Effective discharge of exhaust from submerged combustion melters and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10246362-B2
Application number	US-201615189634-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 22, 2016
Priority date	Jun 22, 2016
Publication date	Apr 2, 2019
Grant date	Apr 2, 2019

Abstract

Submerged combustion methods and systems including a melter equipped with an exhaust passage through the ceiling or the sidewall having an aggregate hydraulic diameter. Submerged combustion burners configured to create turbulent conditions in substantially all of the material being melted, and produce ejected portions of melted material. An exhaust structure including a liquid-cooled exhaust structure defining a liquid-cooled exhaust chamber having a cross-sectional area greater than that of the exhaust stack but less than the melter. The exhaust passage and liquid-cooled exhaust structure configured to maintain temperature and pressure of the exhaust, and exhaust velocity through the exhaust passage and the exhaust structure, at values sufficient to prevent the ejected material portions of melted material from being propelled out of the exhaust structure as solidified material, and maintain any molten materials contacting the first interior surface molten so that it flows down the first interior surface into the melter.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A submerged combustion manufacturing system comprising:
a submerged combustion melter (SCM) equipped with one or more submerged combustion (SC) burners, the SCM having a length (L) and a width (W), a centerline (C), a midpoint (M), a sidewall structure having a north side (N) and a south side (S), the sidewall structure connecting a ceiling and a floor of the SCM, and one or more exhaust passages through the ceiling, the one or more exhaust passages having an aggregate hydraulic diameter;
the one or more submerged combustion burners configured to discharge combustion products under a level of material being melted in the SCM and create turbulent conditions in substantially all of the material being melted as well as ejected portions of melted material; and
an exhaust structure fluidly connecting the one or more exhaust passages with an exhaust stack, the exhaust structure comprising:
a liquid-cooled exhaust structure of height H 1 fluidly connected to the one or more exhaust passages, the liquid-cooled exhaust structure defining a liquid-cooled exhaust chamber having a first interior surface, the liquid-cooled exhaust chamber having a cross-sectional area greater than that of the exhaust stack but less than the SCM,
the one or more exhaust passages and the liquid-cooled exhaust structure configured to maintain temperature and pressure of exhaust materials from the SCM, and exhaust velocity of the exhaust materials from the SCM through the liquid-cooled exhaust structure, at values sufficient to prevent the ejected portions of melted material from being propelled out of the liquid-cooled exhaust structure and into the exhaust stack as solidified material, and maintain any molten materials contacting the first interior surface molten so that it flows back down the first interior surface back into the SCM, and
a gas-cooled exhaust structure of height H 7 fluidly connecting the liquid-cooled exhaust structure and the exhaust stack, the gas-cooled exhaust structure defining a gas-cooled exhaust chamber having a second interior surface, the gas-cooled exhaust structure consisting of a metal layer forming the second interior surface, the metal layer having one or more gas-cooled external surfaces, the gas-cooled exhaust structure devoid of refractory or other lining,
wherein H 1 is greater than or equal to H 7 , and H 7 is not 0.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the gas-cooled exhaust chamber has a cross-sectional area substantially equal to the cross-sectional area of the liquid-cooled exhaust chamber.

3. The system of claim 1 comprising a feed inlet in a feed end of the sidewall structure, a molten product outlet in an exit end of the sidewall structure, wherein the one or more exhaust passages through the ceiling are positioned substantially centrally between the feed end and the exit ends.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the one or more exhaust passages and the liquid-cooled exhaust chamber have a cross-sectional area configured so that the exhaust velocity of the exhaust materials is 25 ft./min. or less through the one or more exhaust passages and the liquid-cooled exhaust chamber.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the one or more submerged combustion burners are configured to discharge the combustion products primarily non-laterally under the level of the material being melted in the SCM.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the one or more submerged combustion burners are configured to discharge the combustion products primarily vertically under the level of the material being melted in the SCM.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the sidewall structure comprises a feed end wall, an exit end wall, and two side walls, with each of the two side walls connected to both the feed end wall and the exit end wall.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the liquid-cooled exhaust structure is constructed of metal having a service temperature higher than a temperature of the exhaust materials.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the gas-cooled exhaust structure is constructed of metal having service a temperature higher than a temperature of the exhaust materials.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the metal is one or more austenitic nickel-chromium super alloys, and the one or more gas-cooled external surfaces are steel.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the liquid-cooled exhaust structure is configured for cooling using a liquid selected from the group consisting of water, organic liquids, inorganic liquids, and combinations thereof.

12. The system of claim 1 comprising an air inspirator fluidly connecting the liquid-cooled exhaust structure and the exhaust stack.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the air inspirator is selected from the group consisting of one or more adjustable panels, and one or more adjustable hoods.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein the exhaust structure has a cross-sectional shape selected from the group consisting of rectangular, round, oval, trapezoidal, triangular, U-shaped, quadrangular, hexagonal, octagonal, and parabolic.

15. A submerged combustion manufacturing system comprising:
a submerged combustion melter (SCM) equipped with one or more submerged combustion (SC) burners, the SCM having a length (L) and a width (W), a centerline (C), a midpoint (M), a sidewall structure having a north side (N) and a south side (S), the sidewall structure connecting a ceiling and a floor of the SCM, and one or more exhaust passages through the sidewall structure, the one or more exhaust passages having an aggregate hydraulic diameter;
the one or more submerged combustion burners configured to discharge combustion products under a level of material being melted in the SCM and create turbulent conditions in substantially all of the material being melted as well as ejected portions of melted material; and
an exhaust structure fluidly connecting the one or more exhaust passages with an exhaust stack, the exhaust structure comprising:
a liquid-cooled exhaust structure of height H 1 fluidly connected to the one or more exhaust passages, the liquid-cooled exhaust structure defining a liquid-cooled exhaust chamber having a first interior surface, the liquid-cooled exhaust chamber having a cross-sectional area greater than that of the exhaust stack but less than the SCM,
the one or more exhaust passages and the liquid-cooled exhaust structure configured to maintain temperature and pressure of exhaust materials from the SCM, and exhaust velocity of the exhaust materials from the SCM through the liquid-cooled exhaust structure, at values sufficient to prevent the ejected portions of melted material from being propelled out of the liquid-cooled exhaust structure and into the exhaust stack as solidified material, and maintain any molten materials contacting the first interior surface molten so that it flows back down the first interior surface back into the SCM, and
a gas-cooled exhaust structure of height H 7 fluidly connecting the liquid-cooled exhaust structure and the exhaust stack, the gas-cooled exhaust structure defining a gas-cooled exhaust chamber having a second interior surface, the gas-cooled exhaust structure consisting of a metal layer forming the second interior surface, the metal layer having one or more gas-cooled external surfaces, the metal layer forming the second interior surface devoid of refractory or other lining,
wherein H 1 is greater than or equal to H 7 , and H 7 is not 0.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the one or more exhaust passages and the liquid-cooled exhaust chamber have a cross-sectional area configured so that the exhaust velocity of

Assignees

• Johns Manville

Inventors

• Huber Aaron Morgan

Classifications

• F23C3/004

  the chamber being arranged for submerged combustion (F23C3/002 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B01D5/0012 Primary

  Vertical tubes · CPC title

• C03B2211/22

  by direct combustion in the melt · CPC title

• C03B5/20 Primary

  Bridges, shoes, throats, or other devices for withholding dirt, foam, or batch · CPC title

• F23J2213/30

  Specific materials · CPC title