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US 11,142,717 B2Granted
Hybrid boiler-dryer and method
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsFrederic Vitse, Steven Unker, Carl Edberg
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for reducing the emission of contaminants by a furnace is provided. The method includes forming a bed from a stream of fuel within the furnace; fluidizing the bed with flue gas from the furnace; and heating the fuel within the bed so as to generate char, ash and contaminants. The method further includes capturing the contaminants via the ash.
Claims20
A method for reducing the emission of contaminants by a
- furnace having a firing system to combust fuel, the method comprising:
- supplying a stream of fuel to the furnace, wherein the stream of fuel comprises a first portion of fuel of relatively fine particle sizes and a second portion of fuel of relatively coarse particle sizes;
- separating the stream of fuel into a stream of fuel of relatively fine particle sizes and a stream of fuel of relatively coarse particle sizes before entering the furnace;
- providing the stream of fuel of relatively fine particle sizes to the firing system for combustion thereof;
- forming a bed from only the stream of fuel of relatively coarse particle sizes within the furnace, wherein the bed is in a lower portion of the furnace proximal the firing system;
- fluidizing the bed formed from the stream of fuel of relatively coarse particle sizes with flue gas from the combustion of the stream of fuel of relatively fine particle sizes in the firing system of the furnace;
- heating the stream of fuel of relatively coarse particle sizes within the bed so as to generate char, ash and contaminants;
- capturing the contaminants via the ash;
- conveying the heated stream of fuel of relatively coarse particle sizes from the bed outside of the furnace to a pulverizer for milling to form pulverized fuel of relatively fine particle sizes;
- and
- providing the pulverized fuel of relatively fine particle sizes to the firing system for combustion thereof.
8 more elements
A furnace, comprising:
- a first inlet operative to receive a stream of fuel of relatively fine particle sizes;
- a second inlet operative to receive a stream of fuel of relatively coarse particle sizes;
- a firing system to combust fuel, wherein the firing system is operative to receive the stream of fuel of relatively fine particle sizes for combustion thereof;
- a grate operative to form a bed from only the stream of fuel of relatively coarse particle sizes;
- a first conduit operative to fluidize the bed formed from the stream of fuel of relatively coarse particle sizes with a flue gas generated by the combustion of the stream of fuel of relatively fine particle sizes in the firing system, wherein heat from the firing system and/or the flue gas causes the stream of fuel of relatively coarse particle sizes within the bed formed on the grate to generate char, ash and contaminants, and wherein the grate captures the contaminants by the ash;
- and
- a second conduit operative to convey the heated stream of fuel of relatively coarse particle sizes from the bed formed on the grate outside of the furnace.
4 more elements
A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions that adapt at least one processor to:
- adjust at least one property of a bed formed by only a stream of fuel of relatively coarse particle sizes within a lower portion of a furnace having a firing system that is proximal to the bed, the firing system operable to receive a stream of fuel of relatively fine particle sizes for combustion thereof, wherein the bed is fluidized by flue gas generated from the combustion of the stream of fuel of relatively fine particle sizes in the firing system, the adjusting of the at least one property of the bed formed by only the stream of fuel of relatively coarse particle sizes facilitates:
- generation of char, ash and contaminants from the stream of fuel of relatively coarse particle sizes;
- and
- capture of the contaminants by the ash.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.