Dry processing of, and thermal recovery from, slag

Abstract

Apparatuses, systems, and methods discussed herein facilitate processing of, and thermal recovery from, material such as slag. A disk assembly is configured to process material. One or more heat exchangers are configured to extract heat that is already present in the material, heat generated during processing, or both. A thermal transfer system is configured to transfer heat away from the disk assembly, away from the one or more heat exchangers, or both.

We claim: 
     
         1 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a disk assembly configured to process material that is configured to be lowered into the material and to generate vortexes in the material; and   one or more heat exchangers configured to be lowered into the material and to extract heat that is already present in the material, heat generated during processing, or both, wherein   the apparatus is configured to transfer heat away from the disk assembly, away from the one or more heat exchangers, or both.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the disk assembly comprises a disk and a plurality of supports operably connected to the disk. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the disk assembly and the plurality of supports comprise an outer casing and a thermally conductive material. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more heat exchangers comprise static plate-like heat exchangers that conform to a shape of a slag pot, the static plate-like heat exchangers comprising:
 a casing configured to withstand heat and conditions of the slag pot;   a core within the casing comprising a thermally conductive material; and   a thermally expansive layer between the casing and the core that comprises a thermally expansive material.   
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a shaft operably connected to the disk assembly and configured to rotate the disk assembly to process the material;   a drive motor configured to generate power to rotate the shaft;   a gearless magnetic transmission configured to transmit torque and rotate the shaft; and   a controller configured to control rotation speed of the shaft.   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the disk assembly, the one or more heat exchangers, or both, comprise a plurality of holes on one or more of their respective surfaces, and the holes are configured to distribute air into the material during processing. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a shaft operably connected to the disk assembly and configured to rotate the disk assembly to process the material;   a first proximity heat exchanger configured to extract heat from the disk assembly, the first proximity heat exchanger configured to transfer heat to the shaft;   a second proximity heat exchanger at an opposite end of the shaft to the first proximity heat exchanger and configured to collect heat transferred from the shaft; and   a thermal storage unit configured to receive heat collected by the second proximity heat exchanger.   
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 a thermal storage unit support configured to receive and hold the thermal storage unit so the thermal storage unit is operably connected to the apparatus, wherein   the thermal storage unit is configured to be lowered onto or attached to the thermal storage unit support.   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a heat transfer pipe operably connected to the apparatus, wherein   the heat transfer pipe is configured to receive heat from a shaft that is operably connected to the disk assembly and transfer the heat away from the apparatus to be used to do work.   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a manifold operably connected to the one or more heat exchangers; and   a proximity heat exchanger configured to extract heat from the disk assembly and the manifold.   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the disk assembly comprises:
 a disk configured to pulverize and extract heat from the material; and   a plurality of supports operably connected to the disk, wherein   the plurality of supports is configured to create vortexes in the material at or near a boundary layer of a vortex generated in the material by the disk, and to extract heat from the material.   
     
     
         12 . A heat transfer system, comprising:
 a disk assembly;   a plurality of static heat exchangers;   a manifold operably connected to the heat exchangers;   a proximity heat exchanger configured to extract heat from the manifold and the disk assembly; and   a shaft operably connected to the disk assembly and configured to rotate the disk assembly, wherein   the shaft is configured to transfer heat collected by the proximity heat exchanger away from the heat transfer system.   
     
     
         13 . The heat transfer system of  claim 12 , wherein the disk assembly, the plurality of static heat exchangers, the manifold, the proximity heat exchanger, and the shaft comprise a thermally conductive material. 
     
     
         14 . The heat transfer system of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 another proximity heat exchanger at an opposite end of the shaft to the proximity heat exchanger and configured to collect heat transferred from the shaft; and   a thermal storage unit configured to receive heat collected by the other proximity heat exchanger.   
     
     
         15 . The heat transfer system of  claim 12 , wherein the proximity heat exchanger comprises upper and lower halves, the upper half configured to rotate with the disk assembly and the shaft, the lower half configured to remain static, and the upper and lower halves comprise oppositely raised and lowered nested cylinders such that the upper and lower halves interlock without contacting one another. 
     
     
         16 . The heat transfer system of  claim 15 , wherein the disk assembly, one or more of the plurality of static plate-like heat exchangers, or both, comprise a plurality of holes on one or more of their respective surfaces, and the holes are configured to distribute air into a material during processing. 
     
     
         17 . An apparatus for processing of, and thermal extraction from, slag, comprising:
 a disk configured to rotate and pulverize the slag and to create a central vortex in the slag;   a plurality of supports operably connected to the disk and configured to create vortexes at or near a boundary layer of the central vortex;   a plurality of static heat exchangers configured to extract heat from the slag;   a manifold operably connected to the plurality of static heat exchangers;   a proximity heat exchanger configured to extract heat from the manifold and the plurality of supports; and   a shaft configured to rotate the disk and the plurality of supports, and to transfer heat collected by the proximity heat exchanger, wherein   the disk, one or more of the supports, one or more of the plurality of static plate-like heat exchangers, or a combination thereof, comprise a plurality of holes on one or more of their respective surfaces, and the holes are configured to distribute air into the slag during processing.   
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the disk, the plurality of supports, the plurality of heat exchangers, the proximity heat exchanger, and the shaft comprise a thermally conductive material. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 another proximity heat exchanger at an opposite end of the shaft to the proximity heat exchanger and configured to collect heat transferred from the shaft; and   a thermal storage unit configured to receive heat collected by the other proximity heat exchanger.   
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the shaft is configured to transfer heat energy collected by the apparatus to a boiler configured to make steam for the generation of electricity.