Apparatus for cooling particles

Claim 2

Apparatus for passing gas through a mass of particles comprising a container for receiving a mass of such particles having an upper inlet and a lower outlet for said particles, means supplying particles to a localized region of deposition at the surface of said mass and toward one side of said container, a longitudinal gas inlet louver in the side walls of the container between said inlet and outlet, said louver having its linear dimension inclined upwardly toward said deposition region and, means for blowing gas through said louver and said mass of particles.

Claim 3

Apparatus according to claim 1 in which said blowing means comprises a plenum enclosing at least the inclined inlet louver of said container and a gas blower having a positive pressure outlet connected to said plenum to introduce and blow gas through said louver opening to establish a substantially constant upward flow of gas through said particles.

Claim 4

Apparatus for cooling hot particles comprising a hopper for receiving a mass of such particles, means for supplying heated particles to one side of the entrance of said hopper, said hopper having a lower exit for said particles, an elongated air inlet louver in the walls of the hopper below said entrance and above said exit, said louver having its linear dimension inclined upwardly toward said one side of said hopper entrance, and means for passing cooling air through said louver and through said mass of particles.

Claim 5

Apparatus for cooling hot particles comprising a hopper for receiving a mass of such particles, means for supplying heated particles to one side of the entrance of said hopper, said hopper having a lower exit for said particles, an elongated air inlet louver in the walls of the hopper below said entrance and above said exit, said louver having its linear dimension inclined upwardly toward said one side of said hopper entrance, and means for passing cooling air through said louver and through said mass of particles.

Claim 6

Apparatus for cooling hot particles according to claim 3 in which said elongated air inlet louver is continuous about the perimeter of the walls of said hopper.

Claim 7

Apparatus according to claim 4 in which the angle of inclination of the linear dimension of said louver toward said one side of said hopper is preselected to be substantially equal to the angle of repose of the particles of material to be cooled in said apparatus.

Claim 8

Apparatus for cooling particles according to claim 3 wherein said air inlet louver is formed of an upper hopper section projecting downwardly into generally mated relation with a lower outer hopper section with an air gap formed at the overlap of said two sections, said upper hopper section having lower edges inclined upwardly in the direction of said one side of said hopper section.

Claim 9

Apparatus for cooling hot particles comprising means for containing a bed of said particles, means for supplying heated particles to the central region of the upper surface of said bed, a plurality of hoppers below said surface and spaced about a vertical center axis of said bed for receiving the particles of said bed, each said hopper having a lower outlet for said particles, and each said hopper having an elongate air inlet louver in its side walls between its entrance and said outlet, said louver being inclined upwardly with one end disposed higher toward said central region than the other, and means for forcing air through said louvers and through said mass of particles.

Claim 10

Apparatus for cooling hot particles comprising means for containing a bed of said particles, means for supplying heated particles to the central region of the upper surface of said bed, a plurality of hoppers below said surface and spaced about a vertical center axis of said bed for receiving the particles of said bed, each said hopper having a lower outlet for said particles, and each said hopper having an elongate air inlet louver in its side walls between its entrance and said outlet, said louver being inclined upwardly with one end disposed higher toward said central region than the other, and means for forcing air through said louvers and through said mass of particles.

Claim 11

Apparatus according to claim 7 in which said air inlet louvers are inclined upward toward said central region a preselected maximum amount dependent upon the characteristic natural angle of repose of the particles without disruption of the laminar flow of the material through said hopper.

Claim 12

Apparatus according to claim 7 in which Said louvers are inclined upward at an angle with reference to horizontal corresponding generally to the natural angle of repose of the particles of the bed.

Claim 13

Apparatus according to claim 7 in which said air forcing means includes a plenum enclosing the inlet louver of said hoppers, and an air blower connected to said plenum to introduce and pass cooling air through said louvers.

Claim 14

Apparatus according to claim 7 in which the material to be cooled is pebbled lime and said air inlet louvers are inclined upwardly toward said central region at an angle in the range of from 30* to 40* to horizontal.

Claim 15

Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the air inlet louvers of each said hoppers is formed of an upper section of the hopper which projects downwardly in generally mated relation into a lower slightly larger outer hopper section with an air gap formed at the overlap of said two sections, said upper hopper section having lower edges inclined upwardly in the direction of said central region.

Claim 16

Apparatus for cooling hot particles comprising means for containing a bed of said particles, means for supplying heated particles to the central region of the upper surface of said bed, a plurality of hoppers below said surface and spaced about a vertical center axis of said bed for receiving the particles of said bed, each said hopper having a lower outlet for said particles, and each said hopper having an air inlet louver in its side walls between its entrance and said outlet, said louver being inclined upwardly toward said central region, and means for forcing air through said louvers and through said mass of particles, the air inlet louver of each said hopper being formed of an upper section of the hopper which projects downwardly in generally mated relation into a lower slightly larger outer hopper section with an air gap formed at the overlap of said two sections, said upper hopper section having lower edges inclined upwardly in the direction of said central region and the opening bounded by the lower edges of said upper hopper section having a symmetry in shape across a line extending radially from the center axis of said bed.

Claim 17

Apparatus for cooling hot particles comprising means for containing a bed of said particles, means for supplying heated particles to the central region of the upper surface of said bed, a plurality of hoppers below said surface and spaced about a vertical center axis of said bed for receiving the particles of said bed, each said hopper having a lower outlet for said particles, and each said hopper having an air inlet louver in its side walls between its entrance and said outlet, said louver being inclined upwardly toward said central region, and means for forcing air through said louvers and through said mass of particles, the air inlet louver of each said hopper being formed of an upper section of the hopper which projects downwardly in generally mated relation into a lower slightly larger outer hopper section with an air gap formed at the overlap of said two sections, said upper hopper section having lower edges inclined upwardly in the direction of said central region and the opening bounded by the lower edges of said upper hopper section having a symmetry in shape across a line extending radially from the center axis of said bed.

Claim 18

Apparatus according to claim 13 in which a cluster of four square hoppers are aligned in an overall square configuration and the radial line of symmetry of each of said openings is parallel with a diagonal bisecting line of its respective square hopper entrance.

Claim 19

Apparatus according to claim 14 in which the opening of each said upper hopper sections is formed of two divergent edges extending from a lower corner diagonally opposite said center axis and two longer inclined edges connected thereto and joined together toward said center axis.