REDUCING THE SIZE OF A FLAMELESS THERMAL OXIDIZER BY OXYGEN ENHANCEMENT

Abstract

A flameless thermal oxidizer includes a container in which a ceramic matrix is contained, and a diptube having a passageway extending therethrough, the diptube positioned in and in communication with the ceramic matrix and in which a plurality of gaseous streams are present for combustion at the ceramic matrix, the plurality of gaseous streams including a vent stream and an oxygen stream. A related method is also provided.

Claims

1. A flameless thermal oxidizer (FTO), comprising: a container in which a ceramic matrix is contained; and a diptube having a passageway extending therethrough, the diptube positioned in the ceramic matrix and in which a plurality of gaseous streams are present for combustion at the ceramic matrix, the plurality of gaseous streams including a vent stream and an oxygen stream.

2. The FTO of claim 1, further comprising: a first inlet connected to and in communication with the passageway for introducing the vent stream into the passageway, and a second inlet connected to and in communication with the passageway for introducing the oxygen stream into the passageway.

3. The FTO of claim 2, wherein the first inlet is separate from the second inlet.

4. The FTO of claim 2, wherein the second inlet comprises a pipe sized and shaped to extend into and through a length of the passageway, a distal end of the pipe having an outlet upstream of an opening at a lower end of the diptube.

5. The FTO of claim 1, further comprising another pipe connected to and in communication with the passageway, the another pipe comprising an air stream therein for mixing with the oxygen stream in the another pipe for providing an oxygen-airstream mixture to be provided to the passageway.

6. The FTO of claim 1, further comprising another pipe connected to and in communication with the passageway, the another pipe comprising an air stream, a fuel stream, the vent stream, and the oxygen stream for providing a mixture to be provided to the passageway.

7. A method of operating a flameless thermal oxidizer (FTO), comprising: introducing a plurality of gaseous streams into a heated ceramic matrix contained within the FTO, the plurality of gaseous streams including at least a vent stream and an oxygen stream.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the vent stream and the oxygen stream are introduced separately.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising mixing the vent stream and the oxygen stream after the introducing.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the plurality of gaseous streams further comprises an air stream and a fuel stream.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the vent, oxygen, air and the fuel streams are introduced separately.

12. The method of claim 7, further comprising introducing the oxygen stream into the vent stream proximate the ceramic matrix.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising mixing the air stream and the oxygen stream for providing an air-oxygen mixture upstream of the vent and fuel streams, and introducing the air-oxygen mixture into the vent and fuel streams.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising mixing the separately provided vent, oxygen, air and fuel streams for providing a mixed stream, and introducing the mixed stream into the heated ceramic matrix.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] For a more complete understanding of the present inventive embodiments reference may be had to the following description of exemplary embodiments considered in connection with the accompanying drawing Figures, of which:

[0013] FIG. 1 shows a side view in cross-section of a known flameless thermal oxidizer (FTO discussed above);

[0014] FIG. 2 shows a side view in cross-section of a first embodiment of an FTO according to the present invention;

[0015] FIG. 3 shows a side view in cross-section of another embodiment of an FTO according to the present invention;

[0016] FIG. 4 shows a side view in cross-section of still another embodiment of an FTO according to the present invention; and

[0017] FIG. 5 shows a side view in cross-section of still another embodiment of an FTO according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] Before explaining the inventive embodiments in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, if any, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

[0019] In the following description, terms such as a horizontal, upright, vertical, above, below, beneath and the like, are to be used solely for the purpose of clarity illustrating the invention and should not be taken as words of limitation. The drawings are for the purpose of illustrating the invention and are not intended to be to scale.

[0020] Referring to FIGS. 2-5, embodiments of an FTO are shown according to the present invention. Four exemplary embodiments of an FTO constructed in accordance with the present invention are illustrated in FIGS. 2-5, respectively. Elements illustrated in FIGS. 2-5 which correspond with the elements described above with respect to FIG. 1 have been designated by corresponding reference numerals increased by 100, 200, 300 and 400, respectively. The embodiments of FIGS. 3-5 are designed for use in the same manner as the embodiment of FIG. 2 unless otherwise stated.

[0021] The present embodiments include a system where an increased oxygen concentration (greater than that found in air) is used to provide the desired combustion temperature without using additional fuel and air and, in fact, reduces the overall volume of the products of combustion. As such, either an increase in capacity for the same volume reactor or a smaller reactor is needed for the same throughput. This will result in capital cost savings.

[0022] Referring to the embodiment shown at FIG. 2, a pure oxygen stream 11 is introduced into a separate inlet 13 which is connected to and in communication with the internal passage 130 of the diptube 120. The oxygen stream 11 mixes with the inlet streams 124-128 in the internal passage 130.

[0023] Referring to FIG. 3, in this embodiment the FTO 210 is provided with a pure oxygen stream 15 introduced through an inlet pipe 17 which is sized and shaped for extending into and through a substantial length of the internal passage 230 of the diptube 220. As shown in FIG. 3, a lower end 19 of the inlet pipe 17 opens at an outlet prior to or upstream of an opening at the lower end 222 of the diptube 220. This provides for mixing of the oxygen stream 15 with the inlet streams 224-228 prior to being exhausted into the oxidation zone 232.

[0024] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, a pure oxygen stream 21 and the inlet stream 326 for the air are combined in a pipe 23 which has an outlet 25 for the combined oxygen-airstream 27 to be introduced at an inlet 29 in gaseous communication with the internal passage 330 of the diptube 320. The oxygen-air stream 27 mixes with the vent stream 324 and the fuel stream 328 in the internal passage 330.

[0025] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, a pure oxygen stream 31 is mixed with the inlet streams 424-428 in a pipe 33 having an outlet 35 connected to and in communication with the internal passage 430 of the diptube 420. The pipe 33 is external to the diptube 420, wherein a construction of the pipe permits the pure oxygen stream 31 and the inlet streams 424-428 to be mixed together as shown generally at 37 whereupon said mixture 37 is introduced into the internal passage 430.

[0026] The oxygen concentration in the streams 11, 15, 21, 31 can be increased by using substantially pure oxygen introduced into air, using an oxygen rich stream mixed with air or, if in sufficient quantity, using only an oxygen rich stream.

[0027] The oxygen rich streams of the embodiments in FIGS. 2-5 may also be a by-product stream or vent stream from for example a nitrogen generator.

[0028] As discussed above, the oxygen enriched stream may be mixed with the air prior to the diptube, mixed with the air-waste mixture prior to the diptube, or kept separate from the other streams until the discharge opening at the lower end of the diptube.

[0029] The foregoing embodiments of FIGS. 2-5 provide for: a reduction in reactor size for given capacity/throughput and therefore, capital cost savings occur; an increase in reactor throughput and therefore, increased productivity; a reduction in supplemental fuel and therefore, reduced operating costs; and allowance of processing of low CV/low BTU wastes that would not normally be used in an FTO and therefore, increased flexibility.

[0030] The present embodiments may be used for example to process vent streams from processes such as for example a nitrogen generator.

[0031] It will be understood that the embodiments described herein are merely exemplary, and that a person skilled in the art may make variations and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. All such variations and modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the invention as provided and claimed herein. It should be understood that the embodiments described above are not only in the alternative, but can be combined.