Multi-burner apparatuses and methods for calcining gypsum
AssigneeUnited States Gypsum Company
InventorsBlair Chylds Walker, Dayakar Thoddu Chandrasekaran
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Abstract
Multi-burner apparatus for calcining gypsum. In accordance with an implementation, an apparatus for calcining gypsum includes a housing and pair of burner assemblies positioned within the housing. Each burner assembly includes a burner, a fluidization plenum, an agitation frame positioned over the fluidization plenum, and a serpentine burner conduit extending through the housing between the burner and the fluidization plenum. The fluidization plenums of the burner assemblies are spaced from one another.
Claims20
An apparatus for calcining gypsum, the apparatus comprising:
- a housing;
- and
- at least two burner assemblies connected to the housing, each burner assembly comprising:
- a burner;
- a fluidization plenum;
- an agitation frame positioned over the fluidization plenum;
- and
- a serpentine burner conduit extending through the housing between the burner and the fluidization plenum;
- wherein the fluidization plenums of the burner assemblies are separated from one another.
A method of calcining gypsum, the method comprising:
- providing gypsum to a housing of a calcining apparatus;
- heating the gypsum via conduction heat transfer with at least two serpentine burner conduits disposed in the gypsum in the housing, each serpentine burner conduit extending from a burner, through the housing, and terminating at a bottom wall of the housing;
- flowing exhaust gas from each serpentine burner conduit through one of at least two fluidization plenums disposed adjacent the bottom wall, wherein the at least two fluidization plenums are separate from one another;
- and
- fluidizing and further heating the gypsum via convection heat transfer by flowing substantially all of the exhaust gas from the at least two serpentine burner conduits through the gypsum in the housing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.