US 4,055,486 A · Method and apparatus for handling solid fluidized particles

Abstract

A source of fluid and entrained particles including fines is connected to the entrance of a cyclone particle separator lying above a particle storage vessel that has an outlet near its bottom. The particle separator has a particle exit connected to the storage vessel and a fluid exit. The separator imparts angular motion to the fluid received at its entrance such that the fluid with a first percentage of the fines entrained therein flows out the fluid exit, and the particles minus such first percentage passes through the particle exit to the storage vessel. The particles in the storage vessel are fluidized to a particular level above the outlet. Fluidized particles with a second percentage of the fines entrained therein are removed from the process by withdrawal from the storage vessel at a point between the particular level and the outlet. Fluidized particles minus the first and second percentages of the fines flow from the outlet of the storage vessel to a receiver for processing. The average size of the fluidized particles leaving the outlet is controlled by changing one of the percentages of the fines. When the quantity of fines included in the fluid entrained particles from the source becomes too great, the angular operation of the separator is disrupted by injecting fluid into its base, or by raising the level of fluidized particles in the storage vessel to increase the percentage of the fines flowing out the fluid exit of the separator. When the quantity of fines included in the fluid entrained particles from the source decreases, a portion of the fines withdrawn from the storage vessel is returned to the storage vessel to decrease the second percentage.

Claims35

Dependent claims

Apparatus for handling solid fluidized particles, the apparatus comprising:

a source of fluid and entrained particles including fines;
a particle storage vessel having an outlet near its bottom;
a particle separator having
an entrance lying above the storage vessel and connected to the source,
a fluid exit,
a particle exit connected to the storage vessel, and
means for separating particles from fluid received at the entrance such that the fluid with a first percentage of the fines entrained therein flows to the fluid exit and the particles minus the first percentage of the fines pass through the particle exit to the storage vessel;
means for fluidizing the particles in the storage vessel to a particular level above the outlet;
means for removing fluidized particles with a second percentage of the fines entrained therein from the storage vessel at a point between the particular level and the outlet;
a receiver connected to the outlet of the storage vessel to receive fluidized particles minus the first and second percentages of the fines flow from the outlet of the storage vessel;
and
means for changing at least one of the percentages of the fines.

9 more elements

A method for controlling the size of fluidized particles leaving the outlet of apparatus comprising a particle storage vessel having an opening near its bottom that defines the outlet, a first cyclone particle separator having an entrance lying above the storage vessel for receiving fluid and entrained particles including fines, a fluid exit, and a particle exit within the storage vessel and a second cyclone particle separator having an entrance coupled to the fluid exit of the first cyclone separator, a fluid exit and a particle exit within the storage vessel, which method comprising the steps of:

a. introducing fluid and entrained particles including fines tangentially to the entrance of the first particle separator to impart angular motion to the fluid and particles;
b. separating a portion of the particles from the fluid, leaving fines entrained in the fluid by centrifugal force;
c. passing the fluid with entrained fines to the second particle separator wherein a portion of the entrained fines are passed to the fluid exit of the second cyclone separator;
d. passing particles separated from the fluid through the particle exits into the storage vessel;
e. fluidizing the particles in the storage vessel to a particular level above the outlet;
f. removing fluidized particles including a percentage of the fines through a conduit extending into the fluidized particles to a point in the storage vessel between the particular level and the outlet;
g. employing the angular motion of the fluid in the separator to decrease the percentage of fines in the fluid flowing to the fluid exit of the second particle separator when the quantity of fines included in the fluid entrained particles introduced to the entrance of the particle separator decreases below the desired level;
and
h. returning a portion of the percentage of the fines withdrawn by the conduit to the storage vessel when the quantity of fines included in the fluid entrained particles introduced to the first particle separator decreases below a desired level.

6 more elements

A method for controlling the size of fluidized particles leaving the outlet of apparatus comprising a particle storage vessel having an opening near its bottom that defines the outlet and a cyclone particle separator having an entrance lying above the storage vessel for receiving fluid and entrained particles including fines, a fluid exit, and a particle exit within the storage vessel, which method comprising the steps of:

a. introducing fluid and entrained particles including fines tangentially to the entrance of the particle separator to impart angular motion to the fluid particles and separating particles from the fluid with a first percentage of fines being entrained in the fluid by centrifugal force, the fluid with the first percentage of the fines enrained therein flowing to the fluid exit and the particles minus the entrained first percentage of the fines passing through the particle exit to the storage vessel;
b. fluidizing the particles in the storage vessel to a particular level above the outlet;
c. removing fluidized particles including a second percentage of the fines through a conduit extending into the fluidized particles to a point in the storage vessel between the particular level and the outlet;
d. disrupting the angular motion of the fluid in the separator to increase the percentage of fines in the fluid flowing to the fluid exit when the quantity of fines included in the fluid entrained particles introduced to the particle separator increases above a desired level;
and
e. returning a portion of the second percentage of the fines withdrawn by the conduit to the storage vessel when the quantity of fines included in the fluid entrained particles introduced to the particle separator decreases below a desired level.

3 more elements