Fluidized bed process

Claim 2

A calcining process for the treatment of particulate phosphate rock in a succession of fluidized beds comprising, fluidizing and treating the material at an elevated temperature in a preheat compartment, transferring the material to a fluidized bed calcining compartment for treatment at a higher temperature of at least about 650° C, injecting fuel into said fluidized bed calcining compartment to maintain said temperature, conducting the hot off-gases from said calcining compartment through an external conduit to a cooling station at which water is injected into the gas stream to cool the gases to a temperature below that at which deleterious scaling occurs, passing the cooled gases through a cyclone to remove entrained solids and employing the cooled and cleaned gas as the fluidizing gas for said preheat compartment.

Claim 3

The process of claim 1 wherein the hot fluidizing gases from said calcining compartment prior to cooling are at a temperature in the range from about 650° C to about 1100° C.

Claim 4

The process of claim 2 wherein the fluidizing gases entering said preheat compartment following water injection are at a temperature in the range from about 500° C to about 800° C.

Claim 5

The process of claim 3 wherein a quantity of air at ambient temperature is introduced into the hot off-gases with the water, replacing part of the water required, to reduce the temperature of the fluidizing gases.

Claim 6

A fluidized bed reactor system for calcining particulate phosphate rock, comprising preheat and calcining treatment compartments each containing a fluidized bed of material undergoing treatment, said calcining treatment compartment having a freeboard volume over said fluidized bed therein, a windbox space between said treatment compartments for receiving fluidizing gas for said preheat compartment, a plurality of tuyeres between said windbox and said preheat compartment to conduct the fluidizing gas into said preheat compartment, a cyclone separator having cooperating gas conduits for removing solids entrained in the fluidizing gas as it passes therethrough, a first of said conduits connecting said cyclone to said freeboard volume, a second of said conduits connecting said cyclone to said windbox space, and water injection means for introducing water directly into the gas stream flowing in the first of said conduits for cooling the fluidizing gases, whereby deleterious scaling in the cyclone, windbox and tuyeres is avoided.

Claim 7

A fluidized bed reactor system for calcining particulate phosphate rock, comprising preheat and calcining treatment compartments each containing a fluidized bed of material undergoing treatment, said calcining treatment compartment having a freeboard volume over said fluidized bed therein, a windbox space between said treatment compartments for receiving fluidizing gas for said preheat compartment, a plurality of tuyeres between said windbox and said preheat compartment to conduct the fluidizing gas into said preheat compartment, a cyclone separator having cooperating gas conduits for removing solids entrained in the fluidizing gas as it passes therethrough, a first of said conduits connecting said cyclone to said freeboard volume, a second of said conduits connecting said cyclone to said windbox space, and water injection means for introducing water directly into the gas stream flowing in the first of said conduits for cooling the fluidizing gases, whereby deleterious scaling in the cyclone, windbox and tuyeres is avoided.

Claim 8

A fluidized bed reactor system in accordance with claim 5 having air injection means for introducing a quantity of air at ambient temperature with the water into the conduit conducting the hot gases to the cyclone.

Claim 9

A fluidized bed reactor system in accordance with claim 6 wherein said air injection means is constructed and arranged to direct the air flow about said water injection means to thereby shield said water injection means from the hot gases flowing in said conduit.