FLUIDIZED BED REACTOR AND METHOD FOR OPERATING THE FLUIDIZED BED REACTOR

Abstract

The present invention relates to a fluidized bed reactor comprising a reaction chamber for particulate matter, the reaction chamber having at least one particulate matter inlet (3) for the particulate matter and at least one primary particulate matter outlet for the particulate matter, and a fluidizing grate having multiple openings for an operating fluid to fluidize particulate matter above the fluidizing grate.

Claims

1. A fluidized bed reactor comprising a reaction chamber for particulate matter, the reaction chamber having at least one particulate matter inlet for the particulate matter and at least one primary particulate matter outlet for the particulate matter, and a fluidizing grate having multiple openings for an operating fluid to fluidize particulate matter above the fluidizing grate, and the fluidizing grate is extending with an inclination from the at least one particulate matter inlet to the at least one primary particulate matter outlet.

2. The fluidized bed reactor according to claim 1, wherein the fluidizing grate is mounted movable in the reaction chamber in such a way that the inclination of the fluidizing grate can be altered.

3. The fluidized bed reactor according to claim 2, comprising at least one hydraulic, pneumatic, electro mechanic or mechanic drive connected to the fluidizing grate to alter the inclination.

4. The fluidized bed reactor according to claim 2, wherein one tilt axis is embodied and wherein the inclination of the fluidizing grate can be altered by tilting the fluidizing grate about the one tilt axis.

5. The fluidized bed reactor according to claim 4, wherein the tilt axis is arranged at a front side wall of the reaction chamber and extends along the front side wall.

6. The fluidized bed reactor according to claim 1, wherein a fluidizing bottom comprising the fluidizing grate comprises at least two fluidization fields.

7. The fluidized bed reactor according to claim 6, wherein adjacent fluidization fields are separated by at least one weir arranged above the fluidizing grate.

8. The fluidized bed reactor according to claim 6, wherein the reaction chamber has at least one secondary particulate matter outlet assigned to one of the fluidization fields.

9. The fluidized bed reactor according to claim 1, wherein the fluidizing grate comprises nozzles embodying the opening(s) for the operating fluid.

10. The fluidized bed reactor according to claim 1, wherein a fluidizing bottom comprising the fluidizing grate is connected to a reducing or an oxidizing agent supply as source for the operating fluid.

11. A fluidized bed apparatus, comprising a fluidized bed reactor, wherein the fluidized bed reactor comprises an operating fluid outlet connected to a separator, wherein an outlet for particulate matter of the separator is connected to the at least one particulate matter inlet of the reaction chamber.

12. A method for operating a fluidized bed reactor, comprising the following steps: providing particulate matter through the at least one particulate matter inlet into the reaction chamber, providing a reducing or an oxidizing agent as operating fluid through the multiple openings of the fluidizing grate to fluidize the particulate matter within the reaction chamber, and withdrawing reduced particulate matter through at least one primary particulate matter outlet.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the inclination of the fluidizing grate is altered.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein reduced particulate matter is withdrawn through a secondary particulate matter outlet assigned to one of the multiple fluidization fields.

15. The method according to claim 12, wherein the reducing agent is at least one of the following: gaseous hydrogen, carbon monoxide, synthesis gas, biogas, propane, methane.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0043] The invention and the technical background will now be explained with regard to the figures, which show exemplary embodiments of the invention.

[0044] FIG. 1 is a cross sectional view of a first exemplary embodiment of a fluidized bed reactor.

[0045] FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of a second exemplary embodiment of a fluidized bed reactor and

[0046] FIG. 3 is a fluidized apparatus with the fluidized bed reactor of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT

[0047] The fluidized bed reactors 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 comprise a reaction chamber 2, which is delimited by a front side wall 9, a rear side wall 10 and lateral side walls 11. The reaction chamber 2 has therefore a rectangular cross section. At least one particulate matter inlet 3 is formed in the front side wall 9, through which particulate matter inlet 3 particulate matter can be supplied into the reaction chamber 2. A primary particulate matter outlet 4 is arranged within the rear side wall 10, through which primary particulate matter outlet 4 particulate matter can be withdrawn from the reaction chamber 2. In the ceiling of the reaction chamber 2 an operating fluid outlet 16 is arranged.

