CA1121236A - Fluidized bed heat exchanger utilizing angularly extending heat exchange tubes - Google Patents

Fluidized bed heat exchanger utilizing angularly extending heat exchange tubes

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Publication number
CA1121236A
CA1121236A CA000337205A CA337205A CA1121236A CA 1121236 A CA1121236 A CA 1121236A CA 000337205 A CA000337205 A CA 000337205A CA 337205 A CA337205 A CA 337205A CA 1121236 A CA1121236 A CA 1121236A
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CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
bed
tubes
heat exchanger
steam drum
extending
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired
Application number
CA000337205A
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Fred M. Talmud
Juan-Antonio G. Mallol
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Foster Wheeler Energy Corp
Original Assignee
Foster Wheeler Energy Corp
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Foster Wheeler Energy Corp filed Critical Foster Wheeler Energy Corp
Priority to CA000337205A priority Critical patent/CA1121236A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of CA1121236A publication Critical patent/CA1121236A/en
Expired legal-status Critical Current

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  • Fluidized-Bed Combustion And Resonant Combustion (AREA)

Abstract

A FLUIDIZED BED HEAT EXCHANGER
UTILIZING ANGULARLY EXTENDING HEAT EXCHANGE TUBES

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

A fluidized bed heat exchanger in which air is passed through a bed of particulate material containing fuel disposed in a housing. A steam/water natural circulation system is provided and includes a steam drum disposed adjacent the fluidized bed and a series of tubes connected at one end to the steam drum. A portion of the tubes are connected to a water drum and in the path of the air and the gaseous products of combustion exiting from the bed. Another por-tion of the tubes pass through the bed and extend at an angle to the upper surface of the bed.

Description

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-``A FLUIDIZED BED HEAT EXCHAM~,ER
UTILIZIN& ANGULARLY EXTENDING HEAT EXCHANGE TUBES

BACXGROUND OF THE I~VENTION

This invention relates to a fluidized bed heat exchanger and, more particularly, to such a heat exchanger employing a plurality of heat exchange tubes a portion of each of which are immersed in the fluidized bed.
The use of fluidized beds has long been recognized as an attractive means of generating heat. In these arrange-ments air is passed through a bed of particulate material which includes a mixture of inert material, a fuel materialsuch as high sulfur, bituminous coal and, usually, adsorbent material for the sulfux released as a result of the combustion of the coal. As a result of the air passing through the bed, the bed is fluidized which promotes the combustion of the fuel. The basic advantages of such an arrangement are many and include a relatively high heat transfer rate, a substan-tially uniform bed temperature, combustion at relatively low ~;
temperatures, ease of handling the fuel materials, a reduc-~0 tion in corrosion and boiler fouling and a reduction in boiler size.
When a fluidized bed of the above type is utilized ;~
in a heat exchange environment, such as in a steam generator or boiler, a plurality of heat exchange tubes are normally provided for passing water in a heat e~change relation to -the fluidized bed. In most of these arrangements, the tubes are disposed in a serpentine relationship with a great majority of the lengths of the tubes extending horizontally, ,~
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i.e., parallel to the upper surface of the bed. However, " this type of arrangement results in less than optimum operational efficiency since, for example, pumps are required to insure satisfactory circulation of the water and steam through the horizontal portions of the tubes. Also, for a given required hea~ output it is difficult to maintain an optimum temperature range for the combustion and/or other reaction without either mechanically increasing the cooling fluid velocity or increasing the number of tubes and, of 0 course, the number of penetrations through the bed floor or walls. Also, it has been discovered that in the case of horizontal tubes passing a liquid~vapor mixture in the foregoing manner, irregular cooling of the internal surface of the tube occurs which results in hot spotting and pre-mature failing of the tubes. Further, with the use of horizontally disposed heat exchange tubes it is difficult to control the bed temperature in a linear manner. ~;
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It i~ therefore an object of the present invention '0 to provide a fluidized bed heat exchanger which, for a given heat output, uses a minimu~ of heat exchange tubes for maintaining an optimum temperature range for the combustion process.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a heat exchanger of the above type in which a smaller number of tubes and number of penetrations through the bed ~-floor or walls is re~uired when compared to that of~a standard horizontal tube heat exchanger for a given heat output.

It i~ a still further object of the present inven-tion to provide a heat exchanger of the above type in which a uniform cooling of the internal sùrfaces of the tubes is achieved to prevent hot spotting and premature failing of the tubes.

