Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
L9
This invcntion re]ates to the feeding of particulate
pyrolysable materials, e.g. carbonaceous materials such as
agglomerative coal particles, into a pyrolysis reactor.
In a typical process for coal conversion by pyrolysis,
coal particles are fed through a fesd tube into a pyrolysis
reactor. The coal particles -typically are suspended in a
non-deleteriously reactive fluid carrier, such as nitrogen
gas, and are mixed in the reactor with hot char particles
at a temperature of about 600 ~`. (31~C.) or more. The
hotjchar particles are normally also suspended in a non-
deleteriously reactive carrier fluid, such as nitrogen gas,
at about the same temperaturè. When the coal particles are
agglomerative, the fluid carrier in which they are suspended
must be ~ept relativeiy cool prior to injection of the coal
particles into the hot stream of char particles, in order to
prevent agglomerative plugging of the feed tube.
In the past, agglomerative coal particles have been fed
into the hot stream of char particles by connecting the feed
tube to the side wall of a curved conduit carrying the stream
Or char particles to the reactor, the feed being connected
along the outside of a bend of that conduit. Excess heating
of the coal particles in the feed tube has been avoided
because the feed tube terminates at the side wall of the
conduit, the feed tube not extending into the reactor.
However, the char particles ~lowing in the conduit tend to
concentrate aroun~ the outside of the bend in the conduit,
owing to centrifugal force. ~s a consequence, some of the
coa] particles reach the wall of the reactor before they have
been sufficiently heated to have passed through their
agglomerative state. This causes an agglomerative mass to
- 2 ~
, . .. _, ... ... .
~19~
form on the walls of the curved conduit leading to the reactor near or at the
attachment of the feed tube to the curved conduit. Thus, the coal particles
eventually plug the mouth oE tlle feed tube.
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided
in a pyrolysis system including a pyrolysis reactor and a system which trans-
ports a flow of hot particulate material suspended in a gaseous carrier
through the reactor, an improved system for feeding particulate carbonaceous
material into the pyrolysis reactor which comprises:
(a) at least one circularly arcuate feed tube means, a portion of
which is extendible through an opening in a side wall of the reactor for
providing a discharge end positioned in the reactor;
(b) means for coupling an end opposed to the discharge end o the
feed tube means to a source of particulate carbonaceous material suspended in
a non-deleteriously reactive carrier gas for injection into the reactor;
~ c) at least one circularly arcuate support sleeve extending out-
wardly from the external wall of the pyrolysis reactor about an opening
therein, said support sleeve receiving said circularly arcuate feed tube means
in close slidable relation and preventing rotation of the feed tube means
relative to the internal walls of the reactor to cause discharge of carbon-
aceous material from the feed tube means concurrent to the flow of hotparticulate material within the reactor; and
(d) means on the support sleeve to control the extension of the
feed tube means into the reactor; said feed tube means at least being
circularly arcuate from the point of said means on the support sleeve for
controlling the ex*ension into the reactor to the discharge end of said feed
tube means in the reactor.
Although the pyrolysis system of the invention has generally
applicability to the pyrolysis of pyrolysable materials it is, of course,
especially appropriate to the pyrolysis of particulate carbonaceous material
and accordingly, in another aspect, the invention also provides a pyrolysis
~ - 3 -
.
`~
system comprising an elon~ated pyrolysis reactor; means for feeding into
an inlet of the reactor a hot particulate material suspended in a carrier
Eluid at an elevated temperature; at
- 3a -
~'~
~19~ 9
least one feed tube mcans having a portion thereof extending
through an opening in a s:ide wall of the reactor and having
a discharge end ~lsposed in the reactor and an inlet end
positioned outside the reactor; at least one circularly
arcuate hollow suFport sleeve secured to the pyrolysis
reactor for rece~ving the feed tube means in close slidable
relation therein to prevent rotation of the feed tube means
relative to the interior walls of the reactor so as to
position the discharge end of the feed tube means at a
predetermined location and orientation within the reactor~
said-feed tube means being arcuate at least from the point of ~ ~ -
containment by the support sleeve to the extremity of said
feed tube means in the reactor; cooperating means on said feed
tube means and said support sleeve to limit the extension of
said feed tube means into the reactor; and means for feeding a
source of particulate carbonaceous material suspended in a
carrier fluid to the inlet end of the feed tube means.
