Apparatus and method for dosing

• US 5,538,162 A
• Filed: 05/25/1994
• Issued: 07/23/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Buhler AG (Buhler Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Buhler AG (Buhler Holding AG)
• Inventors: Meili, Thomas, Tesch, Marc, Hani, Beat, Goedicke, Frank, Reh, Lothar, Ruf, Arthur
• Primary Examiner(s): Kashnikow, Andres
• Assistant Examiner(s): DOUGLAS, LISA ANN
• Application Number:
  US08/249,124
• Time in Patent Office: 790 Days
• Field of Search: 222/52, 222/63, 222/64, 222/195, 222/196, 222/630, 222/55, 406/14, 406/30, 406/137, 406/138, 366/101, 366/107
• US Class Current: 222/63
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2/00 Processes or devices for granulating materials , e.g. fertilisers in general; Rendering particulate materials free flowing in general, e.g. making them hydrophobic
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2208/0007 Pressure measurement
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2208/00079 Fluid level measurement
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2208/00088 Flow rate measurement
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2208/00407 outside the reactor bed
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2208/00539 Pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2208/00548 Flow
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2208/0061 Controlling the level
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2208/00761 Discharging
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 8/003 in a downward flow
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 8/1809 Controlling processes

Abstract

A dosing apparatus provides for dosing a particulate phase within a free flowing two phase flow of a gas phase and the particulate phase, wherein the two phase flow leaves a fluidized bed. The apparatus includes, at its bottom, a gas inlet mechanism to supply the gas via an orifice, and an outlet orifice with a discharge pipe. Control of the gas flow to maintain a predetermined level of the bed is attained by weighing the contents of the bed or by use of sensors within a treatment space of the apparatus. Widening mechanism may be located subsequent to the outlet orifice for widening the stream of particulate phase for exposing an enlarged surface area of particles for treatment.

Claims

1. A dosing apparatus for dosing a particulate phase within a free-flowing two phase flow consisting of a gas phase and said particulate phase, said two phase flow leaving a fluidized bed of a certain level within a fluidized bed apparatus comprising:

a fluidizing gas inlet means at its bottom region to supply fluidizing gas through at least one fluidizing orifice,

at least one outlet orifice to discharge said two phase flow out of said fluidized bed apparatus,

the dosing apparatus further comprising;

at least one discharge pipe connected to said at least one outlet orifice,

control means adjacent said outlet orifice for controlling a constant mass flow of said particulate phase through said discharge pipe and for controlling the homogeneity of said two phase flow, said control means including nozzle means for injecting gas into said two phase flow,

gas supply means for feeding said nozzle means with control gas, and

a pair of level sensor means provided at different heights of said fluidized bed apparatus to sense two upper threshold levels of said fluidized bed and to give an output signal when its respective level is reached to control said mass flow.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said pair of level sensor means comprise at least one pressure sensor arranged in the respective height of the level to be sensed to provide a pressure signal.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising processing means receiving said output signal and being connected to throughput adjusting means for adjusting at least one of throughputs selected from the group of fluidizing gas, control gas and supply rate of solids.

4. A dosing apparatus for dosing a particulate phase within a free-flowing two phase flow consisting of a gas phase and said particulate phase into a treatment space, said two phase flow leaving a fluidized bed of a certain level within a fluidized bed apparatus comprising:

fluidizing gas inlet means in its bottom region to supply a fluidizing gas through at least one outlet orifice of said fluidized bed apparatus,

the dosing apparatus further comprising;

at least one discharge pipe connected to said at least one outlet orifice,

control means adjacent said outlet orifice for controlling a constant mass flow of said particulate phase through said discharge pipe and for controlling the homogeneity of said two phase flow, said control means including nozzle means for injecting gas into said two phase flow,

gas supply means for feeding said nozzle means with gas, and

sensor means within said treatment space for determining at least one condition within said space and to give a corresponding output signal to control said mass flow.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4, further comprising processing means receiving said output signal and being connected to throughput adjusting means for adjusting at least one of throughputs selected from the group of fluidizing gas, control gas and supply rate of solids.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein said sensor means comprise at least one pressure sensor arranged in communication with said treatment space.

7. A dosing apparatus for dosing a particulate phase into a treatment zone, comprising:

supply means for said particulate phase as a particle stream into said treatment zone,

at least one discharge opening leading out of said treatment zone,

at least one source of a treatment medium to be supplied to said treatment zone, and

widening means subsequent to said discharge opening for widening said stream of particulate phase for exposing a high surface area of the particles to said treatment medium.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein said widening means comprise:

widening fluid supply means,

nozzle means connected to said widening fluid supply means for directing a stream of fluid in a direction across the direction of said particle stream to deviate and widen it.

