METHODS AND DEVICES FOR EVEN DISTRIBUTION OF SOLID FUEL MATERIALS

• US 20170356644A1
• Filed: 06/08/2017
• Published: 12/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gas Technology Institute
• Original Assignee: Gas Technology Institute
• Inventors: FITZSIMMONS, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 10,443,841 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: F23C 10/002 for pulverulent solid fuel F23C10/005 - F23C10/32 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F23C 10/12 the particles being circulated exclusively within the combustion zone
• CPC Class Codes: F23C 10/22 Fuel feeders specially adapted for fluidised bed combustion apparatus F23C10/26 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F23C 2900/10004 Adding inert bed material to maintain proper fluidized bed inventory
• CPC Class Codes: F23K 2203/202 using screws
• CPC Class Codes: F23K 3/02 Pneumatic feeding arrangements, i.e. by air blast
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 1/007 using mechanical means F23N1/04 - F23N1/10 take precedence

Abstract

Methods, devices and systems for processing of solid materials, particularly fuel material solids such as carbonaceous fuel solids such as of granular form, to provide or result in an even distribution of the solid material. Hoppers are provided with plurality of outlet orifices, each of the outlet orifices adapted to flow therethrough a combination of gas and the solid material to pneumatically convey the solid material to a distribution manifold. The distribution manifold includes a plurality of tubes with each tube having a plurality of exit orifices wherein each exit orifice passes an equal portion of the combination of the gas and the solid material.

Claims

1. A system for even distribution of a solid fuel material, said system comprising:

a hopper provided with plurality of outlet orifices, each of said outlet orifices adapted to flow therethrough a combination of gas and the solid fuel material to pneumatically convey the solid fuel material to a distribution manifold; and

the distribution manifold to distribute an even flow of the solid fuel material over an extended distribution area, the distribution manifold comprising a plurality of tubes with each tube having a plurality of exit orifices wherein each exit orifice passes an equal portion of the combination of the gas and the solid fuel material.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the flow of the combination of the gas and the solid fuel material through each of said outlet orifices is in an equal amount.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the flow of the combination of the gas and the solid fuel material through each of said tubes is in an equal amount.

4. The system of claim 1 comprising a plurality of said hoppers, wherein each of said hoppers provides the combination of gas and solid fuel material to the distribution manifold at a different selected pressure.

5. The system of claim 1 additionally comprising a mechanical metering means to the solid fuel material at a specific volumetric flow rate.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the mechanical metering means comprises an auger and wherein said auger mechanically meters the solid fuel material to form a plurality of feed streams.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the distribution manifold comprises a distributor comprising a double lined pipe with a plurality of orifices, the double lined pipe having a central passage wherethrough the solid fuel material is conveyed and an annulus wherethrough an oxidant of coolant fluid is conveyed.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein oxygen gas is conveyed through the annulus.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the solid fuel material is a carbonaceous fuel selected from the group consisting of coal, petroleum coke and biomass.

10. A processing system comprising:

a staged fluidized bed reactor wherein a carbonaceous fuel and an oxygen-containing gas are eluted through a fluidized bed comprising an inert material, dolomite or a combination thereof, wherein the staged fluidized bed reactor includes at least three reaction zones, each reaction zone operating at a different selected pressure; and

a distribution system for even distribution of the carbonaceous fuel to the staged fluidized bed reactor, the distribution system including;

at least three hoppers, each of said hoppers in material transfer communication with an associated selected one of said reaction zones, each of said hoppers provided with a plurality of outlet orifices, each of said outlet orifices adapted to flow therethrough a combination of gas and the carbonaceous fuel to pneumatically convey the carbonaceous fuel to a distribution manifold, wherein each of said hoppers provides the combination of gas and carbonaceous fuel to the distribution manifold at a different selected pressure; and

the distribution manifold to distribute an even flow of the carbonaceous fuel over an extended distribution area within the associated selected one of said reaction zones, the distribution manifold comprising a plurality of tubes with each tube having a plurality of exit orifices wherein each tube carries a portion of the combination of the gas and the carbonaceous fuel in an equal amount and wherein each exit orifice passes an equal portion of the combination of the gas and the carbonaceous fuel.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the carbonaceous fuel is selected from the group consisting of coal, petroleum coke and biomass.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein the carbonaceous fuel is in a granular form.

13. The system of claim 10 additionally comprising an auger to mechanically meter the carbonaceous fuel to form a plurality of feed streams.

14. A method for evenly distributing a granular carbonaceous fuel material within a staged fluidized bed reactor wherein the granular carbonaceous fuel and an oxygen-containing gas are eluted through a fluidized bed comprising an inert material, dolomite or a combination thereof, wherein the staged fluidized bed reactor includes at least three reaction zones, each reaction zone operating at a different selected pressure, said method comprising:

pneumatically conveying an equal amount of gas and the granular carbonaceous fuel material through a distribution manifold comprising a plurality of tubes, each tube including a plurality of orifices, each said orifice flowing an equal amount of gas and granular carbonaceous fuel material.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the granular carbonaceous fuel is selected from the group consisting of coal, petroleum coke and biomass.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the granular carbonaceous fuel material is distributed to the staged fluidized bed reactor via a distribution system including at least three hoppers, each of said hoppers in material transfer communication with an associated selected one of said reaction zones, each of said hoppers provided with a plurality of outlet orifices, each of said outlet orifices adapted to flow therethrough a combination of gas and the granular carbonaceous fuel to pneumatically convey the granular carbonaceous fuel to a distribution manifold, wherein each of said hoppers provides the combination of gas and granular carbonaceous fuel to the distribution manifold at a different selected pressure.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein each hopper distributes an even flow of the granular carbonaceous fuel over an extended distribution area within the associated selected one of the reaction zones.

18. The method of claim 14 additionally comprising;

mechanically metering the granular carbonaceous fuel via an auger to form a plurality of feed streams.