Fluidized bed reactor with preheating of fluidizing air

Claim 2

The reactor according to claim 1, wherein said heat exchange tube system has an horizontal inlet header, a similar horizontal outlet header vertically spaced from, and parallel to said inlet header, and a plurality of tubes interconnecting said headers, each tube formed with a plurality of loops extending in a vertical plane.

Claim 3

The reactor according to claim 1, wherein said heat exchange tube system has an horizontal inlet header, a similar horizontal outlet header spaced from and parallel to said inlet header, and a plurality of tubes interconnecting said headers, each tube formed with a plurality of loops extending in a vertical plane.

Claim 4

A continuously operating fluidized bed reactor which comprises a reactor shell having a horizontal constriction plate dividing the shell into a wind box chamber underneath, and a refractory-lined reaction chamber above the constriction plate, said constriction plate being adapted to support a bed of fluidized material for at least partial combustion, supply means for feeding said material to said fluidized bed, an outlet for spent fluidizing gas, a heat exchange tube system located in the freE board space above the fluidized bed, exposed to the heat of the reaction in said reaction chamber, as well as to the radiation heat from the reactor walls, and having an inlet end and an outlet end. a pressure air supply, feed conduit means connected to said inlet end of the tube system, for supplying cool air into the system from said pressure air supply, and an air discharge conduit connected to said outlet end of the tube system, and constructed and arranged for delivering hot combustion air to said wind box of the reactor, said discharge conduit comprising a depending tubular leg arranged for the delivery of hot air downwardly through said constriction plate into said wind box chamber, and a sleeve loosely surrounding said tubular leg in fixed relation to said constriction plate, and extending upwardly to an elevation substantially above the top of the fluidized bed, the clearance between said tubular leg and the surrounding sleeve being purged from the wind box pressure of the fluidizing air.

Claim 5

The reactor according to claim 5, wherein said heat exchange tube system comprises an upper horizontal inlet header, a similar horizontal lower outlet header spaced downwardly and parallel to said inlet header, and a plurality of tubes interconnecting said headers, and wherein said air inlet conduit is connected to said upper inlet header, and said air discharge conduit is connected to said lower outlet header.

Claim 6

The reactor according to claim 5, wherein said heat exchange tube system has an horizontal inlet header, a similar horizontal outlet header, and a plurality of tubes interconnecting said headers, each tube formed with a plurality of loops extending in a vertical plane.

Claim 7

The reactor according to claim 5, with the addition of temperature responsive means effective to control the rate of cool air supply to the heat exchange system relative to temperatures in the reactor.

Claim 8

The reactor according to claim 5, wherein said pressure air supply has a supply conduit leading into said wind box chamber, wherein said feed conduit means is a branch pipe connected to said supply conduit, and wherein control means are provided for automatically varying the proportions of combustion air passing directly into the wind box chamber and into the tube system respectively in response to temperatures in the reactor.

Claim 9

The reactor according to claim 9, wherein said control means comprise a throttling device in said supply pipe, provided downstream from said branch pipe, and automatically activated by said temperature-responsive means.

Claim 10

A continuously operating fluidized bed reactor which comprises a reactor shell having a stack gas conduit leading from the top end portion of said shell, and further having a horizontal construction plate dividing the shell into a wind box chamber underneath, and a refractory-lined reaction chamber above the constriction plate, said constriction plate being adapted to support a bed of fluidized material for at least partial combustion, supply means for feeding said material to said fluidized bed, an outlet for spent fluidizing gas, a heat exchange tube system located in the free board space above the fluidized bed, exposed to the heat of the reaction in said reaction chamber, as well as to the radiation heat from the reactor walls, and having an inlet end and an outlet end, a pressure air supply, feed conduit means connected to said inlet end of the tube system, for supplying cool air into the system from said pressure air supply, an air discharge conduit connected to said outlet end of the tube system and constructed and arranged for delivering hot combustion air to said wind box of the reactor, and temperature-responsive means effective to control the rate of cool air supply to the tube system relative to temperature in the reactor.

Claim 11

The reactor according to claim 11, wherein said pressure air supply has a supply conduit leading into said wind box chamber, whErein said feed conduit means is a branch pipe connected to said supply conduit, and wherein control means are provided for automatically varying the proportions of combustion air passing directly into the wind box chamber and into the tube system respectively in response to temperatures in the reactor.

Claim 12

A continuously operating fluidized bed reactor which comprises a reactor shell having a horizontal constriction plate dividing the shell into a wind box chamber underneath, and a refractory-lined reaction chamber above the constriction plate, said constriction plate being adapted to support a bed of fluidized material for at least partial combustion, supply means for feeding said material to said fluidized bed, an outlet for spent fluidizing gas, a heat exchange tube system located in the free board space above the fluidized bed, exposed to the heat of the reaction in said reaction chamber, as well as to the radiation heat from the reactor walls, and having an inlet end and an outlet end, a pressure air supply, feed conduit means connected to said inlet end of the tube system, for supplying cool air into the system from said pressure air supply, and an air discharge conduit connected to said outlet end of the tube system and constructed and arranged for delivering hot combustion air to said wind box of the reactor, said discharge conduit comprising a depending tubular leg constructed and arranged for the delivery of hot air downwardly through said constriction plate into said wind box chamber.