9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7, further comprising supply means for a treatment medium into said treatment zone for treating the particles of said particulate phase, said supply means being independent from said widening means.

10. A dosing apparatus for dosing a particulate phase within a free-flowing two phase flow consisting of a gas phase and said particulate phase into a treatment zone, said two phase flow leaving a fluidized bed of a certain level within a fluidized bed apparatus comprising:

fluidizing gas inlet means in its bottom region to supply a fluidizing gas through at least one outlet orifice of said fluidized bed apparatus,

at least one discharge pipe connected to said at least one outlet orifice to guide a stream of said particulate phase out of said fluidized bed,

at least one source of a treatment medium to be supplied to said treatment zone, and

widening means subsequent said discharge pipe for widening said stream of particulate phase and for exposing a high surface area of the particles to said treatment medium.

11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10, further comprising control means for controlling a constant mass flow of said particulate phase through said discharge pipe and for controlling the homogeneity of said two phase flow.

12. Apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein a nozzle means in said discharge pipe for injecting gas into said two phase flow, gas supply means for feeding said nozzle means with gas.

13. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein said widening means comprise

widening fluid supply means,

nozzle means connected to said widening fluid supply means for directing a stream of fluid in a direction across the direction of said particle stream to deviate and widen it.

14. Apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein said nozzle means has a conical free end portion.

15. Apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein said nozzle means comprise at least one orifice in said conical end portion.

16. Apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein said nozzle means is axially movable, and said conical end portion is formed to restrict an outlet opening for said particle stream.

17. Apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein said nozzle means is centered with respect to said outlet discharge pipe.

18. Apparatus as claimed in claim 13, further comprising fluid supply means for supplying an additional fluid substantially parallely to said particle stream around said nozzle.

19. A method for dosing a particulate phase within a free-flowing two phase flow consisting of a gas phase and said particulate phase, said two phase flow leaving a fluidized bed of a certain level within a fluidized bed apparatus, the method comprising the steps of:

feeding a fluidizing gas through at least one fluidizing orifice at a bottom region of a fluidizing gas inlet;

discharging said two phase flow out of said fluidized bed apparatus via at least one outlet orifice thereof, there being at least one discharge pipe connected to said at least one outlet orifice;

controlling a constant mass flow of said particulate phase through said discharge pipe, and controlling the homogeneity of said two phase flow, both of said controlling steps being accomplished by injecting gas into said two phase flow via a nozzle;

sensing, at different heights of said fluidized bed apparatus, two upper threshold levels of said fluidized bed; and

outputting a signal upon attainment of each of levels to control said mass flow.

20. A method for dosing a particulate phase within a free-flowing two phase flow, consisting of a gas phase and said particulate phase, into a treatment space, wherein said two phase flow leaves, a fluidized bed of a certain level within a fluidized bed apparatus comprising the steps of:

supplying a fluidizing gas through at least one outlet orifice of said fluidized bed apparatus at a bottom region of the bed, there being at least one discharge pipe connected to said at least one outlet orifice;

controlling a constant mass flow of said particulate phase through said discharge pipe, and controlling the homogeneity of said two phase flow, both of said controlling steps being accomplished by injecting gas into said two phase flow via a nozzle;

sensing the environment within said treatment space for determining at least one condition within said space; and

outputting a signal corresponding to said condition to control said mass flow.

21. A method for dosing a particulate phase into a treatment zone, comprising steps of:

supplying said particulate phase as a particle stream into said treatment zone, there being at least one discharge opening leading out of said treatment zone;

providing a treatment medium to be supplied to said treatment zone; and

widening said stream of particulate phase for exposing a high surface area of the particles to said treatment medium.

22. A method for dosing a particulate phase within a free-flowing two phase flow consisting of a gas phase and said particulate phase into a treatment zone, said two phase flow leaving a fluidized bed of a certain level within a fluidized bed apparatus having a fluidizing gas inlet in its bottom region, the method comprising steps of:

feeding a fluidizing gas through at least one orifice of said gas inlet, there being at least one discharge pipe connected to said at least one outlet orifice to guide a stream of said particulate phase out of said fluidized bed;

supplying at least one treatment medium to said treatment zone; and

widening said stream of particulate phase for exposing a high surface area of the particles to said treatment medium.