Method of and apparatus for the direct heating of fluidized-bed and vortex-layer reactors

Claim 2

The improvement defined in claim 1, further comprising the step of introducing further quantities of carrier gas into said reactor through said gas distributor at locations spaced from said streams and without admixture of said fuel therewith.

Claim 3

The improvement defined in claim 3 wherein said fuel is atomized at least in part by projecting it against an impingement surface lying generally transversely of the direction of introduction of said streams and said liquid fuel into said chamber, the mixture of said carrier gas and atomized fuel being delivered into said chamber laterally of said surface.

Claim 4

The improvement defined in claim 4 wherein said liquid fuel is a heavy fuel oil, further comprising the steps of preheating said fuel oil prior to its passage through said gas distributor and surrounding the fuel oil with a sheath of said carrier gas in the region in which said fuel oil traverses said gas distributor.

Claim 5

In a fluidized-bed reactor having a fluidized-bed chamber and a gas distributor at the base of said fluidized-bed chamber for introducing an oxygen-containing carrier gas into said fluidized-bed chamber, the improvement which comprises: liquid-fueled means for directly heating a fluidized bed in said fluidized-bed chamber and including a pair of coaxial tubes upstanding from said gas distributor and defining an outer duct and an inner duct; means for supplying said oxygen-containing carrier gas to one of said ducts; means for supplying a liquid fuel to the other of said ducts; and means defining an atomizing and mixing compartment at the upper ends of said tubes and communicating with said ducts for atomizing said liquid fuel and mixing same with the stream of oxygen-containing carrier gas traversing said one of said ducts, said compartment discharging the mixture of said carrier gas and atomized fuel into said fluidized-bed chamber immediately upon atomization and mixing, said gas distributor including an upper gas distributor plate forming the base of said fluidized-bed chamber and defining with a lower plate an air plenum communicating with said outer duct, the outer one of said tubes being rigid with said upper plate, said means for supplying liquid fuel to the inner tube extending at least in part through said plenum, said means defining said atomizing and mixing compartment including an annular lower body fixed to said outer tube and an upper body spaced from said lower body to define a lateral opening therewith communicating between said compartment and said fluidized-bed chamber, said upper body forming an impingement surface directly ahead of said inner tube.

Claim 6

The improvement defined in claim 6 wherein said liquid fuel is supplied to said inner duct and said oxygen-containing carrier gas is air supplied to said outer duct.

Claim 7

The improvement defined in claim 6 wherein said inner tube is formed with an Atomizing nozzle trained upon said impingement surface, said impingement surface being provided with a downwardly protruding bulge aligned with said nozzle.

Claim 8

The improvement defined in claim 8, further comprising means forming a cooling chamber in said upper body communicating with said outer duct, said means for supplying said liquid fuel to said inner tube including a supply pipe externally of said plenum, conduit means connecting said supply part with said inner tube externally of said plenum, said inner tube being formed with a flange fixed to the underside of said lower plate.

Claim 9

The improvement defined in claim 9 wherein said means supplying said liquid fuel includes preheating means connected with said pipe.

Claim 10

The improvement defined in claim 6 wherein said compartment is formed with a lateral opening discharging the mixture of atomized fuel with said carrier gas outwardly at an angle with the horizontal ranging from 0* to 15* toward the gas distributor.

Claim 11

The improvement defined in claim 6, further comprising means for accelerating said oxygen-containing carrier gas prior to its passage into said compartment.

Claim 12

In a fluidized-bed reactor having a fluidized-bed chamber and a gas distributor at the base of said fluidized-bed chamber for introducing an oxygen-containing carrier gas into said fluidized-bed chamber, the improvement which comprises: liquid-fueled means for directly heating a fluidized bed in said fluidized-bed chamber and including a pair of coaxial tubes upstanding from said gas distributor and defining an outer duct and an inner duct; means for supplying said oxygen-containing carrier gas to one of said ducts; means for supplying a liquid fuel to the other of said ducts; and means defining an atomizing and mixing compartment at the upper ends of said tubes and communicating with said ducts for atomizing said liquid fuel and mixing same with the stream of oxygen-containing carrier gas traversing said one of said ducts, said compartment discharging the mixture of said carrier gas and atomized fuel into said fluidized-bed chamber immediately upon atomization and mixing, said gas distributor including a plate and means forming an air plenum beneath said plate, the outer of said tubes being fixed to said tubes threadedly engaging said plate and vertically adjustable thereon, said means for supplying liquid fuel to said other duct including an opening formed in said plate and communicating with said outer duct between said tubes, said means defining said compartment including an annular lower body fixed to said outer tube and an upper body spaced from said lower body and fixed to said inner tube while defining an impingement surface extending outwardly beyond said outer duct.

Claim 13

The improvement defined in claim 13 wherein said compartment is formed with a lateral opening discharging the mixture of atomized fuel with said carrier gas outwardly at an angle with the horizontal ranging from 0* to 15'' toward the gas distributor.

Claim 14

The improvement defined in claim 13 further comprising means for accelerating said oxygen-containing carrier gas prior to its passage into said compartment.