Magnetic field coupled spouted bed system
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsThomas B. Jones, Morris H. Morgan, Peter W. Dietz
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Variable control is achieved over processes involving the spouting of magnetizable granular material in a draft tube-equipped spouted bed device through the application of a localized magnetic field in a spout inlet region of the device between an inlet of the draft tube and a portion of the device interior surface adjacent an associated fluid inlet.
Claims15
A spouted bed device comprising:
- a vessel for containing a bed of magnetizable granular material which vessel includes a vertically disposed lower base section and a fluid inlet disposed in the base section for entraining the magnetizable granular material;
- a tubular member having an inlet positioned in the vessel spaced vertically above and in flow communication with the fluid inlet and an outlet terminating in an upper portion of the vessel whereby the entrained material flows through said tubular member from said inlet to said outlet and thereafter returns to said bed;
- and
- means for forming a magnetic field oriented in the device with the lines of force extending between the tubular member inlet and a portion of the vessel base section adjacent the fluid inlet to regulate the flow of magnetizable granular material into the inlet of said tubular member.
A spouted bed device comprising:
- a vessel for containing a bed of magnetizable granular material which vessel includes a vertically disposed lower base section and a fluid inlet disposed in the base section for entraining the magnetizable granular material;
- a tubular member having an inlet positioned in the vessel spaced vertically above and in flow communication with the fluid inlet so as to define a spout inlet region in the vessel between the tubular member inlet and a portion of the vessel base section adjacent the fluid inlet and having an outlet terminating in an upper portion of the vessel whereby at least a portion of the entrained material flows through said tubular member from said inlet to said outlet and thereafter returns to said bed;
- and
- means for forming a magnetic circuit in the device which circuit includes a portion across the spout inlet region to regulate the flow of magnetizable granular material into the spout inlet region.
A spouted bed device comprising:
- a vessel for containing a bed of magnetizable granular material, said vessel having a vertical axis and including a substantially frustoconical downwardly tapering base section with a fluid inlet at the apex thereof for entraining the magnetizable granular material;
- a tubular member positioned substantially coaxially in the vessel and having an inlet disposed opposite of and spaced vertically above and in flow communication with the vessel fluid inlet and an outlet terminating in an upper portion of the vessel whereby the entrained material flows through said tubular member from said inlet to said outlet and thereafter returns to said bed;
- a spout inlet region in the vessel between the tubular member inlet and a portion of the vessel base section interior surface adjacent the fluid inlet;
- a bed region of the vessel extending vertically upwards from the spout inlet region between the vessel interior surface and the tubular member exterior surface;
- and
- means for forming a localized magnetic field across the vessel bed region in the spout inlet region to regulate the flow of magnetizable granular material into the inlet of said tubular member.
A method for controlling spout inlet conditions of a spouted bed device comprising the steps of supplying magnetizable granules to a spout inlet region of the device between a fluid inlet thereof and an inlet of a tubular member spaced from and in flow communication with the fluid inlet, directing a jet of fluid from the fluid inlet through the spout inlet region and into the tubular member inlet, entraining granules from the spout inlet region in the fluid jet conducting the entrained granules through the tubular member, and controlling the rate of granule entrainment by imposing a magnetic field on granules in the spout inlet region.
A method for controlling spout inlet conditions of a spouted bed device comprising a vessel with a fluid inlet in a base section thereof, a draft tube positioned with an inlet thereof in the vessel spaced from and in flow communication with the fluid inlet, and a bed of magnetizable granular material contained in the vessel including at least a portion thereof contained in a spout inlet region of the device between the draft tube inlet and a portion of the vessel base section adjacent the fluid inlet, which method comprises the steps of;
- directing a jet of fluid from the fluid inlet through the spout inlet region towards the draft tube inlet, entraining granules in the fluid from the spout inlet region so as to form a dilute suspension, transferring the dilute suspension from the spout inlet region through the tubular member, replacing entrained granules with granules from the bed, and imposing a localized magnetic field on at least a portion of the granules in the spout inlet region to regulate the entrainment of granules in the spouted bed device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.