A METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THE FEEDING OF SOLID PARTICLES TO A PRESSURIZED VESSEL

Abstract: Centrifugal coal pump with impact grinding. Impact surfaces are arranged around the circumference of the rotor of a centrifugal solids pump. Particles striking such surfaces pulverize, due to their high velocity. A saw-tooth- shaped casing round the rotor is preferred.

Description: A METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THE FEEDING OF SOLID PARTICLES TO A PRESSURIZED VESSEL The application relates to a method and an apparatus for the feeding of solids to a pressurized vessel by means of a centrifugal pump which comprises a hollow rotor arranged rotatably in the vessel, which rotor consists of two co-axial trays the concaves of which face each other, and a feed inlet connected axially to the rotor. The application also relates to an apparatus which is suitable for the use of said method. Such a method and apparatus are known from U.S. patent specification No. 4,034,870. These centrifugal pumps are used to feed powders or granular materials, for example reagents or catalysts, to some space in which the pressure is higher than outside. It is obvious that these pumps can also be used in situations without pressure difference. When these pumps are in operation, the solid matter is cast through the feed inlet onto the rotating rotor. Owing to the centrifugal acceleration the solid particles acquire a high velocity which enables them to overcome the difference in pressure between the inside and the outside of the vessel and to prevent leakage of gas from the high-pressure vessel. In certain centrifugal pumps the rotor is provided with a number of radial passages, known as centrifugal nozzles, between the two trays. In other types the solid matter can be expelled over the entire circumference of the rotor through a narrow slot which is defined by the edges of the two trays. In that case it is also possible to allow the two trays to rotate at different speeds in order to prevent clogging of the slot. The solids leave the edge of the rotor with a radial and a tangential velocity component. In the usual embodiments the rotor has a rotational speed of, for example, 500-5000 rev./min. and the particles acquire a radial velocity of about 10 m/s and a tangential velocity of about 100 m/s. In this manner it is possible to overcome pressure differences of some tens of bars, for example 20-40 bars. The driving of the rotor then requires energy at the approximate rate of 5-15 kW/t of material, depending on the capacity, and in the case of large pumps it is expedient to investigate ways and means of saving or recovering energy. It would be obvious to simply reduce the rotor speed in order to improve energy consumption. This is useless, however, for a high rotational speed is in fact required on the one hand to overcome the difference in pressure between the inside and the outside of the vessel, and on the other hand to ensure a large throughput of material. It has now been found that the translation energy of the expelled solids, which is normally absorbed by uncontrolled collisions with the casing of the vessel or friction with the gas surrounding the particles, can be used further by supplying coarse solids to the rotating rotor which subsequently expels them centrifugally against at least one impact surface, whereupon pulverization takes place. The application therefore relates to a method for the feeding of solids to a pressurized vessel by means of a centrifugal pump which comprises a rotor arranged rotatably in the vessel, which rotor consists of two co-axial trays, the concaves of which face each other, and a feed inlet connected axially to the rotor, characterized in that coarse solid particles are supplied to the rotating rotor which subsequently expels them centrifugally against at least one impact surface, whereupon pulverization takes place. There are pulverizers in which the materials to be ground are cast against an impact surface by means of a fluid, but said pulverizers are not also suitable to transport solids against a higher pressure. S' e the solids are not only transported but also pulverized in the centrifugal pump, it is possible to start from coarse particles and thus wholly or partly omit the grinding before the supply to the centrifugal pump. The particle size of the coarse material need not be smaller than is necessary to prevent the slot or the centrifugal nozzles of the rotor from becoming clogged, that is to say that 95% of the coarse particles preferably have dimensions in the range of 0.1 to 0.5 mm. Owing to collision against an impact surface the average particle size is reduced by about 2 to 10 times. Larger particles are further reduced than the smaller with the result that according to the invention also a narrowing of the particle size distribution takes place. This is of course an additional, important advantage in numerous processes where centrifugal pumps are used. After the collision with the impact surface the pulverized particles drop on the bottom of the vessel. From there they can be transported further by suitable means. Each impact surface is preferably directed at least substantially parallel to the rotor shaft. If desired, it may make a very small angle with the rotor shaft to ensure that the solids are directed to the bottom of the vessel after the collision. Each impact surface is then preferably so directed that the expelled solids strike the impact surface in an at least substantially perpendicular manner. This implies that, since the particles in fact leave the rotor in a slightly divergent manner, the impact surfaces have to be slightly curved, so that the radius of curvature reaches the rotor at an angle which is equal to the angle at which the particles leave the rotor under typical operating conditions. Since the rotor rotates and, consequently, everywhere around the rotor centre solids leave the rotor edge, both the above-mentioned requirement and the fact that in practice a finite number of impact surfaces have to be used, result in the trajectories of the particles being unequal and dependent on the point where they leave the rotor. For reasons of design the number of impact surfaces will neither be too large nor too small. A number of 8-40 impact surfaces is preferred. Each impact surface is preferably so arranged that it forms a saw-tooth, the apices of all saw-teeth being located on a circle around the rotor. In this