US2881117A - Shale retorting process - Google Patents

Description

April 7, 19219 C. H. O. BERG ET AL SHALE RETORTING PROCESS Filed April 8. l957 4 lSheets-Sheet 1 ANH 7, 1959 Filed April 8. 1957 C. H. O. BERG ET AL SHALE RETORTING PROCESS C f) O C C) @C Q C. H. O. BERG ET AL SHALE RETORTING. PROCESS April 7, 1959 4 sheets-sheet 3 Filed April 8, 1957 neonunoo Apm 7, 1959 c. H. o. BERG ET A1.

` sHALE RETORTI'NG PRocEss 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 l Filed April 8, 1957 27x zii 9 zza zz.

eduction temperatures by direct or indirect means.

United States Patent M' SHALE RETORTING PROCESS Clyde H. O. Berg and John E. Hines, Jr., Long Beach, James R. Hunt, Fullerton, Cloyd P. Reeg, Long Beach, and John H. Ballard, Whittier, Calif., assiguors to Union Oil Company of California, Los Angeles, Calif., ,a corporation of California Application April `8, 1957, Serial No. 651,501

23 Claims. (Cl. 202-95) This invention relates in general to improvements in .solids-fluid contacting and particularly to an improved which oils and gases can be produced by solids-duid contact, and to solids-fluid contacting processes in general.

Some processes for the eduction of shale oils and gasesinvolve the downward passage of shale rockas a moving bed by gravity through a vertical heat treating kiln. During this passage the solids are heated to From a thermal eiciency standpoint the direct-heating means in which a countercurrent contact of hot gases with the lshale rock is employed is preferred. To avoid the large -fuel consumption otherwise required most of these proc- -e'sses involve the direct injection of air or other-oxygencontaining gas into the bottom of the kiln to burn the kkcarbonaceous residue from the spent shale. This geuerates hot flue gases needed to heat therock. However,

`some diiculties are encountered with the fusion of the spent shale due to this burning, and frequently the fused or partially fused rock plugs the airinlet requiring a shutdown. Since all of the hydrocarbon product isrevmoved at the top of the kiln, it must be'removed asa -vapor or mist so that the process requires extensive cool- `ing and condensing facilities and usually results in thermal decomposition of a considerable part of the hydrocarbon.

Other shale eduction processes have successfully avoid- Aed the large fuel and condensing water requirements by .utilizing an upflow of shale rock anda downow of heatying gas. The shale is fed upwardly successively through ,a perforated product fluid-shale rock disengaging section land a heat treating and kiln section. Air or other oxygencontaining gas enters the top of the heat treating section, 'is preheated in cooling the hot shale ash, burns the carmixed fluid phase containing ue gas and oil vapors and liquids. The whole vapor phase ,passes downwardly in direct contact with the cool raw shale, and is cooled thereby condensing the hydrocarbon oil and preheating the .'raw shale. The liquid and gaseous products are drawn otf at the perforated disengaging section and are thus separated from the upwardly moving shale rock. A solids feeder passes the shale rock upwardly through the disgengaging and heat treating sections anddisplaces the shale ash out the top of the unit. The process supplies its own ...fuel in `the form of` carbonaceousspentjshale. It. cools 2,881 ,l 17I Patented Apr. 7, 195,9

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2 and partially condenses its own product in preheatingthe cool rawfshale rock.

One principal problem of these processes involves the presence of solids fines in the Vsolids to be thermally treated and in the present illustration these lines are exemplied by shale lines in the feed. In the downilow solids processes, a screening step is required to separate from the' rock fed to the process the shale fines whose average dimensions are less than about 0.25 inch. In the-upowshale process, the problem is aggravatedwithscrew feeders, andnon-vertically acting piston feeders. lWith such solids feeders it has been found that the quantity-of nes in the feed increases as-much as or more when such solids feeders are employed andfthat upto about 50% of the feed is reduced to fines in the feeder.y

In the present invention a vertically acting reciprocating piston feeder, hereinafter more fully described, Vis used. This piston feeder successfully passes shale rock upwardly through the apparatus of this invention without the formation of substantial quantities of additional ines. The process and apparatus are also capable of a substantially complete retorting of valuable products from those nes which naturally occur in the unscreened feed and thus they accomplish what all the previous retorting processes were incapable of accomplishing.

In the upflow shale process, the fusion problem is en` countered particularly with shales which'producernore than about 30 gallons per ton of oil, or where the carbon kcontent of the spent shale is unusuallyhigh so as'to generate an excess of heat during the carbon burn-oif step. These slagging conditions aregnot nearly so serious as in the downow processfin which theentire weight of vthe solids bed rests on the fused materials causing it t0 -agglomerate However, slagging conditions are sometimes encountered between about 2000 `F. and about 3000 F., depending upon the mineral constitution ofthe material.

In the present invention these difficulties have beenvsubstantially eliminated, yeven in the apparatus applied to commercial scale -solids processing, by the invention shown in the accompanying drawings and described subsequently. Particularly this involves the agitation of the -burning residue in the upwardly rising solids mass. The

agitation is accomplished by means of a plurality of'plows extending downwardly intofthe solids bed. TheplQws rotate aboutthe central vertical axis of the kiln. The

Veffect of this agitation is to preventslagging conditions in the burning zone from inhibiting free and uniform'rgas -flow downwardly through the mass of solids being treated. The plows are adapted also to be self-cooling-,and

`in this way a portion of the heat Aliberated in -the'qburning zone is removed from the system. The burning zone lis maintained with its approximately intermediate'pointor horizontal plane intersecting the lower extremities ofthe plows. Rotation of the plows through the solids bed prevents the slagging problems referred tovabove.

The present invention is thereforerdirectedto animproved Aupflow shale retorting apparatus, as illustrative, of

thesesolids heat treating processes Vin which the solids pass upwardly countercurrent toa downflownofhheat `treating fluid, and in which the burning of residualcarbon on the spent solids is effected in the presence `ofwfa :substantially continuous agitation inthe burningzoneof -the rising solids by means of the improved-apparatus solids such; `as oil shale, `tar or oil sands, and the like.

It is aparticular, object rofthis invention to .provide fessier-1.7

in such apparatus an improved system for agitating the solids during combustion of the residual carbon thereon. A more particular object is to provide, in the upflow -solids retorting` apparatus, animproved mechanism capable of continuously agitating the burningxs'olids located 3 to 6 feet and deeper in lthe rising solids bed, where .the bed contains solids of up to about 12inches innomi- .nal mesh size, and where they are burned at-temperatures betweeni2000? F. and 3000e F. y 1 Y A still further object of this invention is to provide a self-cooling heavy-duty solids agitating or plowing apparatus of particular 'structural design enabling 'it .to 'ac- ,eomplish successful solids agitation under the conditions ,referred to above'and yet resist the thermal and merchanical load stresses generated by such hightempera -tures and deep plowing conditions. fr; `Other objects and' advantages of the present invention will become more apparent to those skilled in the art as the description and illustration thereof proceed.

The improvedzapparatus, and the particular elements thereof of the present invention will be most clearly :described to thoseskilled in the art by reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

.; Figure 1 is a vertical elevation view in partial cross ,section of the complete upflow solids-fluid contacting ap- ;paratus of this invention as applied to the retorting of oil ,shale and indicates at the upper end thereof the rotary equipment necessary to accomplishA the deep and high .temperature solids plowing referred to previously, `,Figures 2 and 3 are elevation views in cross section rfaken at right angles to one another showing the plow coolant coolers through which the coolant is circulated by natural ,convection from the plows and is cooled agains atmospheric air,` f Figure `4 is a plan view of the apparatus shown in ,-,Figure 1, butin which the coolant coolers have been .removed for sake of clarity, land showing the stationary ring girder, hydraulic drive cylinders, the ratchet ring, theplow drive ring, and the central plow support ring beneath which by dotted lines are indicated the general azimuthal disposition of the several plows.

