阅读说明：本技术 气固接触装置 (Gas-solid contact device ) 是由 彼得·克里斯蒂安·阿尔伯特·伯格曼 埃弗特-扬·奥尔特沃尔特 罗伯特·约翰·伯尔斯 于 2020-03-17 设计创作，主要内容包括：一种用于通过与气体流接触来加工颗粒材料流的装置(10)包括限定加工室(18)的壳体(12)。该室(18)包括具有开口(32)的气体分配板(30)。气体分配板(30)将下部气体腔室(18)与固气接触区(22)隔开。接触区(22)具有从气体分配板(30)直立从而将内部部段(36)与相邻的环形外部部段(38；40)分开的至少一个筒形分隔部(34)。所述至少一个分隔部(34)设置有用于颗粒材料的转移开口(50)。壳体(12)还设置有用于将颗粒材料供应至内部部段(36)的入口(44)以及用于将经加工的颗粒材料从环形外部部段(40)排出的出口(42)。(An apparatus (10) for processing a stream of particulate material by contact with a stream of gas includes a housing (12) defining a processing chamber (18). The chamber (18) includes a gas distribution plate (30) having an opening (32). A gas distribution plate (30) separates the lower gas chamber (18) from the solid-gas contact zone (22). The contact zone (22) has at least one cylindrical partition (34) upstanding from the gas distribution plate (30) separating an inner section (36) from an adjacent annular outer section (38; 40). The at least one partition (34) is provided with a transfer opening (50) for particulate material. The housing (12) is further provided with an inlet (44) for supplying particulate material to the inner section (36) and an outlet (42) for discharging processed particulate material from the annular outer section (40).)

1. An apparatus (10) for processing a stream of particulate material by contact with a stream of gas, comprising:

a housing (12), the housing (12) defining a processing chamber (18),

the process chamber (18) comprises:

a chamber (20), the chamber (20) being arranged at a lower portion of the process chamber (18), the chamber (20) having a gas inlet (26) for introducing a gas flow into the chamber,

a contact zone (22), the contact zone (22) being arranged above the chamber (20), the contact zone (22) being for contacting the flow of particulate material with the flow of gas,

wherein the chamber (29) and the contact zone (22) are separated by a gas distribution plate (28), wherein the contact zone (22) comprises a contact path for contact between the flow of particulate material and the flow of gas, the contact zone having at least one partition (34) of cylindrical shape upstanding from the gas distribution plate (30) separating an inner section (36) of the contact path from an adjacent outer annular section (38; 40), wherein the at least one partition (34) is provided with a transfer opening (50), the transfer opening (50) being configured to allow the flow of particulate material to travel from the inner section (36) to the adjacent outer annular section (38; 40), wherein the gas distribution plate (30) is provided with an opening (32), the opening (32) being configured to allow the flow of gas to travel in an obliquely upward direction from the chamber (20) to the contact zone (22), to establish a displacement of the particulate material in the contact zone (22) in a displacement direction along the contact path,

an inlet (44) for supplying particulate material to the inner section (36) of the contacting path at a supply location, the supply location being located upstream of the transfer opening (50) in an adjacent partition (34), as seen in a direction of particulate material displacement in the inner section of the contacting path;

an outlet (42) for discharging processed particulate material from the outer annular section (40) of the contacting path at a discharge location downstream of the transfer opening (50) in an adjacent partition (34) as seen in a direction of particulate material displacement in the outer annular section (40) of the contacting path.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the gas inlet (26) comprises a central conduit (28) extending through the contact zone (22) into the gas chamber (20), the conduit (28) defining an inner side of the annular inner section (36) of the contact path.

3. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the supply position in the inner section (36) of the contact path is at least 270 ° apart from the transfer opening (50) in an adjacent partition (38), as seen in the direction of displacement of particulate material in the inner section (36) of the contact path.

4. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the supply position is adjacent to the transfer opening (50) in an adjacent partition (34) when viewed in a direction opposite to a direction of displacement of particulate material in the annular section (36) of the contact path.

5. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the discharge position in the outer annular section (40) of the contact path is at least 270 ° apart from the transfer opening (50) in the adjacent partition (34), as seen in the direction of displacement of particulate material in the outer annular section (40) of the contact path.

6. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the discharge position is adjacent to the transfer opening (50) in an adjacent partition (34) when viewed in a direction opposite to a direction of displacement of particulate material in the annular outer section (40) of the contact path.

7. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the contact zone (22) comprises a plurality of upright cylindrical partitions (34), each partition having a transfer opening (50), the transfer openings (50) being configured to allow the particulate material to travel from an inner section (36; 38) to an adjacent outer section (38, 40) of the contact path, the inner and outer sections being separated by a respective partition, wherein the transfer opening (50) in an inner partition (34) is located upstream of the transfer opening (50) in an adjacent outer partition (34) when viewed in a direction of particulate material displacement in an annular section (36; 38) of the contact path between adjacent partitions (50), preferably along the annular section (36, 38) of the contact path between adjacent partitions (34), 38) Is at least 270 ° apart from the transfer opening (50) in an adjacent outer partition (34), viewed in the direction of displacement of particulate material in the inner partition (34), more preferably the transfer opening (50) in an outer partition (34) is adjacent to the transfer opening (50) in an adjacent inner partition (34), viewed in a direction opposite to the direction of displacement of particulate material in the annular sections (36, 38) of the contact path between adjacent partitions (50).

8. The device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the gas distribution plate (30) comprises outwardly directed slit-shaped openings (32) arranged in annular sections, wherein preferably in each annular section the openings (32) are arranged at a radial angle with respect to a radius of the gas distribution plate (30).

9. The device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the gas distribution plate (30) comprises outwardly directed slit-shaped openings (32) arranged in an annular section, wherein the openings (32) have an axial angle relative to the axis of the contact zone in the direction of the flow of particulate material.

10. The device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the gas distribution plate (30) comprises a slit-shaped opening (32) arranged in an annular section, wherein the width of the slit-shaped opening (32) increases from an inner end of the opening (32) to an outer end of the opening (32).

11. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the chamber (20) comprises a manifold (66) arranged below the gas distribution plate (30), the manifold (66) having a manifold opening (78; 80) which is adjustable in size.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the manifold (66) includes a lower annular plate section (76) having a lower manifold opening (80) and an upper annular plate section (72) having an upper manifold opening (78), wherein the mating lower and upper annular plate sections (76, 72) are concentrically displaceable relative to each other.

13. The device according to any one of the preceding claims 11 to 12, wherein the manifold openings (78, 80) have a slot configuration of arcuate cross-section.

14. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the outer annular section (40) of the contact path has a deflector (52) for directing the processed particulate material to the discharge outlet (42).

15. The device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein a lower edge (98) of a transfer opening (50) in a partition (34) has an adjustable height above the gas distribution plate (30).

16. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a downstream upstanding edge of the transfer opening (50) has a portion (94) which is inclined in the direction of the flow of particulate material adjacent the opening.

17. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the top of the partition is provided with a retainer (64) to prevent particulate material from travelling from the inner section over the top edge to the adjacent outer section.

18. Use of a device (10) according to any one of the preceding claims: for processing particulate biomass material, including cooling, drying, torrefaction, pyrolysis, combustion and/or gasification of the particulate biomass material, for chemical processing, including catalytic processing, for cooling or drying feed or food.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to an apparatus for processing a stream of particulate material by contact with a gas stream.

Background

WO2006/027009A1 discloses an apparatus for treating a particulate product. The known device comprises a process chamber for receiving and treating the product. The bottom of which consists of a plurality of superimposed guide plates between which an annular slit is formed through which process air having a substantially horizontally outward displacement component passes. The bottom is provided with an annular space nozzle at its center. The nozzle opening is shaped so that it is possible to spray a thin layer substantially parallel to the plane of the bottom deck.

