Fluidized bed system having sparger capable of minimizing blockage by solids and controlling method thereof

Abstract

The present invention relates to a fluidized bed system having a sparger capable of minimizing a blockage by solids and controlling method thereof. And, more specifically, the present invention relates to a fluidized bed system having a sparger capable of minimizing a blockage by solids comprising a fluidized bed reactor to store a solid layer with a certain height and to fluidize the solid layer by using fluidization gases; a sparger having a pipe shape submerged in the solid layer and having a plurality of gas-discharging holes to spray fluidization gases onto the solid layer; and a gas-supplying line having its one end contacting a gas-supplying source and the other end connected to the sparger, wherein fluidization gases are introduced through the gas-supplying line into the sparger by driving the gas-supplying source, the fluidization gases are sprayed through the gas-discharging holes onto the solid layer, the gas-supplying source is placed higher than the sparger and the height difference (H.sub.g) between the gas-supplying source and the sparger is greater than the height of the solid layer.

Claims

1. A fluidized bed system having a sparger, the fluidized bed system having a sparger capable of minimizing a blockage by solids comprising: a fluidized bed reactor to store a solid layer with a certain height (H.sub.s) inside and to fluidize the solid layer via injected fluidization gases; a sparger having a pipe shape submerged in the solid layer in the fluidized bed reactor and having a plurality of gas-discharging holes to spray fluidization gases onto the solid layer; a gas-supplying line having one end contacting a gas-supplying source and an other end connected to the sparger; wherein fluidization gases flow through the gas-supplying line into the sparger and are sprayed through the gas-discharging holes onto the solid layer, wherein the gas-supplying source is placed higher than the sparger and a height difference (H.sub.g) between the gas-supplying source and the sparger is greater than the height of the solid layer (H.sub.s).

2. The fluidized bed system having a sparger capable of minimizing a blockage by solids according to claim 1, wherein the height difference (H.sub.g), is greater than a total of the height of the solid layer (H.sub.s) and a height (H.sub.p) which is high enough to buffer maximum pressure fluctuations that can happen in a fluidized bed.

3. The fluidized bed system having a sparger capable of minimizing a blockage by solids according to claim 2, wherein the height (H.sub.p) which is high enough to buffer maximum pressure fluctuations is calculated by the following equation 1: $\begin{array}{cc}{H}_P=\frac{P_{\mathrm{MAX}}}{\left(1-{\mathrm{.Math.}}_{\mathrm{mf}}\right)\left({}_s-{}_g\right)}\frac{g_c}{g}& \left[\mathrm{Equation}1\right]\end{array}$ in the above described equation 1, wherein H.sub.p indicates a height which is high enough to buffer maximum pressure fluctuations, Pmax indicates a maximum pressure fluctuation in a fluidized bed, .sub.mf indicates voidage of a solid layer in a minimum fluidized state, .sub.s indicates density of solids, .sub.g indicates density of gases, g.sub.c indicates the gravitational acceleration constant, and g indicates gravitational acceleration.

4. The fluidized bed system having a sparger capable of minimizing a blockage by solids according to claim 3, wherein the fluidized bed system having a sparger capable of minimizing a blockage by solids further comprises a controller to control driving of the gas-supplying source.

5. The fluidized bed system having a sparger capable of minimizing a blockage by solids according to claim 4, wherein a subsidiary gas-injecting mouth is configured on one side of the gas-supplying line and, once driving of the gas-supplying source is stopped and then before it is resumed, subsidiary gases are injected through the subsidiary gas-injecting mouth into the gas-supplying line by driving the gas-supplying source.

6. The fluidized bed system having a sparger capable of minimizing a blockage by solids according to claim 5, wherein the gas-supplying line comprises a sparger-connecting horizontal pipe connected to the sparger, a supplying-source-connecting horizontal pipe connected to the gas-supplying source and a vertical pipe connected between the sparger-connecting horizontal pipe and the supplying-source-connecting horizontal pipe.