IFigure 5 is a perspective view of the under side of the f plow support ring showing again the azimuthal disposition ofthe plows, their connection to the lower surface of the plow support ring, and the manner in which ,they extend downwardly in a helical curve and are terminated at'their lower ends in an abrasion resistant plow shoe, and

Figures 6 through l2 are cross sectional views of the plows takenat the places indicated in Figure ,5, and which showin detail the internalconstruction of theplows .18nd shoes. l .4

,Referring now more particularly to Figure l, the entire apparatus in whichthe particular :improved solids agitation or plowing mechanism of the present invention `.:,iS 1.lSed, is shown in the form in which the apparatus is applied to the continuous retorting of oil shale to produce -shale oil and gas. The apparatus consists essentially of a feedercase 10,a formaminatesolids-uid disengaging means 12, and heat treating or kiln means 14'superimposed one above the other in the manner shown. Super- `imposed at the top of kiln 14 is the entire rotating mechanism employed in the present invention for agitating continuously theburning solids. a Oil shale is introduced into'fhoppergl andvis fed by 4means of the solids feeder upwardly successively through vdisengaging zone 12 and retorting zone or kiln 14. The solids feeder comprises a-solids feeder cylinder 18 disposed within feeder case and supported from trunnion .20 permitting ityto be oscillated in a verticalV plane so that the upper4 opening ofthe cylinder is aligned alternately with the Ybottom of hopper 16 'and the lower solids inlet to `disengaging zone.12. IThe hydraulic feeder cylinder v22 provided with piston'rod 24 and feederpiston 26,' is disposed within solids feeder cylinder 18 and oscillates with it. Guardsor shoes 28 and 30 c'urvcaway from the sides of the upper opening of feeder cylinder 18 and serve to close the lower outlet of hopper 16 when feeder cylinder 18 is in the position shown, and also to close the lower solids entrance to disengaging section 12 when the feeder cylinder is oscillatod tothe left in registry with the shale hopper. The oscillatory motion of feeder cylinder 1S is provided by means of 'oscillatingfhydraulic cylinder 32 connected at pivot 34 to theinside of feeder case 19, and also conneted't pivot 36'by means of pistonrod 38 to the side of feeder cylinder 18.

v/The cyclicaetionI ofhyd'raulic cylinders 22 and 32, necessary to achieve the removal of fresh solids from hopper 16 andthe introduction thereof upwardly from below into the vertical path Ithrough disengaging section 12 and heat treating section 14 consists of four repeated steps. First, the oscillating hydraulic cylinder 32 re tracts with hydraulic feeder cylinder 22 in the position shown inclining solids feeder cylinder 18 to the left into alignment with shale hopper 16. Second, the hydraulic feeder Vcylinder 22 retracts moving piston 2 6 downwardly toward trunnion 20 drawing a charge of fresh shale and any recirculated fines into the top of feeder cylinder 1 8. At this time guard 30 seals the lower solids entrance to disengaging section l2`. Third, the hydraulic oscillating cylinder 32 extends moving feeder piston 18 back info the Ivertical position shown, butin which piston 26 is at its lowest position, not shown. Fourth, the hydraulic feeder cylinder 22' extends forcing the charge of raw shale upwardly into theV lower part of disengaging section 12. The entire'mass of solids moves upwardly through sections 12 and 14 and some sp ent solids discharge at the top of heat treatingsection r14.l At this time guard 28 is in vthe positionshown closing the lower outlet of t h e shale Yhopper'. These vfour s teps ,are vthen repeated to maintain4 a substantially continuously upward flow of solids. l

Avided alon`g the `bottom of feeder case V1 0 extending j n the general direction o fjlthe `plane of oscillation and closely beside trunnion 2 0 for m ing in hfeeder case 1 0 a `Vlshaped bottom. long theulowernline o f intersection 'f this trough is estende@ wsu .Conveyor Y44, drivenby rotary means not Jshown Jbut conventional. This conveyor removes s malltraces of solids fines which sometimes 'leak past guards 28 and 30 and accumulate in the feeder case. 'lo assist conveyor 44, a stream of product oil is introduced under pressure into feeder case 10 .through line 46 and is removed in the formof a fines slurry from outlet 48 at the discharge end of the conveyor-1 This slurry .is Pumped by msansof pump S0` am rate 'Controlled by valve .5.2 rhQUsh line. 54 either. into the bottom of hopper 1 6 or into nes distributor 56.

As indicated previously the ysolidsmove successive-ly in an upward direction as a dense, fluid-permeable, continuous mass througl1 the perforated duid disengaging section 12 .and through heat treating section 1 4. The downward'counter'current flow of fluid is maintained by means of gas blower 6 0 which takes 4suction through line 62 atthe upper end of product separator chamber 6 4 surrounding the perforated disengaging section 12. Air therefore enters thetopof heat treating section 14, and the llow of fluid passes downwardly successively through ash cooling and air prel 1 e 2 1ting zonev 66, spent shale Aburning zone 68, retorting ,or cduction zone 70, -raw shale preheating and product fluid cooling and condensing zone 72, and continues into fluid separator section12. The fluid ows, still under the influence of blower 60, through perforations 74 into product separator 64. The

condensed shale oil accumulates in the 'lower portion of product 'sep' ato 4 providing aliquid levelat the 4 ap- 'product"separator`f'64 "is'provided- Vwith a VV- shape'd bottom comprising tw'o pair of "inclined baffles, lone of whichy indicated as 478 and the-intersection of vertical passageways. 'ends to4 flow of air by natural convection which serves `to cool the metal wall of heat treating section 1 4. 'A'

ais 1511 i 7 viewed at 90 from the drawing present the VV-"shaped cross section. Along the bottomof eaChV-Shap'ed pair fof baies is extended a primary screw conveyor, one' of "fwhich is indicated in Figure'l at 30. lw'ithrotary drive means 82and delivers settled solid 'shale nes, which fall throughl slots 74 and 4settle inthe liquid product, into transverse secondary conveyor 84; The `lines are here accumulated from both primary conveyors and discharged by means of conveyor 84 into lines distributor 56.

f This distributor is centrally located at the bottom of ""slale hopper 16 so that the vfnesare concentrated in the" interior of the charge of larger sized shale particlesinto `w l1`i `ih"they are introduced. This prevents any"subse "quent fall-through of these same fines into product sepafratorv chamber 64 and insures that they be carriedup-v wardly with the raw shale feed and treated therewith""'l It is provided in heat treating section 14.

As indicated previously, the liquids and' the gases vseparate from each other in separator chamber 64. The lv-1liquid phase, principally shale oil, ows from separator 64 through line 86 under the inuence 'of'product'oil'i' "pump 88 at a rate controlled by valve 90 andliq'uid level controller 92. Part of the product ilows as previ- `v,ously described through line 46 controlled by valve `94 to ilush solids fines from' feedercase 10.

rBlower 60 previously described withdraws non-condensed gases 'from the upper portion of separator'64 and v p'asses them vthrough linev96 into mist separator 9S at i'a rate controlled by valve 100. Pressure controller'102 "nay control valve 100 in order to maintain a predet` er-. 'nined subatm'ospheric pressure in separator chamber" 64, ""or' lit may, if desired, maintain'a predetermined differentialy pressure between the top and the bottoml of'heat treating section 14. In mist separator 98 residual traces of entrainedli'qulds are separated from the gas stream and are passed through lline 104 controlled by valve 106 into combination with the shale oil product produced through line 108. The non-condensed gases flow through line 11i) provided "with valve 112. VOrdinarily these gases are discharged to the atmosphere and they comprise essentially carbon "monoxide, nitrogen, and carbon dioxide with relatively small amounts of hydrocarbon gases suflicient to give the gas a heating value of about 90 Btu. per cubic foot. @This gas may be used as fuel with special burners,"or "if desired, part or all of it maybe reintroduced as re' ycycle gas into 4the top of heat treating section 14 Yto dilute the incoming air in order to moderate combusvtion temperatures and the conditions of eduction.

cylindrical elemenfdispo'sed 'verticallyv WthtsfaX'iS's'ubstantially coincident with "the l've'rt'ical-y axis 'of disengag- `ing section' 1 2 and"heat eating sectionilt. Aring ""gi'rder 130 is disposed'ar ndfthe 'upper end'of` -fra'me'128 'and serves"to srelgthen'the"upperedy the sideframe. Drive ring132 cisistsof uppeitiange lelement "13'4, upper "cylindrical" section 136, li'ori'z ntal "o r pltfornfsection'lSS," inte med ecylindrical "140, lower'cylindrical ""section" section 144. `The drivering "is ffdrsp'osed'in ai generally 'horizontalposition `within"ring'g irder 130. l`A-"plu'r ality of horizontal 'thrustv rollers" 146 ``witl 1"'th eir aXesver'tiCal areA supportedat uniformly spaced locations 'around'ring `girder 130. The'peripheryof'drivewring:132turnsjn contact with the primary bearings'in'order to mai 'in theA SSOciated plow /qlllpfllehtmiia ACeltzll/ p''S'tn. plurality of vertical thrust rollers 143 disposed with-"their vaxes horizontal are uniformly-spaced around 'ring girder 'turning'inthe upwardly mo`ving"'solit is' bed. Horizontal rollers" 146"th1.1s1ridewiny peripherali'track 149 disposed Heat treating section .1d-'is conical in shape, as is"dis yengaging section 12, but has a considerably smaller apexiV angle.

