Foster Wheeler Energy Corporation

Foster Wheeler Corporation

Foster Wheeler Energy International, Inc.

Frantisek L Eisinger

Harry H Pratt

Martin David Bernstein

Clarence C Eich

Madhava M Rao

A classifier for separating coarse particles from a stream of gas and particles discharged from a vertical mill. The classifier includes a generally cylindrical outer casing having a vertical axis and a vertically oriented sidewall disposed on the mill, an inner casing arranged within the outer casing, providing an annular passageway between the inner casing and the sidewall through which the stream of gas and particles flows upwardly, a ring, supported about the axis, including a plurality of circumferentially-spaced static vanes forming angled ports for imparting rotational motion to the stream of gas and particles flowing through the ports for centrifugally separating a first portion of coarse particles, thereby producing a remaining stream of gas and particles, a wheel, supported for rotation about the vertical axis, including a plurality of circumferentially-spaced radially extending blades, and a passageway for guiding the remaining stream of gas and particles inside the wheel for allowing the remaining stream to flow radially outwardly through openings formed between the blocks, so as to accelerate the rotational motion of the remaining stream for separating a second portion of coarse particles, thereby producing a final stream of gas and particles to be discharged from the classifier. The first portion of coarse particles and the second portion of coarse particles are discharged from the classifier through an outlet for separated particles.

Apparatus for and method of classifying particles discharged from a vertical mill

A method of reducing vibration in a bank of tubes due to fluid crossflow, the tubes having substantially parallel longitudinal axes. The method includes the steps of selecting a plurality of tubes from the bank of tubes and interconnecting the selected tubes so as to restrain motion of the selected tubes relative to one another in at least one direction, transverse to the longitudinal axes of the tubes, while permitting each of the selected tubes to rotate on its longitudinal axis and expand and contract in a region adjacent to the interconnection. Also disclosed are various apparatus for reducing vibration in a bank of tubes due to fluid crossflow.

Anti-vibration ties for tube bundles and related method

Piping systems adapted for handling fluids such as steam and various process and hydrocarbon gases through a pressure-reducing device at high pressure and velocity conditions can produce severe acoustic vibration and metal fatigue in the system. It has been determined that such vibrations and fatigue are minimized by relating the acoustic power level (PWL) generated in the piping system to being a function of the ratio of downstream pipe inside diameter D.sub.2 to its wall thickness t.sub.2. Additionally, such vibration and metal fatigue can be further minimized by relating the fluid pressure drop .DELTA.p and downstream Mach number M.sub.2 to being a function of the ratio of downstream piping inside diameter D.sub.2 to the pipe wall thickness t.sub.2, as expressed by M.sub.2 .DELTA.p=f (D.sub.2 /t.sub.2). Pressure-reducing piping systems designed according to these criteria exhibit minimal vibrations and metal fatigue failures and have long operating life.

Piping systems providing minimal acoustically-induced structural

A solids pulverizing mill for producing fine particles such as coal dust, which includes a housing having a centrally located coal feed chute and enclosing an annular-shaped air port ring containing multiple nozzles located around a rotatable grinding table. Multiple grinding rollers press down and rotate upon the coal on the rotatable grinding table so as to pulverize the coal, which is then entrained by multiple intersecting and strongly interacting air jet streams upwardly from the grinding table through a classifier section to an exit conduit. The air port nozzle ring is fitted with multiple angled flow passages from which adjacent air jet streams intersect and interact strongly with the adjacent streams to product intense turbulence, which prevents undesirable acoustic vibration of the upflowing air/coal material within the mill housing. The centerlines of adjacent air jet nozzles intersect at an included angle of at least 20.degree. and not exceeding 90.degree., each nozzle has cross-sectional area of 10-50 in..sup.2, and provides nozzle exit air flow velocities of 140-250 ft/sec so as to prevent undesired acoustic resonance vibrations within the pulverizer mill.