[0048] The reaction chamber 2 has a fluidizing bottom 12, which comprises a fluidizing grate 5 with multiple nozzles 6. Weirs 14 are arranged on top of the fluidizing grate 5, which weirs 14 can be overflown or underflown by particulate matter. The weirs 14 separate the fluidizing grate 5 in fluidizing fields 13.1, 13.2, 13.3 and 13.4. An operating fluid may be provided through the fluidizing bottom 12 to each fluidizing field 13.1, 13.2, 13.3 and 13.4, wherein the operating fluid may be controlled independently for each fluidizing field. As indicated in FIG. 3, secondary particulate matter outlets 15.1, 15.2 and 15.3 in the lateral side wall 11 may be assigned to each of the first fluidizing fields 13.1, 13.2, 13.3.

[0049] When an operating gas is provided to the fluidizing bottom 12 the particulate matter in the reaction chamber 2 is fluidized, wherein an efficient reaction of the operating gas with (components of) the particulate matter may occur.

[0050] The fluidized bed reactor 1 shown in FIG. 1 is as a whole inclined with an angle a to the horizon. This way, also the fluidizing grate 5 is arranged with an inclination α to the horizon.

[0051] The fluidized bed reactor of FIG. 2 is arranged in a usual manner, wherein the fluidizing grate 5 is arranged within the reaction chamber 2 with an inclination α to the horizon. The fluidizing grate 5 of the embodiment of FIG. 2 is mounted in a movable way, so that the fluidizing grate 5 can be tilted/pivoted around a tilt axis 8, which tilt axis 8 extends into the plane of the figure and therefore along the front side wall 9. The fluidizing grate 5 is connected to a drive 7, with which the inclination α of the fluidizing grate 5 can be altered.

[0052] By arranging the fluidizing grate 5 with an inclination α the entirety of the particulate matter supplied through the particulate matter inlet 3 is impinged with a momentum in the horizontal direction (in the figures from right to left), so that the particulate matter is continuously advanced from the particulate matter inlet 3 towards the primary particulate matter outlet 4. Accordingly, the residence time/dwell time/reaction time (the average time which particulate matter needs to travel from the particulate matter inlet 3 to the primary particulate matter outlet 4) can be set by the angle of inclination α. Accordingly, by providing an inclination to the fluidizing grate 5 the dwell time is reduced. By having different degrees of fluidization in the different fluidizing fields 13.1 to 13.4 the reaction time of the particulate matter with the operating fluid provided to the fluidizing bottom 12 can be further affected.

[0053] As can be seen from FIG. 3 the fluidized bed reactor 1 may be part of a fluidized bed apparatus, which comprises a separator 17, which separator 17 is connected to the operating fluid outlet of the reaction chamber 2. Particulate matter separated in separator 17 may be returned to the particulate matter inlet 3, whereas gaseous components separated in the separator 17 may be recirculated to the fluidizing bottom 12.

[0054] In a preferred embodiment the particulate matter comprises particulate metal oxide, which is reduced by a reducing agent supplied to the fluidizing bottom 12. For example, gaseous hydrogen, carbon monoxide, synthesis gas, biogas, propane or methane may be provided as reducing agent. Alternatively, other particulate matter may be provided to the reaction chamber 2 in order to perform a short reduction reaction in the reaction chamber 2.

[0055] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the inventions. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

[0056] List of Reference Number

[0057] α inclination

[0058] 1 fluidized bed reactor

[0059] 2 reaction chamber

[0060] 3 particulate matter inlet

[0061] 4 primary particulate matter outlet

[0062] 5 fluidizing grate

[0063] 6 nozzle

[0064] 7 drive

[0065] 8 tilt axis

[0066] 9 front side wall

[0067] 10 rear side wall

[0068] 11 lateral side wall

[0069] 12 fluidizing bottom

[0070] 13.1, 13.2, 13.3, 13.4 fluidizing field

[0071] 14 weir

[0072] 15.1, 15.2, 15.3 secondary particulate matter outlet

[0073] 16 operating fluid outlet

[0074] 17 separator