Patent Abstract:
The present device is a fluid bed regenerative thermal oxidizer configured to minimize dead spaces within it and eliminate the need for complex valve systems, which are typically required to move treated and untreated air across fixed beds. The present device can be a fluid bed regenerative thermal oxidizer comprising a vertical stack having a combustion chamber near its interior center and desorber shelves located within the vertical stack above the combustion chamber and adsorber shelves located within the vertical stack below the combustion shelves. Ceramic spheres can be used as heat sinks that flow from the desorber shelves, around the combustion chamber and onto the adsorber shelves and then back to the desorber shelves. In this way heat from the combustion can be captured by the heat exchange material on the desorber shelves and released to preheat untreated air on the adsorber shelves.

Full Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present device relates to thermal oxidizers, generally and regenerative thermal oxidizers (RTOs) specifically. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Regenerative Thermal Oxidizers (RTOs) are commonly used as part of industrial processes to treat polluted air. Specifically, RTOs are commonly used to decompose toxic gases and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that are discharged in industrial process exhausts. 
         [0003]    The basic operation of a typical RTO consists of passing a hot gas stream over a heat sink material in one direction and recovering that heat by passing a cold gas stream through that same heat sink material in an alternate cycle to heat the cold gas stream. The heat sinks comprising such systems often comprise one or more beds of ceramic material configured to absorb heat from the exhaust gas, wherein the captured heat is then used to preheat an incoming process gas stream. Preheating this incoming process gas is important because it raises the temperature of the incoming gas closer to the temperature required for combustion, necessitating less energy to attain combustion. In this way RTOs help to more efficiently destroy air pollutants emitted from process exhaust streams by recovering and reusing heat created by these types of combustion systems. 
         [0004]    Due to the high thermal energy recovery rate of many RTOs, they are suited to applications with low VOC concentrations but high polluted air flow volumes. As a result, RTOs are commonly used to control air emissions and pollutants from various industrial processes such as those involving automotive painting, industrial packaging, wood engineering, agricultural drying and waste treatment just to name a few. 
         [0005]    Today, most existing RTOs rely on some form of ceramic heat sink to provide regenerative heat transfer, and many forms of such elemental ceramic media are currently available. Elemental ceramic media are often provided in the form of small pieces. Such ceramic media can often be in the form of blocks, commonly referred to as “saddles,” that are combined to form heat exchange media and comprise multiple tubes or similar openings extending through each block, wherein the tubes or openings are configured to allow air to flow through the block. Due to the fact that these ceramic heat sinks are generally large and bulky, they are commonly assembled into one or more towers, where they remain stationary. A series of valves then directs airflow into and out of each tower, or chambers comprising the towers. RTOs comprising this type of arrangement are referred to as “fixed-bed” design RTOs. 
         [0006]    Fixed-bed RTOs are known to have some significant disadvantages. First, it is nearly impossible to distribute airflow uniformly throughout each regenerative bed. As a result, “dead spaces” will exist within almost any fixed-bed RTO system. In such dead spaces, the pollutant containing air will not be effectively treated. A stratification effect occurs when entering airflow is not effectively distributed across the entire heat recovery bed. For instance, airflow is not properly distributed in the corners of fixed bed RTOs. A strategy for minimizing the effect of dead spaces has been to significantly enlarge each unit of the RTO system. This enlargement requires the use of larger ceramic heat recovery chambers to create the fixed-beds, which results in a lower heat transferring efficiency. Ceramic saddles are commonly used as a heat transfer media in RTOs and have a shape that is a composite of a ring shape and a saddle shape. Generally speaking, the smaller the heat transfer particle, the more efficient the heat transfer process will be. For example, less one-inch ceramic saddles are needed than two-inch ceramic saddles to achieve the same degree of thermal efficiency. 
         [0007]    The second disadvantage of fixed-bed RTOs is that they require a complex valve system to direct air through the RTO chambers resulting in higher construction and operation costs. These valve systems typically move air first in one direction, then in the opposite direction, known as flow reversal, so that the heat from combustion can be captured by the heat sinks, and can then be used to preheat the next batch of pollutant containing air. Perhaps most importantly, the switching mechanisms comprising these valve systems often allow some of the pollutant containing air, which does not reach the heat sinks, to be released untreated. Such releases can account for the majority of pollutants that are allowed to be emitted from RTO treating systems. 