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-- It is a further object of th~ present invention to provide a heat exchanger of the above type which eliminates the need for circulation pumps and the necessity to mechanically increase the cooling fluid velocity to obtain a yiven heat out-put for a selected number of tubes.
Toward the fulfillment of these and other objects the system of the present invention comprises a heat exchanger comprising a housing, means defining a chamber in the housing, means for establishing at least one bed of particulate material containing fuel in the lower portion of the chamber, and means for passing air through the bed to fluidize the material and promote the combustion of the fuel, the air combining with the gaseous products of combustion of the fuel and passing through the upper portion of the chamber. The exchanger also comprises a steam drum, a series of tubes connected at one end to the steam drum, with a portion of each of the tubes extending through the lower and upper chamber portions. The tube portions extend through the lower chamber portion and are immersed in the bed with at least a portion thereof extending at an acute angle to the upper surface `
of the bed. The tube portions extend through the upper chamber portion vertically, and means connect the steam drum to the other `
end of the tubes for permitting water to pass from the steam drum, through the tube portions, and back to the steam drum, to transfer i~
heat from the fluidized bed and the air andigaseous products of combustion to the water.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
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The above description, as well as further objects, features, and advantages of the present invention, will be more fully appreciated by reference to the following description 30 of a presently-preferred but nonetheless illustrative ~-~;
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-- embodiment in accordance with the pxesent invention, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:
Fig. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the heat exchanger of the present invention;
Fig. 2 is a schematic horizontal cross-sectional view o the heat exchanger of the present invention taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. l; and Figs. 3-6 are partial views of a portion of the componentry of Fig. l showing alternate arrangements of the immersed portions of the tubes.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODI`MENTS
Referring specifically to Fig. l of the`drawings the reference numeral lO refers in general to the fluidized bed heat exchanger of the present invention which, for the purposes of example, is shown in the form of a steam generator.
The generator includes an outer vessel having a top wall or roof 12, an upper front wall 14a, a lower front wall 14b, a rear wall 16, and two sidewalls, one of which is shown by the reference numerai 18.
A pair of spaced partition walls 20 and 22 extend parallel to the rear wall 16 and between the sidewalls 18 `;
and define chambers 24 and 26. A horizontally extending air distribution plate 28 extends between the partition wall 22 and the rear wall 16, between the two sidewalls 18 near the ;
lower portion o~ each chamber 24 and 26, and in a spaced ~
relation to the floor of the vessel to define air distribu- `; -tion chambers 30 and 32 respectively. Two beds of particu-late material, shown in general by the reference numerals 34 _ 5 _ .. . .... ..

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-- and 36, are disposed in the chambers 24 and 26, respectively and are supported by the plate 28. Each bed of particulate material includes a mixture of crushed coal and an inert material such as commercial grade hematite iron ore. Also, a fine limestone or dolomite can be included for use as an adsorbent for the sulfur released during the combustion of the fuel r in a conventional manner.
As better shown in Fig. 2, two spreader coal feeders 38 and 40 are mounted to one sidewall 18 for intro-ducing the fuel and limestone mixture into the beds 34 and 36, respectively, while a limestone feed pipe 42 is mounted in the wall 16 for introducing the limestone into the bed 34 and a limestone feed pipe 44 is mounted through the latter sidewall 18 for introducing limestone into the bed 36. A
drain 46 is provided for each of the beds 3~ and 36 and ~;
extends through the plate 28 for permitting the spent par-ticulate material to discharge from the bèd as will described -in detail later.
As also shown with reference to Fig. 2, each of the walls 16, 18, 20, and 22 are formed by a plurality of tubes having two longitudinally extending fins connected to diametrically opposite portions thereof with the fins of adjacent tubes being welded together to farm a gas-tight structure. Further, an outer layer of insulating material ~8 extends around and encloses the tubular rear wall 16 and the sidewalls 18 and also forms the roaf 12 and the upper ;~
and lower front walls 14a and 14b of the vessel.

