US2007062424A1PendingUtilityA1

Apparatus and Method for Enhancing Heat and Mass Transfer

32
Individually held — no corporate assignee on recordPriority: Aug 16, 2005Filed: Aug 15, 2006Published: Mar 22, 2007
Est. expiryAug 16, 2025(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Darren HabetzRichard Echols
F23G 5/28F23G 5/004F23G 2202/106F23G 5/38F23L 9/02
32
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Claims

Abstract

An apparatus and method designed to introduce jets of air or other fluids at some velocity into a chamber designed to dry, combust, heat or cool solid materials and gases, such as solid fuels, biosolids, biofuels or other solid materials and their off-gases. The apparatus may be designed to introduce these jets in a particularly beneficial arrangement with some velocity and often with a vertical component (usually downward) to produce large and small scale recirculation regions combined with impingement of the jet stream onto the lower surface of a chamber, thereby greatly increasing the rates of heat and mass transfer between the fluid and the solids near the bottom (as well as other parts) of the chamber, and mixing of the gases and fluids in the chamber. The present invention may be particularly useful to enhance drying of high moisture content solids, heating or cooling materials, and to enhance combustion of solid fuels and other materials inside chambers designed for this purpose, and may result in improved exhaust emissions.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . An apparatus comprising: 
 a surface upon which a material may be disposed; and    at least one conduit spaced apart from the surface and having at least one passageway positioned to direct a jet into contact with the material.    
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one conduit is circular.  
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one conduit is straight.  
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is a furnace.  
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the furnace is a multiple hearth furnace.  
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the furnace is a traveling grate furnace.  
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the jet is a stream of air.  
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the jet is a stream of fluid.  
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the surface is a hearth.  
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the surface is a conveyor belt.  
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one conduit is above the surface and the jet may be downwardly directed into contact with the material.  
   
   
       12 . A furnace comprising: 
 at least one hearth;    a supply conduit; and    at least one conduit in fluid communication with the supply conduit, spaced apart from the hearth and having at least one passageway positioned to direct a jet into contact with material on the hearth.    
   
   
       13 . The furnace of  claim 12 , wherein the supply conduit is attached to an exterior surface of a furnace wall, and the at least one conduit is a generally straight section of conduit and disposed through the furnace wall.  
   
   
       14 . The furnace of  claim 13 , wherein the at least one passageway is disposed near an inner end of the straight section of conduit, the inner end terminating within the furnace.  
   
   
       15 . The furnace of  claim 13 , wherein the straight section of conduit is disposed through the furnace wall in two places.  
   
   
       16 . The furnace of  claim 12 , wherein the supply conduit is attached to an exterior surface of a furnace wall, and the at least one conduit is a generally circular section of conduit disposed within the furnace.  
   
   
       17 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one conduit is above the surface and the jet may be downwardly directed into contact with the material.  
   
   
       18 . A method comprising: 
 supplying a fluid into a conduit;    allowing the fluid to flow though a passageway in the conduit to create a jet; and    directing the jet into contact with a material.    
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the fluid is air.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the jet is directed into contact with a material in a chamber.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the chamber is in a furnace.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the furnace is a multiple hearth furnace.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the furnace is a traveling grate furnace.

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