Magnetic distributor-downcomer for fluidized beds and magnetic valve to control the flow of solids
OwnerThomas J. Fitzgerald, Octave Levenspielinventors
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Abstract
A technique for controlling the flow of solid particles including at least a certain minimum amount of magnetizable particles in a static fashion, that is, without moving parts is disclosed herein. This technique which relies on magnetism may be utilized for providing a static on/off valve for solids, a static variable control valve for solids, and other valve related operations. The disclosed technique may also produce a distributor for a fluidized bed of magnetic particles along or in combination with non-magnetic particles, and can also be used as a positively controlled distributor-downcomer for single or staged fluidized beds.
Claims31
A magnetically operated valve arrangement for turning on and off the flow of solid particles including at least a certain minimum amount of magnetizable particles, said valve arrangement comprising:
- (a) means defining a confined pathway through which all of said particles are adapted to flow from an upstream point when said valve arrangement is maintained in an opened operating condition;
- (b) fixed structural means extending into said pathway without preventing said particles from flowing therethrough when said valve arrangement is in its opened operating condition;
- and
- (c) means including said structural means cooperating with said pathway for closing the latter to the passage of upstream particles at any given time by causing downstream magnetizable particles passing through the pathway at that time to become fixedly magnetized to one another at said structural means within said pathway in sufficient quantity to completely close the latter to the flow of solids.
A magnetically operated valve arrangement for controlling the flow rate of solid particles including at least a certain minimum amount of magnetizable particles, said valve arrangement comprising:
- (a) means defining a confined pathway through which all of said particles are adapted to flow from an upstream point when said valve arrangement is maintained in an opened operating state;
- (b) magnetizable but not permanently magnetized means fixedly disposed within said pathway;
- and
- (c) means for rapidly magnetizing and demagnetizing said magnetizable means at a controlled frequency so as to cause the magnetizable particles passing through said pathway to be magnetized to and released from said magnetizable means and one another as the magnetizable means is magnetized and demagnetized sufficient to control the flow rate of all of the particles as the latter pass through said pathway.
A magnetically operated valve assembly for controlling the flow of solid particles including at least a certain minimum amount of magnetizable particles along a predetermined flowpath, said assembly comprising a plurality of magnetically operated valve arrangements respectively including valve bodies which define confined pathways co-extensive with successive sections of said flowpath and through which all of said particles are adapted to flow when said valve arrangements are maintained in opened operating states and structural means fixedly disposed within each pathway without preventing the flow of said particles when said arrangements are in said opened operating states, each of said valve arrangements including means independent of the other arrangements and cooperating with its associated pathway for closing the latter to the passage of upstream particles at any given time by causing downstream magnetizable particles passing through that pathway at that time to become fixedly magnetized within that pathway in sufficient number to completely close the latter to the flow of solids.
A magnetically operated fluidized bed arrangement of particles including at least a certain amount of magnetizable particles, said arrangement comprising:
- (a) means defining a confined pathway through which all of said particles are adapted to flow;
- (b) fixed structural means extending into said pathway without preventing said particles from flowing therethrough when said valve arrangement is in its opened operating condition;
- (c) means cooperating with said pathway for causing the magnetizable particles therein to become fixedly magnetized at said structural means in sufficient number to completely close the pathway to the flow of solids so as to provide a gas distributor for the bed of solids above;
- and
- (d) means for directing a stream of gas through said fixedly held particles and the additional particles resting above whereby to fluidize the latter.
A method of controlling the flow of solid particles including at least a certain minimum amount of magnetizable particles as the latter move along a predetermined flowpath, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) defining a confined pathway co-extensive with a section of said flowpath and through which all of the particles are adapted to flow from an upstream point, said pathway being defined to include structrual means extending therein;
- and
- (b) closing said pathway to the passage of upstream particles at any given time by causing downstream magnetizable particles within the pathway at that time to become fixedly magnetized within the pathway and at said structural means in sufficient number to completely close the latter.
A method of controlling the flow of solid particles including at least a certain minimum amount of magnetizable particles as the latter move along a predetermined flowpath, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) defining a confined pathway co-extensive with a section of said flowpath and through which all of said particles are adapted to flow from an upstream point, said pathway being defined to include structrual means extending therein;
- and
- (b) for any given time period, successively causing the magnetizable particles passing through said pathway during said period to become fixedly magnetized at said structural means and then demagnetized at a controlled frequency sufficient to control the flow rate of all of the particles as they pass through said pathway during said period.
A method of forming a fluidized bed of solid particles including at least a certain minimum amount of magnetizable particles, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) defining a confined region in which all of said particles are present, said region being defined to include structural means extending therein at its lower end;
- (b) causing magnetizable particles at the structural means of the lower end of said region to become fixedly magnetized in place in sufficient number to completely close the lower end of said region to the flow of solids and thereby form a support for the particles resting above and to serve as a gas distributor for the bed;
- and
- (c) directing a stream of gas through said bed of supported particles for fluidizing the latter.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.