7. The fluidized bed system having a sparger capable of minimizing a blockage by solids according to claim 6, wherein the subsidiary gas-injecting mouth is provided in the vertical pipe, and wherein the controller controls the subsidiary gas-supplying source to inject subsidiary gases having flow velocity greater than or equal to a minimum fluidization velocity of solid particles.

8. The fluidized bed system having a sparger capable of minimizing a blockage by solids according to claim 6, wherein the subsidiary gas-injecting mouth is provided on one side of the sparger-connecting horizontal pipe, and subsidiary gases are injected in a direction parallel to a length of the sparger-connecting horizontal pipe.

9. The fluidized bed system having a sparger capable of minimizing a blockage by solids according to claim 8, wherein an end of the subsidiary gas-injecting mouth consists of an ejector, and the ejector is inserted into the sparger-connecting horizontal pipe.

10. A method of operating the fluidized bed system according to claim 4, the method of operating the fluidized bed system having a sparger capable of minimizing a blockage by solids comprising the steps of installing a pipe-shaped sparger, having a plurality of gas-discharging holes, in the solid layer of a fluidized reactor; connecting a gas-supplying source installed higher than the sparger and the sparger through a gas-supplying line; introducing fluidization gases through the gas-supplying line into the sparger by driving the gas-supplying source, spraying the fluidization gases through the gas-discharging holes onto the solid layer, and fluidizing the solid layer, wherein the height difference (H.sub.g) between the gas-supplying source and the sparger is greater than the total of the height of the solid layer (H.sub.s) and the height (H.sub.p) which is high enough to buffer maximum pressure fluctuations that can happen in a fluidized bed.

11. The fluidized bed system according to claim 5, in the method of resuming the driving of the gas-supplying source after the driving of the gas-supplying source is stopped, the method of operating the fluidized bed system having a sparger capable of minimizing a blockage by solids comprising the steps of sopping the driving of the gas-supplying source; injecting subsidiary gas through a subsidiary gas-injecting mouth provided on one side of the gas-supplying line by driving a subsidiary gas-supplying source before the driving of the gas-supplying source is resumed; removing solids filling she gas-supplying line by driving the gas-supplying source; and stopping the driving of the subsidiary gas-supplying source.

12. The method of operating the fluidized bed system having a sparger capable of minimizing a blockage by solids according to claim 11, wherein the subsidiary gas-injecting mouth is provided in the vertical pipe of the gas-supplying line, wherein a controller controls the subsidiary gas-supplying source to introduce subsidiary gases having flow velocity greater than or equal to minimum fluidization velocity of solid particles, wherein the solids existing in the upper part of the subsidiary gas-injecting mouth are fluidized and then, the controller exerts control to drive the gas-supplying source.

13. The method of operating the fluidized bed system having a sparger capable of minimizing a blockage by solids according to claim 11, wherein the subsidiary gas-injecting mouth is provided on one side of a sparger-connecting horizontal pipe of the gas-supplying line and subsidiary gases are injected in the direct parallel to the length of the sparger-connecting horizontal pipe.

14. The method of operating the fluidized bed system having a sparger capable of minimizing a blockage by solids according to claim 13, wherein the end of the subsidiary gas-injecting mouth consisting of an ejector is inserted into the sparger-connecting horizontal pipe, subsidiary gases are injected through the ejector and the solids existing in the vertical pipe are removed by the ejector having a vacuum suction effect.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Since the following drawings attached in the present application illustrate a preferred embodiment of the present invention and are helpful for better understanding of technical ideas of the present invention along with the detailed description of the present invention, interpretation of the present invention shall not be limited only to the descriptions of the drawings.

(2) FIG. 1 is a diagram of a fluidized bed reactor having a traditional gas distributor.

(3) FIG. 2 is a graph to show a fluidized bed flow regime and changes in pressure drop (the difference in pressure) of a solid layer, depending on flow velocity of fluidization gases.

(4) FIG. 3 is a diagram of a fluidized bed reactor using a traditional sparger to inject gases.

(5) FIG. 4A is a partially enlarged view of a sparger.

