US2925143A - Ash separator battery with horizontally disposed separators - Google Patents

Description

J. 1. YELLoTT ETAL 2,925,143

ASH sEPARAToR BATTERY WITH HoRIzoNTALLY DIsPosEn sEPARAToRs Feb. 16, 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed Jan. '7, 1955 Feb. 16, 1960 J. YELLOTT ETAL 2,925,143

ASH sEPARAToR BATTERY WITH HoRIzoNTALLY DIsPosEu sEPARAToRs origina Filed Jan. 7. 1953 5 Sheets-sheet 2 Feb. 16, 1960 J. l. YELLoTT ET AL ASH SEPARATOR BATTERY WITH HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED SEPARATORS.

5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Original Filed Jan. '7. 1955 lll Feb. 16, 41960 .1. l. YELLo-r-r ETAL 2,925,143

ASH SEPARATOR BATTERY WITH HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED SEPARATORS Original Filed Jan. 7. 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Feb. 16, i960 .1. YELLoT-r ETAL ASH SEPARATOR BATTERY WITH HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED SEPARATORS Urignal Filed Jan. 7. 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 QIT' x hm tmm m6 bwx wss@ United Stat Asn SEPARATOR BATTERY wma HoruzoN- TALLY Drsrosnn sEPAnAroRS John I. Yanne, New Ybrk, N.Y., and Peter n. nroadley, Elizabeth, N .J assignors to Bituminous Coal Research, Inc., Washington, D.C., a corporation of Delaware Original application January 7, 1953, Serial No. 330,077, now Patent No. 2,911,065, dated November 3, 1959. Dividd and this application April 4, 1955, Serial No. 499,1 4

5 Claims. (Cl. 18S-32) This invention relates to ash disposal systems for pressurized combustors utilizing powdered coal, dispersed in pressurized streams of combustive air, as a gasiform combustible. More particularly, the invention relates to such systems as elements of gas turbine power plants for supplying ash and combustion residue-free pressurized motive fluid for the turbines. This application is a division of our application Serial No. 330,- 077, filed January 7, 1953, for Coal-Burning Gas Turbine Power Plants Incorporating Novel Self-Supporting and Pressure-Sustaining Vortical Whirl Separators Together With Improved Ash Quenching and Blowdown Means.

' The pressurized combustion of fluidized, residue-forming fuels, such as powdered coal, as streaming entrainments of discrete particles in combustion air streams, is characterized by the fact that up to 50-60 percent of the charge of powdered coal is wholly or partially unburned during its travel through a combustor, so that vigorous after-burning of the incompletely burned combustible particles takes place in the ash separating equipment necessary in gas turbine powerplants, and like systems. All of this is in marked contradistinction to the condition obtaining in central station power plants wherein powdered coal is burned at atmospheric or subatmospheric (forced draft) pressures, and the uncombusted combustible content of the resulting ash rarely exceeds four (4) percent of the original combustible charged.

To take the fullest advantage of economies now available, and to develop other worthwhile economies, hitherto thought impossible, the improvements of the present invention comprehend the utilization of combustion and ash handling equipment of novel design. In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, the initial cooling of solid residues from the combustor is effected by the secondary air of the system, while in the preferred form of the invention the ash removal equipment is simplified by eliminating pressure-sustaining casings for housing the batteries of vortical whirl separators, whichV separators now function as individual pressure-sustaining vessels, suitably insulated in light weight housings. The marked economies effected in weight reduction of the parts of the power plants herein are accompanied by important increases in operative efficiency. This desirable combination permits added savings in locomotive manufacture, operation, and maintenance, as well as in marine and stationary power plants.

The foregoing desiderata are substantially accomplished by the novel improvements of the present invention, according to which ash separator plenum chamber casings of uniform cross-section incorporate juxtaposed `wedge-shaped input and output plenum chambers, of mutually inverse cross-section, in heat-exchanging relation. Vertical Whirl separators of the type described and claimed in our prior application, Serial No. 257,702, tiled November 23, `1951, for Vortical Whirl Separators and Method V of Operatipn, are operatively coupled to the 2,925,l43 Patented Feb. 16, i960 A deliver cleaned gas to the output or cleaned gas plenum chambers, whence it is delivered to gas turbines or other use devices, through suitable ducts.

