Method and apparatus for operating a circulating fluidized bed reactor system

A method of operating a circulating fluidized bed system, utilizing:

• a combustion chamber, having a fluidized bed of solid particles therein;
• a particle separator connected to a discharge opening in an upper portion of the combustion chamber;
• a return duct connected at an upper portion thereof to the particle separator, and at a lower portion to the combustion chamber;
• a heat exchanger chamber formed in the lower portion of the return duct, the heat exchanger chamber having a wall section in common with the combustion chamber;
• and a solid particle inlet and a passage in the common wall section;
• the method comprising the steps of:
• (a) establishing a fast fluidized bed of solid particles in the combustion chamber so that a particle suspension comprising flue gases and solid particles entrained therein is caused to flow upwardly in the combustion chamber and to be discharged through the discharge opening;
• (b) separating solid particles from the particle suspension in the particle separator;
• (c) directing separated solid particles into the return duct having a heat exchanger chamber in a lower portion thereof;
• (d) establishing a bed of solid particles in the heat exchanger chamber;
• (e) reintroducing solid particles from the heat exchanger chamber into the combustion chamber through the solid particle inlet disposed in the common wall section;
• and
• (f) introducing additional solid particles directly from the combustion chamber into the lower portion of the return duct and into the heat exchanger chamber through the passage in an inclined wall section of the lower part of the combustion chamber, above the solid particle inlet.

A method of operating a circulating fluidized bed system, utilizing:

• a combustion chamber, having a fluidized bed ofsolid particles therein;
• a particle separator connected to a discharge opening in an upper portion of the combustion chamber;
• a return duct connected at an upper portion thereof to the particle separator, and at a lower portion to the combustion chamber;
• a heat exchanger chamber formed in the lower portion of the return duct, the heat exchanger chamber having a wall section in common with the combustion chamber;
• and a solid particle inlet in the common wall section;
• the method comprising the steps of:
• (a) establishing a fast fluidized bed of solid particles in the combustion chamber so that a particle suspension comprising flue gases and solid particles entrained therein is caused to flow upwardly in the combustion chamber and to be discharged through the discharge opening;
• (b) separating solid particles from the particle suspension in the particle separator;
• (c) directing separated solid particles into the return duct having a heat exchanger chamber in a lower portion thereof;
• (d) establishing a bed of solid particles in the heat exchanger chamber;
• (e) reintroducing solid particles from the heat exchanger chamber into the combustion chamber through the solid particle inlet disposed in the common wall section through several vertically narrow substantially horizontal slots disposed below the bed surface in the heat exchanger chamber, the slots disposed one on top of the other in the common wall;
• (f) introducing additional solid particles directly from the combustion chamber into the lower portion of the return duct;
• and
• (g) forming a solid flow valve between the fluidized beds in the heat exchanger chamber and the combustion chamber.

A method of operating a circulating fluidized bed system, utilizing:

• a combustion chamber, having a fluidized bed of solid particles therein;
• a particle separator connected to a discharge opening in an upper portion of the combustion chamber;
• a return duct connected at an upper portion thereof to the particle separator, and at a lower portion to the combustion chamber;
• a heat exchanger chamber formed in the lower portion of the return duct, the heat exchanger chamber having a wall section in common with the combustion chamber;
• and a solid particle inlet in the common wall section;
• the method comprising the steps of:
• (a) establishing a fast fluidized bed of solid particles in the combustion chamber so that a particle suspension comprising flue gases and solid particles entrained therein is caused to flow upwardly in the combustion chamber and to be discharged through the discharge opening;
• (b) separating solid particles from the particle suspension in the particle separator;
• (c) directing separated solid particles into the return duct having a heat exchanger chamber in a lower portion thereof;
• (d) establishing a bed of solid particles in the heat exchanger chamber;
• (e) reintroducing solid particles from the heat exchanger chamber into the combustion chamber through the solid particle inlet and an overflow opening disposed in the common wall section;
• and
• (f) introducing additional solid particles directly from the combustion chamber into the lower portion of the return duct.