It is provided on its outer surface with a plurality of vertically extending radial ns 114, the outer edges of which are enclosed in jacket 116 providing a series These are open at ltheir lower manifold 119 communicates the upper ends of each'of the vertical passageways and the warmlair passing there-l through into the manifold is discharged tothe atmosphere through one or more stacks, not shown, but which communicate with manifold 119. j

Disposed horizontally around and just below the-up- 122, Ashrdischarge chute 124 opens downwardly from the bottom of platform 118 at one side of the ash con- ..f :.,veyor. .z ,The ash is moved around ashl conveyor 120 to this discharge" point by`r`neans` of a plurality 'of scraper v`around theV outer surface'ofdrive ii'ng 132 'jst outside of 'intermediate' cylindricallsetifon 140, ,'The conveyor elements 1264 are at`t ache'd""by"'the means shown'tdthe *drive ring just described andro e 'with`it. Disposed around the inner 'surface of"ring`?'g'irderl side drame 123"and j'ust below the'ring'girder 130 is` "an"` ,i shaped channel 129 containinga bed 131 of'fnesolids 'such as sand. Channel 129 isof coursestationary. Supported from the outer (surface of lower cylindric'al's'ection`142 of the drive ring 132 'is rotating seal'elerne'nt 133g having an'inverted' L-sl'i'pe which eXterds" enti rely around the'drive'ring and"al"so"er i ten`ds downwardly'into seal solids bed 131. This-'seal 'prevents entryof atmospheric air into the'kiln 'l'lnd'ethe"influence` of vgas blower 60 around the periphery' of vtlieldrive''ring"'ancl forees the air flow to enter via"fas h chute"1 `24. vr`In 'soowi'ngfin "through the'ash chiite, 'the airen'tering is counte'rcil'rrently contacted by the discha ging 'ashthereby :effecting asignica'nt degree"ofiash'eooling'ancl'air prelieafing.

Disposed aroundv the outerf'edg'eofupper'flange'sec- 'ition 134 isa T-shaped' ratchet ring 1'50. Theweb of thisring' is bolted tothe outer "edge" of"upper"flange"ele ment 134 and providesa pluralityfofflat vertical ratchet 'surfaces on its vertical flangeag'ain'st"which'the"driving 'mechanism' hereinafter" described 'enga'gesto vvapply: the tangential turning force. "In"th is" way' the `drive"ring"is rotated. These driving forces "arefy applied' hydraulically and continuously 'at power 'levels "suiifc'ient'y to' rotate the drive ring at avelo'city betweenabout 1-and abonen revolutions per hour.

superimposed above upperf liange elernentwlltw" are one'orI rnore'spacer'rings 152 `nd .1 54. "The purposef these rings is to raise/'orflower e'plows vwith respect to the drive` ring 132 rand Athe vujv'warfdly-l movingshalefbed. The spacer rings; are `ess`ent'ial1y"`curved' channel` b "m sectionsyconnected to one another in acircle'with fla ges outwardso' that they aref'readilyaddd or removed" from .'"the side of the rotating-v structure. f

:neuerer-.erba moulin-emi. the retort .structure.-.;1Jt itit'proyidcd-fwithf-a loncrndeek, 16.6,. uppendeck. 174, .and bylith internal bracing notahown.- .The Ythree .plows..16 0, 3.1.62;@1164 are. dependent from the lower deck, 166 of plow support -rin g 156; by rneans oftransition sections -.168,. .17.0, and 17a-respectively..

Supported onippncr. deck 17.4 .of .the plow Support Lring tare .disposedthe plas/Coolant c1ers 1 .76, 1787 and, 180 TI-he structure of thesecoolers and-their` operation is more 5 tain any desired minimal inert gas pressure in theA sysptem.YI A gas vessel 226 provides a reservoir for the gas. under slight pressure. When the apparatus is 'cold and beingstarted up, coolant as well as gas expansion toccurs and the pressure may tend'to rise above a certain ,dem-1y describedfincgonnetionwith Figures 2 and 3.010 'xed ,maximum value. Accordingly bleed line 221is .Suice it heretof sayl -however `that these coolers are provided with suitable piping connections indicated gen- -.erall yas 1 82 bymeaus of which the liquid coolant from Ytheplows tlows upwardly in to vthe cooler and then is returned for, circulation'through-- the plow.- l The previous descriptionindicates generally the upow solids-tinidcontacting. process and apparatus of thisinyention and generally pointsiout the relationship of the vself-cooled shale plows and therotating mechanism with provided'with valve 230 which is actuated by .pressure *controller 232. The setting of `pressure controller 224 in a system using liquid sodium as the coolant and helium as the inert blanketing gas may be 0.5 p.s.i. forpres- :.15 Sure controller 224 and 1.0 p.s.i. for pressure controller 232. If desired, these lines 220 and 228 may be connected with compressor means and gas storage means not shown .so that a closed inert gas system is employed. In this `way substantially no internal fluid pressures are exerted -the upow shale retorting apparatus. The following cle-Q on the plow-cooler structure. y

scription of Figureslfthrough 12 is restricted to the structural detailof the plow support ring, the plows der pendent therefrom, 1 the .coolant cooler superimposed l. thereon, andthe means by which the rotating element is ,-,turned and maintained in a fixed position during the rota-.125

,.Referringnow more particularly to. Figures 2 and 3, isshownthe internalstructure of each coolant cooler. -`The upper deck 174 of plow. support ring 156 is shown to- .gether with hotline 190 andcold line 192 opening u1u-5,30

'wardly into and downwardly from the coolant cooler. =`Oute`r shell 194 .isprovided and it is supported from upper deck 17,4 by,any form of convenient support structure .not shownbut indicated schematically in Figure 1.

Hotline 190 opens into .horizontal hot header .196 and-35 the horizontal legs of which are provided with external- 40 vertical fins-to increase the heat transfer area. Disposed ,immediately aboyethe ,bank of finned tubes is fan 202 supportedand driven from shaft 20.4 which connects to electric motor-206'. The purpose of the fan is to force cooling airdownwardly within enclosure 194 in the di- A -f rection of the arrQWS across the finned surfaces of the tubes, into bottom lporton of enclosure 194, back upwardly through channels 208 and 210 to the top of enclosure 194.V Ihe reverse direction of air flow may be us'ed if desired. Louvres 212 and 214 are manually ad- 50 justed'jby means of control element 216 and maydirect `the coolingair onevthrough across the finned tubes, or 1 it `may discharge part ofthe heated air and introduce somenew cooled, air, orit may recirculate the air entirely within enclosure 194. One or the other of the irstjtwo cases mentioned is characteristic of operation after operating temperatures have been reached within the retort proper, IThe latter air flow plan is characterr. istie. 0.1. the starwnperiod.