Annular bed reactors (toroidal bed reactors) or cyclone fluidized bed reactors (swirling fluidized bed reactors) are well known devices for solid-gas contact processing such as chemical reactions, physical processing and heat exchange operations such as drying and cooling of the solids and/or gases used. Typically, such gas-solid contacting devices have a processing zone in which solid particles circulate in a gas-induced, circumferential and annular flow pattern. The gas stream is charged to the processing zone by a system of blades (also called vanes) with gas openings, the blades having an angled configuration, so as to generate a gas jet into the processing zone, resulting in a cyclic annular movement of the particulate material.

US6564472B1 discloses such a device and its design principle and proper operation. The annular bed reactor (http:// www.torftech.com/torbed _ technology. html; see also US2013220790a1) known today from torftech (mortimer technology) is still based on this disclosure.

US2013220790a1 discloses an annular bed reactor for processing particulate material having means to allow continuous operation of the annular bed reactor regardless of the material being processed. Such known reactors comprise a process chamber, typically a conventional annular bed reactor (which is defined as a reactor in which the material to be treated is placed and centrifugally held within a compact and turbulent annular circulating bed of particles and process fluid which circulate about the axis of the process chamber) having at least one inlet for particulate material and one or more outlets for processed particulate material. The process chamber comprises an annular treatment zone and a plurality of process fluid inlets arranged in a base of the annular treatment zone and configured such that in use jets of process fluid pass through the plurality of process fluid inlets into the annular treatment zone to establish a helical flow of particulate material in the annular treatment zone. One or more outlets for the processed particulate material are located in the base and surrounded by a plurality of processing fluid inlets such that a helical flow of particulate material circulates around the one or more outlets. Means are arranged in the processing chamber for deflecting a portion of the helical flow of particulate material in the annular processing zone radially inwardly from the helical flow so that the particulate material exits the processing chamber through the one or more outlets for processed particulate material.

A practical embodiment according to this configuration employs a process chamber with a maximum contact surface defined by 0.25 × TT (D2out-0.64 × D2out), where D2out is the diameter of the process chamber, meaning that (only) the outer 20% of the diameter of the reactor is effectively utilized. According to the applicant/manufacturer, such a width of the reactor bed is optimal for the annular flow mode and is a prerequisite for heat and mass transfer properties. A similar limit is set on the bed height in the reactor.

The mass and heat transfer characteristics of this known annular bed are a major feature of the apparatus. However, reactors having this configuration have practical limitations that are generally applicable to other annular (cyclone) bed reactors as well.

The deflection of a portion of the helical flow of particulate material in the annular processing zone in a (radially) inward direction results in undesirable accumulation due to centrifugal forces and may lead to instability of the annular bed.

In operation, an annular bed reactor having this configuration utilizes only a small portion of the cross-section, the outer annular region, as the processing region. Thus, despite the potential for heat and mass transfer characteristics, annular bed reactors are bulky.

In continuous operation, the reactor has a shorter residence time, so when longer processing times are required, more reactors in series are required. Commercially available continuous devices are expected to have residence times of 30 to 60 seconds.

In an annular bed reactor with CSTR (continuous stirred tank reactor) behavior, which means that solids and gases are ideally mixed (or at least with a forward mixing mode and a backward mixing mode going straight), the reactor has no distinct particulate material feeding points and gas stream feeding points, since the flow pattern in the processing zone is a closed loop with an infinite (or at least ambiguous) length. This appears to result in an average of the same mass and energy dissipation/exchange anywhere in the processing zone. The advantage is a very constant heat/mass distribution and a very good control of the temperature in the bed. However, CSTR behavior is accompanied by a broad residence time distribution, since a portion of the particulate material takes a short path from the inlet to the outlet of the processing zone with a short residence time, while another portion continues to circulate in the processing zone longer than on average. This means that some particles may actually leave the reactor untreated, as well as other particles that are discharged in an over-reacted state. The result is a broad distribution of the handling characteristics of the particulate material, although the average is good.

The present invention aims to mitigate, at least to some extent, one or more of the above-mentioned disadvantages.

Disclosure of Invention

The object of the present invention is to increase the utilization of the available reactor volume in a gas-solid contacting device.

It is a further object of the present invention to improve the uniformity of residence time and hence the contact time between the particulate material and the gas, thereby improving the processing of individual particles.

