Fluidized Bed Apparatus

Abstract

Fluidized bed apparatus, comprising a circulating fluidized bed reactor with at least one outlet port at its upper part, wherein said outlet port allows a mixture of gas and solid particles exhausted from the fluidized bed reactor to flow into a number (n) of associated separators for separating solid particles from said gas, a number (n) of means to transfer said separated solid particles from said (n) separators into a number (up to n) of discrete fluidized bed heat exchangers ( 24.1, 24.2, 24.3 ), and return means to transport at least part of said solid particles back from said discrete fluidized bed heat exchangers ( 24 ) into the circulating fluidized bed reactor, wherein the number (up to n) of discrete fluidized bed heat exchangers ( 24.1, 24.2, 24.3 ) are mechanically connected to provide one common fluidized bed heat exchanger ( 24 )mwith water cooled intermediate walls ( 24 i) between adjacent discrete fluidized bed heat exchangers ( 24.1, 24.2, 24.3 ).

1 . Fluidized bed apparatus, comprising a circulating fluidized bed reactor ( 10 ) with at least one outlet port ( 16 ) at its upper part, wherein said outlet port ( 16 ) allows a mixture of gas and solid particles exhausted from the fluidized bed reactor ( 10 ) to flow into a number (n) of associated separators ( 18 ) for separating solid particles from said gas, a number (n) of means ( 20 ) to transfer said separated solid particles from said (n) separators ( 18 ) into a number (up to n) of discrete fluidized bed heat exchangers ( 24 . 1 ,  24 . 2 ,  24 . 3 ), and return means to transport at least part of said solid particles back from said discrete fluidized bed heat exchangers ( 24 ) into the circulating fluidized bed reactor ( 10 ), wherein the number (up to n) of discrete fluidized bed heat exchangers ( 24 . 1 ,  24 . 2 ,  24 . 3 ) are mechanically connected to provide one common fluidized bed heat exchanger ( 24 ) with water cooled intermediate walls ( 24   i ) between adjacent discrete fluidized bed heat exchangers ( 24 . 1 ,  24 . 2 ,  24 . 3 ). 
     
     
         2 . Fluidized bed apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the discrete fluidized bed heat exchangers ( 24 . 1 ,  24 . 2 ,  24 . 3 ) are arranged in a row to provide the common fluidized bed heat exchanger ( 24 ). 
     
     
         3 . Fluidized bed apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the water cooled intermediate walls ( 24   i ) comprise water-cooled pipes. 
     
     
         4 . Fluidized bed apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the water cooled intermediate walls ( 24   i ) comprise water-cooled pipes, wherein adjacent pipes are connected by metal fins. 
     
     
         5 . Fluidized bed apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the common fluidized bed heat exchanger ( 24 ) is suspended from the separator(s) ( 18 ). 
     
     
         6 . Fluidized bed apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the common fluidized bed heat exchanger ( 24 ) is fixedly secured to the circulating fluidized bed reactor ( 10 ). 
     
     
         7 . Fluidized bed apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the common fluidized bed heat exchanger ( 24 ) and the circulating fluidized bed reactor ( 10 ) have a common wall ( 14   w ). 
     
     
         8 . Fluidized bed apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the common wall ( 14   w ) is water-cooled. 
     
     
         9 . Fluidized bed apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the common wall ( 14   w ) has one or more openings ( 30 ) fulfilling the function of the return means. 
     
     
         10 . Fluidized bed apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the common fluidized bed heat exchanger ( 24 ) has chamber walls ( 14   w ) being at least partially water-cooled. 
     
     
         11 . Fluidized bed apparatus according to  claim 1  without any structural means urging the solid particles to meander within the fluidized bed heat exchanger ( 24 ).