(6) FIGS. 4B and 4C are sectional views of a sparger.

(7) FIG. 5 is a diagram to show a fluidized bed reactor where a gas-supplying source (compressors or blowers), connected at the end of a traditional gas-supplying line to inject fluidization gases, is placed lower than the solid layer of a fluidized bed.

(8) FIG. 6 is a diagram of a fluidized bed reactor having a sparger capable of minimizing a blockage by solids.

(9) FIG. 7 is a diagram of a gas-supplying line having a vertical pipe connected to a subsidiary gas injecting line on its one side according to an embodiment of the present invention.

(10) FIG. 8A is a diagram of a gas-supplying line having a horizontal pipe connected to an ejector-type subsidiary gas-injecting line according to an embodiment of the present invention.

(11) FIG. 8B is a partially enlarged view of part A of FIG. 8A.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

(12) The above mentioned purposes, other purposes, features and advantages can be easily understood with the following preferred embodiments of the present invention related to the attached drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described herein and can be embodied in different forms. Instead, the embodiments described herein are provided to make the descriptions here thorough and perfect and to convey the idea of the present invention well enough to one skilled in the art.

(13) In the present application, when it is mentioned that an element is deposited on another element, it means that the element can be directly formed on another element, or a third element can intervene between them. Also, in the drawings, the width of components is exaggerated for effective explanations.

(14) The embodiments described in the present application can be explained by reference to sectional views and/or plan views, an ideal illustration of the present invention. In the drawings, the width of films and regions is exaggerated for effective explanations of technical subject matters. Accordingly, the form of illustrations can be changed according to manufacturing technologies and/or allowable errors, and so on. This means that the embodiments of the present invention are not limited to a certain form descried herein and includes possible changes in its form according to manufacturing processes. For example, regions showing right angles can be rounded and can take a form with designated curvature. As a result, the regions illustrated in the drawings have their own properties, and the shape of the regions is not to limit the scope of the invention, but to illustrate a certain form of the regions of elements. In various embodiments of the present invention, the terms first, second, etc. are used to describe various elements but those elements shall not be limited by such terms. Those terms are just used to distinguish an element from the other elements. The embodiments explained and illustrated herein include their complementary embodiments.

(15) Terms in the present application are used to explain the embodiments but not to limit the present invention. In the present application, unless otherwise stated, the use of a singular noun includes the plural. The term comprises and/or comprising in the present application shall mean that stated elements does not exclude existence or addition of one or more other elements.

(16) In the descriptions of the following specific embodiments, a variety of specific subjects are written to explain the invention in more detail and to be helpful for better understanding of the invention. However, any reader with enough knowledge of the art to understand the present invention can understand that the present invention can be used without such a variety of specific subjects. In advance, it is mentioned that in some cases, what is commonly known but not significantly related to the invention is not described in the descriptions of the present invention to prevent confusion caused for no special reason.

(17) In the following description, the composition and function of a fluidized bed reactor 10 having a sparger 20 capable of minimizing a blockage by solids according to an embodiment of the present invention will be explained. First, FIG. 6 is a diagram of a fluidized bed system 100 having a sparger 20 capable of minimizing a blockage by solids according to an embodiment of the present invention.

(18) The fluidized bed system 100 having a sparger capable of minimizing a blockage by solids according to an embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 6, is configured to comprise a fluidized bed reactor 10, a sparger 20, a gas-supplying source 34, a gas-supplying line 30, and so on.

(19) The fluidized bed reactor 10 is configured to store a solid layer with a certain height (H.sub.S) inside of it, and such a solid layer is fluidized by fluidization gases injected by the sparger 20.

(20) The sparger 20 having a pipe shape is submerged in the lower part of the solid layer inside the fluidized bed reactor 10 and has a plurality of gas-discharging holes 21 to spray fluidization gases onto the solid layer. The gas-discharging holes 21 can be configured on the bottom surface or on both sides respectively in a plural number and the number, shape, and location of the holes do not limit the scope of the right to the present invention.