It is a further object of the present invention to allow residence times to be extended beyond the typical values described above compared to prior art configurations having similar diameters, thereby at least partially avoiding the necessity of multiple reactors in series if longer processing times are required.

According to the invention, an apparatus for processing a stream of particulate material by contact with a gas stream comprises:

a housing defining a process chamber,

the processing chamber includes:

a chamber disposed at a lower portion of the process chamber, the chamber having a gas inlet for introducing a flow of gas into the chamber,

a contact zone disposed above the chamber for contacting the stream of particulate material with the stream of gas,

wherein the chamber and the contact zone are separated by a gas distribution plate,

wherein the contact zone comprises a contact path for contact between the flow of particulate material and the flow of gas, the contact zone having at least one cylindrical partition upstanding from the gas distribution plate separating an inner section of the contact path from an adjacent annular outer section, wherein the at least one partition is provided with a transfer opening configured to allow the particulate material to travel from the inner section to the adjacent annular outer section,

wherein the gas distribution plate is provided with openings configured to allow a gas flow to travel from the chamber to the contact zone in an obliquely upwardly directed direction to establish a displacement of the particulate material in the contact zone in a displacement direction along the contact path,

an inlet for supplying the particulate material to the inner section of the contacting path at a supply location which is located upstream of the transfer opening in the adjacent partition, as seen in the direction of displacement of the particulate material in the inner section of the contacting path,

an outlet for discharging the processed particulate material from the outer annular section of the contacting path at a discharge location downstream of the transfer opening in the adjacent partition, as viewed in a direction of displacement of the particulate material in the outer annular section of the contacting path.

The apparatus according to the invention comprises a process chamber which typically has a circular cross-section bounded by an upstanding wall of the housing. In the lower part of the process chamber a chamber with a gas inlet for feeding gas (hereinafter also referred to as lower chamber; in the art also referred to as windbox) is arranged, which is separated from the above contact zone by a gas distribution plate (in the art also referred to as blade or vane) in which a plurality of openings (hereinafter also referred to as swirl openings) are provided. The swirl opening introduces an oblique rotational component to the gas jet entering the contact zone from the chamber, resulting in a displacement of the particulate material in a displacement direction from the supply position along the contact path to the discharge position. At least one cylindrical partition standing from the gas distribution plate is arranged in the contact zone. There are typically a number of partitions, such as in the range of 2 to 10, for example 3 to 5, having different diameters, for example 0.2 times (see below), 0.4 times, 0.6 times and 0.8 times the inner diameter of the process chamber. The partition defines a contact path from a supply location of the particulate material to a discharge location of the particulate material, wherein the gas stream contacts and carries the particulate material as a moving (sliding) layer or bed over the gas distribution plate. The divider divides the contact path into an inner contact path section, typically an inner annular contact path section, and an adjacent outer annular contact path section. In the case of multiple partitions, the inner (annular) contact path section will be referred to as the innermost (annular) contact path section and the outer annular contact path section will be referred to as the outermost annular contact path section, while any annular contact path section disposed between the innermost (annular) contact path section and the outermost annular contact path section is referred to as the intermediate annular contact path section. Particulate material is fed to the inner (annular) contact path section through an inlet at a supply location and the processed particulate material is discharged from the outer annular section through an outlet at a discharge location together with the gas stream or a portion thereof. Each partition has a transfer opening (also referred to as a port) that allows particulate material being processed to be transferred from an inner section of the contact path to an adjacent outer section by centrifugal force induced by the gas flow. Thus, the particulate material being processed follows a helical path from the inner section to the discharge outlet at the outer section, the movement being forced by the gas flow through the swirl openings in the gas distribution plate. The supply position of the particulate material in the inner (annular) section is located upstream of the transfer opening in the adjacent partition, advantageously such that the supplied particulate material is displaced to the transfer opening along the (annular) inner contact path section substantially across its entire (circular) length. A short-cut from the supply position to the transfer opening is thus prevented. Advantageously, the supply position in the inner (annular) section of the contact path is at least 270 ° apart from the transfer opening in the adjacent partition, as seen in the direction of displacement of the particulate material in the inner section of the contact path. Preferably, the supply position is also adjacent to the transfer opening in the adjacent partition, when viewed in a direction opposite to the direction of displacement of the particulate material in the inner section of the contact path. The overlap is possible provided that the rotational component of the velocity is large enough to prevent a shortcut of the particulate material from the supply position to the transfer opening or from the transfer opening to the discharge position. The supplied particulate material is displaced along the annular contact path section from the supply position to the transfer opening across substantially the entire circular length of the annular contact path section. The same reasoning applies for the position of the discharge outlet relative to the transfer opening. Advantageously, the discharge position in the outer annular section of the contact path is at least 270 ° apart from the transfer openings in the adjacent inwardly arranged partitions, as seen in the direction of displacement of the particulate material in the outer annular section of the contact path, preferably adjacent to the transfer openings in the adjacent partitions, as seen in the direction opposite to the direction of displacement of the particulate material in the outer annular section of the contact path.

