Glass batch pellet production and drying process and apparatus
AssigneeOlin Corporation
InventorWalter C. Saeman
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In a rotary apparatus and a process for the production of layered glass batch pellets there is provided a drying process and a dryer for final drying of the pellets prior to their being fed to a melting furnace.
Claims11
In a process for drying and heating glass batch blend pellets comprising:
- (a) feeding pellets into a static bed-type dryer;
- (b) distributing the pellets across the full cross-section of the dryer to form an even cross-sectionally distributed pellet bed of generally uniform height;
- (c) directing a heating and drying gas into the dryer to dehydrate and heat the pellets;
- (d) injecting the heating and drying gas at a plurality of preselected bed locations across the cross section of the pellet bed and at a plurality of preselected heights throughout the pellet bed at one or more of said preselected bed locations to maintain a temperature differential between the surface of the solid pellets and the heating and drying gas that is within the range of approximately 20.degree. F. to 120.degree. F.;
- and
- (e) removing the heated and dried pellets from the bottom of the pellet bed.
In a process for drying and heating glass batch blend pellets which utilize a bonding agent of crystalline sodium carbonate monohydrate comprising the steps of:
- (a) feeding pellets into a static bed-type dryer;
- (b) establishing a bed of pellets within the dryer of predetermined cross-section and of generally uniform height that is generally stable and not mechanically agitated;
- (c) directing a heating and drying gas into the dryer countercurrent to the direction of feed of the pellets to dehydrate and heat the pellets;
- (d) injecting the heating and drying gas into the pellet bed at a plurality of preselected bed locations across the cross-section of the pellet bed and at a plurality of preselected heights throughout the bed at one or more of said preselected bed locations to maintain a temperature differential between the surface of the solid pellets and the heating and drying gas that is within the range of approximately 5.degree. F. to 120.degree. F.;
- and
- (e) removing the heated and dried pellets from the bottom of the pellet bed.
In a dryer apparatus for drying moist pellets used in a glass furnace feed, said dryer adapted to contain a bed of pellets of generally uniform cross-section, having a dryer frame with a moist pellet feed means, a bottom feeding means for heated drying gas, and outlet means for removing dried pellets, characterized by the improvement which comprises:
- (a) a lower grating means for retaining moist pellets in said dryer for a controlled period, said grating means being provided with:
- (1) outlets for discharging drying gas,
- (2) inlets for heated drying gas,
- (b) Gas distribution means comprised of:
- (1) vertical distribution means for conveying heated gas to the interior of the bed at a plurality of preselected heights countercurrent to the direction of moist pellet feed, and
- (2) lateral distribution means located at a plurality of positions across the cross-section of the bed for conveying heated gas via the vertical distribution means to the interior of the bed, said lateral distribution means corresponding in position to the location of said vertical distribution means, whereby a more uniform temperature drop between said pellets and said heated gas across the pellet bed is obtained.
The dryer apparatus of drain 7 wherein said lower grating means is comprised of a plurality of spaced apart substantially parallel inverted V-shaped angles.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.