Rotary plough for gasifiers

Abstract

A solids handling equipment rotary plough ( 200 ) includes an elongate metal body ( 201 ) with a leading face ( 210 ) and a trailing face ( 212 ). The body ( 201 ) is configured to be mounted to a rotary component for rotation about an axis of rotation at least in one direction which is an operative forward direction such that the leading face ( 210 ) leads the trailing face ( 212 ). At least the leading face ( 210 ) has at least two major operatively upwardly and outwardly extending surfaces ( 202.1, 204.1 ) which are not coplanar. A first major surface ( 202.1 ) is angled operatively rearwardly and upwardly relative to the forward direction of rotation at an angle of at least 1° to the vertical. A second major surface ( 204.1 ) is angled operatively forwardly and outwardly at an angle of at least 1° relative to a radius of a circle described in use by the rotary plough ( 200 ) when rotating in the operative forward direction.

1 .- 12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . A solids handling equipment rotary plough, the rotary plough including an elongate metal body having a leading face and a trailing face and being configured to be mounted to a rotary component for rotation about an axis of rotation at least in one direction which is an operative forward direction such that the leading face leads the trailing face, at least the leading face having at least two major operatively upwardly and outwardly extending surfaces which are not coplanar, a first major surface being angled operatively rearwardly and upwardly relative to the forward direction of rotation at an angle of at least 1° to the vertical and a second major surface being angled operatively forwardly and outwardly at an angle of at least 1° relative to a radius of a circle described in use by the rotary plough when rotating in the operative forward direction. 
     
     
         14 . The solids handling equipment rotary plough according to  claim 13 , in which the angle of the first surface to the vertical is in the range of from 1° to 35° and the angle of the second surface relative to said radius of said circle described in use by the rotary plough when rotating in the forward direction is in the range of from 1° to 18°. 
     
     
         15 . The solids handling equipment rotary plough according to  claim 13 , in which the second surface extends operatively vertically. 
     
     
         16 . The solids handling equipment rotary plough according to  claim 13 , in which the first and second major surfaces of the leading face share a common periphery or edge between them. 
     
     
         17 . The solids handling equipment rotary plough according to  claim 16 , in which the common periphery or edge of the first and second major surfaces of the leading surface is linear and extends downwardly in an outward direction, and in which the common periphery or edge of the first and second major surfaces is angled forwardly relative to said radius of said circle described in use by the rotary plough when rotating in the forward direction. 
     
     
         18 . The solids handling equipment rotary plough according to  claim 13 , in which the trailing face of the body of the rotary plough is a mirror image of the leading face of the body of the rotary plough. 
     
     
         19 . The solids handling equipment rotary plough according to  claim 13 , in which the body is configured to be mounted such that it extends radially outwardly from where it is mounted to said rotary component. 
     
     
         20 . The solids handling equipment rotary plough according to  claim 13 , in which a radially outward portion of the body has an increased height compared to a radially inward portion of the body. 
     
     
         21 . The solids handling equipment rotary plough according to  claim 20 , in which a bottom surface of the body drops down radially outwardly to end in a rounded upwardly curved toe. 
     
     
         22 . A rotatable grate assembly for a gasifier for gasifying carbonaceous material producing ash, the grate assembly including
 a rotary component configured for rotation about an upwardly extending axis of rotation, the rotary component being configured for rotation at least in one direction which is an operative forward direction; and   a plurality of rotary ploughs according to  claim 13 , the rotary ploughs being mounted to the rotary component for rotation together with the rotary component about said axis of rotation and the rotary ploughs extending outwardly away from said axis of rotation.   
     
     
         23 . The rotatable grate assembly according to  claim 22 , in which the rotary component is configured for rotation in both said operative forward direction and an operative reverse direction, and in which the rotary ploughs extend radially away from said axis of rotation. 
     
     
         24 . The rotatable grate assembly according to  claim 22 , in which the rotary component is an upper rotatable grate component, the rotatable grate assembly further including a lower rotatable support structure fastened to the upper rotatable grate component for rotation together with the upper rotatable grate component, the lower rotatable support structure being configured to be drivingly rotated about an axis of rotation which coincides with said axis of rotation of the upper rotatable grate component, and in which said axis of rotation of the upper rotatable grate component is vertical. 
     