~or the pyrolysis of agglomerative carbonaceous materials,
means are preferably provided to maintain the temperature of
the particulate agglomerative material in the feed tube below
a predetermin~d temperature such as the agglomeration
temperature of the material. Another reason for providing
such means is to avoid pyrolysis or reaction before the
material enters the reactor.
In one form of the invention, a plurality of the feed
tube means extend through respective portions of the reactor
side wall, the separate feed tube means being slidably
disposed in corresponding circularly arcuate support sleeves
for controlling the location and orientation of the discharge
end of each feed tube within the reactor. This structure
'~ .
....... , .~ . . , ....... ...... .... _ .. , ... _ .. _ . , __ . _ _ . .. _ _ ,,_ _. _ _._.,, ,,, _,, _,.. .. . .
9~
provides high throughput of, e.g. carbonaceous materials
and consisten-tly ensures that the particles will be mixed with
the hot (e.g. char) particles flowing in the reactor so that
uniPorm pyrolysis occurs in the xeactor.
The invention further provides a process forthe pyrolysis
oP particulate agglomerative carbonaceous materials in which
the particula-te agglomerative carbonaceous material is pyro-
ly~ed by combination with a hot particulate material trans-
ported by a carrier gas through an elongated section of a `
transport pyrolysis reactor, characterised by introducing
the carbonaceous material as a suspension in a non-deleteriously
reactive carrier gas into the reactor through at least one
removable circularly arcuate feed tube extending through at
least one ~ircularly arcuate sleeve extending outwardly from
a side wall oP the elongated section of the reactor about an
opening therein to position the discharge end of the feed tube
at a location upstream of said reactor opening, said arcua-te
sleeve controlling the extension of the discharge end-of the
Peed tube into the reactor and preventing rotation of the feed ;
tube relative to the internal walls of the reactor.
The invention is further described and explained with
reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
FIGURE 1 is a Pragmenta~y top plan view showing a pyrolysis
reactor having a feed system according to the invention;
FIGURE 2 is a Pragmentary front elevation view, partly
in cross-section~ taken on li~e 2-2 oP Figure l;
FIGURE 3 is a Pragmentary, partly schematic, top plan
view, partly in cross-sectiont showi~gan alternate ernbodiment
of the pyrolysis reactor and Peed system of Figures 1 and 2;
FIGURE ~ is a fragmentary, partly schematic, Pront
r
elevation -vie~, partly in cross-section, taken on line 4_L~ of
~lgure 3;
FIGURE 5 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 5-5 of
Figure 3;
FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary top plan view, partly in cross-
section, showing a rnultiple feed system for a pyrolysis
reactor;
FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary front elevation vi0w taken on
line 7-7 of Figure 6;
iFIGURE 8 is a fragmentary top plan view, partly in cross-
sectjion, showing an alternate embodiment of a multiple feed
system for a pyrolysis reactor; and
FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary front elevation view taken on
line 9-9 of Figure 8.
Referring -to the drawings, hot particulate material, typ-
ically char in a hot stream of non-deleteriously reactive carrier
gas at about 600F. (315 C) or more, is fed into a generally
upright pyrolysis reactor 10. A source of particulate carbon-
aceous material, such as bituminous coal suspended in a non-
deleteriously reactive carrier gas, such as nitrogen, is also
- fed into the pyrolysis reactor 10.
By a "carbonaceous material" there is meant a solid material
such as coal or solid organic residue, eOg. solid waste oil
shale, tar sands and the like. "Coal" includes anthracite,
agglomerativ~ bituminous coal, sub-bituminous coal, lignite and
peat. By the term "non-deleteriously reactive carrier gas" ;
there is mean~ a gas tha-t is substantially free of free oxygen,
although the constituents of the gas may react with pyrolysis
products to upgrade their value. To be avoided are constituents
which degrade pyrolysis products. Figure 1 and 2 illustrate a
-- 6 --
319~L9
single feed system for the pyrolysis reactor 10 whereas Figures
3 to 5 illustrate the same basic feed system in combination
with a system for cooling, where necessary, the par-ticulate
carbonaceous material prior to its injection into -the pyrolysis
reactor 10.
The stream of hot particulate mat0rial, such as char,
enters a curved conduit section 12 from which it passes through
a diffusion section 13 and into an elongated~section of the
pyrolysis reactor lO. The pyrolysis reactor 10 is generally
typical of those used for the pyrolysis of coal in the presence
of hot particulate char or other inert particulate material.