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Referring again to Fig. 1, two air distribution ducts 50 and 52 are disposed immediately below the air distribution chambers 30 and 32, respectively, for distri-buting air to the latter chambers and into the beds 34 and 36, respectively. The air flows through the ducts 50 and 52 under the control of dampers 54 and 55, respectively, located in the ducts and then upwardly through the chambers 30 and 32 and the plate 28 to fluidize the beds 34 and 36 and promote the combustion of the particulate fuel matexial.
The air, after passing through the beds 34 and 36 and taking part in the combustion reactions combines with the gaseous products of combustion and exits outwardly from the chambers 24 and 26, respectively, in a manner to be described in detail later.
A water/steam circulation system is provided between the partition wall 22 and the upper front wall 14a ;
and includes an upper steam drum 56 and a lower water, or mud, drum 58. A boiler bank 60 is also provided and consists of a multiplicity of spaced tubes connecting the steam drum ~0 56 and the water drum 58 to place them in fluid communica-tion. The steam drum 56 is supported by external support structure (not shown) and the water drum 58 is supported by the steam drum through the boiler bank 60.
Two pairs of downcomers 62 and 64 extend down-wardly from the steam drum, with one downcomer of each pair being shown in Fig. 1. The downcomer 62 is connected to a series of horizontal feed pipes 65 and 66 located at the lower portion of the vessel with one feed pipe of each series being shown in Fig. 1. The feed pipes 65 are connected in ~ . . ~ . :. , . , , ;

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fluid communication with a horizontal header 68 and a horizontal header 70 which, in turn, are connected in fluid communication with the lower ends of the tubes forming the partition wall 22 and one of the sidewalls 18, respectively.
In a similar manner, the feed pipes 66 are connected to a horizontal header 72 which is connected in flow communica-tion with the lower ends of the tubes forming the partition wall 20. The downcomers 64 are connected to a series of feed pipes 74 and 76, one of each of which are shown in Fig. 1, with the feed pipes 74 being connected in fluid communication with a header 77 which, in turn, is connected to the lower ends of the tubes forming the rear wall 16. Although not clear from the drawings it is understood that the fieed pipes 76 are connected to a header (not shown) which is in fluid communication with the lower ends of the tubes forming the other sidewall 18.
An upper header 78, located adjacent the roof 12 is connected to the upper ends of the tubes forming the sidewall 18 shown in Fig. l for receiving the fluid from the;~
20 latter~ A plurality of rlser tubes 79 are connected between ;
the header 78 and the steam drum 56 for passing the 1uid back to the steam drum. It is understood that another header similar to header 78 is provided in connection with the tubes forming the other sidewall 18 and~ is connected, via additional tubes, to the steam drum 56.
Referring again to Fig. l, the upper portions of the tubes forming the walls 16, 20, and 22 are bent into a ;~
horizontal configuration as shown and are connected to the steam drum 56 to complete the flow circuit. In this respect it is noted that the finned portions of the tubes forming ;`

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- the walls 20 and 22 texminate at points shown by the reference numerals 20a and 22a, respectively but that the tubes forming these walls continue upwardly and are bent over as shown for connection to the steam drum 56. As a result, the air and gaseous products of combustion from the beds 34 and 36 can pass through the spaces thus defined between the upper portions of the tubes forming the walls 20 and 22, as they exit from the chambers 24 and 26, respectively, as will be described in detail later.
An additional circuit for the passage of the water and steam is provided by two series of bed tubes ~0 and 82 which are connected at their lower ends to the headers 77 and 72, respectively, and which pass upwardly in a substan-tially vertical manner through the air distribution chambers 30 and 32, and into the lower portions of the beds 34 and 36, respectively. The bed tubes 80 and 82 are then bent at an angle to the upper surface of the beds 34 and 36, respec-tively, and e~tend diagonally across the beds whereby they are bent again to extend vertically upwardly through the remaining portions of the chambers 24 and 26, respectively, before they are bent a~ain into a substantially horizontal configuration for connection to the steam drum 56.
A gas outlet 90 is provided in the upper front wall 14a for the discharge of the air and gaseous products of cQmbustion from the chambers 24 and 26. In passing from ;
the latter chambers the air and gaseous products of combustion pass over the boiler bank 60 to add heat to the water/steam in the tubes forming the boiler bank as will be described in detail later. A steam outlet 92 is provided in the steam _ g ~

