A. Ahlstrom Corporation

Foster Wheeler Energia Oy

Harry Ollila

Timo Hyppanen

Juhani M Isaksson

Reijo J Kuivalainen

Method and apparatus for recovering heat from solid material separated

A centrifugal separator for separating particles from gases is a vortex chamber composed of cooling planar plates or panels (i.e. they are distinctly non-cylindrical), having at least one gas inlet, at least one gas outlet and at least one outlet for the separated particles. The cross section of the side walls of the vortex chamber forms a distinctly non-circular gas space (e.g. a polygonal cross section), have a circularity of greater than 1, e.g. .gtoreq.1.1, and preferably .gtoreq.1.15. One or more vertical, parallel gas vortices may be created in the vortex chamber, the gas introduced into vertical narrow slots. The outlets for separated particles are not on the same symmetrical axes as the outlets for purified gas. Two adjacent vortices may be provided in a common rectangular chamber. The separator is preferably in conjunction with a circulating fluidized bed reactor.

Centrifugal separator

A method and apparatus are provided for effecting bidirectional feeding of particulate material, such as in the bidirectional feeding of fuel to a circulating fluidized bed combustor. A feeder has a housing with at least one inlet in the upper portion of the housing and a chain and flight (drag chain) conveyor disposed within the housing. An intermediate plate is disposed between the upper and lower runs of the chain and flight conveyor and cooperates with the flights in the upper run so that the upper run conveys solid material in a first direction along the intermediate plate. A bottom plate is disposed below the lower run and cooperates with the lower run flights to convey solid material in a second direction opposite the first direction. First and second outlets are provided for the solid material, the first outlet at one end of the housing, and the second outlet at the other end of the housing. At least one opening is disposed in the intermediate plate for allowing a portion of the solid material being conveyed to flow through the opening to the lower run of the conveyor. The size and/or of the opening is adjustable to control the proportion of solid material flowing down to the lower opening, the opening preferably being adjustable so that it has about 30-70% of the width of the intermediate plate.

Growing community of inventors

Kauniainen, Finland

Harry Ollila