A method of operating a circulating fluidized bed system, utilizing:

• a combustion chamber, having a fluidized bed of solid particles therein;
• a particle separator connected to a discharge opening in an upper portion of the combustion chamber;
• a return duct connected at an upper portion thereof to the particle separator, and at a lower portion to the combustion chamber;
• a heat exchanger chamber formed in the lower portion of the return duct, the heat exchanger chamber having a wall section in common with the combustion chamber;
• and a solid particle inlet in the common wall section, wherein heat transfer surfaces are disposed in the heat transfer section of the bed of solid particles in the heat exchanger chamber;
• and wherein the solid particle inlets are disposed below the bed level of another section of the bed;
• the method comprising the steps of:
• (a) establishing a fast fluidized bed of solid particles in the combustion chamber so that a particle suspension comprising flue gases and solid particles entrained therein is caused to flow upwardly in the combustion chamber and to be discharged through the discharge opening;
• (b) separating solid particles from the particle suspension in the particle separator;
• (c) directing separated solid particles into the return duct having a heat exchanger chamber in a lower portion thereof;
• (d) establishing a bed of solid particles in the heat exchanger chamber;
• (e) reintroducing solid particles from the heat exchanger chamber into the combustion chamber through the solid particle inlet disposed in the common wall section;
• (f) introducing additional solid particles directly from the combustion chamber into the lower portion of the return duct, and
• (g) separating the another section from the heat transfer section by a barrier bed of solid particles.

A method of operating a circulating fluidized bed system, utilizing:

• a combustion chamber, having a fluidized bed of solid particles therein;
• a particle separator connected to a discharge opening in an upper portion of the combustion chamber;
• a return duct connected at an upper portion thereof to the particle separator, and at a lower portion to the combustion chamber;
• a heat exchanger chamber formed in the lower portion of the return duct, the heat exchanger chamber having a wall section in common with the combustion chamber;
• and a solid particle inlet in the common wall section;
• the method comprising the steps of:
• (a) establishing a fast fluidized bed of solid particles in the combustion chamber so that a particle suspension comprising flue gases and solid particles entrained therein is caused to flow upwardly in the combustion chamber and to be discharged through the discharge opening;
• (b) separating solid particles from the particle suspension in the particle separator;
• (c) directing separated solid particles into the return duct having a heat exchanger chamber in a lower portion thereof;
• (d) establishing a bed of solid particles in the heat exchanger chamber;
• (e) reintroducing solid particles from the heat exchanger chamber into the combustion chamber through the solid particle inlet disposed in the common wall section;
• (f) introducing additional solid particles directly from the combustion chamber into the lower portion of the return duct, and
• (g) providing a gas seal between the upper part of the return duct and the particle separator.

A circulating fluidized bed reactor system comprising:

• a combustion chamber, having a fast fluidized bed of particles therein, an upper portion, a discharge opening from said upper portion, and a lower portion;
• means for introducing fluidizing gas into said combustion chamber;
• a particle separator connected to said discharge opening for separating solid particles from a particle suspension discharged from the combustion chamber through said discharge opening;
• a return duct having upper and lower portions, and connected at its upper portion to said particle separator, and at its lower portion to said combustion chamber, for recycling separated solid particles from said particle separator into said lower portion of said combustion chamber;
• a heat exchanger chamber formed in said lower portion of said return duct and having a bed of solid particles therein, for recovering heat from solid particles being recycled through said return duct;
• a wall section in common with said combustion chamber and at least said heat exchanger chamber portion of said return duct;
• a solid particle inlet in said common wall section, for introducing solid particles from said heat exchanger chamber into said combustion chamber;
• and
• means for introducing solid particles directly from said combustion chamber into said heat exchanger chamber through a passage in the wall section.

