Patent ID: 6250796
Filing Date: 2001-06-26
Classification: B01F,B01J

Abstract:
An agitation apparatus comprising:an agitation vessel having a wall defining a chamber extending along a longitudinal axis;a heat exchange assembly, disposed in said chamber, and including a plurality of tubes arranged in rows that extend parallel to said longitudinal axis;inlet means, coupled to said plurality of tubes, for introducing a heat exchange fluid into said plurality of rows of tubes;outlet means, coupled to said plurality of tubes, for removing said heat exchange fluid form said plurality of rows;an agitator assembly including:a drive shaft located within said chamber and having an axis of rotation coaxially aligned with said longitudinal axis;a drive attached to said shaft;at least one impeller, mounted on said shaft, spaced apart from said wall defining a gap therebetween, said at least one impeller comprising a plurality of blades, each of which includes a tip, spaced apart from said wall defining a void therebetween, with said plurality of blades defining a swipe zone over which said plurality of blades travel by rotation of said at least one impeller and an unobstructed zone defined by both said void and said gap;upper inlet means, mounted to said agitation vessel, for introducing an upper liquid media into said agitation vessel;lower inlet means, mounted to said agitation vessel, for introducing a lower liquid media into said agitation vessel;lower outlet means, mounted to said agitation vessel, for removing upper and lower liquid media from said agitation vessel;upper outlet means, mounted to said agitation vessel, for discharging an output gas media from said agitation vessel,a gas inlet means, mounted to said agitation vessel, for introducing an input gas into said agitation vessel, said gas inlet means comprising:a gas inlet pipeline connected to a gas main supply tube;a lower gas distributor box disposed proximate to one end of said agitation vessel, wherein said lower gas distributor box includes upper and lower ellipsoidal surfaces defining a hollow ellipsoidal vessel having a major-minor axis ratio ranging from 1:1 up to 1:20, said ellipsoidal vessel being attached to said gas inlet pipeline, with a plurality of slag eyes disposed in said upper and lower surfaces to remove residuum;a middle gas distributor circular tube disposed at a middle portion of said unobstructed zone, and an upper gas distributor circular tube disposed at an upper portion of said unobstructed zone;a plurality of nozzles attached to said distributor box, each of said plurality of nozzles including an exit with an ellipsoidal cross-sectional shape having a major-minor axis ratio ranging from 1:1 up to 1:5, with a first subset of said plurality of nozzles being independently and separately positioned to said lower gas distributor box in a circle and at a mounting angle .theta. defined between a flow axis (C) of said nozzle and a horizontal plane, ranging from 5.degree. up to 90.degree., and a second subset of said plurality of nozzles being independently and separately attached to said middle and upper gas distributor circular tube at said defined mounting angle .theta. ranging from -110.degree. up to -60.degree. downward and from 4.degree. up to 90.degree. upward;a plurality of static mixers having inlets positioned proximate to said exits of said nozzles, with the exit of each of said plurality of nozzles having an angle .PHI. measured between an exit axis (C') of said exit and a horizontal plane, and in the range of 4.degree. up to 90.degree., inclusive, each of said plurality of static mixers being independently and separately disposed in said unobstructed zone, with a first subgroup of said plurality of static mixers being mounted at an angle .alpha., a second subgroup of said plurality of static mixers being mounted at an angle .gamma., and a third subgroup of said plurality of static mixers being mounted at an angle .beta., with .alpha. being measured between an axis (0) of said static mixer and a horizontal plane, .gamma. being measured between a horizontal projection line of said axis of said static mixer and a meridional plane containing both said longitudinal axis of vessel and an outlet center of said static mixer, and .beta. being measured between said projection line and a plane perpendicular to said meridional plane at said outlet center, with a first subportion of said first subgroup being attached to said upper gas distributor circular tube, with a being in the range of -160.degree. up to -4.degree. downward, a second subportion of said first subgroup being disposed in said middle portion, with .alpha. being in the range of -160.degree. up to -4.degree. downward and 4.degree. up to 90.degree. upward, with a sum of .beta. and .gamma. being 90.degree., with said angle .PHI. being oriented with respect to said angle .alpha. to draw fluid media into said static mixers.