The invention herein provides for increased eiiiciency of operation of gas turbine power plants using residueforming fuels, in that the pressure losses inherent in earlier designs are substantially reduced through the elimination of sudden enlargements and reductions in the diameter of the gas-conveying conduits. By providing suitable housings or sheathing for the externally oriented ash separating barrels, these members can be heat insulated with relatively inexpensive heat-insulating materials. The separator units can be maintained at a substantially uniform operating temperature, without distortionwhich would otherwise be caused by temperature inequalities. The external mounting of the separator tubes makes possible inspection, cleaning, and like procedures, without the necessity of closing down the plant in order to open or dismantle the pressuretank hitherto used to containv the separator tubes. Y

The novelpower plants of the present invention utilize the special vortical whirl separators of our above-identified application, which are pressure-sustaining and selfsupporting. As a result of this important. discovery, it has been found that it is possible to eliminate the costly and unduly bulky pressure-sustaining tanks or vessels in which the vortical whirl separators have been housed, and to mount the novel pressure-sustaining and self-supporting vortical whirl separators exteriorly of the input plenum chambers of special motive fluid conduits, ducts or casings. These novel motive fluid conduits connect a motive fluid source, such as a compressor and a combustor using residue-forming fuel dispersed in a current of combustive or primary air, with a use device, such as a gas turbine. The conduits, ducts, or casings, are divided, lengthwise (that is, in the direction of flow of the motive uid) into a convergent, wedge-shaped dirty gas input plenum chamber, and an output or cleaned gas plenum chamber, the said plenum chambers being incorporated in casings having a common interior wall which serves as a support for the hermetically embouched, cleaned gas discharge tubes of the horizontally disposed vortical whirl separators, which tubes discharge cleaned gas into the output plenum chamber. Tangential blowdown lines for separated ash are provided for the discharge sections of the vortical whirl separators, and manifolds conduct the collective separated ash blow-down streams to an ash concentrator comprised of a single, low capacity (volume) vortical Whirl separator, from which the concentrated ash is conveyed to suitable storage means, while the final quantum of cleaned gas is returned to the system, or vented to the atmosphere, as the exigencies of the operation of any particular installation may require.

The quenching of ash and other combustion residues, particularly unburned coal particles or agglomerates,

must be effected as quickly as possible to prevent after-V ed in the discharge end of the combustor casing, which casing, as will be described more in detail hereinafter, subserves the function of a secondary air plenum charnber. The downcomer duct causes an abrupt change in the direction of flow ofthe horizontally projected stream of ashand combustion residue-bearing motive fluid gases, with the result that the said heavier entrained material is transferred to the down-flowing vmarginal stream of secondary air, and is cooled and quenched therein, according to the "ash-transfer` principle, enunciated in the application of one of us. 148,594, filed March 9, 1950, for Method and Apparatus for the Separation of Particulate Material From Entraining Gaseous Fluids, now Patent No. 2,650,675, issued Sept. l, 1953.

The louvred ducts, per se, and in the novel combination with the combustors and ash-separating equipment herein, are more particularly disclosed and claimed in our companion divisional application Serial No. 499,123, filed April 4, 1955, now Patent No. 2,888,804, for Louvredv Coolant Fluid Ash Quenching Systems for Pressurized Combustors Utilizing Powdered Coal.

The downcomer ducts can be of various congurations, according to the particular installations in which they are to be incorporated, and are severally hermetically connected to the input plenum chambers of the novel ash separator batteries herein. Means are provided at the lohn l. Yellott, Serial No.`

. particular constructions, which,-for Vthepurpose cf explanation, have been made the subject of illustration.`

In the drawings, like numerals refer to similar .parts throughout the several views, of which Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through the discharge end of a combustor incorporating a downcomer duct bases of the ducts, orinffore chambers of the input plenum chambers, for receiving and withdrawing separated, quenched residues from the motive fluid, the`fly ash contained in the iluid being separated'ther'efrom in its passage'through the battery of special vortical whirl separators'forming an integral part of the ash separator system herein, 'and continuously removed from the system in a blowdown stream of motive uid comprising up to 1-11/2 percent of the total throughput volume of the fluid.