Typically, the particulate material is fed to the inner contacting path section co-currently, preferably tangentially, with respect to the rotationally generated gas flow. It is possible to have more than one supply location in the internal contact path section.

Optionally, the process chamber also has an upper exhaust section connected to the outlet to remove the gas stream (or the remainder of the gas stream) and any dust and light particles of entrained particulate material from the process chamber. The dust and light particles may be filtered out of the gas stream and returned into the particle stream or otherwise collected, for example using a cyclone separator arranged in the upper discharge section with the rotational motion of the gas stream already introduced. The gas may be recirculated to the chamber, optionally after adjusting certain characteristics of the gas such as temperature, pressure, composition and/or moisture content.

Compared to prior art devices that utilize only their outer (about 20%) peripheral portions, the device according to the present invention has a contact area that covers a large cross-sectional area of the process chamber. Thus, the operation of the apparatus utilizes a larger cross-sectional area of the process chamber for contact between the gas and the solid. Furthermore, because the flow of particulate material has plug flow characteristics, the residence time can be controlled in a precise manner, thereby ensuring that individual particles are subjected to substantially the same processing. Furthermore, by providing a well-defined helical contact path bounded by partitions, residence times can be extended compared to prior art annular bed reactor configurations while maintaining the favorable mass and energy transfer characteristics resulting from intimate contact.

In a preferred embodiment, the contact zone comprises a plurality of upstanding cylindrical partitions, each partition having a transfer opening configured to allow particulate material to travel from an inner section to an adjacent outer section of the contact path, wherein, when viewed in the direction of displacement of the particulate material in the annular section of the contact path between adjacent partitions, the transfer openings in the inner partition are located upstream of the transfer openings in the outer adjacent partition, preferably, when viewed in the direction of displacement of the particulate material in the annular section of the contact path between adjacent partitions, the transfer openings in the inner partition are spaced at least 270 deg. from the transfer openings in the outer adjacent partition, more preferably, when viewed in a direction opposite to the direction of displacement of the particulate material in the annular section of the contact path between adjacent partitions, the transfer openings in the outer partitions are adjacent to the transfer openings in the adjacent inner partitions. In these arrangements, the particulate material is preferably forced to flow from its inlet through the entire circular length of each annular flow section path to its outlet, thereby preventing direct short-cutting from one transfer opening in a partition via a direct line of sight to a transfer opening in an outer adjacent partition thereby bypassing intermediate annular contact path sections between adjacent partitions.

In another advantageous embodiment, the gas inlet comprises a central duct extending vertically through the contact zone into the gas chamber, the duct delimiting an inner side of the inner annular contact path section. In this embodiment, a central duct having a diameter of, for example, 0.2 times the diameter of the process chamber serves as the inner boundary of the inner annular contact path section, thereby facilitating the initial rotational movement of the particulate material and gas stream. Furthermore, feeding the gas flow to the chamber in a vertical direction opposite to the upward gas flow through the swirl openings improves the gas distribution in the chamber. Typically, the central conduit extends downwardly from the top of the process chamber to the lower chamber. Preferably, the gas flow is at least partially removed from the process chamber via a gas outlet concentrically surrounding the central conduit at the top of the process chamber.