Solids pulverizer mill and process utilizing interactive air port nozzles

An acoustically pulsating burner assembly which includes an elongated outer tube, a fuel supply means located within the tube, and utilizes one or more integral axially adjustable Sondhauss thermoacoustic tubular elements to generate pulsations within the burner. The acoustic pulsations are generated inside the axially movable closed end tube element provided within the burner, and these vibrations promote more efficient combustion of the fuel so as to reduce undesired emissions in the combustion products. If desired, multiple thermoacoustic tubular elements of different lengths can be advantageously used to generate pulsations of different frequencies within the burner assembly. The burner assembly is located in a furnace windbox, and can be adapted for combusting gas, oil or particulate fuels such as coal.

Acoustically pulsating burner with integral adjustable Sondhauss

A rapping hammer system adapted for periodically rapping and cleaning tubes of a heat exchanger unit to remove undesired deposits from outside the tubes. A plurality of rapping hammers are each pivotably attached to a radial arm extending outwardly from and spaced apart along a rotatable shaft. A spring device is attached to each radial arm and arranged to contact the rapping hammer with sufficient force so as to substantially restrain repeated striking movements of the rapping hammer against an impact stem of the heat exchange unit following an initial impact of the hammer. A method is also disclosed for operating the rapping hammer system for periodically rapping and cleaning the outside surface of heat exchanger tubes such as boiler tubes of accumulated ash and soot deposits.

Single impact rapping hammer system and method for cleaning tube units

A system and method for resisting thermoacoustic oscillations in systems comprised of hot and cold components is disclosed. More particularly, a combined cycle power generation system 32 having a gas turbine 40, a gas turbine discharge duct 34, and a gas turbine recuperator 36 and 38 is disclosed. The system 32 is designed to resist severe thermoacoustic oscillations over its entire load range by providing for an asymmetrical arrangement of the hot section L-l, including the gas discharge duct 34 and the plenum 36 of the recuperator, and the cold section L-l, including the heat exchange tubes 38 of the recuperator. Also disclosed is a steam generation system 42 having a plenum 46, a burner 48, and a furnace 44. The steam generation system 42 is also designed to resist severe thermoacoustic oscillations by providing for an appropriate burner length L and by providing for an asymmetrical arrangement of a hot burner section L-l and a cold burner section l within the burner 48. Alternative means are also disclosed for avoiding severe thermoacoustic oscillations in the combined cycle generation system and in the steam generation system by disrupting or avoiding the modified Sondhauss effect in those systems.

Vibration of systems comprised of hot and cold components

A system and method for resisting thermoacoustic oscillations in systems comprised of hot and cold components is disclosed. More particularly, a combined cycle power generation system 32 having a gas turbine 40, a gas turbine discharge duct 34, and a gas turbine recuperator 36 and 38 is disclosed. The system 32 is designed to resist severe thermoacoustic oscillations over its entire load range by providing for an asymmetrical arrangement of the hot section L-l, including the gas discharge duct 34 and the plenum 36 of the recuperator, and the cold section l, including the heat exchange tubes 38 of the recuperator. Also disclosed is a steam generation system 42 having a plenum 46, a burner 48, and a furnace 44. The steam generation system 42 is also designed to resist severe thermoacoustic oscillations by providing for an appropriate burner length L and by providing for an asymmetrical arrangement of a hot burner section L-l and a cold burner section l within the burner 48. Alternative means are also disclosed for avoiding severe thermoacoustic oscillations in the combined cycle generation system and in the steam generation system by disrupting or avoiding the modified Sondhauss effect in those systems.

A rotary cutoff device for reducing noise generated by the impeller blading of rotating centrifugal fans. The rotary device includes a casing partially enclosing a rotor mounted near the centrifugal fan discharge opening. The rotor containing a plurality of resonator cavities consisting either of quarter wave length resonators or of Helmholtz type resonators, each cavity being oriented preferably transverse to the rotor axis and having a length/diameter ratio in the range of 8/1-16/1. The rotor can be rotatably adjustable relative to the fan impeller, or it can be driven by a motor at a surface speed 30-100% that of the fan impeller surface speed, so that the rotor resonator cavities act as either quarter wave length or Helmholtz resonators to absorb effectively the acoustic pulsations generated by the centrifugal fan blade pass frequency of the fan and its harmonics, and reduce substantially the noise generated by centrifugal fans.

