Apparatus for entrained coal pyrolysis

An apparatus operative for pyrolyzing coals comprising:

• a. a conduit reactor having an inlet, an outlet, a circular cross-section of constant inside diameter over a predetermined distance from said inlet, the axis of said reactor being vertically oriented, and the plane of said inlet being perpendicular to said axis;
• b. a first feed conduit operative for conveying a mixture which comprises a transport gas and particulate coal in turbulent flow, having an inlet and an outlet, having a circular cross-section and an axis which coincides with said reactor axis, the plane of said first feed conduit outlet being perpendicular to said axis and being in communication with said reactor inlet in such a way that the plane of said first feed conduit outlet is not above the plane of said reactor inlet, said reactor inside diameter being at least about three times the outside diameter of said first feed conduit outlet;
• and
• c. a fluidization chamber, operative for fluidizing a mixture of particulate solid heating media with a fluidizing gas, said chamber being in communication with said reactor inlet, which comprises
• i. a cylindrical outer shell having an inside diameter which is at least about two times the outside diameter of said reactor,
• ii. a top cover which is above the plane of said reactor inlet and which is fastened to the upper part of said shell, said first feed conduit passing through, and being fastened to, said top cover,
• iii. a bottom cover which is below the plane of said reactor inlet and which is fastened to the lower part of said shell, said reactor passing through, and being fastened to, said bottom cover,
• iv. a first fluidization means operative for fluidizing particulate solid heating media in said chamber,
• v. a second feed conduit having an outlet, said second feed conduit being operative for introducing a stream of particulate solid heating media into said chamber, said second feed conduit being radially displaced from said reactor and said second feed conduit outlet being below the plane of said reactor inlet,
• vi. an annular baffle means having an axis which coincides with said reactor axis, said baffle means having a side wall and a deflector, said side wall having an inside diameter which is greater than said reactor outside diameter, said side wall extending above and below the plane of said reactor inlet, said side wall and said reactor in combination forming an annular riser, said deflector being above the plane of said reactor inlet and extending from said side wall to a point slightly radially inwardly of said reactor inside diameter, and
• vii. a second fluidization means having a plurality of outlets which are located radially inwardly of said side wall and radially outwardly of said reactor outside diameter but entirely below the lower extremity of said annular baffle means, said second fluidization means being operative for introducing a lift gas upwardly into said annular riser, said baffle means and said second fluidization means in combination being operative, when in use, to cause particulate solid heating media which is fluidized in said chamber to flow under said side wall, to flow upwardly in said annular riser, then to be deflected downwardly at the top of said annular riser by said deflector, and then to be formed into a substantially continuous and substantially uniform downwardly flowing annular column of particulate solid heating media along said reactor inside diameter.