(21) The gas-supplying line 30 has its one end contacting the gas-supplying source 34 and the other end connected to the sparger 20. As shown in FIG. 6, the gas-supplying line 30 and the sparger 20 can be connected by a flange-type joint. Accordingly, fluidization gases are supplied through the gas-supplying line 30 to the sparger 20 by driving the gas-supplying source 34 and then sprayed through the gas-discharging holes 21 of the sparger 20 on solid layers, and the solid layers are fluidized.

(22) The gas-supplying line 30, as shown in FIG. 6, is configured to comprise a supplying source-connecting horizontal pipe 33 horizontally connected to the gas-supplying source 34, a sparger-connecting horizontal pipe 31 horizontally connected with the sparger 20 and a vertical pipe 32 provided between the supplying source-connecting horizontal pipe 33 and the sparger-connecting horizontal pipe 31.

(23) And as shown in FIG. 6, the gas-supplying source 34 is placed higher than the sparger 20, the height difference (H.sub.g) between the gas-supplying source 34 and the sparger 20, i.e. the length of the vertical pipe 32, is set greater than the height of a solid layer (H.sub.S). Therefore, solid particles are prevented from blocking the gas-supplying line 30 because they cannot reach up to the place higher than the height of the solid layer existing in a fluidized bed even if they flow backwards.

(24) Also, such a height difference (H.sub.g) is set greater than the total (H.sub.P) of the height of a solid layer (H.sub.S) and the height which is high enough to buffer maximum pressure fluctuations (P.sub.max) that can happen in a fluidized bed (H.sub.g>H.sub.S+H.sub.P). The height (H.sub.P) which is high enough to buffer maximum pressure fluctuations can be calculated according to the following equation 1.

(25) $\begin{array}{cc}{H}_P=\frac{P_{\mathrm{MAX}}}{\left(1-{\mathrm{.Math.}}_{\mathrm{mf}}\right)\left({}_s-{}_g\right)}\frac{g_c}{g}& \left[\mathrm{Equation}1\right]\end{array}$

(26) In the above described equation 1, H.sub.P indicates the height which is high enough to buffer maximum pressure fluctuations [m]; P.sub.max indicates maximum pressure fluctuations in a fluidized bed [Pa]; .sub.mf indicates voidage of a solid layer in a minimum fluidized state [-]; .sub.s indicates density of solids [kg/m.sup.3]; .sub.g indicates density of gases [kg/m.sup.3]; g.sub.c indicates the gravitational acceleration constant, 1 [(kgm)/(Ns.sup.2)]; and g indicates gravitational acceleration, 9.8 [m/s.sup.2].

(27) Additionally, a controller to control the driving of the gas-supplying source 34 is comprised.

(28) As a result, according to an embodiment of the present invention, solid particles are prevented from blocking the gas-supplying line 30 and flowing into the sparger 20 by setting the height difference (H.sub.g), between the gas-supplying source 34 connected to the gas-supplying line 30 and the sparger 20, greater than the total of the height of a solid layer (H.sub.S) and the height (H.sub.P) which is high enough to buffer maximum pressure fluctuations that can happen in a fluidized bed.

(29) Meanwhile, if gas injection through the sparger 20 is temporarily stopped, solid particles can reach up to the height (H.sub.P) of a solid layer corresponding to the heights of a solid layer and maximum pressure fluctuations (P.sub.max) in the gas-supplying line 30, and if gases are injected again through the gas-supplying source 34 such as compressors or blowers, gases may not be injected without enough pressures exerted due to frictional loss between the wall of the gas-supplying line 30 and the particles.

(30) As shown in FIG. 7, minimizing frictional loss between the wall of the gas-supplying line 30 and the particles by fluidizing the particles filling the vertical pipe 32 of the gas-supplying line 30 can be a way to solve such a problem. This means the particles filling the vertical pipe of the gas-supplying line can be effectively removed, once gas injection through the sparger 20 is temporarily stopped and then before it is resumed, first by injecting gases having flow velocity greater than or equal to minimum fluidization velocity through a subsidiary gas-injecting mouth 40 installed in the gas-supplying line 30 as shown in FIG. 7, then by fluidizing the solids existing in the upper part of the subsidiary gas-injecting mouth 40 and injecting gases by means of the gas-supplying source 34. After gases are injected smoothly through the sparger 20, gas injection through the subsidiary gas-injecting mouth 40 may be stopped.

