disposed above a gas-distributing grating (3) at the level of the height of a fluidized bed formed thereon and in which a tube (12) is arranged with a swirler (13) inserted thereinto, said tube forming an annular gap (14) with the pipe (8). On the gas-supplying pipe (8) and on the gas-distributing grating (3) truncated cones (15, 16) are arranged coaxially, the upper end face (17) of the external cone (16) being disposed below the end face (11) of the gas-supplying pipe (8). In the upper part of the casing (1) in front of the inlet to an axial gas-discharging pipe (7) a baffle cone (19) is mounted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 31, 1994
    Inventors: Oleg R. Ivanov, Mikhail I. Snegirev, Makhail K. Chistyakov, Vladimir M. Razhev, Vladimir I. Budantsev, Jury I. Kipriyanov, Viktor A. Zaitsev, deceased, by Galina M. Zaitseva, administrator, by Natalya V. Zaitseva, administrator
  • Patent number: 5303904
    Abstract: An apparatus for transferring heat between workpieces and a container (10, 10A). The container (10, 10A) has particulate material (28) occupying a substantial portion of the volume of the container (10, 10A) and the container (10, 10A) is rotated to fluidize the particulate material which contacts the workpieces (30) for transferring heat between the container (10, 10A) and the workpieces (30). The container (10, 10A) is enclosed to provide a sealed volume within the container (10, 10A). A predetermined gas may be provided through an inlet (17, 31A) to the container (10, 10A) and gas may be exhausted from an outlet (16, 133A) from the container (10, 10A). The container may either be heated or cooled as desired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 1992
    Date of Patent: April 19, 1994
    Assignee: Fike Corporation
    Inventor: Willard E. Kemp
  • Patent number: 5299366
    Abstract: Transport apparatus for small sized hardware items includes a fluidized bed with a sloping gas permeable base (6) at the inlet end of the bed. Gas feed chambers (6a, 6b, 6c, 6d) are located on the lowerside of the base (6) and are sealed from one another in a gas tight manner. Powder columns (2a, 2b, 2c, 2d) of different heights extend upwardly above the base (6). Gas at different pressures is supplied through the gas feed chambers (6a, 6b, 6c, 6d) into the powder columns forming a uniform fluidized bed (2). The base slopes downwardly and has step-like transitions adjacent intersections of the chambers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 1992
    Date of Patent: April 5, 1994
    Assignee: Hilti Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Elmar Maier, Eckart Drossler
  • Patent number: 5294095
    Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for heat treating a product. The apparatus includes a retort having a predetermined volume for receiving a bed of fluidizing particles at having a predetermined elevation within the volume and a plurality of electrically powered infrared radiation lamps. The lamps are submerged within the bed of fluidizing particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 1992
    Date of Patent: March 15, 1994
    Assignee: BGK Finishing Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: James E. Heath, John R. Eppeland
  • Patent number: 5292247
    Abstract: In cement clinker production lines having calcinator connected upstream of the rotary kiln and equipped with a second firing, in order that the most complete possible burnup or residual burnup, favorable from the standpoint of thermal economy, of uncombusted fuel constituents such as, for example, CO and/or uncombusted residual carbon be enabled in the calcinator, and indeed in the case of calcinators without, but in particular with, a device for the reduction of the NO.sub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 1992
    Date of Patent: March 8, 1994
    Assignee: Klockner-Humboldt-Deutz Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Claus Bauer
  • Patent number: 5286188
    Abstract: A fluidized bed system in which a plate is disposed in an enclosure and is adapted to support particulate material. A plurality of nozzles are supported by the plate for receiving air and directing the air through the plate and into the particulate material to fluidize same. Each of the nozzles includes a vertical tubular portion extending upwardly from the plate for receiving air from the air plenum, an angled tubular portion extending downwardly and outwardly from the vertical tubular portion for discharging the air, and a valve member movably housed in the vertical tubular portion, which permits air flow during operation but, upon shutdown, seals the nozzle and prevents backflow or backsifting of the particulate material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 1992
    Date of Patent: February 15, 1994
    Assignee: Foster Wheeler Energy Corporation
    Inventor: James D. Barkley
  • Patent number: 5283959
    Abstract: A system of drying moist sludge includes a drier as a main component. The drier is composed of a lower gas fluidizing section and an upper high speed fluidizing section. Moist sludge to be be dried is introduced into a mixer in which each particle is coated with the moist sludge, and the coated particles are supplied to the gas fluidizing section. Fine particles flown away from the gas fluidizing section are fluidized in the high speed fluidizing section while they are dried by heating elements. After completion of the drying operation, dried sludge particles are collected in a dust collector. Subsequently, fine dried sludge particles are conducted to a bag type dust collecting unit from which they are discharged to a sludge hopper. A part of the coarse dried sludge particles collected in the dust collector is supplied to the gas fluidizing section, a part of the same is supplied to the mixer to be mixed with moist sludge, and the balance is delivered to the sludge hopper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1992
    Date of Patent: February 8, 1994
    Assignee: Tsukishima Kikai Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshikazu Nagayoshi, Hajime Nakajima, Misao Igarashi