3~i drum 56 for providing for the discharge of the steam to another unit, such as a steam turbine, or the like.
In operation, the particulate fuel material in the beds 34 and 36 is ignited by ignitors, or the like (not shown) disposed in the beds and preferably in an ignition zone at the ends of the beds, in a conventional manner. Air is passed through the air ducts 50 and 52 under control of the dampers 54 and into the air distribution chambers 30 and 32, respectivelv, for passage upwardly through the plate 28 and into the beds 34 and 36, respectively. This fluidizes the particulate bed material and promotes the combustion of the fuel material, after which the excess air combines with the gaseous products of the combust~on of the fuel material .
and flows upwardly into the upper portions of the chambers 24 and 26 before exiting from the chambers and passing . : :
across the boiler bank 60 before discharging through the vessel via the outlet 90.
Water is circulated from the steam drum 56 through the boiler bank 60 and into the water drum 58 and, from the downcomers 62 and 64 to the bed tu~es 80 and 82 and the tubes forming the walls 16, 18, 20, and 22, as described ~-:
previously. The hot air and gases passing over the boiler bank 60 add heat to the water passing through the tubes of : -the latter, to convert a portion of it to steam with the ..
water/steam mixture.rising in the tubes by natural convec-tion and passing back into the steam drum 56. It is under-stood that the steam drum 56 may be provided with separators to separate the steam from the watex in a conventional manner before the steam exits from the steam outlet 92. The -- 1 0 -- .

1 ,r2:3L Z3Çi ~ heat generated by the fluidized beds 34 and 36 also adds heat to the water flowing through the tube banks 80 and 82 disposed in the chambers 24 and 26 and particularly those portions thereof immersed in the fluidized beds 34 and 36.
The portion of the water that is not converted to steam will recirculate in the foregoing manner and additional feedwater is supplied to the drum 56 through an lnlet (not shown) to `~
replenish the water that is converted to steam.
Figs. 3-6 depict alternate embodiments of the particular arrangement of the bed tubes and their relation to the fluidized beds. These alternate embodiments will be described in connection with the fluidi~ed bed 34 and its associated bed tubes, and other components that are identi-cal to the components in the previous embodiment are referred to by the same reference numerals.
In the embodiment of Fig. 3, a series of bed tubes 94 is provided which extend from a header 95 disposed exter-nally of the vessel and adjacent the rear wall 16. The tubes 94 extend through the wall 16 and diagonally through 20 the bed 34 before bendtng upwardly into a vertical direction ~`
as shown. Otherwise this embodiment is identical to that of the previous embodiment. ~
In the embodiment of Fig. 4 two series of bed -tubes 96 and 98 are provided and extend in a substantially "Y" configuration with the lower ends of both series of tubes being connected to a common lower header 100. The bed tubes 96 include outwardly slanted portions 96b extending through the bed 34 and vertical portions 96c which extend through the remaining portion of the chamber 24 before -~
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bending across to the steam drum 56. ~he tubes 98 are arranged in a similar manner and therefore are not described in any further detail.
According to the embodiment of Fig. 5, a first and second series of bed tubes 102 and 104, respectively, are provided in the fluidized bed 34 and are configured to form an inverted Y as shown. Each bed tube 102 includes a vertical portion 102a connected to a header 106 disposed below the plate 28, a portion 102b extending through the fluidized bed and slanted inwardly towards the center of the bed, and an upper portion 102c extending vertically through the remaining portion of the chamber 24 and bending across for connection to the steam drum 56. The tubes 104 may be configured in a similar manner with the exception that the lo~er portions of these tubes are connected to a header 108.
In the embodiment of Fig. 6 a first series of bed tubes 110 have slanted portions llOa extending from a header 112 disposed externally of the vessel and adjacent the wall 16 and through the latter wall and the bed 34. The tubes 110 have yertical portions llOb which extend from the upper portion of the bed 34 and through the upper chamber 24 before'they are bent for connection to the steam drum 56.
Another series of bed tubes 114 are connected to a-header 116 disposed adjacent the wall 20 and are configured in a manner similar to the tubes 110.
It is understood that in each of the embodiments l of Figs. 3-6, another bed, similar to bed 36 of the first .
embodiment, can be provided adjacent the bed 34 and can ':
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contain bed tubes that are identical to the beds tubes described above in connection with bed 34.
The advantages of the foregoing arrangement are numerous. For example, the disposition of the slanted portions of the bed tubes 80 and 82 in the fluidized beds 34 and 36 increases the efficiency of the steam generator to the extent that a relatively hi~h heat output can be attained without mechanically increasing the cooling fluid velocity. ~ , Also only a relatively small number of tubes is required to attain a given heat output thus reducing the tube surface outside the bed and the number of penetrations through the bed floor. Also, due to the upflow of the fluid inside the slanted portions of the bed tubes, the fluid becomes lighter with increases in temperature and the resulting distribution of steam and water in the tubes promotes a uniform moistening of the inner wall af tubes thus preventing hot spotting and premature tube failure. Further, the bed temperature can be controlled in a linear fashion by simply modifying the bed height to change the amount of cooling surfaces. Still ~ -further, circulation pumps to pass the fluid through the bed tubes are not required due to the natural circulation result~ ~
ing from the slanted tube arrangement. ~` -It is also understood that the present invention has been described in connection with a steam generator only `~
~or the purposes of example and can be used in other appli- ~
cations consistent with the foregoing. ~ ;;
Other latitudes of modification, change and sub-stitution are intended in the foregoing disclosure and in some instances some features of the invention will be employed ' "