It is, therefore, among the features of novelty and advantage of the present invention to provide improved combustion and ash-separating equipment for pressurized,

powdered coal-burning power plants generating pressurized hot motive fluid for expansion engines, such as gas turbines, and for space heating devices, and other uses.

VAnother feature of novelty and advantage of the present invention is the provision of motive iiuid conduit or duct means, forming plenum chamber casings hermetically divided, in the direction of low, into dirty gas input and cleaned gas output plenum chambers, in mutual heat-exchanging relation, and coupling the cleaned gas plenum Vchambers with use devices, such as as turbines, the motive fluid being stripped of entrained solids by passage through special vortical whirl separators, horizontally mounted externally of the motive iiuid duct means and severally coupling the said dirty gas input and cleaned gas output plenum chambers. Y

vIt is also a feature of vnovelty and advantage of the present invention to provide ashseparating means for the turbine motive fluid, the separating means being Vcomprised o'f batteries of horizontally mounted, vertically disposed, self-sustaining, heat-resistant and pressure-sustaining specialv reverse flow vortical whirl separators, incorporating blowdown lines for separated ash, and with or without light-weight heat-insulating casings therefor.

Other features of novelty and advantage of the present invention include the special horizontal orientation of reverse flow vortical whirl separators in batteries, as well as rspecially shaped separators, assembled in juxtaposed honeycomb relation to form batteries of Vmutually supported jash separators, with the juxtaposed barrels of the separators being in mutual heat-exchanging relation.

With these and vother important features of novelty and yadvantage which may be incident to the improvements herein, the invention consists in the parts and combinations to be hereinafter set forth and claimed, with the understanding that the several necessary elements com- Vprising the 'invention 'may be varied lin construction, prohaving secondary air admitting louvers, and a modified ash separator battery having a box-like plenunr chamber casing incorporating juxtaposed dirty gas inlet and cleaned gas outlet plenum chambers in mutual heat-exchanging relation, the dirty gas plenum chamber being hermetically coupled tothe downcomer duct, with the individual'vortical whirl separator units of the ash separator being shown in horizontal elevation, mounted exteriorly of the casing, and encased in an insulating housing;

Fig. 2 is a cross-section, taken on line 2 2 of Fig. l, showing ow restrictive ash blowdown lines and discharge manifold therefor;

Fig. 3 is a cross-section of an input plenum chamber taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 1;

' Fig 4 is an elevational view, partly in Vbroken section, of a horizontally mounted novel reverse flow kvortical whirlv` separator, showing the details of the barrel or pri- Vmary separator chamber and the adjacent dischargeV chamber with its tangential blowdown line;

Fig. 5 is a View similar to Fig. 1, showing multiple cleaned gas expansion ducts axially aligned with the cleaned gas discharge tubes of the separator units, and

Acoupling the gas turbine and the cleaned gas output plenum chamber;

Fig. 6 is a vertical crosssection, taken on v`line 6 6 of Fig. 5, and showing duplex combustor and associated ash separator units, together with ash blowdown lines and common discharge manifold;

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal axial section through a combustor and associated ash separator, the flame tube and ash separators being shown in elevation, the separators being hexiform and mutually juxtaposed in a rhoneycomb assembly;

Fig. 8v is a cross-section taken on line 8 8 of Fig. 7, showing the rear elevation of the honeycomb assembly and associated ash discharge manifolds;

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 7, showing a honeycomb arrangement of hexiform vortical whirl separator units, together with a corresponding number of expansion ducts axially aligned with the cleaned gas discharge tubes of the separator units, and coupling the cleaned gas outlet plenum chamber to a gas turbine, and K Fig. 10 is a cross-section, taken online 10-10 of Fig. 9, showing the mounting of duplex combustors and associated ash separators severally incorporating honeycomb assemblies of hexiform ash separator units, together with ash blowdown lines and manifolds therefor.