Advantageously, the swirl openings having an angled configuration are adapted to the annular contact path section into which they open. In a preferred embodiment, the gas distribution plate comprises outwardly directed slit-shaped openings arranged in ring segments, wherein in each ring segment the openings are arranged at a radial angle with respect to a radius of the gas distribution plate. The slit shape of the swirl openings covers substantially the entire width of the annular contact path section, ensuring that the particulate material is displaced under the action of the gas flow and preventing dead zones. The radial angle, which is typically in the range of 15 ° to 30 °, takes into account that the particulate material tends to accumulate at the partition or housing wall due to centrifugal forces and forces the particulate material forward. In the annular section, the radial angle is generally constant. The radial angle may vary from section to section, in particular the radial angle of the slit-shaped swirl openings decreases stepwise from the innermost annular section to the outermost section.

In a preferred embodiment, the gas distribution plate comprises outwardly directed slit-shaped openings arranged in the annular section, wherein the openings have an axial angle with respect to the axis of the contact zone in the direction of the flow of particulate material, so as to provide a flow of gas in an obliquely upward direction to establish a displacement of the particulate material along the contact path in the contact zone. Typically the axial angle is in the range 45 ° to 60 °.

In a preferred embodiment, the gas distribution plate comprises a slit-shaped opening arranged in the ring-shaped section, wherein the width of the slit-shaped opening increases from its inner end to its outer end. In this embodiment, the flow area of the swirl openings increases outwards to compensate for the larger flow of particulate material at the outer portion of the annular section.

Most preferably, the swirl openings are arranged at a radial angle, an axial angle and have a trapezoidal shape with the minor base at its inner end and the major base at its outer end, as described above.

To further enhance and/or control the gas distribution in the chamber to the gas distribution plate, preferably the chamber comprises a manifold arranged below the gas distribution plate, the manifold having a manifold opening with adjustable dimensions. The adjustable manifold openings allow for adjustment of the gas flow according to the desired ratio at a particular contacting path segment. For example, in drying particulate material using (heated) air, the wet particulate material is fed to the innermost annular contact path section where more heat is required to dry the particulate material than the intermediate section (if any) and the outermost annular contact path section where the particulate material enters the intermediate section and the outermost annular contact path section in a partially dried state.

In an example, the manifold is of the baffle type that allows control of the size of the opening of each segment. For example, the manifold comprises a lower annular plate section with a lower manifold opening and an upper annular plate section with an upper manifold opening, wherein the cooperating lower and upper annular plate sections are concentrically displaceable relative to each other.

In a further embodiment, each or several of the annular contact path sections of the total number of sections are fed with a dedicated gas flow in terms of temperature, humidity, pressure and/or composition, for example using a gas manifold consisting of annular flow channels each having its own gas inlet, which gas manifold can be used with dedicated gas from a suitable source. Such an embodiment allows different machining operations to be performed on the particulate material in sequence in the annular contact path section from the inside to the outside of the contact zone.

The manifold opening may have a radially slotted configuration. In an advantageous embodiment, the manifold opening has an arcuate cross-sectional slotted configuration.

In order to force the particulate material through the discharge outlet at the outer annular contact path section, the annular outer contact path section may have a deflector for directing the processed particulate material to the discharge outlet, thereby advantageously spacing the openings in the adjacent partitions inwardly from the discharge position of the outlet.

The transfer opening in the partition, through which the particulate material is transferred from one annular contact path section to an adjacent annular contact path section arranged outwardly with respect to the annular contact path section, advantageously has an adjustable size. In an embodiment, the height of the partition above the gas distribution plate is adjustable, for example using a slide. To allow a certain retention of the particulate material in the annular contact path section, the transfer opening may be positioned at a height above the plane of the gas distribution plate. The displacement pattern of the particulate material, the retention of the particulate material and the gas flow rate are then linked together. In order to avoid a standstill of the moving bed of particulate material, it is advantageous to be able to adjust, preferably to automatically adjust, the height of the opening, in particular the lower edge of the transfer opening. The lowest level of the lower edge is at the level of the gas distribution plate. Then no retention occurs.

