Systems and methods for particle size determination and control in a fluidized bed reactor
AssigneeMEMC Electronic Materials, Inc.
InventorsSatish Bhusarapu, Arif Nawaz, Puneet Gupta, Karthik Balakrishnan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Systems and methods are provided for determining the size of particles within a fluidized bed reactor. The pressure of gas adjacent a gas inlet and adjacent a gas outlet of the reactor are measured with pressure sensors. An algorithm is applied to at least one of the pressure measurements to determine the size of particles within the reactor. The determined size of the particles can be used to control the operation of the reactor. A dosing system and method is provided for measuring defined volumes of particles for transport to the reactor.
Claims22
A method for determining a size of at least one of a plurality of particles in a fluidized bed reactor, the method comprising:
- measuring a gas pressure in an inlet of the reactor with an inlet pressure sensor;
- communicating the measured gas pressure in the inlet of the reactor to a processor;
- determining, using the processor, the size of at least one of the plurality of particles in the fluidized bed reactor based at least in part on an algorithm applied to the gas pressure in the inlet of the reactor measured by the inlet pressure sensor;
- and
- controlling the operation of the fluidized bed reactor based at least in part on the determined size of at least one of the plurality of particles in the fluidized bed reactor, wherein controlling operation of the fluidized bed reactor includes increasing the flow rate of gas within the fluidized bed reactor when the determined size of at least one of the plurality of particles exceeds a threshold level.
A method for determining a size of at least one of a plurality of particles in a fluidized bed reactor, the method comprising:
- measuring a gas pressure in an inlet of the reactor with an inlet pressure sensor;
- communicating the measured gas pressure in the inlet of the reactor to a processor;
- determining, using the processor, the size of at least one of the plurality of particles in the fluidized bed reactor based at least in part on an algorithm applied to the gas pressure in the inlet of the reactor measured by the inlet pressure sensor;
- and
- controlling the operation of the fluidized bed reactor based at least in part on the determined size of at least one of the plurality of particles in the fluidized bed reactor, wherein controlling operation of the fluidized bed reactor includes decreasing the flow rate of gas within the fluidized bed reactor when the determined size of at least one of the plurality of particles falls under a threshold level.
A method for determining a size of at least one of a plurality of particles in a fluidized bed reactor, the method comprising:
- measuring a gas pressure in an inlet of the reactor with an inlet pressure sensor;
- communicating the measured gas pressure in the inlet of the reactor to a processor;
- determining, using the processor, the size of at least one of the plurality of particles in the fluidized bed reactor based at least in part on an algorithm applied to the gas pressure in the inlet of the reactor measured by the inlet pressure sensor;
- and
- determining, with the processor, the rate at which the gas is consumed based on the determined size of at least one of the particles.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.