Apparatus and method of separating and concentrating organic and/or non-organic material

• US 8,651,282 B2
• Filed: 01/04/2007
• Issued: 02/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Rainbow Energy Center LLC
• Original Assignee: Great River Energy
• Inventors: Ness, Mark A., Coughlin, Matthew P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rodriguez, Joseph C
• Application Number:
  US11/649,685
• Publication Number:
  US 20070193926A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,602 Days
• Field of Search: 209/11, 209/474, 209/477, 209/488, 209/490, 209/493, 209/483
• US Class Current: 209/488
• CPC Class Codes: B03B 4/06 using fixed and inclined tables ; using stationary pneumatic tables, e.g. fluidised beds
• CPC Class Codes: C10B 57/10 Drying
• CPC Class Codes: F23K 1/04 Heating fuel prior to delivery to combustion apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: F23K 2201/20 Drying
• CPC Class Codes: F23K 2201/30 Separating
• CPC Class Codes: F26B 3/084 with heat exchange taking place in the fluidised bed , e.g. combined direct and indirect heat exchange
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/129 Energy recovery, e.g. by cogeneration, H2recovery or pressure recovery turbines

Abstract

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. The fluidized bed also includes an opening for receiving a first fluidizing stream, an exit for fluidized particulate and at least one exit for non-fluidized particulate. A conveyor is operatively disposed in the fluidized bed for conveying the non-fluidized particulate to the non-fluidized particulate exit. A collector box is in operative communication with the fluidized bed to receive the non-fluidized particulate. There is a means for directing a second fluidizing stream through the non-fluidized particulate as while it is in the collector box to separate fluidizable particulate therefrom.

Claims

1. An apparatus for segregating particulate material by density and/or size to concentrate a contaminant contained within part of the particulate material for separation from the rest of the particulate material, comprising:

(a) an enclosed fluidizing bed having (i) a receiving inlet for receiving the particulate material;

(ii) an inlet opening for receiving a fluidizing stream for fluidizing at least a portion of the particulate material to create without mechanically-applied oscillation a first fluidized particulate material stream, and a first non-fluidized particulate material stream containing an increased concentration of the contaminant relative to the particulate material;

(iii) a discharge outlet for discharging a portion of the fluidizing stream containing elutriated fines from the particulate material feed;

(iv) a discharge outlet for discharging the first fluidized particulate material stream; and

(v) discharge outlet for discharging the first non-fluidized particulate material stream containing the increased concentration of the contaminant;

(b) a collector box positioned to receive the first non-fluidized particulate material stream discharged from the fluidizing bed, the collector box including means for directing a second fluidizing stream through the first non-fluidized particulate material stream as it is transported through the collector box to fluidize at least a portion of the first non-fluidized particulate material stream to create without mechanically-applied oscillation (i) a second non-fluidized particulate material stream from the first non-fluidized particulate material stream containing a further increased concentration of the contaminant and (ii) a second fluidized particulate material stream containing elutriated fines from the first non-fluidized particulate material stream;

(c) a first fluidizing stream operatively connected to the inlet opening of the fluidizing bed for introducing the first fluidizing stream into the fluidizing bed to achieve separation of the first fluidized particulate material stream from the first non-fluidized particulate material stream; and

(d) a second fluidizing stream operatively connected to the collector box for introducing the second fluidizing stream into the collector box to achieve separation of the second non-fluidized particulate material stream from the first non-fluidized particulate material stream.

2. The particulate material segregating apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a conveyor for conveying the first non-fluidized particulate material stream inside the fluidizing bed.

3. The particulate material segregating apparatus of claim 1, including a heat source for heating the particulate material feed within the fluidizing bed.

4. The particulate material segregating apparatus of claim 3, wherein the heat source is a primary heat source.

5. The particulate material segregating apparatus of claim 3, wherein the heat source is a waste heat source.

6. The particulate material segregating apparatus of claim 5, wherein the waste heat source is selected from group consisting of hot condenser cooling water, hot stack gas, hot flue gas, spent process steam and discharged heat from operating equipment.

7. The particulate material segregating apparatus of claim 3, wherein the temperature delivered to the fluidizing bed by the heat means does not exceed 300°

F.

8. The particulate material segregating apparatus of claim 3, wherein the temperature delivered to the fluidizing bed by the heat source means is between 200-300°

F.

9. The particulate material segregating apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first fluidizing stream is air.

10. The particulate material segregating apparatus of claim 1 including a heat exchanger within the fluidized bed for heating the particulate material.

11. The particulate material segregating apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first fluidizing stream is an inert gas.

12. The particulate material segregating apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second fluidizing stream is air.

13. The particulate material segregating apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second fluidizing stream is steam.

14. The particulate material segregating apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second fluidizing stream is an inert gas.

15. The particulate material segregating apparatus of claim 1, wherein the particulate material is coal.

16. The particulate material segregating apparatus of claim 1, wherein the contaminant is selected from the group consisting of fly ash, sulfur, mercury, and ash.

17. The particulate material segregating apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second fluidized particulate material stream discharged from the collector box is transported back to the fluidizing bed for further processing.

18. The particulate material segregating apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second non-fluidized particulate material stream containing the enhanced concentration of the contaminant is further processed.

19. The particulate material segregating apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first fluidizing stream is heated by a heat emitting means.

20. The particulate material segregating apparatus of claim 19, wherein the heat emitting means is a heat exchanger.

21. The particulate material segregating apparatus of claim 19, wherein the heat emitting means is a primary heat source.

22. The particulate material segregating apparatus of claim 19, wherein the heat emitting means is a waste heat source.

23. The particulate material segregating apparatus of claim 22, wherein the waste heat source is selected from the group consisting of hot condenser cooling water, hot stack gas, hot flue gas, spent process steam, and discarded heat from operating equipment.

24. The particulate material segregating apparatus of claim 1, wherein the fluidizing bed contains a first-stage region and a second stage region, the first-stage region is separated from the second-stage region by means of weir gate over which the fluidized particulate material exiting the first-stage region enters the second-stage region, and further comprising a third fluidizing stream operatively connected to the second-stage region of the fluidizing bed to achieve further separation without mechanically-applied oscillation of the fluidized particulate material stream from the non-fluidized particulate material stream.

25. The particulate material segregating apparatus of claim 24, wherein the non-fluidized particulate material stream discharged from both the first-stage region and the second-stage region of the fluidizing bed are transported to the collector box for further processing.

26. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second fluidized particulate material stream is combined with the first fluidized particulate material stream from the fluidized bed.

27. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second fluidized particulate material stream is directed into the fluidizing bed where it is combined with the first fluidized particulate material stream.

28. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the collector box includes a chute for directing the flow of the second fluidized particulate material stream from the collector box.

29. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first fluidizing stream is heated.

30. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first fluidizing stream is heated by waste heat.

31. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second fluidizing stream is heated.

32. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second fluidizing stream is heated by waste heat.

33. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein there are a plurality of collector boxes positioned to receive the first non-fluidized particulate material stream from the fluidizing bed.