A course~of the particulate carbonaceous material suspended
in a non-deleteriously reactive carrier gas is represented by a
block 14 in Figure 3. The carbonaceous particles from the
source 14 are fed through an elongated feed tube 16 into the
interior of thereactor lO. The carrier gas for the carbonaceous
particles is kept at a substantially lower temperature than the
hot particulate material-bearing carrier stream in the conduit
12~ to prevent premature pyrolysis and/Gr agglomeration of the
particles in the feed tube 16. The carrier gas for the carbon-
aceous particles also is maintained at a sufficient pressure to
continuously carry the carbonaceous particles into the reactor 10.
The carbonaceous particles may be of a nature that at some
temperature below the pyrolysis temperature they will begin to
swell and secrete tarry constituents which causes closely spaced
particles to stick together and agglomerate and to adhere to
the walls of the reactor 10, in which case the feed tube 16 may
require a cooling s~stem as shown in Figures 3 to 5. An alter-
native is to lnject the material at a flow rate sufficient to
prevent the material from reaching the agglorneration temperature
9::19
before it exits tho fe0d tube.
The feed tube 16 has a circularly arcuate end sec-tion which
extends from a location substantially external o-f the reactor
side wall, through the reactor side wall, and into the interior
of -the reactor 10. This circularly arcuate section of the feed
tube 16 has a discharge end 18 preferably located at a point
within the reactor 10 which is spaced sufficiently from the
entrance to the reactor for the hot particles to be approximately
uniformly distributed in their carrier gas across the cross-
section of the reactor. In the single feed system shown in
~igures 1 to 5, the discharge end 18 preferably is located near
the centerline reactor 10~ and is also located downstream from
the inlet of the reactor by a distance equal to four or five times
the width ~r diameter of the reactor. The discharge end 18 of
the ~eed tube 16 also ~aces downstream away from the entrance to
the reactor 10~ and preferablyinjects coal particles into the
reactor in a direction substantially parallel to the flow path
through the reactor 10~ i.e. substantially parallel to the long-
itudinal axis o~ the reactor 10. Since the feed tube extends a
major distanc~ into the reactor 10~ the disturbance o~ the fluid
flow caused by the feed tube is minimized. To achieve this, th~
ratio of the radius of the circularly arcuate section of the
feed tube 16 to the inside diameter of the reactor 10 should be
at least about ~
In contr~st wlth the present invention, prior feed tubes
have been connected to the fluid system along the outside of the
bend of the conduit 12, as represented by phantom lines at 12a
in Figure 4, to prevent heating of the particulate coal above its
agglomeration temperature prior to injection into the hot char
stream. However, the concentration of char par-ticles along the
- 8 -
.
19
outside of the bond caused by centrifugal force rapldly heats the
coal particles at the mouth o~ the feed tube before they can pass
through the agglomerative temperature range~ thereby causing $he
coal particles to agglomerate and eventually plug the mouth of
the tube and curveld conduit 12.
The coal p~lr-ticles are kept relatively cool as they are fed
to the gas stream containing the hot char in the reactor 10. A
variety of alternative systems or methods may be used to cool the
~oal particles prior to injectio~ into the reactor. In the feed
system shown in Figures 1 and 2, for example, the coal particles
may be fed through the feed tube 16 at such a velocity that the
particles are discharged into the reactor 10 before they have time
to reach the pyrolysis or agglomeration temperature whichever be ~:
the requirement, within the feed tube 16. If the in-troduction...
velocity of agglomerative material, for example, is so low that
agglomeration can occur in the feed tube, -then external means can
be used to cool the particles traveling in the feed tube 16 of
~igures l-and 2 prior to injection into the reactor. For example,
the carrier gas for the coal particles may be cooled, or an
isolated coolant fluid such as water, Dowtherm the fluid known
under the Trade Mark DOWTHERM, refrigerated air and the like can be ~;
discharged over the portion of the feed tube which extends from
the coal source 14 to the reactor 10.
Figures 3 to 5 show a jacketed system for cooling the
coal particles traveling in the feed tube 16. The feed tube
16 has an end 20 connected to the particulate coal source 14
by a pipe 22. A cooling jacket for the feed tùbe 16 includes
an outer annular sleeve 24 and an elongated inner annular
partition 26 concentrically disposed about the feed tube 16. ~.
At the discharge end 18 of the feed tube 16, an annular
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91~
plate 28 closes the conduit 24, while leaving the end of
the feed tube 16 open The ins:ide diameter o~ the partition
26 is lQrger than the outside diameter o~ the feed tube 16.
