Simplified submerged chain conveyor for bottom ash conversions

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10124968-B2
Application number	US-201715490240-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 18, 2017
Priority date	Apr 29, 2016
Publication date	Nov 13, 2018
Grant date	Nov 13, 2018

Abstract

A simplified submerged chain conveyor system for handling ash produced by large-scale coal fired boilers. The system incorporates an endless chain conveyor system moving a coal/ash aqueous mixture within a conveyor segment having a hydraulically closed duct. The system is adapted for retrofit applications of existing coal-fired boiler installations. In each embodiment the chain conveyor elevates the aqueous ash solution to dewater the ash. In several embodiments the boiler ash hopper is partially flooded with water and the system moves the ash mixture through a water column to the dewatering section. In one embodiment the ash mixture is not submersed but is subjected to water sprays before reaching the dewatering section. Great flexibility is provided in locating and positioning the conveyor system. One unit may be implemented to provide ash handling for multiple boilers. Embodiments are described operable in continuous or batch mode processes.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A submerged grind conveyor system for removing bottom ash from a large-scale coal fired combustion device, the conveyor system comprising, a bottom hopper for collecting the bottom ash with a bottom gate for controlling the flow of the ash from the hopper and a grinder to reduce the size of large ash particles; and
a submerged chain conveyor unit having a chain conveyor housing that is separate from the bottom hopper, an elongated closed duct with a receiving section positioned for receiving the ash from the bottom gate and an inclined section for elevating the ash, and having an internal continuous drag chain conveying unit for transporting the ash from the hopper to the inclined section where the accumulated ash is dewatered for discharge from the system, the enclosed duct and the chain conveyor housing enclosing the drag chain of the submerged chain conveying unit having a bottom section conveying the ash from the hopper to discharge from the system and a return top section, the top and bottom sections moving in opposite directions with one of the top or bottom sections moving the ash particles from the receiving section to the inclined section and for the discharge.

2. The submerged grind conveyor system in accordance with claim 1 in which the drag chain conveying unit is loaded from a single point input from the bottom hopper allowing the conveyor system to be rotated in any of 360° directions in plan relative to the bottom hopper.

3. The submerged grind conveyor system in accordance with claim 1 in which the conveyor unit is loaded from multiple points from the same hopper.

4. A submerged grind conveyor system in accordance with claim 1 further comprising;
a plurality of water spray nozzles positioned along the chain Conveying unit for discharging cooling water onto the ash transported by the conveying unit, and the system configured for continuous collection of bottom ash discharged from the hopper onto the receiving section of the chain conveyor unit.

5. A submerged grind conveyor system for removing bottom ash from a large-scale coal fired combustion device having a bottom hopper for collecting the bottom ash with a bottom gate for controlling the flow of the ash from the hopper and a grinder to reduce the size of large ash particles, comprising;
a submerged chain conveyor unit having a chain conveyor housing that is separate from the bottom hopper, an elongated closed duct with a receiving section positioned for receiving ash from the bottom gate and an inclined section for elevating the ash, and having an internal continuous drag chain conveying unit for transporting the ash from the hopper to the inclined section where the accumulated ash is dewatered for discharge from the system, wherein the feed of the ash into the chain conveyor unit is controlled by a conveyor drive unit through a signal relating to a drive torque output.

6. The submerged grind conveyor system in accordance with claim 5 further comprising, a valve positioned between the grinder and the submerged chain conveyor unit in which the valve is controlled by the signal from the conveyor drive unit to accomplish control of the feed of the ash into the chain conveyor unit.

7. A submerged grind conveyor system for removing bottom ash from a large-scale coal fired combustion device having a bottom hopper for collecting the bottom ash with a bottom gate for controlling the flow of the ash from the hopper and a grinder to reduce the size of large ash particles, comprising;
a submerged chain conveyor unit having a chain conveyor housing that is separate from the bottom hopper, an elongated closed duct with a receiving section positioned for receiving ash from the bottom gate and an inclined section for elevating the ash, and having an internal continuous drag chain conveying unit for transporting the ash from the hopper to the inclined section where the accumulated ash is dewatered for discharge from the system in which the conveyor units loaded from multiple points from the same hopper and in which the feed of the ash into the chain conveyor unit is controlled by a conveyor drive unit through a signal relating to a drive torque output of the drive unit.