         [0008]    What is needed is an RTO system that can distribute airflow uniformly throughout the RTO&#39;s heat sink materials thus reducing or eliminating “dead spaces” while also eliminating flow reversal and the need for complex and inefficient valve systems and large ceramic saddles or other large heat sinks. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    It is an aspect of the present inventive concept to provide one or more fluid bed regenerative thermal oxidizers, which reduce or eliminate dead spaces while also eliminating the need for complex and inefficient valve systems and large ceramic saddles or other large heat sinks. 
         [0010]    This aspect can be achieved by a fluid bed regenerative thermal oxidizer comprising: a vertical reactor stack comprising a gas inlet at a lower end of the vertical reactor stack a gas outlet located at the upper end of the vertical reactor stack and a combustion chamber located within the vertical reactor stack between the gas inlet and the gas outlet wherein the combustion chamber also comprises a fuel burner; heat exchange material; one or more adsorber shelf located within the vertical reactor stack and below the combustion chamber configured to allow air to flow through each adsorber shelf and also configured to contain the heat exchange material and allow the heat exchange material to move across each adsorber shelf and exit one end of each adsorber shelf; and one or more desorber shelf located within the vertical reactor stack and above the combustion chamber configured to allow air to flow through each desorber shelf and also configured to contain the heat exchange material and allow the heat exchange material to move across each desorber shelf and exit one end of each desorber shelf and onto one or more adsorber shelves. 
         [0011]    This aspect can also be achieved by a fluid bed regenerative thermal oxidizer comprising: A fluid bed regenerative thermal oxidizer, comprising: a vertical reactor stack comprising a gas inlet at a lower end of the vertical reactor stack, a gas outlet located at an upper end of the vertical reactor stack and a combustion chamber located within the vertical reactor stack between the gas inlet and the gas outlet wherein the combustion chamber also comprises a fuel burner; heat exchange material comprising small ceramic balls; one or more adsorber shelf located within the vertical reactor stack and below the combustion chamber configured to allow air to flow through each adsorber shelf and each adsorber shelf is also configured to contain the heat exchange material and each adsorber shelf is configured so that heat exchange material flows from a first end to a second end of each adsorber shelf and configured so that the heat exchange material moves across each adsorber shelf and exits the second end of each adsorber shelf; one or more desorber shelf located within the vertical reactor stack and above the combustion chamber configured to allow air to flow through each desorber shelf and each desorber shelf is also configured to contain the heat exchange material and each desorber shelf is configured so that heat exchange material flows from a first end to a second end of each desorber shelf and configured so that the heat exchange material moves across each desorber shelf and exits the second end of each desorber shelf; an upper heat exchange material container located near the upper end of the vertical reactor stack and a lower heat exchange material container located near the lower end of the vertical reactor stack and a vertical tube connecting the upper heat exchange material container and the lower heat exchange material container; and a heating chamber, having a top end and a bottom end, connected to the vertical reactor stack adjacent to the combustion chamber wherein the heating chamber receives heat exchange material from one or more desorber shelf at its top end and releases heat exchange material onto one or more adsorber shelf at its bottom end. 
         [0012]    This aspect can also be achieved by a method for using a fluid bed regenerative thermal oxidizers, the method comprising: providing a fluid bed regenerative thermal oxidizer comprising: a vertical reactor stack comprising a gas inlet at a lower end of the vertical reactor stack a gas outlet located at an upper end of the vertical reactor stack and a combustion chamber located within the vertical reactor stack between the gas inlet and the gas outlet wherein the combustion chamber also comprises a fuel burner; heat exchange material; one or more adsorber shelf located within the vertical reactor stack and below the combustion chamber configured to allow air to flow through each adsorber shelf and also configured to contain the heat exchange material and allow the heat exchange material to move across each adsorber shelf and exit one end of each adsorber shelf; and one or more desorber shelf located within the vertical reactor stack and above the combustion chamber configured to allow air to flow through each desorber shelf and also configured to contain the heat exchange material and allow the heat exchange material to move across each desorber shelf and exit one end of each desorber shelf and onto one or more adsorber shelf; an untreated gas; and a combustion gas; flowing an untreated gas into the fluid bed regenerative thermal oxidizer through the gas inlet and though at least one adsorber shelf containing heat exchange material and into the combustion chamber; adding combustion gas to the combustion chamber and igniting the combustion gas and the untreated gas to form a combusted gas; flowing the combusted gas through at least one desorber shelf containing heat exchange material to heat the heat exchange material; moving the heated heat exchange material from at least one desorber shelf to at least one adsorber shelf; flowing the untreated gas though at least one adsorber shelf containing heated heat exchange material so that the untreated gas is heated by the heated heat exchange material and the heat exchange material is cooled by the untreated gas; and moving the cooled heat exchange material from at least one adsorber shelf to at least one desorber shelf. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0013]    Further features and advantages of the present device, as well as the structure and operation of various embodiments of the present device, will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the preferred embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which: 
