# US 9,039,810 B2 · Fines capture and recycle system and uses thereof > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,039,810 B2 - Document ID: US9039810B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/532,769 - Filed: 2012-06-25 - Published: 2013-07-18 - Granted: 2015-05-26 - Earliest claimed: 2011-06-24 - Assignees: Synthesis Energy Systems, Inc. - Applicants: Francis Lau; Tsung-Yao Robert Sheng - Inventors: Francis Lau; Tsung-Yao Robert Sheng - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9039810B2 ## CPC - C10J 3/84: with means for removing dust or tar from the gas - C01B 3/02: Production of hydrogen; Production of gaseous mixtures containing hydrogen - C10J 3/56: Apparatus; Plants - C10J 2300/093: Coal - C10J 2300/0976: as steam - C10J: PRODUCTION OF PRODUCER GAS, WATER-GAS, SYNTHESIS GAS FROM SOLID CARBONACEOUS MATERIAL, OR MIXTURES CONTAINING THESE GASES (synthesis gas from liquid or gaseous hydrocarbons C01B; underground gasification of minerals E21B43/295); CARBURETTING AIR OR OTHER GASES - C01B: NON-METALLIC ELEMENTS; COMPOUNDS THEREOF; {METALLOIDS OR COMPOUNDS THEREOF NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASS C01C} ## Abstract A cyclone system for a gasifier having two or more cyclones arranged in series sharing a combined loop seal and dipleg is disclosed. Also disclosed is a method for capturing and recycling fines with the cyclone system. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A cyclone system wherein the cyclone system comprises: a first stage cyclone having a first inlet and a first outlet, wherein the first inlet is connected to a fluidized-bed gasifier having two or more cyclone arranged in series, and receives a first gas-solid mixture from the gasifier and receives a first gas-solid mixture from the gasifier; a first dipleg connected to the first stage cyclone for collecting a first solid particle fraction separated from the first gas-solid mixture; a first loopseal connected to the first dipleg for receiving the first solid particle fraction; a second stage cyclone having a second inlet and a second outlet, wherein the second inlet is in fluid communication with the first outlet and receives a second gas-solid mixture from the first stage cyclone; a second dipleg connected to the second stage cyclone for collecting a second solid particle fraction separated from the second gas-solid mixture; a combined dipleg connected to both the first loopseal and the second dipleg; and a combined loopseal connected to the combined dipleg for receiving a mixture of the first and second solid particle fractions, and to the gasifier for feeding the mixture of the first and second solid particle fractions back to the gasifier. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The cyclone system of claim 1, wherein the gasifier is a fluidized bed gasifier. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The cyclone system of claim 1, wherein the first inlet is a half-volute inlet. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The cyclone system of claim 1, wherein the second inlet is a tangential inlet. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The cyclone system of claim 1, wherein the first loopseal comprises a first vertical downcomer connected to the first dipleg for receiving the first solid particle fraction, a first downwardly inclined segment downstream of the first vertical. downcomer, a first riser downstream of the first downwardly inclined segment, and a second downwardly inclined segment downstream of the first riser. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The cyclone system of claim 5, wherein the combined dipleg is connected at a branch point of the combined dipleg to the second dipleg and the second downwardly inclined segment of the first loopseal. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The cyclone system of claim 1, wherein the combined loopseal comprises a second vertical downcomer for receiving a mixture of the first and second solid particle fractions, a third downwardly inclined segment downstream of the second vertical downcomer, a second riser downstream of the third downwardly inclined segment, and a fourth downwardly inclined segment downstream of the second riser and connected back to the gasifier. ### Claim 8 A method for capturing and recycling fines from a fluidized-bed gasifier, comprising: delivering a first gas-solid mixture from a gasifier to a first inlet of a first stage cyclone; separating the first gas-solid mixture into a second gas-solid mixture and a first solid particle fraction in the first stage cyclone; feeding the second gas-solid mixture from a first outlet of the first stage cyclone to a second inlet of a second stage cyclone and collecting the first solid particle fraction sequentially through a first dipleg connected to the first stage cyclone and a first loopseal