As discussed hereinabove, a feature of major importance in the design of any element of a power plant intended for use in locomotives is the'restriction ofthe size of the element to thesmallest dimensions possible, consonant with the performance required. 'In-the case of vpulverized coal-burning motive fluid VgeneratingY equipment, all elements of the ash separating, lash concentrating, and storage equipment -must' be -vadded to the equipment normally required for oil-burning gas turbinepowered generating electric locomotives. Such added equipment must bey as compact as possible, simple to construct, service and repair, and exhibit Van ash-separating efliciency beyond the capacity of-any such equipment hitherto described, or available. In the novel design of the lash separating equipment forming vthe special feature lof novelty rinthe systems (illustrated nfFigs. 1A-'103mm above recited desiderata are successfully attained, as will now be disclosed.

Turning to the detailed showings of Figs. 1, 5, 7 and 9, the improved ash-separating equipment will be seen to comprise a modified combustor discharge section, designated generally by the numeral 140, a modified and louvered deector 150 mounted in section 140 of the combustor and directing motive iluid from the combustor downwardly into the fore chamber or dirty gas input plenum chamber of the vertically disposed, box-like casing 160 embodying dirty gas input and cleaned gas output plenum chambers. Specially mounted batteries of horizontally disposed reverse ow vortical whirl separators 70, are hermetically coupled to the exterior of the casing 160, and establish uid communication between the input and output plenum chambers thereof.

These devices, designated generally by the numeral 70 (Fig. 4) comprise primary separator or barrel sections 71 and adjacent bottomed discharge sections 72 provided with tangential blowdown lines 73, as shown. An axially apertured diaphragm 74 is mounted between the barrel and discharge sections of the separators. These diaphragms are provided further with marginal struck-up skimmer blades 75, extending into the barrel section and defining peripheral apertures establishing fluid communication between the said barrel and discharge sections, whereby centrifugally separated solids from the barrel section are delivered into the discharge section in spinning streams of motive tiuid, and further separation of the solids then takes place with the eventual removal of the solids in a blowdown stream of motive tluid discharged through the tangential blowdown line 73. At the 4intake end of the barrel section there is provided peripheral vortical whirl imparting means for incoming dirty gas, and an axial cleaned gas outlet tube. In the form shown herein, a collar member 76 mounts peripheral vanes 77, severally set to give a discharge angle of substantially 30. The outer edges of the vanes 77 are in frictional engagement with the inner surface of the cylindrical barrel section, and retain the collar 76 fixedly secured in the mouth of the barrel section of the separator. A cleaned gas discharge tube 78 is axially secured in the collar 76 and extends an appreciable distance on both sides thereof, so as to depend into the barrel section to place its mouth well below the downstream edges of the vanes 77. The output or discharge end of the tube can extend any desired distance, depending upon the particular installation. Wear resisting plugs 79 (Fig. 4) may be axially disposed in the bases of the discharge sections to prevent abrasion.

ln the single combustor units illustrated in Figs. 1-3, 7-8, the combustors 4 are provided with modied discharge sections 140, of generally cylindrical shape, having flanged ends 141, and a body 142, capped by end cap plate 143. The body is provided with a rectangular cutout 144 on its under surface to receive the top of ash separator casing 160; The casing 160 is hermetically secured to the member 140 in any suitable manner, as by welding, indicated generally by the numeral 14S. A louvered curviform deflector 150 is mounted in the end section 140 of the combustor, and divides the latter into an upper, clean secondary cooling air plenum chamber 146, and a lower, dirty motive uid plenum chamber `147. The deector 150 comprises a rear body portion 151 of partially curviform section terminating in a downwardly directed forward louver section 152 provided with louvers 153 on its upper surface.