     
         25 . A gasifier for gasifying carbonaceous material, the gasifier including a rotatable grate assembly according to  claim 24 , the rotatable grate assembly being mounted within a gasification chamber defined by a gasification vessel with the lower rotatable support structure of the grate assembly being connected to drive means. 
     
     
         26 . The gasifier according to  claim 25 , which is a fixed bed gasifier or a fixed bed dry bottom gasifier. 
     
     
         27 . The gasifier according to  claim 25 , which is a coal gasifier operating at a pressure of between 5 bar(g) and 100 bar(g) and a temperature of between 400° C. and 1600° C. 
     
     
         28 . A rotatable grate assembly for a gasifier for gasifying carbonaceous material producing ash, the grate assembly including
 a rotary component configured to rotate about a vertical axis of rotation in at least one direction; and   a plurality of rotary ploughs mounted to the rotary component to rotate together with the rotary component in a horizontal plane about said axis of rotation to describe a circle,   said plurality of rotary ploughs each including   an elongate wedge-shaped in plan view metal body extending away from and widening in plan view away from said axis of rotation and having opposed longitudinally extending faces, at least one of said faces having at least two major surfaces which are not coplanar, a first, upper, major surface being angled towards the other of said faces to slope upwardly towards the other of said faces at an angle of at least 1° to the vertical and a second, vertical, lower, major surface being angled in a horizontal plane at an angle of at least 1° relative to a radius of said circle described by the rotary ploughs.   
     
     
         29 . The rotatable grate assembly according to  claim 28 , in which the rotary component is configured for rotation in two directions, and in which the rotary ploughs extend radially away from said axis of rotation. 
     
     
         30 . The rotatable grate assembly according to  claim 28 , in which the rotary component is an upper rotatable grate component, the rotatable grate assembly further including a lower rotatable support structure fastened to the upper rotatable grate component for rotation together with the upper rotatable grate component, the lower rotatable support structure being configured to be drivingly rotated about an axis of rotation which coincides with said axis of rotation of the upper rotatable grate component. 
     
     
         31 . The rotatable grate assembly according to  claim 28 , in which the angle of the first surface of said one of said faces to the vertical is in the range of from 1° to 35° and the angle of the second surface of said one of said faces relative to said radius is in the range of from 1° to 18°. 
     
     
         32 . The rotatable grate assembly according to  claim 28 , in which the first and second major surfaces of said one of said faces share a common periphery or edge between them. 
     
     
         33 . The rotatable grate assembly according to  claim 32 , in which the common periphery or edge of the first and second major surfaces of said one of said faces is linear and extends at an angle to the horizontal. 
     
     
         34 . The rotatable grate assembly according to  claim 28 , in which said other of said faces is a mirror image of said one of said faces. 
     
     
         35 . The rotatable grate assembly according to  claim 28 , in which a distal end of the body of a rotary plough remote from said axis of rotation has an increased height compared to an end of the body of the rotary plough closer to said axis of rotation. 
     
     
         36 . The rotatable grate assembly according to  claim 35 , in which a bottom surface of the body of the rotary plough drops down towards said end of the body of the rotary plough remote from said axis of rotation to end in a rounded curved toe. 
     
     
         37 . A gasifier for gasifying carbonaceous material, the gasifier including a rotatable grate assembly according to  claim 30 , the rotatable grate assembly being mounted within a gasification chamber defined by a gasification vessel with the lower rotatable support structure of the grate assembly being connected to drive means. 
     
     
         38 . The gasifier according to  claim 37 , which is a fixed bed gasifier or a fixed bed dry bottom gasifier. 
     
     
         39 . Use of a gasifier according to  claim 37 , to gasify coal at a pressure of between 5 bar(g) and 100 bar(g) and a temperature of between 400° C. and 1600° C. 
     
     
         40 . The rotatable grate assembly according to  claim 29 , in which the rotary component is an upper rotatable grate component, the rotatable grate assembly further including, a lower rotatable support structure fastened to the upper rotatable grate component for rotation together with the upper rotatable grate component, the lower rotatable support structure being configured to be drivingly rotated about an axis of rotation which coincides with said axis of rotation of the upper rotatable grate component.