Q Asa further aidin starting up, resistance heaters 191 60 cold lines 190 and 192. Heater 195 is provided in the lenclosure 194 to heatair thereinwhich is circulated by -1851.202 to. melt. the coolant. in the nned Urtubes 20D .An...adsiitional.bones19?. isrrcvded around reservoir 65 The, coolant v,circulatestty natural convection through hot line 190 throughtlewcoolangcooler and back into 70 .aasi-tht0usame .plea/ renamed. therewith .through cold line 1192.1; Singe, theJ coolant xexpands and `contracts betwgen. the shutdown .and ,operating extremes ,of l temsperaturegaudbecauselitmay be chemically reactive, an

- pressuringrgasisgitroducdeinto. theisystemgthrpugh .75

It should be understood that 1n the present modification three plows are jshown attached to the lower deck of `plow support ring 156 anda corresponding `number-'of coolant coolers are supported on the upper deck. This particular number is lnot intended as a limitationin the ;apparatus of this invention since fewer than threeas well as more than three plows and corresponding coolers may be employed depending upon the size of the retorting equipment, and particularly its upper diameter.

Referring now more particularly to Figure 4, a partial plan view of the apparatus of Figure l is shown in-somewhat greater detail. Ring girder side frame 128 appears together with the ring girder 130 at the upper-end thereof. Disposed-at uniform intervals aroundthetpeyriphery of ring girder 130 arev alternate horizontal thrust ...rollers 146 and .vertical thrust rollers 148 by means of which the rotation of the plow drive ring is guided.

The horizontal platform surface 138 of plow ldrive ring 132 is shown having a small clearance 240 between Aits outer edge and the inner surface of ring girder 130. Upper flange element 134 of the drive ring is provided with an inner and outer bolt circle. Ratchet ring'150.is shown bolted to the outer bolt circle and its configuration is clearly shown in this figure. To the inner bolt circlev is bolted plow support ring 156. t

Disposed around the inner surface of ring girder 130 are stationary cleats 242 by means of which each hydraulic drive cylinder 244 is pivotably anchored in a stationary position. Ratchet ring engaging heads 246 are connected at the end of each of the piston rods of the hydraulic drive cylinders 244. Shoe guides 248 ride laround and overlap the upper and lower exposed edges of ratchet ring and maintain engaging head 246in a substantially fixed radial position with respect to ratchet ring 150. Engaging head 246 is spring loaded by means of spring 250 so that it is biased radially inward att-'its extreme end into continuous contact with the outer surface of the ratchet ring. Thus as each hydraulic drive cylinder..244 is extended, shoes 248 prevent radial outward movement of engaging head 246 and the engaging head engages the ratchet ring so that the drive cylinders can apply a tangential rotating force effectively to the periphery of the drive ring.

Although Figure 4 isv `fragmentary view of approximately one-half of the'ring girder, of the drive ring,and of the ratchet ring, and showing the entire upper surface of the plow support ring, it is apparent that six'drive cylinders 244 are provided spaced 60 apart around the annular space between the ratchet ring 150 and the inner surface of the ring girder 130. To obtain continuous rotation of the rotary equipment, itis mostA4 desirable .that at'any given' time in the' cycle a first pair of .th'e'se six hydraulic drive cylinders is being retracted and then pre-engaged with the ratchet ring by theI application. of .lqwhydraulic oil pressure while.the second-and third pair are at` two diiferent stages of completion of their power strokes. At the time that the iirst -pair just begins v`the retraction and pre-engagement strokes, the second pair is just `beginning the power strokepwhile in the third ypair the power stroke is approximately 50% complete. The third pair of course will complete the power stroke before the second pair. As soon as this completion occurs, the iirst pair of cylinders, which has now been retracted and pre-engaged under low-pressuring, is thrown immediately into the beginning of the power stroke while the retraction and pre-engagement continues with the third pair which has just completed its power stroke. This sequence of operations continues in -a cycle to maintain steady rotation at very high torque andvery low `velocities of from about l to about 6 revolutions per hour.

Also shown in Figure 4 is lthe structur'lewof plow sup- .,port ring 156. The upper and lowerdecks are segmented and consist ofllat plates 252 welded at right angles to vertical stiifening plates 254 which project from above the upper deck to below the lower deck forming flanges. These plates 254 are drilled horizontally in the flange portions so that all the sections maybe bolted securely together. The underside of this structure including the ilanges is shown in the attached Figure 5 subsequently described.

The azimuthal and radial distribution of the three plows on plow support ring 156 is also shownV in Figure 4. For example the outermost plow 256 is provided with yshoe 258 and transition section 260 by means of which it is connected to the lower deck of plow support ring 156. Openings 262 and 264 are provided r`in` the upper deck of the plow support ring through which extend hot line 190 and cold line 192 respectively for conducting the coolant ow between the plow and the coolant coolers. y l

In the present modification three such plows are employed. They are disposed radially with respect to vthe center of rotation 266 of the plow support ring and azimuthally with respect to one another so that net resultant horizontal force on the plow support ring is as nearly zero as possible thereby minimizing the load on 'the horizontal and vertical thrust rollers mounted in the ring girder and thereby also equalizing the loads on each of the four hydraulic drive cylinders which are in the power stroke at any given time. y

The radial dimension of the leading `edge of each plow shoe 258 decreases successively with plows disposed radially farther from the center of rotation. In other words the innermost plow has the widest shoe and the plows dispose-d farther out have successively narrower shoes. Furthermore, the radial disposition of the-plows yfrom the center of rotation 266 isadjusted with respect to the relative shoe widths so that the entire cross section of the rising mass of shale is swept and agitated bythe leading edge of a plow shoe once for every rotation of the plow support ring, with the exception of a very small section at the center of rotation and a Very thin` section adjacent the outer edge of the rising mass of shale. This is shown schematically only in Figure 4.

Referring now more particularly to Figure 5, a perspective View of the plows as viewed from beneath plow support ring 156 is shown. The structurerof allwplows is generally the same, each has the same number ofcorresponding elements as the other two, andvonly the physical dimensions vary somewhat from plow to plow.

The individual flanged sections of lower deck v166 clearly appear together with the drilled holes required in the anges for bolting the various sections together. The three plows shown are located along dii-ferent radii from the center of rotation, plow 162 being closest to the center, plow 168 being located at an intermediate radius, and plow 164 being located nearest the periphery of'plow supportring 156. y i In general the helical curvature of the leading'fand trailing yedges 'or-struts of plows 160; 162, andel'64''`s apparent in this ligure, the cylindricalcu'rvature ofthe plows being particularly apparent with respect to .plow 162. Each of these plows is provided at its lower extremity with a plow shoe 270, 272, and 274, respectively, and each plow is connected to the lower deck 166 of plow support ring 156 by means of transition sections 168, 170, and 172. i

Referring now to transition section 172 as representative of the others as well, the transition section is fabricated from leading conical section 276 and trailing conical section 278, both of relatively small radii'and disposed with their apices downward, spaced apart from one another along an arc around the center of rotation. The transition section is then completed by interconnecting the open edges lof the leading and trailing conical sections referred to by.means of inner conical side section 280 and an outer conical side section not shown but corresponding to outer conical side section 282 in transition section 168. These conical side sections have large radii relative to the radii of the leading and trailing conical sections. The curvature of these conical side sections is such that the cone from which the inner conical V`sec` tion 280 is taken has its apex upward while the cone -from which the outer conical section corresponding to 282 was taken has its apex downward. The slope of the sides of all of the four conical sections in each transition section is the same.

The structure of the transition section thus formed comprises a closed exterior surface, welded at its upper edge to lower deck 166 of plow support ring 156, which curves along an arc around the center of rotation o f the plowA support ring, and which tapers downwardly. Each of the three transition sections 168, 170, 172 is constructed in general from four such conical sections. The radii of the conical sidersections are selected-so that the inner and outer sections join with the conical leading and trailing conical sections tangentially, such as at welds 284 and 286 in transition section 172.

The transition sections are each extended downwardly a short distance below a horizontal adapter plate 288 shown more clearly in Figure 6. This extension exists all the way around the periphery of the adapter plate,

except adjacent the trailing conical section 278. At this' point it is provided with a helicoid surface 290, the helical slope of which is substantially identical to that of the trailing strut of the plow164. The purpose of this cutaway portion is to prevent exposure of any at horizontal surfaces against the rising'bed of solids. Such sloping surfaces are provided so as to have a slope whichexceeds the get-away angle.V This angle is expressed in degrees from a horizontal reference and is defined as the angle necessary to keep any submerged surface from restricting the upward movement of solids at a time when the solids feed rate is at a maximum and the plow rotation rate is at a minimum. For the retorting of shale in the apparatus of the invention as described in connection withFigure 1, this `angle was approximately 15. Helicoid surface 290 had a slope of about 33.