The ash separator casing 160 is comprised of respecltively aperturedfront and back Walls 161, 162, integral side walls 163, 164, and integral bottom 165. A diago nally disposed, apertured separator or divider `plate 166 ishermetically secured, as by welding, tothe top edge .pf front wall 161, and to the side walls 163, ,164, as well as to the ,bottom 165. The bottom edge of separator ;-plate 166 is spaced from the rear wall 162, as shown.

The plate 166 divides the casing 160 into an input plenum chamber 167 for ash and combustion residue-bearing motive iiuid, which is in liuid communication with plenum chamber 147 of the combustor, and into a cleaned motive gas plenum chamber 168 which is in fluid communication with a turbine 10, or other use device, through expansion duct or ducts 12b. A cleanout port 169, for separated coarse combustion residues and ash, is provided at the base of input plenum chamber 167.

A feature of prime importance of the invention herein, and particularly of the ash separator system of the modiications presently under discussion, is the special mounting of the pressure-sustaining vortical whirl separators 7G, `describedin `detail hereinabove. In this form of the invention, the `separators. 70 are horizontally arranged, in batteries, designated generally by the numeral 170, in the following manner: The casings 71 of suitably aligned separators 70 are hermetically secured in appropriate apertures in rear wall 162 of plenum chamber casing 160 in any desired manner, as by welding, thereby placing the barrels of the individual separators in fluid communication with the dirty gas input plenum chamber 167. The mouths of cleaned gas discharge tubes 7S, which severally bridge plenum chamber 167, are hermetically embouched, as by welding, in the sloped partition member or divider plate 166, being received in aligned apertures therein, and establishing fluid communication with the cleaned gas plenum chamber 168. The tangential ash blowndown lines 73, which, as noted above,.severally receive separated solids from the discharge sections 72 of separators 70, collectively discharge their motive uidborne separated solids into a depending ash discharge manifold 171 (Figs. 1 and 2), which is in lluid communication with the ash concentrating `and storage units of the system, described in detail hereinabove. The ash blowdown lines 73 will incorporate individual iiow restrictors, as shown, to prevent blowback of separated solids. The barrels of the horizontally disposed separators 7d are desirably cylindrical.

It will be seen that the ash separator system incorporating the novel plenum chamber casings clearly fulfill the basic requirement of maximum ash separating eiciency with minimum bulk and weight of equipment. The heat conservation of the present system is eliectively maintained by suitably lagging all exposed surfaces of the equipment with heat insulating material. The lagging of the exposed surfaces of the horizontally disposed, pressure-sustaining vvortical whirl separators 70, which are mounted on the outside of the plenum chamber casing 160, may be elected in the following manner: A box-like housing or sheath 170, generally conformed to the rear wall 162 of the plenum chamber casing 160, is provided with anged edges 171', which are secured to the wall 162 in any suitable manner, as by machine screws, not shown. The housings are illed with suitable low-cost heat-insulating material 173, such as glass Wool, or asbestos liber, which is packed in and around the horizontally disposed vortical whirl separators 70, so as to eectually insulate them and prevent any significant heat loss through the exposed surfaces thereof.

Turning to Figs. 5 and 6, there isrshown the method of mounting duplex combustors and ash separator assemblies incorporating horizontally mounted, self-supporting, and pressure-sustaining vortical whirl separators. In this system, the duplex combustors, 4, 4', are arranged in substantial parallelism, and are severally provided with modied end discharge sections 140, 14114', debouching into input plenum chambers 167, 167', of the parallel, juxtaposed box-like plenum chamber casings 160, 160. Bach of these casings mounts a battery of vortical whirl separators, 170, 17d', severally comprised of three separators, the horizontal axes of all the separators being arranged in parallelism and jointly intersecting the perf .i essaies imeter of a circle. In other words, the duplex array of separators is characterized by the fact that the axes of the several separators are equidistant from a common center. common ash discharge lmanifold 175 is disposed between the batteries of separators 170, 170', larid lies in a vertical plane coinciding'with the vertical diameter of the turbine easing. The expansion 'ducts 12e, connecting the cleaned gas plenum chamber and the turbine, are equal in number to the vortical whirl separators o'f the juxtaposed batteries, and are severally lco'ar'rial therewith. common shield or housing, 176, is disposed over the separator batteries 170, 170', and 'is dmountably secured to the casings 160, 160. The usual heat insulating filling 173, of glass wool, asbestos fiber, or the like, is .packed into the housing 176, and in and aronduthe individual-vorticalwhirl'.separators of the encased batteries. The'corrimon ash discharge manifold 17-5l receives the individual ash blowdown lines 73 of the vorticall whirl vsepa`rators'70, each said line being provided with a Aiiow 'restrictor', as shown, to prevent blowbackbetween the several separators. The ash 'discharge manifold 175 discharges to the ash concentrator 120 in the usual manner.

