Heat recover apparatus, system and method of using the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11560880-B2
Application number	US-201716321718-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 31, 2017
Priority date	Jul 29, 2016
Publication date	Jan 24, 2023
Grant date	Jan 24, 2023

Abstract

A heat recovery apparatus, system and method of using the same. The heat recovery apparatus includes a particulate inlet, a particulate distributor in fluid communication with the particulate inlet, a cavity in fluid communication with the particulate distributor, a plurality of pipes contained within the cavity and configured for transmission of a heat transfer fluid therethrough, and a particulate outlet in fluid communication with the cavity.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A heat recovery system comprising:
a hot particulate inlet conveyor;
a heat recovery apparatus comprising:
a front side, a back side, a left side, a right side, a top, and a bottom;
a hot particulate inlet located at the top of the heat recovery apparatus;
a thermally insulated particulate distributor in fluid communication with the particulate inlet;
a cavity in fluid communication with the particulate distributor, the cavity comprising a plurality of pipes extending from an inlet manifold located at the left side of the heat recovery apparatus to an outlet manifold located at the right side of the heat recovery apparatus, the plurality of pipes configured for transmission of a heat transfer fluid therethrough and direct transfer of heat from a hot particulate to the heat transfer fluid; and
a particulate outlet located at the bottom of the heat recovery apparatus and in fluid communication with the cavity; and

a particulate outlet conveyor,
wherein the particulate distributor comprises:
a first section configured to receive hot particulate from the hot particulate inlet;
a second section fluidically coupled with the first section via a first branch point and configured to deliver the hot particulate to the cavity, the second section configured to divide the hot particulate into a first plurality of flow directions toward the cavity; and
a plurality of third sections fluidically coupled with the second section via second branch points, the plurality of third sections configured to further divide the hot particulate from the first plurality of flow directions into a second plurality of flow directions toward the cavity.

2. The heat recovery system of claim 1 , wherein the heat recovery apparatus further comprises:
a heat transfer fluid inlet, the heat transfer fluid inlet fluidically coupled with the plurality of pipes via the inlet manifold; and
a heat transfer fluid outlet, the heat transfer fluid outlet fluidically coupled with the plurality of pipes via the outlet manifold.

3. The heat recovery system of claim 2 , further comprising:
a heat transfer fluid source fluidically coupled with the fluid inlet; and
a heat transfer fluid reservoir fluidically coupled with the fluid outlet.

4. The heat recovery system of claim 3 , wherein the heat transfer fluid reservoir is fluidically coupled with an external energy conversion system.

5. The heat recovery system of claim 4 , wherein the heat transfer fluid source, the heat recovery apparatus, the heat transfer fluid reservoir, and the external energy conversion system form a closed-loop system.

6. The heat recovery system of claim 1 , wherein the heat transfer fluid comprises a gas, a liquid or an aqueous solution.

7. The heat recovery system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a plurality of fourth sections fluidically coupled with the plurality of third sections via third branch points, the plurality of fourth sections configured to further divide the hot particulate from the second plurality of flow directions into a third plurality of flow directions toward the cavity; and
a plurality of fifth sections fluidically coupled with the plurality of fourth sections via fourth branch points, the plurality of fifth sections configured to further divide the hot particulate from the third plurality of flow directions into a fourth plurality of flow directions toward the cavity.

8. A heat recovery apparatus comprising:
a front side, a back side, a left side, a right side, a top, and a bottom;
a particulate inlet located at the top of the heat recovery apparatus;
a thermally insulated particulate distributor in fluid communication with the particulate inlet;
a cavity in fluid communication with the particulate distributor, the cavity comprising a plurality of pipes extending from an inlet manifold located at the left side of the heat recovery apparatus to an outlet manifold located at the right side of the heat recovery apparatus, the plurality of pipes configured for transmission of a heat transfer fluid therethrough and direct transfer of heat from a hot particulate to the heat transfer fluid; and
a particulate outlet located at the bottom of the heat recovery apparatus and in fluid communication with the cavity,
wherein the particulate distributor comprises:
a first section configured to receive hot particulate from the particulate inlet;
a second section fluidically coupled with the first section via a first branch point and configured to deliver the hot particulate to the cavity, the second section configured to divide the hot particulate into a first plurality of flow directions toward the cavity; and
a plurality of third sections fluidically coupled with the second section via second branch points, the plurality of third sections configured to further divide the hot particulate from the first plurality of flow directions into a second plurality of flow directions toward the cavity.

9. The heat recovery apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the heat recovery apparatus is configured to couple with a support base via weight bearing members.

10. The heat recovery apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the heat recovery apparatus is configured to couple with the weight bearing members via a plurality of elastically resilient members.

11. The heat recovery apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the heat recovery apparatus is configured to couple with a mechanical shaker or agitator.

12. The heat recovery apparatus of claim 8 , further comprising:
a heat transfer fluid inlet, the heat fluid transfer inlet fluidically coupled with the plurality of pipes via the inlet manifold; and
a heat transfer fluid outlet, the heat transfer fluid outlet fluidically coupled with the plurality of pipes via the outlet manifold.

13. A method for recovering heat from hot particulate, the method comprising:
delivering a hot particulate to a heat recovery apparatus according to claim 8 ;
circulating a heat transfer fluid through the plurality of pipes;
distributing, with the particulate distributor, the hot particulate over the plurality of pipes;
transferring heat from the hot particulate to the circulating heat transfer fluid through the plurality of pipes; and
removing cooled particulate from the heat recovery apparatus through the particulate outlet.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the hot particulate is granulated slag having a temperature ranging from about 700° C. to about 1100° C., sand having a temperature ranging from about 600° C. to about 1000° C., or a ceramic composition having a temperature ranging from about 600° C. to about 1000° C.

15. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
shaking the heat recovery apparatus.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the heat recovery apparatus further comprises:
a heat transfer fluid inlet, the heat transfer fluid inlet fluidically coupled with the plurality of pipes via the inlet manifold; and
a heat transfer fluid outlet, the heat transfer fluid outlet fluidically coupled with the plurality of pipes via the outlet manifold.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the heat recovery apparatus further comprises:
a heat transfer fluid source fluidically coupled with the fluid inlet; and
a heat transfer fluid reservoir fluidically coupled with the fluid outlet.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the heat transfer fluid reservoir is fluidically coupled with an external energy conversion system.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising transmitting the heat transfer fluid from the heat transfer fluid

Assignees

• Univ Arizona

Inventors

• Li Peiwen

Classifications

• F28D19/02

  using granular particles · CPC title

• C21B2400/08

  with energy recovery · CPC title

• F03G7/06 Primary

  using expansion or contraction of bodies due to heating, cooling, moistening, drying or the like (using thermal expansion of non-vaporising liquids F01K) · CPC title

• F28F9/0275

  with multiple branch pipes · CPC title

• F28D20/0056

  using solid heat storage material (F28D20/0052 takes precedence) · CPC title