Referring now more particularly to plow 168 as representative of the other plows also, this member is cornposed of a leading strut 292 and a trailing strut 294, each of which is bent into a helical curvevof different angles so as to converge toward one another. The struts are hollow tubular members yof circular cross section. At the point of convergence-of these struts plowshoe 270 is securely attached. The tube lradii'of the leading 'and trailing helical struts 292 and 294 are relatively low. The exterior surface of plow is completedby 'an inner cylindrical side section, not shown but corresponding to-section 296 on plow v1164,.'and an outer cylindrical side section 298,'ea`ch of relatively large'radii. These inner 'and outer cylindrical side vsections are concentric with each btherand'are welded *at their edges tottl'r'e leadgand t'rilinglielical vstruts 292 and 294vatth`e locus of? innermost and outermost tangent points, respectively, of each strut. 1 y

-1 The detail of the inner structures of the transition sections, the plows, and the plow shoes are illustrated in Figures 6 through l2 hereinafter more fully described'. These drawings are all sectional views of the complete plow element, and these sections are taken in the directions indicated in Figure by the section lines shown o n plow 162, as well as in Figure 6. d' Referring now more particularly to Figure 6, a developed vertical cross section view through plow 162 is shown. This is a view of the plow support ring 156 with its upper and lower decks 174 and 166 respectively, and showing transition section 170, plow 162, and shoe 272 as they would appear as if plow 162 and its transition -section 170 were cut in the manner indicated in Figure 5 and viewed at right angles from the axis of rotation. Leading conical section 276 and trailing conical section 278 of transition section 170 are shown. Extending upwardly from adaptor plate 288 are hot line 190 and cold line 192 by means of which the plow coolant is circulated through `the coolant coolers previously described. Vertical stiffening plates 300 disposed radially within transition section 170 between the conical side sections previously described are employed to strengthen the structure.

Extending downwardly and to the right at a helix angle bf about 45 is leading helical strut 292. Leading downwardly and to the right at an angle of about 33 is trailing helical strut 294, the adjacent parts of the leading and trailing struts converging at point 302. As indicated previously, each of these leading and trailing struts i's nhollow and cylindrical in cross section and thus form `aiiow path for the plow coolant downwardly from cool line 192 into plow shoe 272, and from the plow shoe upwardly toward hot line 190r and the coolant coolers in 'the direction of the arrows.

The outer envelope of the plow element is completed byy means of the inner and outer cylindrical side sections 296 and 298 not shown in Figure 6, but previously described in connection with Figure 5. This forms a hollow structure which is closed at its lower end by means 'of shoe sole plate 304 and plow shoe 272. The plow and shoe are welded or otherwise attached securely together forming a tiuid tight envelope supported from adaptor plate 288. In general this structural element comprises a helical hollow cantilever beam.

"Since the thermal and mechanical stresses to which this beam is subjected during plowing of the burning shale are quite severe, further internal strengthening of this outer cantilever beam is frequently desirable. This is accomplished by providing a second or inner cantilever beam supported also from adaptor plate 288 and which extends downwardly at an angle in a curving path in the space provided between the inner and outer cylindrical side sections referred to previously and also between the leading and trailing struts of the plow. This inner cantilever beam comprises a plurality of converging helicoids 306, 308, and 310, the upper ends of which are spaced apart from one another along the same radius as the leading and trailing struts 292 and 294 on the lower surface of the adaptor plate 288. These particular helicoids Yare'helical surfaces generated by radii extended at right angles from the longitudinal axis of a cylinder through a helix scribed on the surface of that cylinder. These helicoids converge toward an intersection 312 near the intersection 302 of the adjacent surfaces of leading and `trailing struts 292 and 294 of the outer cantilever beam. The innerand-outer edges of the three helicoids are connected respectively together by an inner and an `outer` cylindrical side section forming thevinner cantilever beam having a curved III-shaped cross section when three heliclzoidsv are employed. This is l2. j "Tha/completed plow 'elementthus-comprises an outer cantileverV beam comprising a pair of converging helical struts and the associated cylindrical side sections surrounding an inner cantilever beam comprising converging helicoids and their associated cylindrical side sections, both the outer and inner cantilevers being anchored at adaptor plate 288 in the manner shown generally in Figure 6. The adjacent outer cylindrical side sections andthe adjacent inner cylindrical side sections form double outer and inner metal walls of the plow structure.

Disposed at spaced intervals along the rear of trailing vstrut 294 are parallel void sealing plates 339. These are nearly horizontal plates having the transverse shape shown in Figure 10 and are provided to prevent gas flow down through an elongated helical void which may exist behind the trailing strut.

Referring now more particularly to Figure 7, which is a plan view of the plow shoe, the intersection of leading helical strut 292 with plow shoe 272 is shown. The leading edge of the shoe is protected by a wear plate 320. The shoe consists of generally triangular-shaped lower or sole and upper surfaces 304 and 322 respectively. The coolant flow is in the direction indicated by the arrows in Figure 6, namely downwardly through trailing helical strut 294 toward the plow shoe 272. A first portion of the coolant bypasses directly through primary bypass opening 324 where the helical struts 292 and 294 have converged, then directly into the leading helical strut 292, and then upwardly toward the coolers. The remaining portion flows through entrance 326 into plow shoe 272. Here the flow splits with a first portion leaving the shoe through secondary bypass opening 328 and ows directly into leading strut 292. The portion of coolant remaining in the plow shoe 272 is directed laterally toward the inner tip of the shoe'by means of primary baiile 330, extending angularly from the outer portion of the shoe toward the inner portion. This flow again splits and a first portion flows through opening 332 between primary baille 330 and secondary baie 334. The remaining portion is directed around the end of secondary baffle 334 and progresses back outwardly along the leading edge of the shoe into admixture with first portion flowing through opening 332. This combined ow then passes back toward the outer edge of shoe 272 along the leading edge thereof and ows through outlet 336 into leading strut 292.

The entire coolant flow is reformed then at the lower extremity of leading strut 292 and progresses upwardly in the direction indicated by the arrows in Figure `6. Part way from the shoe 272 to the adaptor plate 288, part of the coolant stream enters the inner cantilever beam structure through openings 321 in the leading strut and openings 323 and 325 in the helicoids. It then flows parallel to the remaining flow in leading strut 282 through the inner or helicoid cantilever and re-enters the leading strut 292 via openings 327 and 329 in the helicoids and opening331 in the strut. The entire coolant stream is again reformed just below adaptor plate 288 as the coolant flows upwardly through hot line 190. Additional openings 333, 335, and 337 are provided in the rear helicoid and in the helicoid side sections to maintain the space between the double walls of the plows filled with coolant.

Referring now more particularly to Figure 8, a plan view in cross section of the transitionl section shown in Figure 6 is illustrated. 'The four conical sectionswhich make up the transition section are clearly shown in this drawing. The leading and trailing conical sections 276 and 278, with their apices downward, are shown joined tangentially to the inner and outer conical side sections 280v a nd 282 with their apices upward and downward respectively. Adaptor plate 288 appears at the `bottom of transition section and the coolant riser lines and 192 are shown. The radial stifening plates 300 are connected across between the inner and outer cylindrical side sections.-

more clearly shown in Figure 10 subsequently described. 75 l Referring now more particularly to Figure 9, an end v deck 166 ofthe plow support ring. of inner and outer cylindrical side sections 296 and 298 f the outer cantilever beam are shown attached to trailelevation view'ofthe'transition section across section'is shown. Riser line 192 extending upwardly from adaptor plate 288 is shown. The sloping inner and outer conical side sections 280 and'282 are shown attached to lower ing helical strut 296. A portion of the inner or helicoid cantilever beam is shown including outer and innercylindrical side sections 314 and 316. The upper end of the .trailing helicoid 306 is also shown. The tapering nature of the transition section and the manner in which itis connected by means of the adaptor plate to the inner and outer cantilever beams are clearly` apparent.

