Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
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Docket No. This invention relates to an apparatus for removing
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finely divided solids from gas and, more specifically, to a
high temperature filter for separating solids from high tem-
perature gases through a mass o:E solid particulate material.
Such apparatus is described by U.S Patent No.4,017,278,
granted ~April 12, 1977, wherein finely divided solids are re-
moved from a feed gas by passing the gas through an elongated
annular mass of moving solid particulate contact material held
between two generally concentric cylindrical walls. The outer
wall is louvered and their openings permit passage of most of
the particles of contact material. The inner wall is perforated
to permit passage of gas through the wall. The finely divided
solids are trapped in the mass of contact material which is
moved downwardly through and out of the annular space between the
two concentric cylinder walls. The contact material is then
~reated to separate entrained finely divided solids and returned
to the upper end of the annular space. A granular-bed filter
constrlcted in accordance with the general design shown in such
patent experienced structural failure during testing at the tem-
perature environment, approximateIy 1500F, required for its
operation.
A primary object of the invention is to provide an
apparatus for separating finely divided solids from gas which
is capable of functioning in a high temperature and pressure
environment without experiencing structural failure.
Another object of the invention is to provide an
improved apparatus for separating finely divided solids from
high temperature gas.
An additional object of the invention is to provide
an apparatus for separating finely divided solids from gas
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having louvered assemblies which are relatively easily replaced
or repaired.
~ till another object of this invention is to provide
an appara~us for separating finely divided solids from gas
whose components are capable of withstanding thermally induced
stresses resulting from high temperature operation.
A further object of this invention is to provide an
apparatus for separating finely divided solids from gas which
permits thermally induced differential movement between its
components resulting from high temperature operation without
deleteriously affecting its structural integrity.
A still further object of this invention is to pro-
vide an apparatus for separating finely divided solids from
gas utilizing particulate solid contact material, gravel, which
permits such gravel to be quickly and easily changed and/or
cleaned.
The foregoing and related objects are obtained in
accordance with the invention which in its broader aspects pro-
vides a high temperat~re apparatus for separating finely divided
solids from gas comprising a first, generally cylindrical vessel
having walls which are lined with high temperature refractory
and having an upper section and a lower section and having; ga
inlet and outlet openings disposed in its upper section, a
plurality of solids inlet openings disposed in its upper section,
and a solids outlet opening disposed in its lower section. Dis-
posed within the first vesseI is a second, generally cylindrical
vessel of lesser diameter than the first and having gas inlet
arid outlet openings and a plurality of solids inlet openings all
disposed irl its top section. Gas inlet means and gas outlet
means are provided for guiding incoming gas and outgoing gas,
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respectively, connected through the gas inlet and outlet open~
ings of said first vessel to said second vessel, respectively,
at its gas inlet and outlet openings, respectively. A solids
inlet means, for guiding incoming particulate solids contact
material, is connected through the inlet openings of the first
vessel to the second vessel at its solids inlet openings. A
plurality of elongated, spaced apart, louver means are dis-
posed within the second vessel to provide a plurality of elon-
gated spaces for particulate solid contact material and whereby
an elongated gas inlet chamber is defined between a wall of the
second vessel and an outer one of the louver means. A closure
member is disposed in the second vessel at its bottom end in
sealing engagement therewith and this outer louver means thereby
defining a bottom end of the gas inlet chamber.
In a narrower aspect of this invention, the louver
means are generally rectangularly shaped and include a frame
which has connected thereto a multiplicity of elongated double
louvered members.
In an additional narrower aspect of t.his invention,
the solids inlet and outlet means are connected to the solids
; inlet and outlet, respectively, of tne second vessel by a seal-
ing means which permits thermally induced differential movement
therebetween, and the gas outlet means includes a connecting
means for permitting thermally induced movement therein.
