The Babcock & Wilcox Company

Mcdermott Technology, Inc.

Robert Bruce Myers

Dennis W Johnson

Ralph T Bailey

Karl H Schulze

An asymmetrical, or non-uniform arrangement of heat exchanging tubes in a second stage heat exchanger of an integrated flue gas treatment system provides improved flow characteristics and reduces or eliminates flooding caused by the counter-flow of upwardly rising flue gases and downwardly falling reagent and condensate through the heat exchanging tubes. The non-uniform spacing produces a non-uniform velocity profile with at least one low velocity region in each row, allowing reagent and condensate to drain downward at said low velocity region, thereby preventing high gas phase pressure drop caused by the onset of flooding. Embodiments are provided in which one of every six tubes are removed from each row in a uniform array of tubes, or one of every four tubes are removed from each row in a uniform array of tubes. Other asymmetrical, or non-uniform spacings are possible.

Flooding reduction on a tubular heat exchanger

Contaminants such as sulfur oxides are removed from flue gas in a low pressure drop, turbulent mixing zone, vertical dry scrubber by channeling the flue gas through a low pressure drop gas distribution means which controls flue gas introduction to the scrubber, along with control of reagent introduction, by treating the flue gas with a finely atomized alkali solution or slurry reagent preferably from a single or multiple array of dual-fluid atomizers. The atomizers create a turbulent mixing zone downstream of the gas distribution means which results in a homogeneous distribution of the alkali solution or slurry reagent in the flue gas. Control means are provided for creating and maintaining the turbulent mixing zone. A transition at the bottom of the dry scrubber is used to entrain any particulates and/or spray dried materials in the bulk gas stream exiting the dry scrubber.

Growing community of inventors

Copley Township, OH, United States of America

Robert Bruce Myers