           [0014]      FIG. 1A  is a front cutaway view of a fluid bed regenerative thermal oxidizer according to an embodiment; 
           [0015]      FIG. 1B  is a front cutaway view of a fluid bed regenerative thermal oxidizer containing heat exchange material according to an embodiment; 
           [0016]      FIG. 1C  is a front close-up cutaway view of an upper heat exchange material container connected to a screw conveyor according to an embodiment; 
           [0017]      FIG. 2A  is a top view of an adsorber shelf according to an embodiment; 
           [0018]      FIG. 2B  is a top view of an adsorber shelf containing heat exchange material according to an embodiment; 
           [0019]      FIG. 3A  is a top view of a desorber shelf according to an embodiment; 
           [0020]      FIG. 3B  is a top view of a desorber shelf containing heat exchange material according to an embodiment; 
           [0021]      FIG. 4A  is a cutaway side view of several adsorber shelves comprising a fluid bed regenerative thermal oxidizer according to an embodiment; 
           [0022]      FIG. 4B  is a cutaway side view of several adsorber shelves comprising a fluid bed regenerative thermal oxidizer wherein each shelf is shown to contain heat exchange material according to an embodiment; 
           [0023]      FIG. 5A  is a cutaway side view of several desorber shelves comprising a fluid bed regenerative thermal oxidizer according to an embodiment; 
           [0024]      FIG. 5B  is a cutaway side view of several desorber shelves comprising a fluid bed regenerative thermal oxidizer wherein each shelf if shown to contain heat exchange material according to an embodiment; 
           [0025]      FIG. 6  is a front close-up cutaway view of a lower heat exchange container containing heat exchange material according to an embodiment; 
           [0026]      FIG. 7  is a front close-up cutaway view of an upper heat exchange container containing heat exchange material according to an embodiment; 
           [0027]      FIG. 8  is a front close-up cutaway view of a heating chamber containing heat exchange material according to an embodiment; 
           [0028]      FIG. 9  is a front close-up cutaway view of a combustion chamber according to an embodiment; and 
           [0029]      FIG. 10  is a front view of a spherical ceramic heat exchange material according to an embodiment. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0030]    This description of the exemplary embodiments is intended to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings, which are to be considered part of the entire written description. In the description, relative terms such as “lower,” “upper,” “horizontal,” “vertical,”, “above,” “below,” “up,” “down,” “top” and “bottom” as well as derivatives thereof (e.g., “horizontally,” “downwardly,” “upwardly,” etc.) should be construed to refer to the orientation as then described or as shown in the drawing under discussion. These relative terms are for convenience of description and do not require that the apparatus be constructed or operated in a particular orientation. Terms concerning attachments, coupling and the like, such as “connected” and “interconnected,” refer to a relationship wherein structures are secured or attached to one another either directly or indirectly through intervening structures, as well as both movable or rigid attachments or relationships, unless expressly described otherwise. 
         [0031]    Reference will now be made in detail to the presently preferred embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout. 
         [0032]      FIG. 1A  is a front cutaway view of a fluid bed regenerative thermal oxidizer  100  and  FIG. 1B  is a front cutaway view of a fluid bed regenerative thermal oxidizer  100  containing heat exchange material  140  according to an embodiment. In an embodiment, the fluid bed regenerative thermal oxidizer  100  can comprise a vertical reactor stack  110  comprising a gas inlet  101  at its lower end  111  and a gas outlet  102  near its upper end  112 . Polluted air (not shown), also referred to as untreated air, can flow into the vertical reactor stack  110  through the gas inlet  101  and through the vertical reactor stack  110  and cleaned air can flow out through the gas outlet  102 . The vertical reactor stack  110  can comprise a combustion chamber  120  with heat exchange material  140  (not shown in  FIG. 1 ) located above and below the combustion chamber  120 . In an embodiment, the heat exchange material  140  can be placed on a plurality of shelves located above and below the combustion chamber  120 , which can be configured to allow air to flow through them. Adsorber shelves  113  can be located below the combustion chamber  120  and desorber shelves  114  can be located above the combustion chamber  120 . A combustion fuel (not shown) can be introduced into the combustion chamber  120  through a pipe  121 . The heat exchange material  140  can move down through the vertical reactor stack  110  by moving from the desorber shelves  114  to the adsorber shelves  113 . 
