FLUIDIZED BED REACTOR

Abstract

The invention relates to a fluidized bed reactor, comprising a reaction chamber and a centrifugal separator having a common wall with the reaction chamber.

Claims

1. A fluidized bed reactor, comprising the following features: a) a reactor chamber (R) with at least one outlet port upper part, b) the outlet port (12) is designed as a tunnel (20), allowing a mixture of gas and solid particles, exhausted from the reaction chamber (R), enter an associated centrifugal separator (S), c) the centrifugal separator (S) is of cylindrical shape and features an outer paneling (P), a first exit (E1) for the purified gas at its top end and a second exit (E2) for the a solid particles at its bottom end, d) the tunnel (20) comprises a vertically extending outer side wall (22), a vertically extending inner side wall (24), a horizontally extending bottom wall (26) and a horizontally extending ceiling wall (28), e) the outer side wall (22) of the tunnel (20) extends continuously into an entrance section (30) of the outer paneling (P) of the separator (S), f) said entrance section (30) extends continuously into a first curved section (32) of the outer paneling (P), which first curved section being arranged at least in an axial projection (arrow AP) of the tunnel (20), g) said first curved section (32) is followed by one or more further sections (34, 36, 38, 40) of the paneling (P), which end up at the inner side wall (24) of the tunnel (20), wherein h) at least one further section (40) forms a common wall with reactor chamber (R).

2. The fluidized bed reactor according to claim 1, wherein one or more of the further sections (34, 36, 38, 40) of the outer paneling (P) are planar.

3. The fluidized bed reactor according to claim 1, wherein the common wall (40) is a planar wall.

4. The fluidized bed reactor according to claim 1, wherein the first curved section (32) extends about 60 to 150 degrees.

5. The fluidized bed reactor according to claim 1, wherein the first curved section (32) extends about 75 to 120 degrees.

6. The fluidized bed reactor according to claim 1, wherein the outer paneling (P) is made of vertically extending hollow tubes (T) and fins (F) in between.

7. The fluidized bed reactor according to claim 1, wherein said first curved section (32) extends continuously into the adjacent further section (34).

8. The fluidized bed reactor according to claim 1, wherein said further sections (34, 36, 38, 40) continuously extend into each other. The fluidized bed reactor according to claim 1, wherein transition areas (TA 1 . . . TA6) between adjacent sections (32,24; 34,36; 36,38; 38,40) of the outer paneling (P) are curved.

10. The fluidized bed reactor according to claim 1, without any corner along the outer paneling (P).

11. The fluidized bed reactor according to claim 1, wherein said further section (40)of the outer paneling (P), ending up at the inner side wall (24) of the tunnel (20), forms an angle of less than 90 degrees with said inner side wall (24) of the tunnel (20).

12. The fluidized bed reactor according to claim 1, wherein at least part of the outer paneling (P) is lined along its inner surface with a refractory material (42).

13. The fluidized bed reactor according to claim 1, wherein at least the entrance section (30) and the first curved section (32) of the outer paneling (P) are lined along their inner surface with a refractory material (42).

14. The fluidized bed reactor according to claim 1, wherein said tunnel (20) has its largest cross section at its end inside the reaction chamber (R).

15. The fluidized bed reactor according to claim 1 with at least two outlet ports (12) according and at least two associated centrifugal separators (S) according to claim 1, wherein the outer paneling (P) of said two separators (S) have a common planar wall section (36).

Description

[0054] Further features of the invention will derive from the features of the sub claims and the following description of the drawing, wherein the drawing schematically represents in:

[0055] FIG. 1: A 3-dimensional view on and into a separator attached to a fluidized bed reactor

[0056] FIG. 2: A horizontal cross sectional view of a first embodiment of the separator

[0057] FIG. 3: A horizontal cross sectional view of a second embodiment of the separator

[0058] FIG. 4: A horizontal cross sectional view of a third embodiment of the separator

[0059] FIG. 5: A horizontal cross sectional view of an arrangement with two separators attached to one common reactor chamber.

[0060] In the figures same parts or parts of equivalent function are identified with the same numerals.

[0061] FIG. 1 displays a fluidized bed reactor R, most of which has been cut away for simplification, and an associated separator S of a cyclone type.

[0062] Said reactor R has one outlet port 12 at its upper part, next to a sidewall 10. Said outlet port 12 is designed as a tunnel 20, which allows a mixture of gas and solid particles, exhausted from the reaction chamber R, to enter into the associated centrifugal separator S.

[0063] The separator S is of generally cylindrical shape and features an outer paneling P, a first exit E1 for the purified gas at its top end and a second exit E2 for the solid particles at its bottom end.