Weld beads 30 support the partition 26 in a position space~
from the feed tube 16 to form an inner flow passage. The
ins:ide diameter o~ the s:Leeve 24 is larger -than the outside
diameter of the partition 26. Weld beads 32 support the
sleeve 24 in a position spaced from the partition 26 to
define an outer ~low passage. The partition 26 is spaced
from the end plate 28 to permit fluid communication between
the inner and outer flow passages at the discharge end 18
of the feed tube 16.
An elongated, circularly arcuate supporting sleeve 34
is secured Ito the outer wall o~ the reactor 10. The supporting . ;
sleeve 34 extends away ~rom the reactor and surrounds the
circularly arcuate portions o~ the feed tube 16, the partition ~;
26, and the sleeve 24 immediately adjacent the reactor outer
wall. The supporting sleeve 34 has a mounting flange 36 at
the end of the sleeve remote ~rom the point o~ attachment of
t~e sleeve to the reactor wall. The sleeve 34 is attached
to the reactor 10 by a supporting beam 38 which, as shown,
has a T--shaped cross-section that extends transversely from
the reactor 10 to a point spaced from the reactor outer wall
and located near the flange 36. An external weld joint 40
- is formed between the sleeve 34 and the outer wall of the
reactor 10 at the point where the feed tube 16 enters the
reactor. The weld joint 40 secures the sleeve 36 to the
reactor 10 and seals the point of entry of the sleeve 24 into
the reactor.. A flange 42 on the conduit 24 is secured to
the flange 36 by fasteners 44. An 0-ring seal 46 is sandwiched
. _ 10 -
.. ..... .. . . .. ..... ... . . ... .. . . . . . .
be-tween the fLanges 36 and 42. The cooling jacke-t and the
feed tube -I 6 are slidable -together as a unit axially relative
to the fixed support:ing sleeve 34.
< To install the feed tube 16 in the reactor 10, the
cooling jacket and feed tube 16 are slid lengthwise as a
unit through the sleeve 3LI until the flange 42 abuts against
the flange 36 . The stop provided by the abutting fl~nges
determines the extent of penetration of the feed tube 16 into
the interior of the reactor 10 and ensures the correct, i.e.,
location and orientation, of the discharge end 18 within the
reactpr 10. The feed tube 16, its associated cooling jacket,
and the sleeve 3L~ are of matching circularly arcuate
configuration, The feed tube and cooling jacket are
circularly arcuate in length at least between the cooling
jacket and the feed tube 16 within the reactor. This
prevents the discharge end 18 of the feed tube 16 from being
rotated away from its correct position in the reactor 10.
Thus, the sleeve 3L~, the external weld joint 40, and the
support beam 38 provide for the feed tube 16 and its
cooling jacket a means of support and attachment to the
reactor 10 that presents no obstructions to the flow path
within the reactor 10; and they provide means for positioning
the discharge end 18 of the feed tube 16 in a predetermined
location and orienta-tion inside -the reactor 10 without the feed
tube or water jacket being movable lengthwise or rotatable
from this preselected posi-tion. However, other stop means
for properly locating the end of the feed tube withln the
reactor can be used,
The positioning of the feed tube 16 shown in ~igures 1
and 2 is substantially identical -to that described for
9~19
Figures 3 to 5, except that the feed tube shown in
Figures 1 and 2 carries the flange 42 and can be connected
directly to the source 14 rather -than via the separate
conduits 22 and 26 shown in Figures 3 to 5.
Referring again to the cooling system shown in Figures
3 to ~, a coolan~, fiuch as water, the said DOWTHEnM fluid,
refrigerated air and the like is fecl to -the jacket by a
pump ~8 (represented-in block form in Figure 3). The
pump 48 is connected to -the portion of the partition 26
which extends outside -the reactor 10. The coolant is
forced by the pump 48 through the inner flow passage of
the cooling jacket to the end 18 of the feed tube 16 and
from the end of the feed tube through the outer flow passage
of the cooling jacket -to an exit 50 (shown in Figure 3). In
this manner, the coal particles passing through the feed
tube 16 are kept relatively cool as they are fed to the gas
stream containing hot char in reactor 10. The temperature of
the coolant is suitably lower than the hot char in the
carrier stream in the reactor 10. Moreover, the flow rate
of the coolant is sufficien-tly high to maintain the temperature
within the feed tube 16 below the agglomeration temperature
of the coal par-ticles. By connecting the inner flow passagé
of the cooling jacket to the source of coolan-t fluid, more
effective cooling of the feed tube 16 occurs because the
cooler upstre~m portion of the fluid flowing through the
cooling jacket is closer to the feed tube 16, and the down-
stream portion thereof insulates the upstream portion from
the hot en~ironment within the reactor 10, which is typically
at a temperature of about 600 ~. (315 C.) or more.