A circulating fluidized bed reactor system comprising:

• a combustion chamber, having a fast fluidized bed of particles therein, an upper portion, a discharge opening from said upper portion, and a lower portion;
• means for introducing fluidizing gas into said combustion chamber;
• a particle separator connected to said discharge opening for separating solid particles from a particle suspension discharged from the combustion chamber through said discharge opening;
• a return duct having upper and lower portions, and connected at its upper portion to said particle separator, and at its lower portion to said combustion chamber, for recycling separated solid particles from said particle separator into said lower portion of said combustion chamber;
• a heat exchanger chamber formed in said lower portion of said return duct and having a bed of solid particles therein, for recovering heat from solid particles being recycled through said return duct;
• a wall section in common with said combustion chamber and at least said heat exchanger chamber portion of said return duct, wherein said common wall section is inclined, and positioned so that an upper portion of said heat exchanger chamber is covered by said common wall section;
• a solid particle inlet in said common wall section, for introducing solid particles from said heat exchanger chamber into said combustion chamber;
• and
• means for introducing solid particles directly from said combustion chamber into said heat exchanger chamber comprising a passage formed in said common wall section between said heat exchanger chamber and said combustion chamber above said solid particle inlet.

A circulating fluidized bed reactor system comprising:

• a combustion chamber, having a fast fluidized bed of particles therein, an upper portion, a discharge opening from said upper portion, and a lower portion;
• means for introducing fluidizing .gas into said combustion chamber;
• a particle separator connected to said discharge opening for separating solid particles from a particle suspension discharged from the combustion chamber through said discharge opening;
• a return duct having upper and lower portions, and connected at its upper portion to said particle separator, and at its lower portion to said combustion chamber, for recycling separated solid particles from said particle separator into said lower portion of said combustion chamber;
• a heat exchanger chamber formed in said lower portion of said return duct and having a bed of solid particles therein;
• for recovering heat from solid particles being recycled through said return duct;
• a wall section in common with said combustion chamber and at least said heat exchanger chamber portion of said return duct;
• a solid particle inlet in said common wall section, for introducing solid particles from said heat exchanger chamber into said combustion chamber;
• means for introducing solid particles directly from said combustion chamber into said heat exchanger chamber, and
• an overflow opening forming a solid flow inlet disposed in said common wall section for allowing solid particles to flow by overflow from said heat exchanger section to said combustion chamber.

A circulating fluidized bed reactor system comprising:

• a combustion chamber, having a fast fluidized bed of particles therein, an upper portion, a discharge opening from said upper portion, and a lower portion;
• means for introducing fluidizing gas into said combustion chamber;
• a particle separator connected to said discharge opening for separating solid particles from a particle suspension discharged from the combustion chamber through said discharge opening;
• a return duct having upper and lower portions, and connected at its upper portion to said particle separator, and at its lower portion to said combustion chamber, for recycling separated solid particles from said particle separator into said lower portion of said combustion chamber;
• a heat exchanger chamber formed in said lower portion of said return duct and having a bed of solid particles therein, for recovering heat from solid particles being recycled through said return duct;
• a wall section in common with said combustion chamber and at least said heat exchanger chamber portion of said return duct;
• a solid particle inlet in said common wall section, for introducing solid particles from said heat exchanger chamber into said combustion chamber;
• means for introducing solid particles directly from said combustion chamber into said heat exchanger chamber, and
• means for introducing fluidizing gas into a bottom portion of said heat exchanger chamber, and a gas flow opening disposed in said common wall between said return duct and said combustion chamber for discharging fluidizing gas from said return duct into said combustion chamber.

