Retractable nozzle for refractory-lined equipment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11369986-B2
Application number	US-201916709976-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 11, 2019
Priority date	Dec 26, 2018
Publication date	Jun 28, 2022
Grant date	Jun 28, 2022

Abstract

A refractory-lined equipment includes a vessel defining an interior at least partially lined with a refractory material, and a nozzle assembly coupled to the vessel and extending into the interior. The nozzle assembly includes an outer sleeve fixed to the sidewall and extending through an aperture defined in the sidewall, the outer sleeve defining a central passageway, and a nozzle cartridge assembly positionable within the central passageway and including an inner sleeve, a refractory lining disposed about the inner sleeve, and a nozzle positioned within the inner sleeve. The nozzle cartridge assembly is removably coupled to the outer sleeve external to the vessel.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A refractory-lined equipment, comprising:
a vessel defining an interior at least partially lined with a refractory material, wherein the vessel having a sidewall; and
a nozzle assembly coupled to the vessel and extending into the interior, the nozzle assembly including:
an outer sleeve fixed to the sidewall and extending through an aperture defined in the sidewall, the outer sleeve defining a central passageway; and
a nozzle cartridge assembly positionable within the central passageway and including an inner sleeve, a refractory lining disposed about the inner sleeve, and a nozzle positioned within the inner sleeve,

wherein the nozzle cartridge assembly is removably coupled to the outer sleeve external to the vessel.

2. The refractory-lined equipment of claim 1 , wherein the vessel forms part of equipment selected from the group consisting of a reactor, a thermal processing unit, a pressure vessel, a fired heater, a furnace, a conveyance line, a fixed bed reactor, a gasifier, an incinerator, a drum, a stack, a coker unit, and any combination thereof.

3. The refractory-lined equipment of claim 1 , wherein the outer sleeve comprises a first portion made of a first material and a second portion made of a second material different from the first material, and wherein the first portion is exposed to the interior of the vessel.

4. The refractory-lined equipment of claim 1 , wherein the nozzle cartridge assembly has a first end and a second end opposite the first end, and wherein the first end is extendable into the interior and the second end is removably coupled to the outer sleeve.

5. The refractory-lined equipment of claim 4 , wherein first end extends past an end of the outer sleeve and into the interior.

6. The refractory-lined equipment of claim 4 , wherein the nozzle cartridge assembly is removably coupled to the outer sleeve at a flanged connection.

7. The refractory-lined equipment of claim 1 , wherein the refractory lining comprises a hexagonal mesh that defines a plurality of discrete refractory cells, and wherein refractory material is positioned within each refractory cell.

8. The refractory-lined equipment of claim 1 , wherein the nozzle cartridge assembly further includes a refractory layer interposing the inner sleeve and the nozzle.

9. The refractory-lined equipment of claim 1 , wherein the nozzle is an instrumentation nozzle or a feed nozzle.

10. The refractory-lined equipment of claim 1 , wherein the nozzle comprises a nozzle sleeve and an instrumentation nozzle arranged within and removably coupled to the nozzle sleeve.

11. A method, comprising:
locating a nozzle assembly coupled to a vessel of refractory-lined equipment, the vessel defining an interior at least partially lined with a refractory material, and the nozzle assembly extending into the interior and including:
an outer sleeve fixed to the sidewall and extending through an aperture defined in the sidewall, the outer sleeve defining a central passageway; and
a nozzle cartridge assembly positioned within the central passageway and including an inner sleeve, a refractory lining disposed about the inner sleeve, and a nozzle positioned within the inner sleeve;

uncoupling the nozzle cartridge assembly from the outer sleeve external to the vessel; and
retracting the nozzle cartridge assembly from the outer sleeve external to the vessel.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
inserting a prefabricated replacement nozzle cartridge assembly into the outer sleeve via the central passageway; and
removably coupling the prefabricated replacement nozzle cartridge assembly to the outer sleeve.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the nozzle is an instrumentation nozzle and the method further comprises measuring one or more operational parameters within the interior with one or more sensors positioned in the instrumentation nozzle.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the nozzle is a feed nozzle and the method further comprises introducing one or more of a gas, a liquid, and a chemical into the interior via the feed nozzle.

15. A nozzle assembly, comprising:
an outer sleeve sized to extend through an aperture defined in a sidewall of a vessel of refractory-lined equipment, the outer sleeve defining a central passageway; and
a nozzle cartridge assembly positionable within the central passageway and configured to be removably coupled to the outer sleeve external to the vessel, the nozzle cartridge assembly including a nozzle and a refractory lining interposing the nozzle and an inner wall of the outer sleeve, wherein the nozzle cartridge assembly further includes an inner sleeve, and the refractory lining is disposed about the inner sleeve.

16. The nozzle assembly of claim 15 , wherein the nozzle cartridge assembly further includes a refractory layer interposing the inner sleeve and the nozzle.

17. The nozzle assembly of claim 15 , wherein the nozzle cartridge assembly has a first end and a second end opposite the first end, and wherein the first end is extendable past an end of the outer sleeve and the second end is configured to be removably coupled to the outer sleeve.

18. The nozzle assembly of claim 15 , wherein the refractory lining is prefabricated, cured, and fired prior to installation.

19. The refractory-lined equipment of claim 15 , wherein the nozzle is an instrumentation nozzle or a feed nozzle.

Assignees

• Exxonmobil Technology & Engineering Company

Inventors

• Yoder Patrick L
• Fowler Christopher J
• Schlett Aaron M
• Johnsen Laura E

Classifications

• B01J2219/0218

  of ceramic · CPC title

• B05B15/14 Primary

  Arrangements for preventing or controlling structural damage to spraying apparatus or its outlets, e.g. for breaking at desired places; Arrangements for handling or replacing damaged parts · CPC title

• C21B7/163 Primary

  Blowpipe assembly · CPC title

• B01J19/02

  Apparatus characterised by being constructed of material selected for its chemically-resistant properties · CPC title

• Y02P10/20

  Recycling · CPC title