Referring briefly to Figure` 1,0, trailing cylindrical heli` cal strut 294, with one of the attached void sealing plates 339, and leading strut 292 together with o-uter `and inner v cylindrical side sections 298 and 296 making up the outer cantilever beam are shown. V.and leading helicoids 306, 308, and 310 respectively, to-` gether with the outer and inner cylindrical helicoid side The trailing, intermediate,

sections 314 and 316 respectively, make up the inner cantilever beam. These two cantilever beams are anchored to adaptor plate 288 as shown in Figure 6. The

inner cantilever reinforces and stiifens the outer cantilever by direct mechanical contact in the region of helicoid intersection 312 also as shown in Figure 6.

The pairs of immediately adjacent inner cylindrical side .sections and outer cylindrical side sections of the inner .and outer cantilevers respectively comprise the double .inner and outer walls of the plow which provide the strength necessary to agitate the solids during combustion and through which heat is transferred from the burning solids to the coolant. It is absolutely essential that the thin space between these two double walls be filled with y coolant to present a very low thermal resistance to heat ow into the principal coolant flow which passes upwardly between the helicoids. Therefore apertures 341 yand 343 are provided in the outer cylindrical section 316 .and apertures 34S and 347 are provided on the inner cylindrical section 314 of the inner cantilever in order to insure the presence of an analogous liquid coolant iilm between the inner and outer cylindrical side sections respectively of the inner and outer cantilever beams. Openings 341 and 343 are also shown in Figure 6. It is not .believed that any substantial flow of coolant occurs between the double walls, but the presence of the coolant markedly facilitates heat transfer therethrough into the principal coolant flow within the inner cantilever.

Referring now more particularly to Figure 11, this is a cross section view of the composite plow structure taken substantially at the point at which the inner cantilever.. lbeam converges with vthe outer beam.4 It is analogous. .to the section shown'in Figure l0. The leading andl trailing helical struts 292 and294 together with the inner', and outer cylindrical side plates 296 and 293 are shown.

The inner or helicoid cantilever again appears showing the addition at different points of curved bearing plates 340 and 342 by means of which the end of the inner cantilever beam is loaded by deections of the outer cantilever beam. Reference haspreviously been made, with respect to the. doubley walls comprising the outer cylindrical side plates and the inner cylindrical side plates of the co-ncentric cantilever beams, to the importance of the thin `'film ofcoolant within these double walls. Vconsiderations are important with respect to the wear plate 320 which is disposed around the leading edge of plow shoe 272.

The same In Figure l2 is an enlarged cross section elevation view of the plow shoe 272 shown in Figures 5, 6, and 7.

:The lower end of leading strut 292 is shown converging with upper surface 322 of plow shoe 272. surface curves around the ltoe 344 and becomes sole plate v`304. `Wear plate 320 is wrapped around the outside The upper The upper edges 'side frame shown in Figure 1.

j steel pipe bent into a helix.

diameter of 6.0 inches.

was 5.5 feet.

of toej 344 of shoe 272 and -spaced uniformly 'therefri by meansof spacers 346, Thel Wear plate is welded acrossthetop lsurface 322 and across sole plate 3.04

and along the nearly verticaly sides of the shoe"as'indi cated by weld'348. This forms between toe 3 44`and wear plate 320 a thin semi-cylindrical space 350 into which is introduced a volume of coolant liquid sufficient to fill the space through opening 352 in the end of the This provides for ready heat transfer through 'the wear plate and the toe into the leading edge of the shoe through which the coolant is circulated. Opening 35 2 `isl permanently closed after the wear plate'volume 350 'is iilled. f

The apparatus ofthe present invention was applied in the retorting of Colorado oil shale analyzing between about 28and .40 gallons. per ton. The feed rate'was .350 tons per day. The solids feeder vcylinder contained within the feeder case. was 5.5 feet in diameter and had a stroke of 2.0 feet. The height of the apparatus to the top of the ring girder was about 46 feet. The outside diameter ofthe entire structure at this point was about 30 feet, this being the outside diameter of the ring' girder The plow support ring was 16 feet in diameter and 2.0 feet in thickness and supported three plows substantially as indicated in Figure 5. The inner and outer cylindrical side sections of ythe -inner and outer cantilever elements of the plowswere yfabricated from stainless steel plate about 0.5 inch. in

pipe provided with transverse radial aluminum tins spaced 0.25 inchapart from each other and having an outside The inned length of eachV loop A fan driven by a 7.5 horespower motor was disposed over each bank of finned tubes.

The coolant selected for this system was metallicsodi- 45v um andthe inventory in each cooler plow combination was approximately 2000 pounds. The circulation. of molten sodium within the plows was by natural convection andat a rate of about 9000 pounds per minute.v During normal operations the temperature of sodium into the coolers was about k425 F. and that out of the coolers lwas about 375 v Other coolants may be substituted, such as the sodiumy'potassium (NaK) eutectic, lithium, potassium, molten ysalts s uch. as the alkali metal nitrates and nitrites, lead,

andthe like. Forvoperation under pressure, waterv may be circulated or boiled in theplows. The enumerated materials are intended as representative non-exclusive, suitable heat transfer agents. A particular embodiment of the present invention has been hereinabove described in considerable detail'by way of '.illustration. .It should be understood that various other modifications and adaptations thereof may bemade -by those skilled in this particular art without departing from the spirit andscopeof this invention as set forth in the appended claims.

vWe claim:

l. In an apparatus for the contacting of. uids and solids which comprises a contacting vessel, ya foraminate fluid disengaging vessel, and a solids feeder case disposed at successively lower levels in a column,l an `inclined solids inlet hopper opening downwardlyrinto the side of said feeder case, an oscillating verticallyacting piston solids feeder disposed in said feeder case,l means ,for oscillating and reciprocating said pistonfeeder sci s toY reeivea mass 'of solids lfrbinmsaid'hopper"ridl'fice sagsstgnv wardly through the rising mass of solids, the improvement in 4combination therewith of means for agitating f'the'solids within said contacting section 'which comprises ma.' plow support ring, means supporting said support rring in a rotatable position above the upper end of said contacting section, means for rotating saidsupport ring in ".'this position, a plurality of plows secured to the lower lsurface "of said support ring and extending downwardly intohthe rising mass of solids in said contacting section; "each of said plows comprising a leading' and a'trailing ""h'ollow tubular strut connected at `their upper ends at ftpointsspaced apart from each other along an arc around "the center of rotation of said support ring and extending downwardly therefrom at different helical'angles into con- "vergence with each other below the upper end of said -eontacting section, an outer cylindrical Vside section se-` "cured tangentially at its leading and trailing edges reispectively to said leading and trailing struts substantially -`jat the loci of the outermost tangent points thereof, Ean 'inner cylindrical side section concentric with said outer sidesection and, secured tangentially at its leading fand trailing edges respectively to said leading and trailing struts substantially at the loci of innermost tangentpoints 'fthereof, a plow shoe having' an extended width in a "radial direction relative to the axis of rotation and se- 'cured to `said helical struts adjacentfthe convergence i'thereof; a plurality'of heat exchange means' supported "ilpon said plow support ring, means connecting said leading and trailing tubularstruts ofr one of said plows to one of saidY heat exchange means forming therewith a Tclosed fluid iiow circuit, a body of coolant filling a 'substantial part of said closed circuit, and means for contacting the exterior surface of eachof said heat exchange means with a heat exchange medium. 2. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said means supporting said plow support ring comprises an annular-shaped platform surrounding and connected to said contacting section adjacent the upper end thereof, a cylindrical ring girder side frame extending upwardly -`from the outer edge of said platform, a ring girder extending around the upper periphery of said side frame, a plurality of horizontal and vertical thrustrollers disposed in and uniformly spacedaround the inner surface of said Vriri'g girder, a drive ring supported and guided by direct contact with said vertical thrust rollers disposed within said ring girder so as to be rotatable therein,` said drive ring being provided with a radial flange at its upper end, said plow support ring being secured by means of said radial flange to said drive ring and rotatable therewith. "3. An apparatus according to claim 2 in combination with a ratchet ring of T-shaped cross section attached to Vaudextending radially outward from the flange at the ftopl of said drive ring and providing on its outer surface airatchet comprising a plurality of flat vertical surfaces against which tangential forces are applied, a plurality of hydraulic cylinders disposed around the periphery of said drive ring, each of said cylinders being pivotably secure'd to the inner Surface of said ring girder, a spring loaded ratchet ring engaging head connected at the end 'fof'the piston rod extending from each of saidrhydraulic cylinders and slidably coupled to said ratchet ring, whereby hydraulic uid under pressure supplied toV said cylinders effects drive ring and plow support ring rotation. 4. An apparatus according to claim 2 in combination with an ash chute conduit opening downwardly from the y,annular-shaped platformextending around 'the 'top' of said contacting section,`a plurality of solids scraper elements extending downwardly from said drive-ringinto VVthe annular space above said platform and between said ring girder side'frame and the upper part of said contacting section, said scraper elements being spaced apart :.'from one another and rotating withV said drive ring tofeim- "'veyspent solids discharged at'they top of'sard contacting section around said annular space toward entrance to said ash chutecondult.