In a further preferred embodiment, the downstream portion of the wall delimiting the transfer opening in the partition is arranged obliquely upwards. When particles having a long dimension, such as thread-like particles, e.g. fibers, collide against the vertical edge of the partition wall delimiting the transfer opening, these particles tend to fold up and adhere to this edge. Over time, the number of adhered particles may increase and accumulate into clusters, which may be an obstacle to the transfer of other particles through the partition openings. Thus, the exit annular contact path section may start to stop. This problem can be avoided by providing a portion inclined upwards, for example 45 deg.. The collapsed particles do not adhere at the point of impact but slide to a higher position above the moving bed of particulate material so that the collapsed particles do not block the transfer opening. After a certain growth, the clusters become too large, fall down and split. In another embodiment, a downwardly inclined portion is provided adjacent to the upwardly inclined portion. In this embodiment, any particles sliding on the upwardly inclined portion will loosen ("jump down") at the top of the upwardly inclined portion due to the sudden absence of support.

In order to prevent the particulate material from spilling over from one annular contact path to the adjacent outside over the top edge of the partition, the top of the partition is advantageously provided with a retainer, for example an inwardly directed strip partially covering the adjacent inner contact path section.

The apparatus according to the invention can be used for many treatments of particulate material or gases involved, such as thermal processing of biomass material, including cooling, drying, torrefaction, pyrolysis, combustion and/or gasification of biomass material, chemical processing including catalytic processing, and cooling or drying of feed or food. Other applications include the separation of particulate material into fractions based on shape, mass, size and/or density, such as screening, where the device according to the invention is used as a wind direction changer. Typically, the particulate material is a bulk item, such as biomass, food and feed, and other biological materials. Plastic materials can also be processed in the device according to the invention. In the case of a moist material with a high tendency to (temporarily) adhere to the partition, in particular the partition wall portions at the inner contact path sections, may be provided with a non-stick coating. In the case of processing abrasive particulate materials, a wear resistant coating may be applied. Such coatings may be provided as separate inserts, such as sheets or the like, that may be easily replaced and/or replaced. One or more of the partitions may itself be heated and/or cooled, such as a partition having two walls. The heating of the partitions, in particular of the innermost partition, reduces the risk of undesired condensate depositing and adhering at the individual partitions.

Drawings

The invention is further illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a gas-solid contacting device according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 shows a cross-section of the contact zone of the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows a top view of swirl openings in a gas distribution plate;

FIG. 4 shows the cross-section A-A of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 shows cross-section B-B of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 illustrates an embodiment of a manifold;

FIG. 7 shows a detail of the manifold opening; and

fig. 8 shows an embodiment of a transfer opening in a partition.

Detailed Description

In fig. 1, an embodiment of a gas-solid contacting device is schematically illustrated and generally designated by the reference numeral 10. Figure 2 shows a cross-section at a level directly above the gas distribution plate of a gas-solid contacting device.

