Method of recovering waste heat from furnace flue gases using a granular heat exchange means
AssigneePPG Industries, Inc.
InventorJohn F. Krumwiede
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Granular heat exchange medium is employed to recover waste heat from a combustion furnace, particularly a glass melting furnace, and the heated medium is then employed to pre-heat combustion air entering the furnace. A bed of granular heat exchange medium also may remove particulate emissions from the exhaust gas.
Claims25
A method of recovering waste heat from a combustion furnace to which air and fuel are supplied for combustion and an exhaust gas stream is passed from the furnace, comprising:
- passing at least a portion of the exhaust gas stream through a bed of granules in a first heat exchange vessel so as to heat the granules and extract heat from the exhaust gas, removing the heated granules from the bed and passing the heated granules to a second heat exchange vessel, passing a stream of air into the second heat exchange vessel so as to heat the air by extracting heat from the granules, and passing the heated air from the second heat exchange vessel to the furnace for combustion.
In a method of melting glass wherein glassmaking ingredients are fed into a melting furnace, air and fuel are directed into the furnace for combustion therein so as to heat and melt the glassmaking ingredients, and an exhaust gas stream is passed from the furnace, the improvement comprising:
- passing at least a portion of the exhaust gas stream through a bed of granules in a first heat exchange vessel so as to heat the granules and extract heat from the exhaust gas, removing the heated granules from the bed and passing heated granules to a second heat exchange vessel, passing a stream of air into the second heat exchange vessel and into contact with the heated granules so as to heat the air by extracting heat from the granules, and passing the heated air from the second heat exchange vessel to the melting furnace for combustion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.