4 The 4combustor 'elements 140, 140', land the associated plenumchambe'r casings 160, 160', described immediately above, are also used in the modified ashv separating systems illustrated in Figs. 7fl0, and essentially"characterized'by the use of batteries of horizontally disposed vortical'whirl separators having hexiform barrels and discharge chambers, which are mutually .juxtaposed in honeycomb arrangements in the several batteries. These batteries are severally designated 180, and 180. Turning now to Figs. 7-8, ythe separator battery 180'is seen to comprise three vertical rows of 'hexiform separators, severally designated generally by the numeral 70A. The hexform separators 70A are essentially similar to the cylindrical separators 70, which have been described in detail hereinabove, and this description will not be repeated, as it is not required for an understanding of the honeycomb arrangement of the horizontally disposed separators. The battery 181) is characterized further by the fact that the central row of separators extends rearwardly beyond the bilaterally juxtaposed rows to permit the coupling of the ash blowdown lines 73 of the middle separators to clear the ends of the discharge sections of the separators of the side rows. The blowdown lines 73 of the several rows are hermetically connected to blowdown manifolds 181, 182, 183, as shown in Fig. 8, and these manifolds are coupled to a common, horizontally disposed ash blowdown manifold 184i, which discharges to a suitable ash concentrating and disposal system, as described hereinabove. The Imouths of the barrels o-f the juxtaposed separators 70A may be separately hermctically embouched in rear wall '163i of plenum chamber casing 160, or they may be mutually hermetically joined, and the unitary array embouched in wall 162 in a single -aperture conformed to the honeycomb-like periphery of the array, `and hermetically secured thereto. With either of these arrangements, the barrels of the separators are placed in fluid cornmunication with the input plenum chamber 16-7, and the cleaned gas discharge tubes 78 will traverse this chamber, and have'their several mouths received in aligned aperturesin'divider plate o1' tube sheet 166, thereby establishing hermetic connection with the cleaned gas plenum chamber 168. The plenum chamber 168 discharges to the gas turbine 10 through the usual expansion duct 12d. A flanged, box-like housing or sheath 185 is mounted over the battery 180 and is detachably secured to the plenum chamber casing 160 in the usual manner. Heat-insulat ing material 173', of glassy wool, asbestos fibers, or the like, will be 'packed in the housing 185, in contact with the exposedv surfaces of the honeycomb array comprising separator battery 180.

In Figs.v 9-10, thereis sh'own a duplex combustor and ash separator system, generally similar' to the lsystem iliustratein Figs.s=6, and described hereinabove. me new system is characterized byY duplex honeycomb "arrays rows V.of separators hermetically c-rnbouched'iu plenum' chamber casing walls' 162, 162', respectively. The out. side rows'of the batteries' are comprised of three separators, mutually abutted, and interitte'd with juxtaposedinner rows comprised of four `-inutually abutted separators.V

The separators are coaxial with a likenumber of expansion ducts "12a connecting the cleaned gas plenum cham-1V ber 168 and the turbine 10. Each `array-of separators 'is' hermeticaliy embouched in suitably conformed apertures in Walls 162, 162', of plenum chamber casings 160, 161)'.-l

In the system shown in Figs. 9l0, it will be seen that the' separators 70A are of uniform length. As shown more" particularly in Fig. l0, the ash blowdown lines 73, several` ly provided with Vflow restrictors, debouch into vertical manifold 192, 193, 194, which, in turn, debouch intoy common ash discharge manifold Manifold 195 dis-y charges to the Vfinal ash concentrating and storage stagefas. Manifolds 192, 193 and '194 'arev described hereinabove. severally providedwith how restrictors to prevent blow-r back fror'nthe 'common ash discharge manifold 195.