Other objects and advantages will become apparent
from the following description taken in conjunctlon with the
accompanying drawing in which:
Fig. 1 is an eIevational cross section view of the
apparatus according to the invention;
Fig. 2 is a top view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1
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with a portion of the interior shown cut-away for illustrative
purposes;
Fig. 3 is a fragmentary cross section of a portion
of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1, taken along the line 3-3;
Fig. 4 is a fragmentary cross section of a portion
of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1, taken along the line 4-4;
Fig. 5 is ~n enlarged, cross section view of the
third louvered assembly of the apparatus shown in Fig. l;
Fig. 6 is an enlarged, cross section view of the
coarse solids inlet assembly of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1,
taken along the line 6-6;
Fig. 7 is an enlarged, cross section view of the
connecting means of the inner air gas discharge feed pipe of
the apparatus shown in Fig. l; and
Fig. 8 is an enlarged, cross section view of the
thermal sealing assembly o~ coarse solids inlet assembly of
the apparatus shown in Fig. 1.
Referring now to Figs. 1-4 of the drawings, a high
temperature apparatus or filter for separating finely divided
solids from gas, generally designated 10, comprises an outer
vessel assembly 12, and inner vessel assembly 14 disposed there-
in, filter assembly 16 disposed within and attached to said
inner vessel assembly 14, and an unclean air or gas inlet assem-
bly 18 and a gas discharge or outlet assembly 20, each connected
to and through the top portions of both outer and inner vessel
assemblies 12 and 14, respectively, and a solids inlet assembly
22 connected to said filter assembly 16 through said outer and
inner vessel assemblies 12 and 14, respectively.
The outer vessel assembly 12 comprises a first or
outer generally cylindrical, steel vessel 24 of approximately
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sixteen and a half feet in length having its inner walls lined
with a conventional high temperature refractory material or
wall 26. The outer steel vessel is comprised of a ~langed
cylindrical middle section 28, a flanged upper section or dome
30 and a flanged lower section or dome 32, all of which are
conventionally bolted together at their flanged ends. The
upper dome 30 has an unclean air or gas inlet opening 34 and
an adjacent clean air discharge or gas outlet opening 36 dis-
posed therein, which vertically extends through its section of
inner refractory wall 26. Additionally, this upper dome 30 has
disposed therein, to the side and between said air inlet and
outlet 34 and 36, a plurality of solids inlet openings consist-
ing of a coarse gravel inlet opening 38 and a fine gravel inlet
opening 40, both of which extend angularly outwardly and toward
said gas inlet opening 34 and gas outlet opening 36, respectively,
through its section of inner refractory wall 26. A single gravel
or solids outlet 42 is disposed in the center of the lower dome
32 which vertically extends through its section of inner refrac-
tory wall 26.
The inner vessel assembly 14 comprises a second or
inner, generally cylindrical, steel vessel 44 comprising a
flanged cylindrical section 46 and a flanged top section or
dome 48, all of which are conventionally bolted together at
their flanged ends. The top dome 48 has an unclean air or gas
inlet opening 50 and an adjacent clean air discharge cr gas
outlet opening 52, disposed therein. Additionally, this top
dome 48 has disposed therein, between said air inlet and out-
let 50 and 52, respectively, a plurality of solids inlet open-
ings consisting of a coarse gravel inlet opening 54 and a fine
gravel inlet opening 56.
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The filter assembly lS includes a plurality, three,
elongated, vertically oriented, spaced apart, rectangularly
shaped louver assemblies 58, 60 and 62, referred to as first,
second and third louver assemblies, respectively, disposed
within said inner vessel's section 46, to provide a plurality
of elongated spaces, two in number, 64 and 66, for particula~e
solid contact material, and a supporting assembly or means 68,
connected to the inner walls of said inner vessel 44 for sup-
porting said louver assemblies 58, 60 and 62, and for closing
off a portion of a bottom end 70 of said inner vessel 44.
The vertical unclean gas inlet assembly or gas inlet
means 18, for directing or guiding uncleaned gas therethrough
is vertically oriented and is fixedly connected to the upper
and top sections, 30 and 48, respectively, of the outer and
inner vessels 12 and 14, respectively, through their respective
gas inlet openings 34 and 50, respectively. Similarly, the
vertically oriented clean gas discharge assembly or gas outlet
means, 20, for guiding or directing outgoing air therethrough,
is fixedly connected to the upper and top sections, 30 and 48,
respectively, of the outer and inner vessels 12 and 14, respec-
tively, through thei.r respective gas outlet openings 36 and
52, res~ectively.