The gas-solid contacting device 10 comprises a cylindrical housing 12, the housing 12 having a bottom wall 14 and a top wall 16 defining a process chamber 18. The process chamber 18 defines a lower chamber 20, a contact zone 22, and a gas header section 24. The housing 12 is provided with a gas inlet 26, the gas inlet 26 being connected to a vertical central conduit 28, the central conduit 28 extending through a gas distribution plate 30 into the lower chamber 20. The gas distribution plate 28 is provided with a plurality of swirl openings 32, the plurality of swirl openings 32 being configured to inject a directed gas jet from the gas chamber 20 into the contact zone 22. The swirl openings 32 are sized to prevent particulate material 31 (shown as two dashed lines in fig. 1) from entering the chamber 20 from the contact zone 22. A cylindrical partition 34 is provided on top of the gas distribution plate 30 in the contact zone 22, thereby forming a contact path comprising: an inner (innermost) annular contact path section 36 and adjacent intermediate annular contact path sections 38' and 38 ", and an outer (outermost) contact path section 40 having a tangential outlet 42 for discharging the processed particulate material at the discharge location. The particulate material is fed by a feed injector 44 (see also fig. 2), an outlet 46 of the feed injector 44 at the supply location is positioned at the innermost section 36 between the central duct 28 and the innermost partition 34, and the outlet 46 delivers the particulate material as a layer in a direction co-current with the gas flow through the swirl openings 32. The particulate material is forced by the gas flow in a helical contact path (see fig. 2 and indicated by the thick arrows) from the outlet 46 along the innermost section 36, through the transfer openings 50 in the innermost partition 34, along the intermediate section 38 ', through the transfer openings 50 in the intermediate partition 34', along the intermediate portion 38 ", through the transfer openings 50" in the outermost partition 34 ", and through the outlet 42 along the outermost section 40. As shown, the transfer opening 50 in the innermost partition 34 is nearly adjacent to the outlet 46 of the feed injector 44 in the innermost annular contact path section 34, such that the portion of the particulate material that is transferred through the transfer opening 50 creates a void in the flow of particulate material in the innermost annular contact path section 34, which void is subsequently filled by the fresh particulate material supplied by the feed injector 44. This transfer and subsequent refilling is repeated in the intermediate section and in the outermost section relative to the discharge outlet 42. The transfer opening 50 'in the intermediate partition 34' is adjacent to the transfer opening 50 in the innermost partition 34 but downstream of that transfer opening 50. The staggered configuration of the supply, transfer and discharge positions relative to each other forces the particulate material to complete an almost complete annular contact path section (arc section >270 °) before being transferred to an outwardly positioned adjacent section. Optionally, a deflector wall 54 is positioned in the outermost annular contact path section 40, the deflector wall 54 directing the processed particulate material or a portion thereof through the outlet 42 at an outlet location. In this embodiment, at the top of the process chamber 18, the gas collection section 22 houses one or more separators 60, such as cyclones, in which dust and lighter particles are separated from the gas stream. The gas stream exits the housing 12 through the gas outlet 62. Fig. 1 also shows that the inner partition 34 is provided with a retainer 64 to prevent the flow of particulate material from the innermost annular contact path section 36 to the adjacent intermediate annular contact path section 38'. In the illustrated embodiment, the chamber 20 is provided with a gas manifold 66.

Fig. 2 schematically shows that the swirl openings 32 have a slit shape. The slit length approximates the width of the corresponding annular contact path section. The slits are arranged at a radial angle α, wherein the radial angle α of the slits decreases progressively from the innermost section 36 to the outermost section 40.

Fig. 3 shows an embodiment of the slit-shaped swirl openings 32 in more detail. As is apparent from the cross-sections a-a and B-B in fig. 4 and 5, the slit-shaped swirl openings also have an axial angle γ, while the width of the slits increases from the inner end 68 towards the outer end 70.

Figure 6 partially illustrates an embodiment of a baffle type manifold 66. The manifold 66 comprises an upper manifold plate comprising a plurality of annular upper manifold segments 72 held in place within profiled beams 74, in the lower part of the manifold 66, similar annular lower manifold segments 76 being arranged in a sliding manner. The upper manifold section 72 and the lower manifold section 76 are provided with upper manifold openings 78 and lower manifold openings 80, respectively, typically in the form of arcuate, sector-like openings. By rotating the lower manifold section 76 (indicated by the arrows), the flow area of the gases may be adjusted, as shown in fig. 7, wherein the lower manifold opening 80 is not perfectly aligned with the upper manifold opening 78.

Fig. 8 shows an embodiment of the transfer opening 50 in the partition 34 in more detail. The transfer opening 50 is defined by: an upstanding upstream edge 90, an upper edge 92, a portion of the top surface of the gas distribution plate 30 adjacent the upstanding upstream edge, an upwardly inclined downstream edge portion 94 of the partition 34, and an adjacent downwardly inclined portion 96. The angled portion 94 acts as a sliding surface for particles, particularly long particles such as fibers, and prevents clogging of the transfer opening 50. At the bottom, a movable, for example sliding, lower edge section 98 is arranged, whereby the transfer cross section of the opening 50 can be adjusted. The actuator for positioning the lower edge portion 98 is not shown. The same configuration may be applied to the discharge outlet of the processed particulate material.