8. The submerged grind conveyor system in accordance with claim 7 further comprising; a valve positioned between a grinder feed point and the submerged chain conveyor unit in which the valve is controlled by the signal from the conveyor drive unit to accomplish control of the feed of the ash into the chain conveyor unit.

9. A submerged grind conveyor system for removing bottom ash from a large-scale coal fired combustion device having a bottom hopper for collecting the bottom ash with a bottom gate for controlling the flow of the ash from the hopper and a grinder to reduce the size of large ash particles, comprising;
a submerged chain conveyor unit having a Chain conveyor housing that is separate from the bottom hopper, an elongated closed duct with a receiving section positioned for receiving ash from the bottom gate and an inclined section for elevating the ash, and having an internal continuous drag chain conveying unit for transporting the ash from the hopper to the inclined section where the accumulated ash is dewatered for discharge from the system,
the system configured for operation with maintaining a water column in the submerged chain conveyor unit at a second water level less than a first water level within the hopper, the system configured to operate in a batch process in which the bottom gate of the hopper is periodically opened to discharge accumulated water and ash from the hopper into the submerged chain conveyor unit with the bottom gate periodically closed to isolate the hopper from the submerged chain conveyor unit while the hopper collects the bottom ash over time.

10. A submerged grind conveyor system for removing bottom ash from a large-scale coal fired combustion device having a bottom hopper for collecting the bottom ash with a bottom gate for controlling the flow of the ash from the hopper and a grinder to reduce the size of large ash particles, comprising;
a submerged chain conveyor unit having a chain conveyor housing that is separate from the bottom hopper, an elongated closed duct with a receiving section positioned for receiving ash from the bottom gate and an inclined section for elevating the ash, and having an internal continuous drag chain conveying unit for transporting the ash from the hopper to the inclined section where the accumulated ash is dewatered for discharge from the system
the system configured for operation with the hopper in the form of a dry hopper with a water column maintained within the submerged chain conveyor unit with the system operating continuously or in batch mode to receive the bottom ash which falls into the submerged chain conveyor unit.

11. A submerged grind conveyor System for removing bottom ash from a large-scale coal fired combustion device having a bottom hopper for collecting the bottom ash with a bottom gate for controlling the flow of the ash from the hopper and a grinder to reduce the size of large ash particles, comprising:
a submerged chain conveyor unit having a chain conveyor housing that is separate from the bottom hopper, an elongated closed duct with a receiving section positioned for receiving the ash from the bottom gate and an inclined section for elevating the ash, and having an internal continuous drag chain conveying unit for transporting the ash from the hopper to the inclined section where the accumulated ash is dewatered for discharge from the system,
the system configured for operation with maintaining a water column in the closed duct having a water column height wit

Assignees

• Babcock & Wilcox Co
• Babcock & Wilcox Loibl Gmbh

Inventors

• Zotti Loius A
• Reynolds Randy Jay
• Reinsch Manfred
• Zeitler Karl Josef
• Little Austin Tyler

Classifications

• B65G69/20 Primary

  Auxiliary treatments, e.g. aerating, heating, humidifying, deaerating, cooling, de-watering or drying, during loading or unloading; Loading or unloading in a fluid medium other than air · CPC title

• F23J2700/001

  Ash removal, handling and treatment means · CPC title

• F23J2900/01004

  Separating water from ash · CPC title

• F23J1/02 Primary

  Apparatus for removing ash, clinker, or slag from ash-pits, e.g. by employing trucks or conveyors, by employing suction devices · CPC title

• B65G65/42

  using belt or chain conveyors · CPC title