         [0033]    In an embodiment the polluted air can flow into the lower end  111  of the vertical reactor stack  110  through the gas inlet  101  and upwards through the vertical reactor stack  110  toward the upper end  112 . While traveling upwards through the vertical reactor stack  110 , the polluted air can flow through the adsorber shelves  113  containing the heat exchange material  140  allowing heat from the heat exchange material  140  to be transferred to the polluted air. The polluted air can then be combusted in a combustion chamber  120 , wherein the heat created by this combustion can be transferred from the cleaned air to heat exchange material  140  on the desorber shelves  114  located above the combustion chamber  120 . This conserved heat can then be used to heat the polluted gas as the heat exchange material  140  flows from the desorber shelves  114  to the adsorber shelves  113 , thus preparing the next batch of polluted gas for combustion, as it passes through adsorber shelves  113  containing heat exchange material  140  located below the combustion chamber  120 . The combusted air can flow out of the vertical reactor stack  110  through the gas outlet  102 . 
         [0034]    In an embodiment, the heated heat exchange material  140  can be fluidized by the hot combusted gas flowing through the heat exchange material  140 , which can allow for better heat transfer between the air and the heat exchange material  140 . In an embodiment, the heated heat exchange material  140  can move from the desorber shelves  114  located above the combustion chamber  120  and into the side heating chamber  122  then reenter the vertical reactor stack  110  below the combustion chamber  120  where the heated heat exchange material  140  can be used to preheat the incoming polluted air prior to combustion. Heating the incoming polluted air prior to combustion reduces the energy needed to combust the polluted gas air and improves the efficiency of the combustion, thus reducing the amount of pollutant that is allowed to pass out of the vertical reactor stack  110 . The heated heat exchange material  140  can cool as it reaches the lower end  111  of the vertical reactor stack  110 . In another embodiment, the heated heat exchange material  140  can bypass the adsorber shelves  113  by moving into a bypass tube  123  located outside of the vertical reactor stack  110 . This bypass tube  123  can be used to control the amount of heated heat exchange material  140  that can be transported from the heating chamber  122  to the adsorber shelves  113  by reintroducing the heated heat exchange material  140  to the lower end  111  of the vertical reactor stack  110  below the adsorber shelves  113 . 
         [0035]    The cooled heat exchange material  140  can then be moved to the upper end  112  of the vertical reactor stack  110  above the combustion chamber  120  to start the process over again. In one embodiment, the cooled heat exchange material  140  located below the combustion chamber  120  can be moved into a lower container  131 . The lower container  131  can be located on the outside of the lower end  111  of the vertical reactor stack  110  and can be connected to the lower end  111  of the vertical reactor stack  110  though a hollow tube  135 . The cooled heat exchange material  140  can move from the lower end  111  of the vertical reactor stack  110  to the lower container  131  through the hollow tube  135 . The cooled heat exchange material  140  can then be transported from the lower container  131  to an upper container  132  located on the outside of the upper end  112  of the vertical reactor stack  110  though a vertical hollow tube  133 . The upper container  132  can be connected to the upper end  112  of the vertical reactor stack  110  through another hollow tube  136 , which can allow the cooled heat exchange material  140  to be moved from the upper container  132  to the upper end  112  of the vertical reactor stack  110 . In an embodiment, the cooled heat exchange material  140  can be moved from the lower container  131  to the upper container  132  using an airlift blower  134 . In another embodiment, the cooled heat exchange material  140  can be moved to the upper container  132  using a mechanical conveyor (not shown) or any other suitable device or system for moving solid particles from one position to another. In an embodiment, the cooled heat exchange material  140  can enter the upper end  112  of the vertical reactor stack  110  at a rate equal to the rate at which it exits the lower end  111  of the vertical reactor stack  110 . The displacement of the heated heat exchange material  140  can allow the heated heat exchange material  140  to move downwards through the vertical reactor stack  110 . The process of displacing heated heat exchange material  140  with cooled heat exchange material  140  at the upper end  112  of the vertical reactor stack  110 , moving the heated heat exchange material  140  downwards through the upper end  112  and lower end  111  of the vertical reactor stack  110 , and moving the cooled heat exchange material  140  to the upper end  112  of the vertical reactor stack  110  can create a continuous cycle allowing heat from the combusted air to be retained and transferred to polluted air yet to be combusted. In an embodiment, the rate at which this cycle is completed, including the velocity at which the heat exchange material  140  moves across the desorber shelves  114  and adsorber shelves  113  and through the vertical reactor stack  110 , can be adjusted to optimize the amount heat transfer. This ability to make adjustments regarding heat transfer is important because the optimal amount of preheating will depend upon the contaminants in the polluted air and the velocity with which that air is moving through the fluid bed regenerative thermal oxidizer  100 . Efficiency of the fluid bed regenerative thermal oxidizer is a function of the combustion chamber temperature and the amount of time the polluted air spends in the combustion chamber. Therefore, adjusting the air flow rate can increase or decrease the amount of time the polluted air spends in the combustion chamber, affecting the efficiency of the combustion. 