connected to the first dipleg; separating from the second gas-solid mixture a second solid particle fraction in the second stage cyclone; collecting the second solid particle fraction through a second dipleg connected to the second stage cyclone; collecting a mixture of the first solid particle fraction from the first loopseal and the second solid particle fraction from the second dipleg sequentially through a combined dipleg connected to both the first loopseal and the second dipleg and a combined loopseal connected to both the combined dipleg and the gasifier; and feeding the mixture of the first and second solid particle fractions from the combined loopseal back to the gasifier. ### Claim 9 A fluidized bed gasifier system, comprising: a fluidized bed gasifier, and a cyclone system having two or more cyclones arranged in series, wherein the cyclone system comprises: a first stage cyclone having a first inlet and a first outlet, wherein the first inlet is in fluid communication with the gasifier and receives a first gas-solid mixture from the gasifier; a first dipleg connected to the first stage cyclone for collecting a first solid particle fraction separated from the first gas-solid mixture; a first loopseal connected to the first dipleg for receiving the first solid particle fraction; a second stage cyclone having a second inlet and a second outlet, wherein the second inlet is in fluid communication with the first outlet and receives a second gas-solid mixture from the first stage cyclone; a second dipleg connected to the second stage cyclone for collecting a second solid particle fraction separated from the second gas-solid mixture; a combined dipleg connected to both the first loopseal and the second dipleg; and a combined loopseal connected to the combined dipleg for receiving a mixture of the first and second solid particle fractions, and to the gasifier for feeding the mixture of the first and secon.d solid particle fractions back to the gasifier. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The gasifier system of claim 9, wherein the gasifier is a fluidized bed gasifier. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The gasifier system of claim 9, wherein the first inlet is a half-volute inlet. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The gasifier system of claim 9, wherein the second inlet is a tangential inlet. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The gasifier system of claim 9, wherein the first loopseal comprises a first vertical downcomer connected to the first dipleg for receiving the first solid particle fraction, a first downwardly inclined segment downstream of the first vertical downcomer, a first riser downstream of the first downwardly inclined segment, and a second downwardly inclined segment downstream of the first riser. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The gasifier system of claim 13, wherein the combined dipleg is connected at a branch point of the combined dipleg to the second dipleg and the second downwardly inclined segment of the first loopseal. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The gasifier system of claim 9, wherein the combined loopseal comprises a second vertical downcomer for receiving a mixture of the first and second solid particle fractions, a third downwardly inclined segment downstream of the second vertical downcomer, a second riser downstream of the third downwardly inclined segment, and a fourth downwardly inclined segment downstream of the second riser and connected back to the gasifier. ### Claim 16 A method for capturing and recycling fines, comprising: generating a first gas-solid mixture in a fluidized-bed gasifier, delivering the first gas-solid mixture from the gasifier to a first inlet of a first stage cyclone; separating the first gas-solid mixture into a second gas-solid mixture and a first solid particle fraction in the first stage cyclone; feeding the second gas-solid mixture from a first outlet of the first stage cyclone to a second inlet of a second stage cyclone and collecting the first solid particle fraction sequentially through a first dipleg connected to the first stage cyclone and a first loopseal connected to the first dipleg; separating from the second gas-solid mixture a second solid particle fraction in the second stage cyclone; collecting the second solid particle fraction through a second dipleg connected to the second stage cyclone; collecting a mixture of the first solid particle fraction from the first loopseal and the second solid particle fraction from the second dipleg sequentially through a combined dipleg connected to both the first loopseal and the second dipleg and a combined loopseal connected to both the combined dipleg and the gasifier; and feeding the mixture of the first and second solid particle fractions from the combined loopseal back to the gasifier.