Steam generating system utilizing separate fluid flow circuitry between the furnace section and the separating section

Claim 2

A steam generating system, comprising: A. a furnace formed at least in part by a plurality of water tubes and having a gas outlet; B. a separator having a gas inlet; and C. a duct for directing gases from said furnace outlet to said separator inlet wherein said duct comprises: (1) a plurality of tubes bent and arranged to connect said furnace outlet and said separator inlet; (2) means connecting adjacent tubes of said duct to form a gas tight structure; and (3) fluid flow circuit means for circulating fluid through said tubes of said duct independent of any fluid flow through said tubes of said furnace for recovering heat from said gases as they pass through said duct, said fluid flow circuit means comprising: (a) a first and second vessel; (b) a first and second header in fluid flow communication with the respective ends of each of said tubes of said duct; (c) first piping means connecting said first vessel in fluid flow communication with said first header; and (d) second piping means connecting said second vessel in fluid flow communication with said second header.

Claim 3

The system of claim 1 wherein said first vessel is a steam drum and said second vessel is a header.

Claim 4

A steam generating system, comprising: A. a furnace formed at least in part by a plurality of water tubes and having a gas outlet; B. a separator having a gas inlet; and C. a duct for directing gases from said furnace outlet to said separator inlet wherein said duct comprises: (1) a plurality of tubes bent and arranged to connect said furnace outlet and said separator inlet; (2) means connecting adjacent tubes of said duct to form a gas tight structure; and (3) fluid flow circuit means for circulating fluid through said tubes of said duct independent of any fluid flow through said tubes of said furnace for recovering heat from said gases as they pass through said duct, said tubes of said duct divided into first and second panels, such that the tubes forming said first panel are connected at one of their ends to said first header, extend downwardly vertically from said first header, are bent 90° to the horizontal, and are connected at their other ends to said second header; the tubes forming said second panel are connected at one of their ends to said first header, extend horizontally from said first header, are bent 90° to the vertical, and are connected at their other ends to said second header.

Claim 5

A steam generating system, comprising: A. a furnace formed at least in part by a plurality of water tubes and having a gas outlet; B. a separator having a gas inlet; and C. a duct for directing gases from said furnace outlet to said separator inlet wherein said duct comprises: (1) a plurality of tubes bent and arranged to connect said furnace outlet and said separator inlet; (2) means connecting adjacent tubes of said duct to form a gas tight structure; and (3) fluid flow circuit means for circulating fluid through said tubes of said duct independent of any fluid flow through said tubes of said furnace for recovering heat from said gases as they pass through said duct, said tubes of said duct divided into first and second panels, such that the tubes forming said first panel are connected at one of their ends to said first header, extend downwardly vertically from said first header, are bent 90° to the horizontal, and are connected at their other ends to said second header; the tubes forming said second panel are connected at one of their ends to said first header, extend horizontally from said first header, are bent 90° to the vertical, and are connected at their other ends to said second header.

Claim 6

A heat recovery system, comprising: A. a furnace for combusting fuel to produce hot gaseous products containing entrained solids, said furnace formed by a plurality of finned tube panels, said furnace panels connected to form a furnace fluid flow circuit for passing fluid through said furnace panels to recover heat from said hot gaseous products in said furnace; B. a separator for separating said entrained solids from said hot gaseous products, said separator formed by a plurality of finned tube panels, said separator panels connected to form a separator fluid flow circuit for passing fluid through said separator panels to recover heat from said hot gaseous products in said separator; and C. a duct for directing said hot gaseous products from said furnace to said separator, said duct formed by a plurality of finned tube panels, said duct panels connected to form a duct fluid flow circuit independent of said fluid flow circuits of said furnace and said separator for passing fluid through said duct panels to recover heat from said hot gaseous products in said duct and use said recovered duct heat independently of heat recovered from said furnace and said separator.

Claim 7

A heat recovery system, comprising: A. a furnace for combusting fuel to produce hot gaseous products containing entrained solids, said furnace formed by a plurality of finned tube panels, said furnace panels connected to form a furnace fluid flow circuit for passing fluid through said furnace panels to recover heat from said hot gaseous products in said furnace; B. a separator for separating said entrained solids from said hot gaseous products, said separator formed by a plurality of finned tube panels, said separator panels connected to form a separator fluid flow circuit for passing fluid through said separator panels to recover heat from said hot gaseous products in said separator; and C. a duct for directing said hot gaseous products from said furnace to said separator, said duct formed by a plurality of finned tube panels, said duct panels connected to form a duct fluid flow circuit independent of said fluid flow circuits of said furnace and said separator for passing fluid through said duct panels to recover heat from said hot gaseous products in said duct and use said recovered duct heat independently of heat recovered from said furnace and said separator.

Claim 8

A steam generating system, comprising: A. a furnace having a gas outlet; B. a separator having a gas inlet; and C. means for directing gases from said furnace outlet to said separator inlet, said means comprising: (1) a plurality of tubes bent and arranged to form a duct connecting said furnace outlet and said separator inlet; (2) means linking adjacent tubes to form a gas tight structure; and (3) means for connecting said tubes into a fluid flow circuit for recovering heat from said gases as they pass through said duct, said fluid flow connecting means comprising: (a) a first and second vessel, (b) a first and second header in fluid flow communication with the respective ends of each of said tubes, (c) a first piping means connecting said first vessel in fluid flow communication with said first header, and (d) second piping means connecting said second vessel in fluid flow communication with said second header.

Claim 9

A steam generating system, comprising: A. a furnace having a gas outlet; B. a separator having a gas inlet; and C. means for directing gases from said furnace outlet to said separator inlet, said means comprising: (1) a plurality of tubes bent and arranged to form a duct connecting said furnace outlet and said separator inlet; (2) means linking adjacent tubes to form a gas tight structure; and (3) means for connecting said tubes into a fluid flow circuit for recovering heat from said gases as they pass through said duct, said fluid flow connecting means comprising: (a) a first and second vessel, (b) a first and second header in fluid flow communication with the respective ends of each of said tubes, (c) a first piping means connecting said first vessel in fluid flow communication with said first header, and (d) second piping means connecting said second vessel in fluid flow communication with said second header.

Claim 10

The system of claim 5 wherein said first vessel is a steam drum and said second vessel is a header.

Claim 11

The system of claim 5 wherein said tubes are divided into first and second panels, the tubes forming said first panel are connected at one of their ends to said first header, extend downwardly vertically from said first header, are bent 90° to the horizontal, and are connected at their other ends to said second header; the tubes forming said second panel are connected at one of their ends to said first header, extend horizontally from said first header, are bent 90° to the vertical, and are connected at their other ends to said second header.

Claim 12

The system of claim 5 wherein said linking means comprises a fin extending from corresponding portions of adjacent tubes.

Claim 13

The system of claim 5 wherein said tubes extend perpendicular to the direction of the flow of said gases.