GB2033781A

GB2033781A - Releasing reactor pressure

Info

Publication number: GB2033781A
Application number: GB7933487A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Brennstoffinstitut Freiberg
Current assignee: Brennstoffinstitut Freiberg
Priority date: 1978-09-28
Filing date: 1979-09-27
Publication date: 1980-05-29
Also published as: GB2033781B

Abstract

The release of gaseous pressure from reactors used in the vaporization of fuels in the form of dust under pressure, gases containing H2 and CO being produced, is effected through a tube 12 disposed in the lower third of the reactor 8 which passes through a sheet-metal jacket 2, water jacket 3, pressure-carrying jacket 4 and the brickwork 5 and terminates in a cavity 10 between brickwork 5 and a colling shield 7, the cavity 10 being in communication with the reaction chamber 8 through a gap 6 in the upper third of the reactor. The medium for rendering the reactor inert is introduced through the same tube or another tube 11. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Apparatus for releasing pressure from reactors This invention relates to an apparatus for releasing pressure from reactors used for vaporization of fuels under pressure wherein the fuels are in the form of dust; gases containing H2 and CO being produced which can be used directly or after further treatment as heating gas, synthesis gas, reducing gas, or additives for other gases, preferably town gas and the like. Examples of fuels in the form of dust include brown coal and/or pit coal comminuted to the fineness of dust, solid carbonaceous residues from refinement of coal and petroleum comminuted to dust fineness and solid carbonaceous organic materials of corresponding fineness from other sources, for example wood waste, old tyres and plastics waste.

In view of the possible wide range of fuels, the vaporization of fuels in the form of dust with an oxidising agent containing oxygen by means of a flame combustion reaction has proved particularly advantageous. When carrying out this process at elevated pressure, release of hot gases under pressure from the reactor during closure and in breakdown situation has proved a particular technical problem.

It has been proposed to expell the hot gases, at a pressure of 20 to 50 bar via the common outlet for crude gas and liquid slag present in the lower part of the reactor and to effect a cooling of the gas at such location by means of sprinkling in water or by introducing the gas into a gas washer. A disadvantage of this known method is that, in the absence of fuel in the form of dust being delivered to the burner until the oxygen supply is closed, a certain amount of oxygen enters the reactor compartment. During pressure release, the gas containing oxygen reaches subsequent stages in the installation which can create a danger.Another disadvantage of this method of operation is that if the common outlet for gas and slag is closed by solidified slag and/ or by slag adhesions and parts of refractory material detached from the reactor wall, release of the gas by the proposed method is not possible.

An apparatus is known wherein a socket is disposed in the burner insert of the reactor in the upper portion of the reactor. At this socket there is a closing device followed by a quench section. A disadvantage of this apparatus is that in order to maintain the operational capacity of the closing device in service, a constant flushing with inert gases is necessark, as a result of which the costs of the inert gas rise usually nitrogen, and the quality of the gas produced, particularly the calorific value, drops. A further disadvantage results from the conditions in the reactor, wherein an obstruction of this opening by slag incrustation and slag plastering occurs whereby the operational capacity is impaired or operational incapacity occurs.A further disadvantage re sults from the fact that the whole apparatus including the socket must be constantly cooled with a cooling medium in order to ensUre operational capacity at the temperatures prevailing in the reactor. As a result, there is an additional demand for cooling water and energy to convey the cooling water with a prevailing pressure in the reactor chamber.

The invention seeks to provide an apparatus for releasing pressure from reactors for vaporisation of fuels in the form of dust at elevated pressure, wherein release of hot gases from the reactor chamber is effected without being impaired by flying or otherwise mobile slag particles, without excessive usage of inert gases or additional water cooling or internal spraying of water.

An object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for the vaporisation of fuels in the form of dust at elevated pressure, preferably pressures between 5 and 50 bar, wherein release of hot gases built up in the apparatus when taken out of service or in the event of breakdown is ensured continuously without danger or impairing the apparatus itself and subsequent stages of the installation with the minimum use of inert gases, cooling media and auxiliary energy.

According to the invention there is provided an apparatus for releasing pressure from a reactor used for the vaporization of fuels in the form of dust at pressures between 5 and 50 bar for producing gases containing H2 and CO, the apparatus consisting of a metal jacket, a water jacket, a pressure carrying jacket, a layer of brickwork, a cooling shield, a reaction chamber having an intervening gap in the upper region thereof, one or more sockets or similar junctions being located in the lower region of the reactor chamber and positioned from the exterior of the apparatus to a cavity between said cooling shield and layer of brickwork for supplying an inert medium to the reactor and releasing pressure produced in the reactor, said cavity being in communication with said reaction chamber through said intervening gap.