` through.

the A'upper 5. An apparatus according toclaim 4 in combination with a seal channel disposed around the inner surface tof v'the ring girder side frame, a body of granular solid material filling said channel to a substantial deptlLfsal element of L-shaped cross section attached to and. extending outwardly and downwardly from the perlpheryof l the drive ring into said body of solid material to inhibit iiuid flow between said drive ring and said ring girder side frame whereby uid drawn downwardly through the contacting section is' forced to enter said .contacting section via said ash chute conduit in direct countercu'rent heat exchangel relationship to the solids dischargingthere- 6. An apparatus according to claim 2 in combination with at least one continuous spacer ring disposed "be 'tween the upper flange element of said drive ring'and" a peripheral flange disposed around said plow support ring, the presence of which determines the depth to"which said plows extend downwardly into the contacting section. 7. An apparatus according to claim 1 whcrein each lof said plurality of heat exchange means disposed up'on s'aid plow support ring comprises a closed shell, sheli'support means connected to the upper deck of said plow support ring, a hot header conduit and a cold header conduit disposed adjacent the wall of said shell, a plurality o f'ex ternally finned U-shaped heat exchange tubes connected in parallel between said header conduits, means for-cir culating a fluid within said enclosure across saidfnne'd tubes, and means for controlling the removal andaddition of fluid from and to said shell, whereby coolant flowing from said plow into and through said heat exchange means and back to said plow is subjected to temperature control. y

8. An apparatus according to claim 7 wherein 'the coolant circulated through the circuit comprising said plow and heat exchanger means comprises a liquidfr'eactive inthe atmosphere, in combination with an inlet and pressure control means therefor opening into the coolant circuit for an inert gas and adapted to maintain a pressure therein above a fixed minimum pressure, and an outlet and pressure control means therefor opening from said circuit to maintain pressures thereinvbelow a fixed maximum. l

9. An apparatus according to claim 7 in combination with heating means disposed within said shell, and heating means disposed adjacent the conduits connecting the heat exchange means to the associated plow, said heating means being adapted to heat the uid circulated'therein to warm the coolant during apparatus start-up.A "'f 10. An apparatus according to claim 1 in combination with an inner reinforcing cantilever beam element `contained within said plow structure and comprisinga plurality of helicoids with their upper ends spaced apart from one another along substantially the same arcas said struts and extending downwardly along different helical angles into convergence just above the convergence of said leading and trailing struts, a second outer cylindrical side section disposed within said plow and adjacent said first-named outer side section thereof and secured to the outer edges of saidhelicoids, a second inner ycylindrical side section disposed within said plow and adjacent said first named inner side section thereof and secured to the inner edges of said helicoids forming the inner reinforcing cantilever; and curved bearing plates disposed adjacent the convergence of said helicoidsand in contact with the leadingand trailing sides of thel trailing and leading tubular struts respectively to load mechanically the lower end of rsaid inner reinforcing cantilever with said plow at this point; said second inner and outer cylindrical side sections, and said helicoids being provided along their extended surfaces with apertures to insure the presence of coolanthetwee the double walls formed by the adjacent pairs of inner and outer side sections and between said helicoids, the trailing side of said leading helical strut being provided with a coolant outlet into and a coolant entrance from the space between the converging helical struts occupied by said inner reinforcing cantilever, said outlet and entrance being located respectively near the bottom and the top of lsaid leading helical strut.

11. An apparatus according to claim 1 in combination with a plow transition section connecting each of said plows to the lower deck of said plow support ring and which comprises an adapter plate disposed below and substantially parallel to the lower deck of said plow support ring, the plate having a shape which is geometrically similar to the horizontal cross section of said plow at its upper end, the upper ends of said leading and trailing struts and of said inner and outer cylindrical side sections being attached to the lower side of said adapter plate, a leading and a trailing conical section tapering downward attached at their upper ends to said lower deck and adjacent their lower ends to the respective ends of said adapter plate, an inner and an outer conical side section tapering upward and downward respectively attached at their upper ends to said lower deck and adjacent their lower ends to the respective sides of said adapter plate and connecting tangentially with said leading and trailing conical sections and a plurality of strengthening plates disposed within each of said transition sections in vertical planes radially with `respect to the axis of rotation of said support ring; and wherein said means connecting said leading and trailing struts to one of said heat exchange means comprises a cold conduit opening upwardly from an opening in said adapter plate at the upper end of said trailing strut and a hot conduit opening upwardly from another opening in said adapter plate at the upper end of said leading strut, both of which conduits extend through the lower and upper decks of said plow support ring into connection with one of the superjacent heat exchange means.

l2. An apparatus according to claim l wherein said plow shoe comprises a closed hollow member elongated from the outer surface of the plow radially inward toward the axis of rotation, the lower surface of Vsaid shoe extending back from the leading radial edge thereof into connection with the lower end of said trailing strut and the upper surface of said'shoe extending back and upwardly into the leading strut and then downward into contact with said lower surface at a point below the convergence of the adjacent sides of the leading and trailing struts, said plow shoe provided with coolant ow openings to permit coolant entrance into said shoe from said trailing strut and coolant discharge into said leading strut, an internal baflle within said shoe to direct part of said ow radially inward and then radially outward inside the leading edge thereof, a wear plate folded over the external surface of said leading edge and spaced apart therefrom by a fluid tight space and secured at its edges to said shoe, and a volume of high thermal conductivity fusible material substantially lling said space.

13. A heavy-duty apparatus for the agitation of a dense compact mass of large size solids which comprises a vessel enclosing said mass of solids, a plow support ring, means supporting said support ring in a rotatable position above the upper end of said mass of solids, means for rotating said support ring in this position, a plurality of plows'secured to the lower surface of said support ring and extending downwardly into the solids mass; each of said plows comprising a leading and a trailing hollow tubular strut connected at their upper ends at points spaced apart from each other along an arc around the center of rotation of said support ring and extending downwardly therefrom at different helical angles into convergence with each other below the upper end of said solids l mass, an outer cylindrical side section secured tangentially at its leading and trailing edges respectively to saidl leading and trailing struts substantially at the loci of the outermost tangent points thereof, an inner cylindrical side section concentric with said outer side section and secured tangentially at its leading and trailing edges respectively to said leading and trailing struts substantially at the loci of innermost tangent points thereof, a plow shoe having an extended width in a radial direction relative to the axis of rotation and secured to said helical struts adjacent the convergence thereof.

14. An apparatus according to claim 13 in combination with an inner reinforcing cantileverrbeam element contained within said plow, structure and comprising a plurality of helicoids with their upper ends spaced apart from one another along substantially the same arc as said struts and extending downwardly along different helical angles into convergence just above the convergence of said leading and trailing struts, a second outer cylindrical side section disposed within said plow and adjacent said rst-named outer side section thereof and secured to the outer edges of said helicoids, a second inner cylindrical side section disposed within saidplow and adjacent said first-named inner side section thereof and secured to the inner edges of said helicoids forming the inner reinforcing cantilever; and curved bearing plates disposed adjacent the convergence of said helicoids and in contact with the leading and trailing sides of the trailing and leading tubular struts respectively to load mechanically the lower end of said inner reinforcing cantilever with said plow at this point.