A circulating fluidized bed reactor system comprising:

• a combustion chamber, having a fast fluidized bed of particles therein, an upper portion, a discharge opening from said upper portion, and a lower portion;
• means for introducing fluid;zing gas into said combustion chamber;
• a particle separator connected to said discharge opening for separating solid particles from a particle suspension discharged from the combustion chamber through said discharge opening;
• a return duct having upper and lower portions, and connected at its upper portion to said particle separator, and at its lower portion to said combustion chamber, for recycling separated solid particles from said particle separator into said lower portion of said combustion chamber;
• a heat exchanger chamber formed in said lower portion of said return duct and having a bed of solid particles therein, for recovering heat from solid particles being recycled through said return duct;
• a wall section in common with said combustion chamber and at least said heat exchanger chamber portion of said return duct;
• a solid particle inlet in said common wall section, for introducing solid particles from said heat exchanger chamber into said combustion chamber;
• means for introducing solid .particles directly from said combustion chamber into said heat exchanger chamber, and
• a gas seal disposed in said upper portion of said return duct for preventing gas from flowing from said lower portion of said return duct into said particle separator.

A circulating fluidized bed reactor system comprising:

• a combustion chamber, having a fast fluidized bed of particles therein, an upper portion, a discharge opening from said upper portion;
• and a lower portion;
• means for introducing fluid;zing gas into said combustion chamber;
• a particle separator connected to said discharge opening for separating solid particles from a particle suspension discharged from the combustion chamber through said discharge opening;
• a return duct having upper and lower portions, and connected at its upper portion to said particle separator, and at its lower portion to said combustion chamber, for recycling separated solid particles from said part;de separator into said lower portion of said combustion chamber;
• a heat exchanger chamber formed in said lower portion of said return duct and having a bed of solid particles therein, for recovering heat from solid particles being recycled through said return duct;
• a wall section in common with said combustion chamber and at least said heat exchanger chamber portion of said return duct;
• a solid particle inlet in said common wall section, for introducing solid particles from said heat exchanger chamber into said combustion chamber;
• means for introducing solid particles directly from said combustion chamber into said heat exchanger chamber, and
• wherein said combustion chamber comprises:
• a plurality of first, primarily vertical, tube panels forming an enclosure;
• and a second, primarily vertical, tube panel;
• said return duct and said heat exchanger chamber being formed between one of said first tube panels and said second tube panel.

A circulating fluidized bed reactor system comprising:

• a combustion chamber, having a fast fluidized bed of particles therein, an upper portion, a discharge opening from said upper portion, and a lower portion;
• means for introducing fluidizing gas into said combustion chamber;
• a particle separator connected to said discharge opening for separating solid particles from a particle suspension discharged from the combustion chamber through said discharge opening;
• a return duct having upper and lower portions, and connected at its upper portion to said particle separator, and at its lower portion to said combustion chamber, for recycling separated solid particles from said particle separator into said lower portion of said combustion chamber;
• a heat exchanger chamber formed in said lower .portion of said return duct and having a bed of solid particles therein, for recovering heat from solid particles being recycled through said return duct;
• a wall section in common with said combustion chamber and at least said heat exchanger chamber portion of said return duct;
• a solid particle inlet in said common wall section, for introducing solid particles from said heat exchanger chamber into said combustion chamber;
• means for introducing solid particles directly from said combustion chamber into said heat exchanger chamber, and
• wherein said combustion chamber comprises:
• a plurality of first, primarily vertical, tube panels forming an enclosure;
• and a second, primarily vertical, tube panel;
• said particle separator, said return duct, and said heat exchanger chamber being formed between one of said first tube panels and said second tube panel.

A circulating fluidized bed reactor system comprising:

• a combustion chamber, having a fast fluidized bed of particles therein, an upper portion, a discharge opening from said upper portion, and a lower portion;
• means for introducing fluidizing gas into said combustion chamber;
• a particle separator connected to said discharge opening for separating solid particles from a particle suspension discharged from the combustion chamber through said discharge opening;
• a return duct having upper and lower portions, and connected at its upper portion to said particle separator, and at its lower portion to said combustion chamber, for recycling separated solid particles from said particle separator into said lower portion of said combustion chamber;
• a heat exchanger chamber formed in said lower portion of said return duct and having a bed of solid particles therein, for recovering heat from solid particles being recycled through said return duct;
• a wall section in common with said combustion chamber and at least said heat exchanger chamber portion of said return duct;
• a solid particle inlet in said common wall section, for introducing solid particles from said heat exchanger chamber into said combustion chamber;
• means for introducing solid particles directly from said combustion chamber into said heat exchanger chamber, and
• wherein said combustion chamber comprises:
• a plurality of first, primarily vertical, tube panels forming an enclosure;
• and a second, primarily vertical, tube panel;
• said return duct and said heat exchanger chamber being formed between one of said first tube panels and said second tube panel;
• and a third, primarily vertical, tube panel;
• said particle separator formed between said second and said third tube panels.