If desired, the coolant can be circulated in a closed
_ 12 -
11 9~L9
system. In this lnstance, a cooler 52 is connected to the
exit 50 to return the coolant to its original temperature.
The cooler 52 is coupled to the pump ~8 by a pi.pe represented
schematically as a line at 54 in Figure 3.
The source 14 is designed to inJeCt particulate coal
and a carrier gas into the feed tube 16 as a dense mass so
that the coal and carrier gas travel through the feed tube
at approximately the same velocity as the hot carrier
stream traveling through the reactor 10. Consequently, the
coal particles exit from the discharge end 18 generally at
the same velocity as the hot carrier stream traveling through :the reactor 10; and the coal particles pass through the
agglomerative temperature range before reaching the
walls of the reactor.
Two factors minimize agglomeration of coal particles
prior to contact with the hot carrier stream in the reactior 10.
First, the coal particles are maintained below the agglomeration
temperature as they exit from the discharge end 18 by virtue
of the cooling jacket shown in Figures 3 to 5, or any other
desired means for cooling the coal particles; and, secondlyg
the coal particles are quickly heated in the hot stream in
the reactor 10 to a temperature above the agglomeration
temperature before coming into contact with the walls of the
reactor 10.
If desired, the pressure of the source 14 can be auto-
matically adjusted to compensate for changes in conditions
in the reactor 10. For example, the pressure of the source
14 can be adjusted by a servo system (not shown) responsive
to a mass flowmeter (not shown) located in the reactor 10
and a mass flo1~meter (not shown) located in the feed tube 16.
13 -
When the velocity o~ the hot char-bearing stream trav0ling
through the reactor 10 incroases~ the velocity of the coal-
bearing s-tream traveling through the fced tube 16 also :
increases, and vice versa. Further, if desired, the flow
rate of the coolant forced through -the cooling jackot by
the pump 48 can be automatically adjus-ted to compensate for
changes in the temperature in the reactor 10, For example,
the pump 48 can be adjusted by a servo system responsive to
a temperature sensor (not shown) located in the reactor 10
and a temperature sensor (not shown) located in the feed tube
16. When the temperature of the hot carrier stream increases,
the flow rate of the water flowing through the cooling jacket
also increases, and vice versa. Similar control systems also
may be used for other means for cooling the coal particles
prior -to injection into the reactor 10.
As will be appreciated, the feed tube 16 and its
surrounding cooling conduit 24 can be readily removed from
the reactor 10 by virtue of the guide means provided by
sleeve 34. This can be accomplished without disturbing any
insulation or covering surrounding the sleeve 34 or the
reactor 10. In addition, withdrawal of -the feed tube 16
and the cooling conduit 24 has been found to have on].y a
slight or minimal effect on the flow within the reactor 10. ~;
Howev0rt should greater control over flow through the
reactor 10 be dcsired, a plug (no-t shown) conforming to
the sleeve 34, and having an end which conforms to the
interior contour of the reactor 10 "nay be inser-ted in
place of the feed tube 16 and its surrounding cooling .
conduit This permi-ts the use of the reactor 10 for other
purposes, such as pyrolysis of non-agglomerative carbonaceous
- 14 -
materials.
~ igures 6 and 7 show an alternative form of the :inven-tion
in which a pyrolysis reactor 110 has a multiple feed system
for the carbonaceous material and carrier gas. The reactor
110 :includes a s~ries of circularly arcuate supporting
sleeves 134 exte~ding radially away from the outer wall
of the r0actor llo. The structure of each supporting sleeve
13l~ is identical to that of the sleeve 34 described above.
That is~ each sleeve is attached to a corresponding portion
of the reactor outer wall by a respective weld joint 1~0.
Each sleeve also may be supported by a corresponding
supporting beam (not shown) similar to that of beam 38
described above, or a different supporting arrangemen-t may
be used if desired. The end of each supporting sleeve 134
remote from the poin-t of at-tachment of this sleeve to the
reactor carries a separate flange 136 similar to the flange 36
described above.
A separate circularly arcuate feed tube 116 is slid
lengthwise into each sleeve 134 until the flange 142
carried on each feed tube abuts a corresponding flange 136.