In a preferred embodiment the apparatus consists of a cooling shield which surrounds the whole reaction chamber except at the locations of burner or burners and the opening for the common removal of produced gas and slag. Adajcent the cooling shield, through which pressurised cooling water flows, a cavity is provided radially adjacent a layer of brickwork, the pressure-carrying jacket of the apparatus, a compartment with cooling medium, preferably cooling water and a sheetmetal jacket. The reactor chamber of the apparatus and the cavity adjacent the cooling shield are in communication through a gap in the reactor chamber in the upper part thereof, preferably at the transition between the vertical reactor wall and an arched cover.A socket or similar junction is fitted behind the cooling shield, preferably in the lower portion of the apparatus, which leads from the exterior through the sheet-metal jacket, the water jacket, the pressure-carrying jacket and the brickwork to the cavity adjacent the cooling shield. When the apparatus commences operation and during operation, this cavity is flushed with inert gas, preferably nitrogen. By using such an apparatus according to the invention, hot gas under pressure is drawn off through the above-mentioned socket, and the gas flows out of the reaction chamber through the gap in the cooling shield into the cavity adjacent thereto and is cooled during travel from this gap to the socket at the rear wall of the cooling shield which is colder than both gas and the brickwork.

In addition, in order to accelerate the pressure release, a quench tube may be provided in the apparatus for indirect cooling.

In a further embodiment of the invention, supply of the inert medium for the cavity adjacent the cooling shield and pressure release of the reactor are effected through the same socket.

In such an embodiment, the socket for the release of gases from the reactor is equipped with an inert gas supply and a gas release line.

By way of example only, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings illustrating two preferred embodiments and in which: Figure 1 shows a section of an apparatus incorporating a separate release socket, and Figure 2 shows a section of an apparatus incorporating a common socket for pressure release and inert gas delivery.

The apparatus shown in Fig. 1 consists of a burner insert 1, a sheet-metal jacket 2, a water jacket 3 for cooling of the pressurecarrying jacket 4, a layer of brickwork 5 to protect the pressure-carrying jacket 4, a gap 6 in the cooling shield providing communication between the reaction chamber 8 and a cavity 10, a cooling shield 7, a reaction chamber 8, an outlet 9 having an opening for removal of both gas and slag and the cavity 10 located adjacent the cooling shield 7. A socket 11 is included for supply of the inert gas and a separate pressure release socket 1 2 for releasing pressure built up in the reactor and arranged from the exterior to the cavity 10 through the brickwork 5 and the cooling shield 7.

Pressure release from the apparatus illustrated in Fig. 1 may be effected in the following manner: After opening the socket 12, hot gases produced in the reactor under pressure flows out of the reaction chamber 8 through the gap 6 into the cavity 10 adjacent the cooling shield 7. During travel from the gap 6 to this separate release socket 12, the gases are cooled by contact with both the cooling shield 7 and the brickwork 5 enabling the gases to be drawn off through socket 1 2 without danger.

The apparatus shown in Fig. 2 consists of the burner insert 1, the sheet-metal jacket 2, the water jacket 3 for the cooling of the pressure-carrying jacket 4, the gap 6 providing communication between the reaction chamber 8 and the cavity 10, the cooling shield 7, the reaction chamber 8, the outlet 9 having an opening for removal of both gas and slag and the cavity 10 adjacent the cooling shield 7. A socket 11 is arranged from the exterior to the cavity 10 between the cooling shield 7 and the brickwork 5. An inert gas supply line 1 3 and a pressure release line 14 for releasing gas produced by the reactor, are both connected to a common socket 11.

Pressure release from the apparatus illustrated in Fig. 2 may be effected in the following manner: After the inert gas supply 1 3 has been closed, the pressure release line 14 for releasing gas from the reactor is opened. The process continues in the same manner as described with reference to Fig. 1.

Claims

1. An apparatus for releasing pressure from a reactor used for the vaporization of fuels in the form of dust at pressures between 5 and 50 bar for producing gases containing H2 and CO, the apparatus consisting of a metal jacket, a water jacket, a pressure carrying jacket, a layer of brickwork, a cooling shield, a reaction chamber having an intervening gap in the upper region thereof, one or more sockets or similar junctions being located in the lower region of the reactor chamber and positioned from the exterior of the apparatus to a cavity between said coding shield and layer of brickwork for supplying an inert medium to the reactor and releasing pressure produced in the reactor, said cavity being in communication with said reaction chamber through said intervening gap.

2. An apparatus in accordance with Claim 1, wherein two sockets are provided, one of which is utilized for releasing pressure built up in the reactor, the other being utilized for delivering inert gas to the reactor.

3. An apparatus in accordance with Claim 1, wherein a single socket is provided in communication with both an inert gas supply and a pressure release line.

4. An apparatus in accordance with any preceding claim, wherein the fuels are selected from brown coal, pit coal, carbonaceous residues and carbonaceous organic materials.

5. An apparatus in accordance with any preceding claim, wherein the fuels are vaporized in the reaction chamber by an oxidising agent containing oxygen in a flame combustion reaction.

6. An apparatus in accordance with any preceding claim, wherein the reaction chamber is located within the cooling shield, the intervening gap being in the cooling shield and further located within the upper third region of said reaction chamber.

7. An apparatus in accordance with any preceding claim, wherein each socket is located in the lower third region of the reaction chamber.

8. An apparatus for releasing pressure from a reactor constructed and arranged to function substantially as herein described and with reference to Figs. 1 or 2 of the accompanying drawings.

9. A reactor incorporating an apparatus for releasing pressure therefrom in accordance with any preceding claim.