Gas injection control

Claim 1

A method for maintaining average pressure drop across gas discharge nozzles above a minimum value to prevent the possiblity of inactive nozzles, said nozzles comprising part of a distributor to which is supplied gas by means of a pipeline, said distributor used to distribute the gas about the lower portion of a processing vessel containing liquid or particulate matter, such method comprising the steps of: (a) establishing a flow signal representative of the rate of flow of gas in said pipeline supplying the gas to said distributor; (b) establishing a temperature signal representative of the temperature of the gas flowing in said distributor; (c) establishing a pressure signal representative of the pressure of the gas flowing in said distributor; (d) providing said flow, temperature, and pressure signals to a computing means; (e) providing said computing means with the necessary equations and constant values; (f) calculating in said computing means the average pressure drop across said nozzles; (g) comparing said average pressure drop across said nozzles with said minimum value and generating a correction signal if said minimum value is larger; and, (h) transmitting said correction signal to adjustment means which are capable of increasing the average pressure drop across said nozzles and accomplishing said adjustments to prevent the occurrence of inactive nozzle.

Claim 2

A method for maintaining average pressure drop across gas discharge nozzles above a minimum value to prevent the possiblity of inactive nozzles, said nozzles comprising part of a distributor to which is supplied gas by means of a pipeline, said distributor used to distribute the gas about the lower portion of a processing vessel containing liquid or particulate matter, such method comprising the steps of: (a) establishing a flow signal representative of the rate of flow of gas in said pipeline supplying the gas to said distributor; (b) establishing a temperature signal representative of the temperature of the gas flowing in said distributor; (c) establishing a pressure signal representative of the pressure of the gas flowing in said distributor; (d) providing said flow, temperature, and pressure signals to a computing means; (e) providing said computing means with the necessary equations and constant values; (f) calculating in said computing means the average pressure drop across said nozzles; (g) comparing said average pressure drop across said nozzles with said minimum value and generating a correction signal if said minimum value is larger; and, (h) transmitting said correction signal to adjustment means which are capable of increasing the average pressure drop across said nozzles and accomplishing said adjustments to prevent the occurrence of inactive nozzle.