This positions the discharge ends 118 of the feed tubes 116
at predetermined locations an~ orienta-tions within the reactor
110~ As shown best in Eigure 6, the discharge ends 118 of the
feed tubes 116 are circumferentially spaced apart around
the longitudina:L axis of the reactor 110. The mul-tiple
feed systems couple the reactor to one or more sources
of carbonaceous material in any of a variety of configurations.
The multiple feed sys-tem provides means for substantially
increasing the rate of throughput in the reactor relative
to a single feed sys-tem. The multiple feed system also
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319
prov:ides means for efficiently mixing the carbonaceousmaterials with the stream of hot char particles. To produce
desired mixing within the cross-sec-tion of the reactor,
the ends of the feed tubes 116 may be uniformly oriented
with:in the cross-section of the reactor, as shown in
~igure 7; or other orientat:ions may be used, such as that
Shown in the alternate multiple feed sys-tem illustrated in
~igures 8 and 9.
In the system shown in ~igures 8 and 9, a pyrolysis
reactor 210 includes a first set of circularly arcuate
supporting sleeves 234a ex-tending radially away from opposite
sides of the reactor 210; a second set of circularly arcuate
sleeves 234b secured to the reactor below the sleeves 234a
and extending radially away from opposite sides of the
reactor along the same radial extent as the sleeves 234a; and
a third set of a circularly arcuate sleeves 234c secured to
the reactor at the same elevation as the sleeves 234b but
extending radially away from the reactor at right angles to the
radial ex-tent of the sleeves 23~a and 234b. The ends of the
sleeves 234a~ 234b and 234c remo-te from their points of
connection to the reactor carry corresponding flanges 236a,
236b and 236c, respectively, Each set of sleeves has a
different radius of curvature. Separate circularly arcuate
feed tubes 216a, 216b and 216c are extended lengthwise into
corresponding ones of the sleeves 234a, 234b, and 23L~C,
respectively. ~ach feed tube carries a flange which abuts
the flange on the corresponding sleeve for the feed tube to
control the extent and orientation of the feed tubes in the
interior of the reac-tor 210.
The feed system shown in Figures 8 and 9 illustrates
~ ~ .
- 16 - ~
that ~he dischargQ ends 218cl, 218b, and 218c of the respect-
ive feed tubes can terminate at different locations within
the cross-sectional area of the reactor 210. Moreover~
tho dlscharge ends of the feed tubes ca.n terminate at
different locations axially within the reactor 210. ~lthough
the feed tubes s~own in ~igures 6 to 9 are illustrated
as being circular :in cross-section, feed tubes having
other cross-sectional configurations also may be used.
Moreover, the cross-sectional shape of the pyrolysis reactors
also is sho~n as being circular, but other cross-sectional
configurations may be used. The multiple feed systems shown
in ~igures 6 to 9 also may be used with any of a variety of
means for cooling the carbonaceous material injected into
the reactor through the feed tubes.
In summary, the invention provides a feed system for
a transport pyrolysis reactor which positions the discharge
end(s) of the feed tube(s) at predetermined location(s) within
the reactor. This feed system ensures that carbonaceous
materials to undergo pyrolysis are introduced into the reactor
so that pyrolysis occurs at a desired location and under
desired conditions within the reactor.
The feed system can assure, for example9 that the
carbonaceous materials be introduced into the reactor a-t a
point where the ho-t char par-ticles are uniformly dis-tributed
across the width of the reactor in a manner which minimizes
the disturbance of flow of the ho-t char particles through
the réactor and precl.udes impingement upon -the side walls
of the reactor, as well as preventing pyrolysis or agglomeration
in the feed tube(s). This avoids serious plugging problems.
By making the feed tube circularly arcuate and providing
g~9
the guide means and stop means to control the extension of
the feed tube into the reactor, the discharge end of the
feed tube can be automatically positloned "blind" at the
pr0cise location and orientation. Since the circularly
arcuate sleeve c:Losely fits the feed tube or its surround-
ing cooling jacket, the arcuate construction prevents
rota-tion of the feed tube in the reactor relative to
the .side walls of the reactor. This can ensure that the
discharge end of the feed tube will always be aligned in a
predetermined position. Normally this is along the axis
of the reactor to avoid ejecting carbonaceous materials
toward the side walls of the reactor, The feed system
thus precludcs the need for internal inspection and control
always to ble assured that the feed tube is accurately positioned
within the reactor. The feed system also enables the removal
of the feed tube from the reactor for repair, cleaning and/or
inspection, or the like with positive assurance of correct
and quick repositioning in the reactor.
,~
, :
- 18