15. An apparatus according to claim 13 in combination with a plow transition section connecting each of said plows to the lower deck of said plow support ring and which comprises an adapter plate disposed below and substantially parallel to the lower deck of said plow sup port ring, the plate having a shape which is geometrically similar to the horizontal cross section of said plow at its upper end, the upper ends of said leading and trailing struts and of said inner and outer cylindrical side sections being attached to the lower side of said adapter plate, a leading and a trailing conical section tapering downward attached at their upper ends to said lower deck and adjacent their lower ends to the respective ends of said adapter plate, an inner and an outer conical side section tapering upward and `downward respectively attached at their upper ends to said lower deck and adjacent their lower ends to the respective sides of'said adapter plate and connecting tangentially with said leading and trailing conical sections, and a plurality-of strengthening plates disposed within each of said transition sections in vertical planes radially with respect to the axis of rotation of said support ring.

16. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said solids exist at an elevated temperature in combination with self-cooling means for each of said plows which comprises a plurality of heat exchanger enclosures supported on top of said plow support ring, a hot header conduit and a cold header conduit disposed adjacent the wall of said enclosure, a plurality of externally finned U-shaped heat exchange tubes connected in parallel between said header conduits, means for circulating a uid within said enclosure across said nned tubes, means for controlling the removal and addition of Huid from and to said enclosure, a hot conduit opening upwardly from the top of said leading strut into said hot header, a cold conduit opening downwardly from said hold header into the top of said trailing strut, a body of coolant lling a substantial portion of the circuit including said struts, conduits, headers, and heat exchange tubes, whereby coolant owing from said plow into and through said heat exchange means and back to said plow is subjected to temperature control.

17. An apparatus according to claim 13 wherein said 19 means for supporting said support ring comprises a cylindrical ring girder side frame extending upwardly around the mass of said solids,`a ring girder extending around the upper periphery of said side frame, a plurality of horizontal and vertical thrust rollers disposed in and uniformly spaced around the inner surface of said ring girder, a drive ring supported andy guided by direct contact with said vertical thrust rollers disposed within said ring girder so as to be rotatable therein, said drive ring being provided' with a radial flange at its upper end, said plow support ring being secured by means of said radial flange to said drive ring and rotatable therewith, and wherein said means for rotating said support ring comprises a ratchetring of T-shaped cross section attached to and extending radially outward from the flange at the top of said drive ring and providing on its outer surface a ratchet comprising a plurality of flat vertical surfaces against which tangential forces are applied, a plurality of hydraulic cylinders disposed around the periphery of said drive ring, each of said cylinders being pivotably secured to the inner surface/of said ring girder, a springloaded ratchet ring engaging head connected at the end of the piston rod extending from each of said' hydraulic cylinders and slidably coupled to said ratchet ring, whereby hydraulic fluid `under pressure supplied to said cylinders effects drive ring and plow support ring rotation.

18. An apparatus according to claim 17 in combination with at least one continuous 'spacer ringdisposed between the upper flange element of said drive ring and a peripheral flange disposed around said plow'support ring, the presence -of which determines the'depth to which said plows extend downwardly into said dense mass of solids.

19. An apparatus according to claim 13 wherein said plow shoe comprises a closed hollow member elongated from theou`ter surface of the plow radially inward toward the axis of rotation, the lower surface of said shoe extending back from the leading radial edge thereof into connection with the lower end ofv said trailing strut and the upper surface of said shoe extending back and upwardly into theleading strut and then downward into contact with said lower surface at a point below the convergence of the adjacentsides of the leading and trailing struts, said plow shoe provided with coolant flow openings to permit coolant entrance into said shoe from said trailing strut and coolant discharge into said leading strut, an internal baille within said shoe to direct part of said flow radially inward and then radially outward inside the leading edge thereof, a wear plate folded over the' external surface of said leading edge and spaced apart therefrom by a fluid tight space and secured at its 420 edges to said shoe, and a volumeof high thermal conductivity fusible material substantially filling said space.

20.` An apparatus according to claim 13 in combination with a plurality of parallel substantially horizontal void sealing plates spaced apart from each other and secured tothe rearward surface of said trailing strut, said plates being provided to inhibit flow of fluid through the solids mass immediately behind said trailing strut.

21. An apparatus according to claim 13 in combination with means for receiving said solids at alower level within said vessel and forcing said solids upwardly into and through said vessel, thereby discharging said solids at the topl thereof of said vessel;

22. An apparatus according to claim 21 wherein said solids exist atan elevated temperature in combination' with self-cooling means for each of said plows which comprises a plurality of heat exchanger enclosures sup ported on top of saidplow support ring, a hot header conduit and a cold header conduit disposed adjacent the wall of said enclosure, a plurality of `externally finned U-shaped heat exchange tubes'connected in parallel besubstantial portion of the circuitA including said struts,

conduits, headers, Aand heat exchange tubes, whereby coolant flowing from said plow into and through said heat exchange means and back to said plow is subjected to temperature control.

23. A heavy-duty apparatus according to claim 13 inl whichthe vessel communicates at its lower end with the upper end of a foraminatefluid disengaging vessel, the

lower end of the disengaging vessel communicates with means for forcing said solids upwardly through said disengaging vessel and said vessel enclosing said mass of solids,v a closed-separatorvessel surrounds said disengaging vessel, and means are provided for removing fluids therefrom to maintain flow of fluid downwardly through the rising mass of solids.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 176,851 Force p May 2, 1876 1,341,287 Somerville May 25, 1920 2,640,019 Berg May 26, 1953 2,698,283 Dalin Dec. 28. 1954

Claims (1)

1. IN AN APPARATUS FOR THE CONTACTING OF FLUIDS AND SOLIDS WHICH COMPRISES A CONTACTING VESSEL, A FORAMINATE FLUID DISENGAGING VESSEL, AND A SOLIDS FEEDER CASE DISPOSED AT SUCCESSIVELY LOWER LEVELS IN A COLUMN, AN INCLINED SOLIDS INLET HOPPER OPENING DOWNWARDLY INTO THE SIDE OF SAID FEEDER CASE, AN OSCILLATING VERTICALLY-ACTING PISTON SOLIDS FEEDER DISPOSED IN SAID FEEDER CASE, MEANS FOR OSCILLATING AND RECIPROCATING SAID PISTON FEEDER SO AS TO RECEIVE A MASS OF SOLIDS FROM SAID HOPPER AND FORCE IT UPWARDLY INTO AND SUCCESSIVELY THROUGH SAID DISENGAGING AND CONTACTING SECTIONS, A CLOSED SEPARATOR VESSEL SURROUNDING SAID DISENGAGING VESSEL, AND MEANS FOR REMOVING FLUIDS THEREFROM TO MAINTAIN FLOW OF FLUID DOWNWARDLY THROUGH THE RISING MASS OF SOLIDS, THE IMPROVEMENT IN COMBINATION THEREWITH OF MEANS FOR AGITATING THE SOLIDS WITHIN SAID CONTACTING SECTION WHICH COMPRISES A PLOW SUPPORT RING, MEANS SUPPORTING DAID SUPPORT RING IN A ROTATABLE POSITION ABOVE THE UPPER END OF SAID CONTACTING SECTION , MEANS FOR ROTATING SAID SUPPORT RING IN THIS PSOITION, A PLURALITY OF PLOWS SECURED TO THE LOWER SURFACES OF SAID SUPPORT RING AND EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY INTO THE RISING MASS OF SOLIDS IN SAID CONTACTING SECTION; EACH OF SAID PLOWS COMPRISING A LEADING AND A TRAILING HOLLOW TUBULAR STRUT CONNECTED AT THEIR UPPER ENDS AT POINTS SPACED APART FROM EACH OTHER ALONG AN ARC AROUND THE CENTER OF ROTATION OF SAID SUPPORT RING AND EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY THEREFROM AT DIFFERENT HELICAL ANGELS INTO CONVERGENCE WITH EACH OTHER BELOW THE UPPER END OF SAID CONTACTING SECTION, AN OUTER CYLINDRICAL SIDE SECTION SECURED TANGENTIALLY AT ITS LEADING AND TRAILING EDGES RESPECTIVELY TO SAID LEADING AND TRAILING STRUITS SUBSTANTIALLY

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