Apparatus for improving heat transfers between fluidized particles and granular materials

Claim 2

The apparatus defined in claim 2 further comprising: means for withdrawing fine particles from said fluidized bed at a predetermined rate and means for supplying the withdrawn particles to form the pile of fine particles at the input end of said caisson.

Claim 3

The reactor defined in claim 1 further comprising means for supplying an atmospheric gas to said diffusers under pressure.

Claim 4

The reactor defined in claim 4 further comprising a conduit in the upper portion of the reactor for collecting said atmospheric gas after it has passed through said fluid1zed bed and said particulate product.

Claim 5

The reactor defined in claim 1 further comprising means for circulating said fluidized bed in a direction opposite to the direction of feed of said conveyor belt.

Claim 6

The reactor defined in claim 6 wherein said means for circulating comprises: a hopper; means for pneumatically picking up particles from said fluidized bed at the input end of said caisson and conveying said particles to said hopper; and means for re-introducing the particles in said hopper into the fluidized bed at the exit end of said caisson.

Claim 7

The reactor defined in claim 7 further comprising means for separating said fine particles from said particulate product at the exit end of said conveyor belt and conveying said fine particles to said hopper.

Claim 8

The reactor defined in claim 1 wherein said means for heating comprises a reactor external to said caisson.

Claim 9

The reactor defined in claim 9 wherein particles are heated by internal combustion of gas in a second fluidized bed of said particles in said external reactor and wherein said means for heating further comprises: means for withdrawing particles from the fluidized bed of said reactor; means for conveying the particles withdrawn from said reactor to said external reactor; and an overflow conduit for returning heated particles from said external reactor to said fluidized bed.

Claim 10

The reactor defined in claim 9 wherein said external reactor is disposed above said caisson and supported by a structural framework.

Claim 11

The Reactor defined in claim 10 further comprising regulating means for maintaining the temperature of said second fluidized bed essentially constant.

Claim 12

A vertical reactor for physico-chemical treatment of a particulate product of relatively coarse granulometry comprising: an enclosure filled with particles of relatively fine granulometry; a hollow cylinder open at both ends disposed in said enclosure with its longitudinal axis substantially vertical, said cylinder being immersed in said relatively fine particles; means for introducing said particulate product into the top of said cylinder; an outlet for the treated product at the bottom of said enclosure beneath the cylinder; means for introducing a fluidizing gas into the lower portion of said enclosure to fluidize said relatively fine particles and produce an intense upward circulation of said fine particles through the coarse particles in said cylinder, said fluidizing gas being chemically active in relation to said particulate product; and an outlet for said fluidizing gas at the top of said enclosure.

Claim 13

A vertical reactor for heating a fluidized bed of particles of relatively fine granulometry comprising: an enclosure containing said relatively fine particles; a hollow cylinder open at both ends disposed in said enclosure with its longitudinal axis substantially vertical, said cylinder being immersed in said relatively fine particles; a hopper containing particles of relatively coarse granulometry; means for heating said relatively coarse particles in said hopper; means for introducing heated relatively coarse particles from said hopper into the top of said cylinder; means for fluidizing said relatively fine particles in said container to produce an intense upward circulation of said relatively fine particles through the relatively coarse particles in said cylinder; an outlet for said relatively coarse particles at the bottom of said enclosure beneath the cylinder; and means for conveying said relatively coarse particles from said outlet to said hopper.