Apparatus and method of enhancing the quality of high-moisture materials and separating and concentrating organic and/or non-organic material contained therein
First Claim
1. A method for heat treating a feed, byproduct, or product stream within an industrial plant operation that produces at least two different types of waste heat, such method comprising:
- (a) providing a heat treatment apparatus for receiving the feed, byproduct, or product stream, including means for receiving the heat content of at least two different sources of heat to be applied to the feed, byproduct, or product stream;
(b) providing a first heat exchanger operatively connected to a thermal mixer that is operatively connected to the heat treatment apparatus;
(c) providing a first waste heat source to the first heat exchanger;
(d) providing a second heat exchanger operatively connected to the thermal mixer;
(e) providing a second waste heat source different in type from the first waste heat source to the second heat exchanger;
(f) combining predetermined amounts of heat content contained within the first waste heat source and the second waste heat source within the thermal mixer for delivering an aggregate heat content characterized by a predetermined temperature to or within the heat treatment apparatus; and
(g) maintaining the feed, byproduct, or product stream within the heat treatment apparatus exposed to a desired amount of the aggregate heat content for a sufficient time duration to achieve the desired degree of heat treatment.
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Abstract
The present invention harvests and utilizes fluidized bed drying technology and waste heat streams augmented by other available heat sources to dry feedstock or fuel. This method is useful in many industries, including coal-fired power plants. Coal is dried using the present invention before it goes to coal pulverizers and on to the furnace/boiler arrangement to improve boiler efficiency and reduce emissions. This is all completed in a low-temperature, open-air system. Also included is an apparatus for segregating particulate by density and/or size including a fluidizing bed having a particulate receiving inlet for receiving particulate to be fluidized. This is useful for segregating contaminants like sulfur and mercury from the product stream.
249 Citations
43 Claims
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1. A method for heat treating a feed, byproduct, or product stream within an industrial plant operation that produces at least two different types of waste heat, such method comprising:
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(a) providing a heat treatment apparatus for receiving the feed, byproduct, or product stream, including means for receiving the heat content of at least two different sources of heat to be applied to the feed, byproduct, or product stream; (b) providing a first heat exchanger operatively connected to a thermal mixer that is operatively connected to the heat treatment apparatus; (c) providing a first waste heat source to the first heat exchanger; (d) providing a second heat exchanger operatively connected to the thermal mixer; (e) providing a second waste heat source different in type from the first waste heat source to the second heat exchanger; (f) combining predetermined amounts of heat content contained within the first waste heat source and the second waste heat source within the thermal mixer for delivering an aggregate heat content characterized by a predetermined temperature to or within the heat treatment apparatus; and (g) maintaining the feed, byproduct, or product stream within the heat treatment apparatus exposed to a desired amount of the aggregate heat content for a sufficient time duration to achieve the desired degree of heat treatment. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A method for reducing the moisture of a particulate material within an industrial plant operation that produces at least two sources of waste heat, such method comprising:
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(a) providing a dryer bed for receiving the particulate material, including means for receiving a source of heat to be applied to the particulate material; (b) providing a first heat exchanger and a first thermal carrier medium operatively connected to a thermal mixer that is operatively connected to the dryer; (c) providing a first waste heat source to the first heat exchanger whereby a desired amount of heat content contained within the first waste heat source is transferred to the first thermal carrier medium which is delivered as one of the heat sources to the thermal mixer; (d) providing at least one additional heat exchanger and associated thermal carrier media operatively connected to the thermal mixer; (e) providing at least one additional waste heat source different in type from the first waste heat source to the additional heat exchanger whereby heat content contained within the additional waste heat source is transferred to the additional thermal carrier medium which is delivered as an additional heat source to the thermal mixer; (f) blending the first waste heat source and the additional waste heat source(s) within the thermal mixer to produce an aggregate heat content characterized by a predetermined temperature that is about 300°
F. or less; and(g) maintaining the particulate material within the dryer bed exposed to the aggregate heat content for a sufficient time duration to achieve the desired degree of moisture reduction.
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35. A method used within an industrial plant operation for heat treating a feed, byproduct, or product stream comprising a heat input, wherein a source of waste heat at a temperature of about 300°
- F. or less supplies the heat input further comprising;
(a) a heat treatment apparatus for receiving the feed, byproduct, or product stream, including means for receiving the heat content of at least two different sources of waste heat to be applied to the feed, byproduct, or product stream; (b) providing a first heat exchanger operatively connected to a thermal mixer that is operatively connected to the heat treatment apparatus; (c) providing a first waste heat source to the first heat exchanger; (d) providing at least one additional heat exchanger operatively connected to the thermal mixer; (e) providing at least one additional waste heat source different in type from the first waste heat source to the additional heat exchanger; (f) said thermal mixer including a third heat exchanger and a fourth heat exchanger, wherein a predetermined amount of heat content of the first waste heat source is provided to the third heat exchanger, and a predetermined amount of heat content of the additional waste heat source is provided to the fourth heat exchanger; (g) combining predetermined amounts of heat content contained within the first waste heat source and the additional waste heat source within the thermal mixer to produce an aggregate heat content characterized by a predetermined temperature; (h) maintaining the feed, byproduct, or product stream within the heat treatment apparatus exposed to a desired amount of the aggregate heat content for a sufficient time duration to achieve the desired degree of heat treatment; and (i) removing the feed, byproduct, or product stream from the heat treatment apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
- F. or less supplies the heat input further comprising;
Specification