A circulating fluidized bed reactor system comprising:

• a combustion chamber, having a fast fluidized bed of particles therein, an upper portion, a discharge opening from said upper portion, and a lower portion;
• means for introducing fluidizing gas into said combustion chamber;
• a particle separator connected to said discharge opening for separating solid particles from a particle suspension discharged from the combustion chamber through said discharge opening;
• a return duct having upper and lower portions, and connected at its upper portion to said particle separator, and at its lower portion to said combustion chamber, for recycling separated solid particles from said particle separator into said lower portion of said combustion chamber;
• a heat exchanger chamber formed in said lower portion of said return duct and having a bed of solid particles therein, for recovering heat from solid particles being recycled through said return duct;
• a wall section in common with said combustion chamber and at least said heat exchanger chamber portion of said return duct;
• a solid particle inlet in said common wall section, for introducing solid particles from said heat exchanger chamber into said combustion chamber;
• means for introducing solid particles directly from said combustion chamber into said heat exchanger chamber, and
• wherein said combustion chamber, particle separator, and heat exchange chamber are all at a pressure at least twice atmospheric.

A method of operating a circulating fluidized bed system, utilizing:

• a combustion chamber having a fluidized bed of solid particles therein;
• a particle separator connected to a discharge opening in an upper portion of the combustion chamber;
• a return duct connected at an upper portion thereof to the particle separator, and at a lower portion to the combustion chamber;
• a heat exchanger chamber formed in the lower portion of the return duct;
• the heat exchanger chamber having a wall section in common with the combustion chamber;
• and a solid particle inlet in the common wall section;
• the method comprising the steps of:
• (a) establishing a fast fluidized bed of solid particles in the combustion chamber so that a particle suspension comprising flue gases and solid particles entrained therein is caused to flow upwardly in the combustion chamber and to be discharged through the discharge opening;
• (b) separating solid particles from the particle suspension in the particle separator;
• (c) directing separated solid particles into the return duct having a heat exchanger chamber in a lower portion thereof;
• (d) establishing a bed of solid particles in the heat exchanger chamber;
• (e) reintroducing solid particles from the heat exchanger chamber into the combustion chamber through the solid particle inlet disposed in the common wall section;
• (f) introducing additional solid particles directly from the combustion chamber into the lower portion of the return duct, and
• wherein steps (a)-(f) are practiced at a pressure at least twice atmospheric.

A circulating fluidized bed reactor system comprising:

• a combustion chamber, having a fast fluidized bed of particles therein, an upper portion, a discharge opening from said upper portion, and a lower portion;
• means for introducing fluidizing gas into said combustion chamber;
• a particle separator connected to said discharge opening for separating solid particles from a particle suspension discharged from the combustion chamber through said discharge opening;
• a return duct having upper and lower portions, and connected at its upper portion to said particle separator, and at its lower portion to said combustion chamber, for recycling separated solid particles from said particle separator into said lower portion of said combustion chamber;
• a heat exchanger chamber formed in said lower portion of said return duct and having a bed of solid particles therein, for recovering heat from solid particles being recycled through said return duct;
• a wall section in common with said combustion chamber and at least said heat exchanger chamber portion of said return duct;
• a solid particle inlet in said common wall section, for introducing solid particles from said heat exchanger chamber into said combustion chamber;
• and
• a passage in the wall section for introducing solid particles directly from said combustion chamber into said heat exchanger chamber.