The solids inle-t assembly or means 22 guide or direct
incoming particulate solids contact material fed therethrough;
it includes a coarse and ~ine solids inlet assembly or means,
72 and 74, respectiveIy, for feeding coarse and fine incoming
particulate solids contact material to the spaces 64 and 66,
respectively, provided therefor, between louver assemblies 58
and 60, and 60 and 62, respectively. These coarse and fine
inlet assemblies 72 and 741 respectively, extend generally
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vertically through the upper and top sections, 30 and 48,
respectively, of the outer and inner vessels 12 and 14, respec-
tively, through their respective coarse and fine solids inlet
openings 38 and 54, and 40 and 56, respectively, and their
lower ends are in open communication with their respective
spaces 64 and 66 which are provided for the coarse and fine
gravel, respectively.
Each of the louvered assemblies, 58, 60 and 62,
basically comprise a rectangularly shaped frame 76 and a multi~
plicity of horizontally oriented, elongated longitudinally ex-
tending double louvered units 78 connected at their outer ends
to vertically extending, side frame,members of frame 76. The
louvered assemblies 58, 60 and 62 are supported within the
inner vessel 44 by louver support assembly 68 which comprises
and upper support assembly 80, a lower support assembly 82, and
two side support assemblies 84 (only one of which is shown),
all of which include, on their inner surface, U-shaped track
means or tracks 86, 88, and 90, respectively, within which the
frames 76 of the louvered assemblies 56~ 58 and 60 are supported
and are slidably movable therein. Upper support assembly 80
includes three spaced apart, generally Y-shaped in cross section,
units, 92, 94 and 96, each of which extend across the full width
of the top dome 48 of the inner vessel 44, and are suitably
attached as by welding at their upper ends, to the inner top
wall of the top dome; their lower ends include the horizontally
oriented tracks 86 also suitably attached as by welding. The
lower support assembly 82 comprises a closure member 98 and a
lower support unit 100. The lower support unit 100 functions
as both an inner solids outlet and to support the louver assem-
blies 58, 60 and 62 as they include horizontally extending
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tracks 88 at their upper ends, which tracks 88 are suitably
attached, as by welding, at their ends to the inner walls of
the cylindrical section 46 of the inner vessel 44. Extending
from tracks 38 of lower support unit 100 and disposed at its
lower end within the upper end of solids outlet 42 is a tapered
inner solids outlet assembly 102 having separate coarse and
fine solids discharge passages 104 and 106, respectively. Dis-
posed downstream of the solids 42 is a conventional valve (not
shown) to permit draining of the solids from the inner vessel
44. Closure member 98 is disposed at the bottom end 70 of the
inner vessel 44 and is in sealing engagement with it and the
track 88 of an outer one of said louver assemblies, louver
assembly 58, thereby defining a bottom end of an elongated gas
inlet chamber 108 which chamber 10~ is defined between an inner
wall of said inner vessel 44 and said outer louver assembly 5~.
On the other side of the inner vessel 44, and to t'ne right of
louver assembly 62, is defined an open ended gas outlet chamber
109,
Referring now specifically to Fig. 5 wherein the third
or las louver assembly 62 is illustrated in detail, said louver
assembly comprises a rectangularly shaped frame 76 (in plan
view), a multiplicity of stacked~ elongated, horizontally oriented,
longitudinally extending double louvered units 78 connected at
their outer ends to the sides of frame 76, vertical dam elements
110 connected to each double louvered unit 78, and screen 112
~ connected to the outer face of frame 76. The rectangularly
: shaped frame 76 comprise horizontally oriented upper frame mem-
ber 114 and lower frame member 116, and vertically oriented
side frame members 118~ all of wl~ich frame members are generally
U-shaped in cross section~ The double louvered units 78 each
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comprise an inverted V-shaped louver member 120 in cross sec-
tion which longitudinally extends horizontally within the
frame 76 and is suitably attached, as by welding, at its ends,
to and within side frame members 118 and a plurality of spaced
apart conforming, generally inverted V-shaped gusset members
or baffles 112 which are suitably connected, as by welding, to
adjacent louvered members 120. A vertically oriented, narrow,
rectangularly shaped dam 110 longitudinally extends the full
length of each of the louvered members 120 from their upper
apexes to which it is suitably attached, as by welding. These
dams 110 and screen 112 are only utilized on the last louver
assembly 62 and function, respectively, to drop out any heavy
entrained particles and to screen out any large particles en-
trained due, for example, to an upset in gas flow.