There have been described and illustrated ash separating and cooling systems foruse with combustors adapted for the pressurized combustion o-f powdered coal capable of performing and effting all of the speciically mention-VA ed features 'of novelty and advantage of the invention, as weil as others which are apparent to those skilled in- :the art. Various uses of the present invention may be made using the described structures. According, it is apparent that variations as to operation, size and shape, and -rearrangement of the elements may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. Therefore, limitation is sought only in accordance with the sco-pe of the following claims.

We claim:

1. In a gas turbine power plant of the characterwdescribed, in whichpulv'erized coal is carried and burned in a pressurized stream of primary air, and thergaseous prod# Vucts of combustion are diluted and cooled with secondary air to optimum turbine operating temperature to form an ashand combustion residue-bearing gaseous motive fluid, an improved ash and residue separating means comprising a casing having an open top, closed sides and bottom, and apertured front and back walls, together with ah apertured, diagonally disposed inner wall member integral with the side walls and having its upper edge slightly everted and integral with the top of the front wall, its bottom edge being integral with the bottom of the casing and'spaced from the rear wall, the said diagonal inner wallfmember dividing the casing into an open-topped input plenum chamber, and a juxtaposed output plenum chamf ber having at least one discharge opening for cleaned gas in its front wall; a plurality of horizontally disposed, self-supporting, pressure-sustaining vortical Whirl separators mounted in the apertures of the rear wall of the casing, and having their intake ends integral therewith, each said separator including -a barrel section and an adjacent discharge section; an axial cleaned gas `dis charge tube and circumjacent vortical whirl-imparting intake means for each separator, 'each said tube being hermetically secured at its discharge end in an aperture of the diagonal inner wall and discharging into the cleaned gas plenum chamber; tangential blowdown lines forsep- 'arated ash at the ends ofthe discharge sections, "and discharging into a-manifold; and a"shie1d vmounted over'tlic separators and secured to the rear wall of the input plenum chamber of the casing, said shield having insulating materialdisposed-therein and laround the separators'.

2. In a gas turbine power plant of the character described, in which pulverized coal is carried and burned in a pressurized stream of primary air, and the gaseous products of combustion are diluted and cooled with secondary air to optimum turbine operating temperature to form an ashand combustion residue-bearing gaseous motive duid, an improved ash and combustion residue separating means, comprising a plurality of box-like casings, each said casing having an open top, closed sides and bottom, and apertured front and back walls, together with an apertured, diagonally disposed inner wall member integral with the side walls and `having its upper edge slightly everted and integral with the top of the front wall, its bottom edge being integral with the bottom of the casing and spaced from the rear wall, the said diagonal inner wall member dividing the casing into an open-topped input plenum chamber, and a juxtaposed output plenum chamber in heat-exchanging relation therewith and having a plurality of discharge openings in its front wall; a plurality of horizontally disposed selfsupporting, pressure-sustaining vortical whirl separators mounted in the apertures of the rear walls of each said casing, and having their intake ends integral therewith, each said separator including a barrel section and an adjacent discharge section; a cleaned gas discharge tube and circumjacent vortical whirl-imparting inlet means for each separator, each said tube being hermetically secured at its discharge end in an aperture of the diagonal inner wall and discharging into the cleaned gas output plenum chamber; tangential blowdown lines at the ends of the discharge sections, all of the blowdown lines of the separators severally discharging into a common manifold, and a shield mounted over the adjacent separator assemblies and secured to the rear walls of the input plenum chambers of the casings, said shield having heat insulating material disposed therein and around the separators.

