Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
149 words
In a system wherein coal particles are fed into a vertically disposed vessel housing a fluidized bed formed from injection of said coal particles and a first fluidizing gas, to form a combustible product gas and agglomerated ash, said agglomerated ash tending to congregate at a lower portion of said vessel, improved apparatus for removing said agglomerated ash from said vessel, comprising: a. means for injecting a supplemental fluidizing gas into said vessel at a preselected elevation and at a temperature less than the average operating temperature of said fluidized bed so as to form a substantially discrete temperature interface region above said preselected elevation between said agglomerated ash and said fluidized bed; b. temperature sensitive means for indicating the elevational position of said interface region; and c. means responsive to the indication of said temperature sensitive means for selectively removing some of said agglomerated ash from said vessel.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
149 words
In a system wherein coal particles are fed into a vertically disposed vessel housing a fluidized bed formed from injection of said coal particles and a first fluidizing gas, to form a combustible product gas and agglomerated ash, said agglomerated ash tending to congregate at a lower portion of said vessel, improved apparatus for removing said agglomerated ash from said vessel, comprising: a. means for injecting a supplemental fluidizing gas into said vessel at a preselected elevation and at a temperature less than the average operating temperature of said fluidized bed so as to form a substantially discrete temperature interface region above said preselected elevation between said agglomerated ash and said fluidized bed; b. temperature sensitive means for indicating the elevational position of said interface region; and c. means responsive to the indication of said temperature sensitive means for selectively removing some of said agglomerated ash from said vessel.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said temperature sensitive means includes a fixed probe which indicates the elevational position of said interface region relative to said probe.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
37 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said injection means comprises an inlet disposed in said lower portion of said vessel and oriented to inject said supplemental fluidizing gas into said agglomerated ash in a generally upward direction.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
34 words
The system of claim 3 wherein said means for injecting supplemental fluidizing gas comprises a manifold containing gas at a temperature at least 500° F. less than the average temperature of said fluidized bed.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
191 words
In a system wherein coal particles are fed into a vertically disposed vessel housing a fluidized bed formed from injection of said coal particles and a first fluidizing gas, to form a combustible product gas and agglomerated ash, said agglomerated ash tending to congregate at a lower portion of said vessel, improved apparatus for removing said agglomerated ash from said vessel, comprising: a. means for injecting a supplemental fluidizing gas into said vessel at a preselected elevation and at a temperature at least 500° F. less than the average operating temperature of said fluidized bed so as to form a substantially discrete temperature interface region above said preselected elevation between said agglomerated ash and said fluidized bed, said interface region separating the mediums in said vessel into solids above said interface at a hot temperature and agglomerated ash below said interface at a cooler temperature; b. temperature sensitive means fixedly disposed at a selected elevation of said vessel for indicating said hot temperature and said cooler temperature; and c. means responsive to said temperature sensitive means indicating said cooler temperature for selectively removing some of said agglomerated ash from said vessel.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
191 words
In a system wherein coal particles are fed into a vertically disposed vessel housing a fluidized bed formed from injection of said coal particles and a first fluidizing gas, to form a combustible product gas and agglomerated ash, said agglomerated ash tending to congregate at a lower portion of said vessel, improved apparatus for removing said agglomerated ash from said vessel, comprising: a. means for injecting a supplemental fluidizing gas into said vessel at a preselected elevation and at a temperature at least 500° F. less than the average operating temperature of said fluidized bed so as to form a substantially discrete temperature interface region above said preselected elevation between said agglomerated ash and said fluidized bed, said interface region separating the mediums in said vessel into solids above said interface at a hot temperature and agglomerated ash below said interface at a cooler temperature; b. temperature sensitive means fixedly disposed at a selected elevation of said vessel for indicating said hot temperature and said cooler temperature; and c. means responsive to said temperature sensitive means indicating said cooler temperature for selectively removing some of said agglomerated ash from said vessel.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
140 words
In a process wherein coal particles are fed into a vertically disposed vessel housing a fluidized bed formed from injection of said coal particles and a first fluidizing gas, to form a combustible product gas and agglomerated ash, said agglomerated ash tending to congregate at a lower portion of said vessel, an improved method for removing said agglomerated ash from said vessel, comprising: a. injecting a supplemental fluidizing gas into said vessel at a preselected elevation and at a temperature less than the average operating temperature of said fluidized bed so as to form a substantially discrete temperature interface region above said preselected elevation between said agglomerated ash and said fluidized bed; b. thermally monitoring the elevational position of said interface region; and c. selectively removing some of said agglomerated ash from said vessel in response to said thermal monitoring.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
140 words
In a process wherein coal particles are fed into a vertically disposed vessel housing a fluidized bed formed from injection of said coal particles and a first fluidizing gas, to form a combustible product gas and agglomerated ash, said agglomerated ash tending to congregate at a lower portion of said vessel, an improved method for removing said agglomerated ash from said vessel, comprising: a. injecting a supplemental fluidizing gas into said vessel at a preselected elevation and at a temperature less than the average operating temperature of said fluidized bed so as to form a substantially discrete temperature interface region above said preselected elevation between said agglomerated ash and said fluidized bed; b. thermally monitoring the elevational position of said interface region; and c. selectively removing some of said agglomerated ash from said vessel in response to said thermal monitoring.