Referring now specifically to Fig. 6 wherein the
coarse solids inlet assembly or means 72 is illustrated in de-
tail, the fine solids inlet assembly or means 74 being of the
same construction, comprises a flanged outer coarse gravel
feel pipe 124 suitably connected, as by welding, at its lower
2Q end to the upper dome 30 of outer vessel assembly 12, an inner
: gravel feed~pipe 126 suitably connected at its upper end, as
by welding, to the upper end of the outer feed pipe 124 and
connected at its lower end to the coarse gravel inlet 54 of the
top dome 48 of the inner vessel through solids sealing assembly
or sealing means 128 for permitting thermally induced movement
between said top dome 48 and the inner feed pipe 126. This
thermal sealing assembly 128 comprises a cylindrically shaped
flanged inner vessel inlet pipe 130 which is suitably connected
at its lower end, as by welding, to the top dome 48 at its inlet
44, a free floating "jiggle" plate 132 whose bottom face of its
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lower end seats against the upper shoulder or flanged end 134
of said inlet pipe 130, and a cylindrically shaped flanged
cap 136 which is suitably connected at its lower end as by
welding, to the upper end of the inlet pipe's 130 outer wall
and spaced sufficiently apart from shoulder 134 to define an
annular space 138 for the lower end of jiggle plate 132 to fit
partially within and to permit thermally induced lateral move-
ment within the rest of t'ne space 138.
~eferring now specifically to Fig. 1, the unclean air
gas inlet assembly 18, the construction of which is substan-
tially identical to the gas discharge inlet assembly 20, com-
prises a flanged outer gas inle-t feed pipe 140 suitably con-
nected at its lower end, as by welding, to the upper dome 30
near its inlet 34, an inner air inlet feed pipe 142 s-uitably
connected at its lower end, as by welding, to the top dome 48
at its gas inlet opening 50 and connected at its upper end
through a conical support member 144 which is suitably con-
nected, as by welding, at its lower end to the outside wall of
said inner feed pipe 142 and connected at its upper end to the
inside wall of said outer feed pipe 140. Inner gas inlet feed
pipe 142 comprises an upper pipe 146 and a lower pipe 148
having connecting means 150, flanged upper and lower end of
: upper and lower pipe 146 and 148 J respectively, bolted together
on one side only. A connecting means 152 of inner air dis
charge feed pipe 142 dif~ers from that of the inner gas inlet
feed pipe in that it comprises a planar flanged lower end
clamped within a U-shaped flanged upper end for permitting
lateral movement therebetween eliminating thermally induced
stress on said air discharge feed pipe 142. Appropriate mate-
rials for all structural components, capable of functioning in
a high temperature and pressure environment, are utilized, such
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as stalnless steel alloys and preferably RA330.
In operation, when coarse and fine gravel fill their
respective spaces 64 and 66, unclean gas,from a suitable source
such as a pressurized fluidized-bed combustor (not shown) of
the type described in U.S. Patent No. 4,164,846, granted August
21, 1979, having a temperature o about 1650F, directed into
gas inlet assembly 18, travels vertically downward therein and
enters gas inlet chamber 108 and then horizontally exits there-
from through the vertically oriented filter column comprising
the three louver assemblies 58, 60 and 62 and the coarse and
fine gravel therebetween. As this gas traverses this column,
any solid material contained in the gas stream will be lodged
in the filter mediumJ the course and fine gravel; the cleaned
gas enters the open-ended gas outlet chamber lQ9 and is then
vertically and upwardly discharged through the air outlet assem-
bly 20. Periodically, the filter medium, including captured
particulate material will be drained from their spaces 64 and
66 within the inner vessel assembly 14 through the common solids
outlet 42 and the particulate matter will then be conventionally
separated external to apparatus 10; this cleaned filter media is
then returned to the apparatus through the solids inlet assem-
bly 22.
Although but one embodiment has been illustrated and
described in detail, it is to be expressly understood that the
invention is not limited thereto. Various changes can be made
in the arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit
and scope of the invention as the same will be now understood
by those skilled in the art.