[0064] The tunnel 20 comprises a vertically extending outer sidewall 22, which is a common wall with reactor wall 10; a vertically extending inner sidewall 24 (from which a further reactor wall 11 sticks out, a horizontally extending bottom wall 26 and a horizontally extending ceiling wall 28.

[0065] The outer sidewall 26 of the tunnel 20 extends continuously into an entrance section 30 of the outer paneling P of the separator S. In other words: both are flush to each other.

[0066] Said entrance section 30 extends continuously into a first curved section 32 of the outer paneling P. In other words: They both provide a common, continuous surface line, including a first transition area TA 1 between the planar entrance section 30 and the first curves section 32. This curved section 32 extends along an angle of roughly 100, including an area A which is arranged in an axial projection of said tunnel 20, symbolized in FIG. 2 by arrow AP.

[0067] Said first curved section 32 is followed by a second transition area TA2 and four planar further sections 34, 36, 38, 40 with further curved transition areas TA3, TA4, TA5 between adjacent sections (34, 36; 36,38; 38,40) of the paneling P.

[0068] It is important that paneling P has no corner area. To the contrary: All sections 30, 32, 34, 36, 38, 40 avoid any angled corner. All sections of the paneling (outer envelope) of separator S are either planar or curved and any adjacent planar sections are avoided. In other words: In case of a planar section, like 34, this planar section 34 is followed (in a circumferential direction) by a curved sections TA2, TA3.

[0069] The paneling P and its circumferential sections, made of water-cooled tubes T and fins F (between adjacent tubes T), follow a soft line with either curved or planar sections and avoid any adjacent planar surface sections and thus avoid any corner areas, which would worsen the separation effect within separator S.

[0070] Further section 40 ends up via a final curved transition area TA6 at the inner sidewall 24 of tunnel 20, while said planar section 40 forms a common wall with wall 11 of reactor chamber R.

[0071] As may best be seen from FIG. 2 a gas/solids-mixture takes the following way between reactor chamber R and separator S: [0072] through tunnel 20, between sidewalls 24, 26, [0073] along entrance section (bounding wall) 30, further along first curved section 32, then via transition area TA1 along further sections 34, TA3, 36, TA4, 38, TA5, 40, TA6 [0074] until it has made more or less a full circle on its further way downwardly, before it leaves the separator S via exit E2.

[0075] The central longitudinal axis of separator S is characterized by reference L in FIG. 2. Accordingly, first curved section 32 extends about roughly 100 degrees, calculated between the peripheral end (marked by W1 in FIG. 2) of entrance section 30 and first part of transition area TA2 (marked by W2 in FIG. 2).

[0076] As may best be seen from FIGS. 2 to 5 said paneling P comprises and inner refractory layer 42 of substantially constant thickness so as to provide a continuous, corner-free and smooth inner surface, being the surface defining the vortex-chamber of separator S.

[0077] The design according to FIG. 2 has the following advantages:

[0078] Following the design of planar entrance section 30 and first curved section 32 a perfect smooth bounding wall is realized. The gas stream (including solid particles) hits the bounding wall (sections 30, 32) more or less tangential, i. e. any larger angles are avoided and accordingly there is nearly no rebound. This increases the homogeneity of the gas stream and reduces wear of the refractory lining 42.

[0079] Planar further section 36: This planar further section 36 allows to construct a common wall with a second separator. Reference is made to FIG. 5. This common wall 36 in FIG. 5 is characterized by a refractory lining 42 on both sides of the tube-fin-metal construction (between the two refractory linings). The same is true with respect to common wall 40/11 in FIG. 2, although not further displayed.

[0080] This common wall 40 or 11 respectively allows to advance separator S towards reaction chamber R and avoids any spaces in between. The common wall 40 (same is true for common wall 36) saves material and installation costs.

[0081] According to the embodiment of FIG. 2 four planar further sections 34, 36, 38, 40 are made of identical shape. This further allows to reduce the production costs. These planar panel sections may be interconnected by prefabricated transition areas like TA3, TA4, TA5 and mounted on site.

[0082] The embodiment according o FIG. 3 differs from that of FIG. 2 by the following:

[0083] First curved section 32 is followed by a small (short) planar section while planar further section 34 according to FIG. 2 is replaced by a second curved section 34.

[0084] According to the embodiment of FIG. 4 curved section 32, 34 are merged into one common arch (bow), which extends along approximately 180.

[0085] To allow the gas flow to circulate, section 40 of paneling P is followed by a final transition area TA6 (in all embodiments) and defines an angle a with respect to wall 24 of circa 45.