~3.~ 36 ~- without a corresponding use of other features. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the spirit and scope , of the invention herein.

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Claims (9)

The embodiments of the invention in which an ex-clusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:
1. A heat exchanger comprising a housing, means defining a chamber in said housing, means for establishing at least one bed of particulate material containing fuel in the lower portion of said chamber, means for passing air through said bed to fluidize said material and promote the combustion of said fuel, said air combining with the gaseous products of combustion of said fuel and passing through the upper portion of said chamber, a steam drum, a series of tubes connected at one end to said steam drum, a portion of each of said tubes extending through said lower and upper chamber portions, the tube portions extending through said lower chamber portion being immersed in said bed with at least a portion thereof extending at an acute angle to the upper surface of said bed, the tube portions extending through said upper chamber portion extending vertically, and means connecting said steam drum to the other end of said tubes for permitting water to pass from said steam drum, through said tube portions, and back to said steam drum to transfer heat from said fluidized bed and said air and gaseous products of combustion to said water.
2. The heat exchanger of Claim 1, further comprising a bank of additional tubes disposed adjacent said chamber and connected to said steam drum, and means for directing said air and gaseous products of combustion from said chamber over said bank of additional tubes to add heat to the water circulating through said additional tubes.
3. The heat exchanger of Claim 2, further comprising a water drum connected to said bank of additional tubes for permitting said water to circulate through said latter tubes and between said steam drum and said water drum.
4. The heat exchanger of Claim 3, wherein a portion of the water from said steam drum circulates through said first series of tubes and back to said steam drum and wherein a portion of the water from said steam drum circulates through said bank of additional tubes, through said water drum and back to said steam drum.
5. The heat exchanger of Claim 1, Claim 2 or Claim 3, wherein said angularly extending tube portions extend diagonally across said bed.
6. The heat exchanger of Claim 1, Claim 2 or Claim 3, wherein said angularly extending immersed tube portions extend from opposite sides of said beds towards the center of said beds.
7. The heat exchanger of Claim 1, wherein said immersed tube portions extend vertically upwardly in the lower portion of said bed and angularly in the upper portion of said bed.
8. The heat exchanger of Claim 7, wherein said vertically extending immersed tube portions extend along the center of said bed and wherein said angularly extending immersed tube portions extend outwardly from said vertically extending immersed tube portions in opposite directions.
9. The heat exchanger of Claim 7, wherein said vertically extending immersed tube portions are located adjacent opposite sides of said bed and wherein said angularly extending immersed tube portions extend inwardly from said vertically extending immersed tube portions towards the center of said bed.
CA000337205A 1979-10-09 1979-10-09 Fluidized bed heat exchanger utilizing angularly extending heat exchange tubes Expired CA1121236A (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CA000337205A CA1121236A (en) 1979-10-09 1979-10-09 Fluidized bed heat exchanger utilizing angularly extending heat exchange tubes

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CA000337205A CA1121236A (en) 1979-10-09 1979-10-09 Fluidized bed heat exchanger utilizing angularly extending heat exchange tubes

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA1121236A true CA1121236A (en) 1982-04-06

Family

ID=4115306

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA000337205A Expired CA1121236A (en) 1979-10-09 1979-10-09 Fluidized bed heat exchanger utilizing angularly extending heat exchange tubes

Country Status (1)

Country Link
CA (1) CA1121236A (en)

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