Raining bed heat exchanger and method of use

A raining bed heat exchanger comprising:

• a hollow stack;
• a feed inlet located near the top of the stack for introducing particulate material into the stack so that the material falls through the stack;
• a gas inlet located near the bottom of the stack for introducing rising gases into the stack so that the gases flow counter to the falling material;
• and
• a plurality of baffles supported within the stack between the feed and gas inlets for retarding the falling material and prolonging its exposure to the gases;
• wherein at least one of the baffles comprises a hollow tube and refractory insulation surrounding the hollow tube.

A heat exchanger system comprising:

• a raining bed heat exchanger comprising:
• a hollow stack;
• a feed inlet located near the top of the stack for introducing particulate material into the stack so that the material falls through the stack;
• a gas inlet located near the bottom of the stack for introducing rising gases into the stack so that the gases flow counter to the falling material;
• a plurality of baffles supported within the stack between the feed and gas inlets for retarding the falling material and prolonging its exposure to the gases;
• and
• a duct in the stack above the feed inlet through which the rising gases exit the heat exchanger;
• a cyclone connected to the heat exchanger by the duct for separating from the gases particulates entrained by the gases in the heat exchanger;
• a pipe connecting the base of the cyclone to the baffle-containing portion of the stack so that particulates separated from the gases by the cyclone are reintroduced into the baffle-containing portion of the stack;
• and
• a flow generating mechanism adapted to continuously pull the particulates separated by the cyclone through the pipe and into the heat exchanger.

A raining bed heat exchanger comprising:

• a hollow stack;
• a feed inlet located near the top of the stack for introducing particulate material into the stack so that the material falls through the stack;
• a gas inlet located near the bottom of the stack for introducing rising gases into the stack so that the gases flow counter to the falling material;
• a plurality of baffles supported within the stack between the feed and gas inlets for retarding the falling material and prolonging its exposure to the gases;
• and
• a disengagement section located near the top of the stack where particulates entrained by the rising gases are separated from the rising gases, wherein the disengagement section comprises:
• a filter positioned within the stack above the feed inlet having a porosity that allows the rising gases to pass through the filter and traps the particulates entrained by the rising gases.

A raining bed heat exchanger comprising:

• a hollow stack;
• a feed inlet located near the top of the stack for introducing particulate material into the stack so that the material falls through the stack;
• a gas inlet located near the bottom of the stack for introducing rising gases into the stack so that the gases flow counter to the falling material;
• a plurality of baffles supported within the stack between the feed and gas inlets for retarding the falling material and prolonging its exposure to the gases;
• and
• a disengagement section located near the top of the stack where particulates entrained by the rising gases are separated by the rising gases, wherein the cross-sectional area of the disengagement section increases with height and wherein the disengagement section comprises:
• a screen positioned within the stack and having a plurality of gaps through which the rising gases pass in order to sufficiently separate the entrained particulates.

A raining bed heat exchanger comprising:

• a hollow stack;
• a feed inlet located near the top of the stack for introducing particulate material into the stack so that the material falls through the stack;
• a gas inlet located near the bottom of the stack for introducing rising gases into the stack so that the gases flow counter to the falling material;
• a plurality of baffles supported within the stack between the feed and gas inlets for retarding the falling material and prolonging its exposure to the gases;
• and
• a disengagement section located near the top of the stack where particulates entrained by the rising gases are separated from the rising gases, wherein the disengagement section comprises:
• a screen positioned within the stack and having a plurality of gaps through which the rising gases pass in order to sufficiently separate the entrained particulates, wherein the screen comprises downward sloping surfaces that narrow toward one another to provide the plurality of gaps.

A raining bed heat exchanger comprising:

• a hollow stack;
• a feed inlet located near the top of the stack for introducing particulate material into the stack so that the material falls through the stack;
• a gas inlet located near the bottom of the stack for introducing rising gases into the stack so that the gases flow counter to the falling material;
• a plurality of baffles supported within the stack between the feed and gas inlets for retarding the falling material and prolonging its exposure to the gases;
• and
• a disengagement section located near the top of the stack where particulates entrained by the rising gases are separated from the rising gases, wherein the disengagement section comprises:
• a screen positioned within the stack and having a plurality of gaps through which the rising gases pass in order to sufficiently separate the entrained particulates, and
• a duct on a side of the stack through which the rising gases exit the heat exchanger, and wherein the interior volume of the disengagement section above the screen increases in the direction of the duct.

A raining bed heat exchanger comprising:

• a hollow stack;
• a feed inlet located near the top of the stack for introducing particulate material into the stack so that the material falls through the stack;
• a gas inlet located near the bottom of the stack for introducing rising gases into the stack so that the gases flow counter to the falling material;
• a plurality of baffles supported within the stack between the feed and gas inlets for retarding the falling material and prolonging its exposure to the gases;
• a disengagement section located near the top of the stack where particulates entrained by the rising gases are seperated from the rising gases, wherein the disengagement section comprises a filter positioned within the stack having a porosity that allows the rising gases to pass through the filter and traps the particulates entrained by the rising gases;
• and
• shielding in the stack below the filter for forming a quiescent zone.