3. In a gas turbine power plant of the character described, in which pulverized coal is carried and burned in a pressurized stream of primary air and the gaseous products of combustion are diluted and cooled with secondary air to optimum turbine operating temperature to form an ashand combustion residue-bearing gaseous motive fluid, the improved ash and combustion residue separating means, comprising casing having an open top, closed sides and bottom, and apertured front and back walls, together with an apertured, diagonally disposed inner wall member with the side walls and having its upper edge flared outwardly and integral with the top of the front wall, its bottom edge being integral with the bottom of the casing and spaced from the rear wall, the said diagonal inner Wall member being apertured and dividing the casing into an open-topped input plenum chamber, and a juxtaposed output plenum chamber having at least one discharge opening in its front wall; a plurality of horizontally disposed, self-supporting, pressure-sustaining vortical whirl separators mounted in the apertured rear wall of the casing, and having their input ends integral therewith, each said separator including a hexiform barrel section and a coaxial, juxtaposed ash discharge section; a cleaned gas discharge tube and circumjacent vortical whirl-imparting inlet means for each separator, each said tube being hermetically secured at its discharge end in an aperture of the diagonal inner wall and discharging into the cleaned gas plenum chamber; tangential blowdown lines for separated ash at the ends of each of the discharge sections, the vortical whirl separators being arranged in vertical rows, comprising a center row and outside rows, the center row extending rearwardly beyond the laterally juxtaposed outside rows, the hexiform barrels of the separators being mutually abutted and intertted in a honeycomb assembly, whereby uniform heat distribution is maintained throughout the said assembly; a manifold for each row of separators, and a common manifold receiving the discharges from the rst said manifolds.

4. Power plant according to claim 3, characterized by the fact that a shield is mounted over the separator assembly and is secured to the rear wall of the input plenum chamber, and heat insulating material is disposed in the shield and around the separator assembly.

5. In a gas turbine power plant of the character described, in which pulverized coal is carried and burned in a pressurized stream of primary air, and the gaseous products of combustion are diluted and cooled with secondary air to optimum turbine operating temperature to form an ashand combustion residue-bearing gaseous motive fluid, an improved ash and combustion residue separating means comprising a plurality of box-like casings, each said casing having an open top, closed sides and bottom, and apertured front and back walls, together with an apertured, diagonally disposed inner wall integral with the side walls and having its upper edge ared outwardly and integral with the top of the front wall, its bottom edge being integral with the bottom. of the casing and spaced from the rear wall, the said diagonal inner wall member dividing the casing into an open-topped input plenum chamber, and a juxtaposed output plenum chamber having a plurality of discharge openings in its front wall; a plurality of horizontally disposed, selfsupporting, pressure-sustaining vortical whirl separators mounted in the rear wall of the casing with the intake ends of the separator barrels ilush with the inner surface of the said rear wall, each said separator including a hexiform barrel section and a coaxial, juxtaposed ash discharge section; a cleaned gas discharge tube and circumjacent vortical whirl-irnparting inlet means for each separator, each said tube being hermetically secured at its discharge end in an aperture of the diagonal inner wall and discharging into the cleaned gas outlet plenum chamber; tangential blowdown lines at the ends of the discharge sections; all of the blowdown4 lines of the separators severally discharging through intermediate manifolds into a common ash discharge manifold, the hexiform barrels of the vortical whirl separators being arranged in two vertical rows in each casing, the hexiform barrels of the juxtaposed separators in each casing being mutually abutted and interfitted in a honeycomb assembly, whereby uniform heat distribution is maintained through each said assembly; and a shield mounted over the adjacent honeycomb assemblies of the hexiforrn barreled separators and secured to the rear walls of said casings, said shield having heat insulating material disposed therein and around the said separator assemblies.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,138,143 Dodge Nov. 29, 1938 2,515,894 Polk July 18, 1950 2,583,920 Yellott Jan. 29, 1952 2,583,921 Yellott Jan. 29, 1952 2,601,390 Hague June 24, 1952 2,632,527 McBride et al Mar. 24, 1953 2,662,610 Heinrich Dec. 15, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 580,936 Great Britain Sept. 25, 1946 969,129 France L May 17, 1950 1,006,499 France Jan. 23, 1952 1,019,343 France Oct. 29, 1952

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