configuration a maximum quantity of the expelled solids collides perpendicularly with an impact surface so that a maximum degree of pulverization takes place. It is possible to fit one or more separate impact surfaces in the vessel, so that a kind of casing is formed around the rotor in the vessel. In the case of low excess pressures it is advantageous to combine said two design features, so that each impact surface forms part of the casing of the vessel. Depending on the hardness of the solids, on the hardness of the impurities therein, on the quantity of material treated, etc., the impact surfaces will occasionally want replacement because they are worn out. Therefore, each impact surface is preferably exchangeable. A possibility is, for example, a kind of coating or plating which can be renewed wherever required, perhaps merely by fitting a new lining on top of the worn out one. The material of the impact surface is, for example, stellite or another wear-resistant material. It is also possible to coat the impact surface with hard particles (harder than the particles expelled by the rotor), for example with diamond powder or refractories. Another solution to the problem of reducing wear is to cover or line each impact surface with a layer of the material which is expelled from the rotor. The result of this covering is that direct collisions between the (former) impact surface and the solids no longer occur, but that the solids are now pulverized against each other. In order to cover the impact surface with a layer of solids, the surface can be provided with raised walls. These walls directed to the rotor form a kind of open box, which is filled with solids when the centrifugal pump starts to operate. As soon as the "box" has been filled, the solids which are subsequently cast on it drop out of or rebound from the box after having been or not having been pulverized. Owing to the continuous impacts of rapidly moving particles against the impact surfaces, the temperature of said surfaces will rise. In order to prevent overheating, it is possible to provide the rear of each surface with a cooling device, such as cooling ribs, and cool them, if desired, by the forced method, by means of water or a similar coolant. Especially when the material to be transported consists of coal particles, overheating is undesirable. Firstly they start sticking and secondly they may ignite if oxygen is present. When treating combustible or explosive powders, however, the vessel containing the centrifugal pump is mostly filled with an inert gas. The invention will now be discussed further with reference to the Figure, which shows diagrammatically a cross-section of a centrifugal pump which comprises a rotor 1, a feed inlet 2 and a casing of a vessel 3. The casing of the vessel is designed as a number of saw-teeth, each consisting of a straight side 4 and a curved side 5, especially the latter acting as impact surface. The apices 6 of the saw-teeth are located on a circle, as are the bases 7. The impact surfaces can be provided with walls 8 in the extension of the straight side 4 of the next saw-tooth, seen in the direction of rotation of the rotor 1, and with walls 9, 10 above and below the plane of the drawing (only a few walls have been drawn). These walls, the curved surface 5 and the straight side 4 form an open box which is filled with solids during operation. The application in particular relates to a method for the gasification of solid carbon-containing fuel in a high-pressure gasification reactor, characterized in that the fuel is fed to the reactor by the method described hereinbefore.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A method for the feeding of solids to a pressurized vessel by means of a centrifugal pump which comprises a rotor arranged rotatably in the vessel which rotor consists of two co-axial trays the concaves of which face each other, and a feed inlet connected axially to the rotor, characterized in that coarse solids are supplied to the rotating rotor which subsequently expels them centrifugally against at least one impact surface, whereupon pulverization takes place. 2. A method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that each impact surface is directed at least substantially parallel to the rotor shaft. 3. A method as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that each impact surface is so directed that the expelled solids strike the impact surface in an at least substantially perpendicular manner. 4. A method as claimed in any one or more of claims 1-3, characterized in that each impact surface forms a saw-tooth, the apices of all saw-teeth being located on a circle around the rotor. 5. A method as claimed in any one or more of claims 1-k, characterized in that each impact surface is exchangeable. 6. A method as claimed in any one or more of claims 1-5, characterized in that each impact surface is provided with raised walls. 7. A method as claimed in any one or more of claims 1-6, characterized in that each impact surface is cooled. 8. A method as claimed in any one or more of claims 1-7, characterized in that 95% of the coarse particles have dimensions in the range of 0.1 to 0.5 mm. 9. Apparatus for the feeding of solids to a gas-containing vessel, consisting of a centrifugal pump comprising a rotor arranged rotatably in the vessel and a feed inlet connected to the rotor, characterized in that at least one impact surface is fitted around the rotor at least substantially parallel to the rotor shaft. 10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that each impact surface is so directed that during operation the expelled solids strike the impact surface in an at least substantially perpendicular manner. 11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 9 or 10, characterized in that each impact surface forms a saw-tooth, the apex of each saw-tooth being located on a circle around the rotor. 12. Apparatus as claimed in any one or more of claims 9-11, characterized in that each impact surface is exchangeable. 13. Apparatus as claimed in any one or more of claims 9-12, characterized in that each impact surface is provided with raised walls. 14. Apparatus as claimed in any one or more of claims 9-13, characterized in that each impact surface is provided with a cooling device.

Inventors: VAN DER BURGHT, MAARTEN JOHANNES
Applicants: SHELL INTERNATIONALE RESEARCH MAATSCHAPPIJ B.V.
Application year: 1980
Main classification: B01J3
IPC codes: C10J3, B01J3, F04D23, B02C13