(31) The subsidiary gas-injecting mouth 40 is provided on one side of the gas-supplying line according to an embodiment of the present invention, and once the driving of the gas-supplying source 34 is stopped and then before it is resumed, subsidiary gases are injected through the subsidiary gas-injecting mouth 40 into the gas-supplying line by driving the subsidiary gas-supplying source.

(32) More specifically, the subsidiary gas-injecting mouth 40 is provided in the vertical pipe 32 and a controller controls the subsidiary gas-supplying source to inject subsidiary gases having flow velocity greater than or equal to minimum fluidized velocity of solid particles.

(33) This means, in the fluidized bed system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention, the way to resume the driving of the gas-supplying source 34 after the driving of the gas-supplying source is stopped is injecting subsidiary gases through the subsidiary gas-injecting mouth 40 provided in the vertical pipe 32 of the gas-supplying line into the gas-supplying line by driving the subsidiary gas-supplying source, once the driving of the subsidiary gas-supplying source 34 is stopped and then before it is resumed.

(34) Then, the controller controls the subsidiary gas-supplying source to inject subsidiary gases having flow velocity greater than or equal to minimum fluidization velocity of solid particles, and the solids existing in the upper part of the subsidiary gas-injecting mouth 40 are fluidized, and then, the controller exerts control to drive the gas-supplying source 34. The solid particles filling the gas-supplying line can be removed effectively by driving the gas-supplying source 34 and frictional loss between the wall of the gas-supplying line and the particles can be minimized.

(35) According to another embodiment of the present invention, the subsidiary gas-injecting mouth 40 is provided on one side of the sparger-connecting horizontal pipe 31 and is configure to inject subsidiary gases in the direction parallel to the length of the sparger-connecting horizontal pipe 31.

(36) FIG. 8A is a diagram of the gas-supplying line 30 where an ejector-type subsidiary gas-injecting mouth 40 is connected to the vertical pipe according to an embodiment of the present invention.

(37) As shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B, the end of the subsidiary gas-injecting mouth 40 consists of an ejector 41 and such an ejector 41 is inserted into a sparger-connecting horizontal pipe 31.

(38) This means that the subsidiary gas-injecting mouth 40 is provided on one side of the sparge-connecting horizontal pipe 31 of the gas-supplying line 30, and that subsidiary gases are injected in the direction parallel to the length of the sparger-connecting horizontal pipe 31.

(39) The end of the subsidiary gas-injecting mouth 40 consisting of an ejector 41 is inserted into the sparger-connecting horizontal pipe 31, subsidiary gases are injected through the ejector and the solids existing in the vertical pipe 32 are removed effectively by the ejector 41 having the vacuum suction effect.

(40) Therefore, according to another embodiment of the present invention, the solids existing in the vertical pipe 32 of the gas-supplying line 30 are easily removed by means of the vacuum suction effect of an ejector, by installing an ejector-type subsidiary gas-injecting mouth 40 in the sparger-connecting horizontal pipe 31 and by injecting subsidiary gases.

(41) Also, the above described device and method does not indicate that the composition and method of the above described embodiments are limitedly applied and each of the embodiments, in whole or in part, can be selectively coordinated to make various changes in its form.

PARTS LIST

(42) 1: Gas distributor 2: Gas-introducing chamber 3: Solid layer 10: Fluidized bed reactor 20: Sparger 21: Gas-discharging hole 30: Gas-supplying line 31: Sparger-connecting horizontal pipe 32: Vertical pipe 33: Supply source-connecting horizontal pipe 34: Gas-supplying source 40: Subsidiary gas-injecting mouth 41: Ejector 100: Fluidized bed system having a sparger capable of minimizing a blockage by solids