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Submerged combustion melters and methods of feeding particulate material into such melters

  • US 10,233,105 B2
  • Filed: 10/14/2016
  • Issued: 03/19/2019
  • Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2016
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method of melting particulate feedstocks in a submerged combustion melter (SCM) employing an arrangement of one or more submerged combustion (SC) burners emitting combustion products into turbulent molten material, the SCM having a length (L) and a width (W), a centerline (C), a midpoint (M), a sidewall structure having a north side (N) and a south side (S), the sidewall structure connecting a ceiling and a floor of the SCM, the ceiling positioned above the floor a height H2, the method comprising:

  • (a) operating the SC burners such that there is established a turbulent melting region extending vertically from the floor to a splash region, the splash region extending vertically between the turbulent melting region and a head space region, the head space region extending vertically between the splash region and the melter ceiling;

    (b) feeding particulate feedstock into the splash region through one or more inlet ports, the one or more inlet ports positioned at a height H1 measured from the floor, where H1/H2 ranges from about 0.33 to about 0.67;

    (c) providing a baffle extending vertically downward from the ceiling of the SCM into the splash region and perpendicular to the SCM centerline (C), the baffle having a width equal to the width (W) of the SCM, the baffle positioned between a feed end of the SCM and the midpoint (M) of the SCM;

    (d) operating the SCM so that the splash region submerges a distal end of the baffle, and allowing exhaust to flow out of an exhaust stack of the SCM attached to the ceiling of the SCM along the SCM centerline (C), the exhaust stack positioned between the midpoint (M) and an exit end wall of the SCM; and

    (e) melting the particulate feedstock in the SCM.

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