Rotary throat cutoff device and method for reducing centrifugal fan noise

A pulverizing mill for particulate material such as coal, containing a plurality of roller units each pivotably attached to the mill casing. The roller units are each biased downwardly against a rotatable table and annular track by dual loading arms which are pressed downwardly by spring means located outside the casing. The spring means are provided either by coil type springs contacting the loading arms, or are provided by the loading arms being fixed at their outer ends to the casing so as to act as curved torsional spring arms to provide a downwardly force on the roller units. The roller unit pivot shaft is advantageously attached to the casing at a level below the roller axis.

Pulverizing mill having external loading arm mehcanism

A corrugated-shaped acoustic baffle unit for insertion into a tube bundle of a tubular-type heat exchanger having parallel staggered tubes to prevent flow-induced vibrations in the heat exchanger. The baffle unit is formed of at least two helical-shaped spacer members each rotatably attached to a flexible connecting barrier member, such as a fabric or metal mesh material or formed by multiple adjacent bars or tubes each attached to the rotatable spacer members. The flexible corrugated-shaped baffle unit can be inserted between adjacent parallel tubes of a heat exchanger by rotating simultaneously the helical-shaped spacer members. After insertion of the baffle unit, the ends of the helical-shaped spacer members are connected together so as to prevent their further rotation and thereby secure the baffle unit firmly in place between adjacent tubes of the heat exchanger.

Flexible acoustic baffle for staggered tube banks

A heat exchange apparatus in which a plurality of heat exchange tubes are disposed in a enclosure and are supported relative to two opposed upright walls of the enclosure. Each tube is formed in a serpentine manner with adjacent tube sections extending in a vertically spaced parallel relationship between the upright walls. Adjacent tube sections are connected at a distance from each of the walls of between one-fourth and one-third the distance between the two walls.

Support system for heat exchange tube

A disc roller mechanism and method for forming helical-shaped structures from a feed wire or rod, wherein the feed wire is drawn through a plurality of staggered disc-shaped forming rollers by rotation of the rollers, while the wire is also being rotated about its own axis so as to form the desired helical-shaped product. The roller mechanism includes a support frame and a first set of at least two fixed position driven disc-shaped rollers and a second set of at least one idler disc-shaped rollers, said idler rollers being transversely adjustable positions relative to the first driven roller set rotatably mounted in the frame. The driven roller set usually has a roughened outer perimeter surface to facilitate drawing the feed wire through the intersecting forming rollers. If desired, the feed wire can be pulled off a rotatable supply spool such as by a pair of guiding rollers and then passed through the staggered disc-shaped forming rollers to provide the desired helical-shaped product.

Disc roller mechanism for forming helical shapes

A roller mechanism and method for forming helical shaped structures from a feed wire or rod, wherein the feed wire is drawn through a plurality of staggered forming rollers by rotation of the rollers, while the wire is also being rotated about its own axis so as to form the desired helical shaped product. The mechanism includes a support frame and at least four lower fixed position driven rollers and at least five upper idler rollers having adjustable positions relative to the lower rollers rotatably mounted in the frame. The lower rollers usually have a roughened or grooved surface to facilitate drawing the feed wire through the staggered forming rollers. If desired, the feed wire can be pulled off a rotating supply reel by a pair of guiding rollers and then passed through the forming rollers to provide the desired helical shaped product.

Roller mechanism for forming helical shapes

An apparatus and method are provided for top-supporting a steam generator from a frame which is connected to a base. A plurality of dampers are connected between upstanding frame members and the steam generator, acting to absorb a portion of the energy resulting from dynamic loads imparted between the frame and the steam generator.

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Demarest, NJ, United States of America

Frantisek L Eisinger