         [0036]      FIG. 1C  is a front close-up cutaway view of an upper heat exchange material container  132  and a screw conveyor  137  according to an embodiment. In an embodiment, the cooled heat exchange material  140  shown in  FIG. 1B  can be moved from the lower container  131  (not shown) to the upper container  132  using a screw conveyor  137 . 
         [0037]      FIG. 2A  is a top view of an adsorber shelf  113  according to an embodiment. The adsorber shelves  113  can be configured to allow air to flow through the adsorber shelves  113  and to allow the heat exchange material  140  (not shown in 
         [0038]      FIG. 2A ) to move across each adsorber shelf  113  and flow off one edge  205  of each adsorber shelf  113 . The adsorber shelves  113  can comprise a plurality of openings  203  sufficient to allow air to flow through the shelves  113 . In an embodiment, the openings  203  can be of a sufficient size and be located at a sufficient distance apart so as to allow the heat exchange material  140  to move across the adsorber shelves  113  and not fall through the openings  203 . 
         [0039]      FIG. 2B  is a top view of an adsorber shelf  113  containing heat exchange material  140  according to an embodiment. The heat exchange material  140  can move across the adsorber shelves  113  and down through the lower end  111  of the vertical reactor stack  110  shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0040]      FIG. 3A  is a top view of a desorber shelf  114  according to an embodiment. Each desorber shelf  114  can be configured to allow air to flow through it and to allow the heat exchange material  140  (not shown in  FIG. 3A ) to move across each desorber shelf  114  and flow off one edge  305  of each desorber shelf  114 . Each desorber shelf  114  can comprise a plurality of openings  303  to allow air to flow through it. The openings  303  can be of a sufficient size and located at a sufficient distance apart to allow the heat exchange material  140  to move across the desorber shelves  114  and not fall through the openings  303  according to an embodiment. 
         [0041]      FIG. 3B  is a top view of a desorber shelf  114  containing heat exchange material  140  according to an embodiment. The heat exchange material  140  can move across the desorber shelves  114  and down through the upper end  112  of the vertical reactor stack  110  shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0042]      FIG. 4A  is a cutaway side view of several adsorber shelves  113  comprising a fluid bed regenerative thermal oxidizer according to an embodiment. The adsorber shelves  113  can be located at the lower end  111 , as shown in  FIG. 1 , of the vertical reactor stack  110 . In an embodiment, each adsorber shelf  113  can comprise an edge  205  that does not extend fully to the vertical reactor stack walls  420  and  421 . The edge  205  creates an empty space  402  between the edge  205  and the vertical reactor stack left wall  420  or right wall  421 . The edge  205  of each adsorber shelf  113  can be located either nearest to the left wall  420  or the right wall  421 . In an embodiment, each adsorber shelf  113  can comprise a lip  401  located at the edge  205  of the adsorber shelf  113 . 
         [0043]      FIG. 4B  is a cutaway side view of several adsorber shelves  113  comprising a fluid bed regenerative thermal oxidizer, wherein each shelf is shown to be containing heat exchange material  140  according to an embodiment. The heat exchange material  140  can move across the adsorber shelves  113  and down through the lower end  111  in  FIG. 1  of the vertical reactor stack  110  in  FIG. 1 . In an embodiment, the heat exchange material  140  can move from an adsorber shelf  113  to the below adsorber shelf  113  by falling down the empty space  402  created by the edge  205  of each adsorber shelf  113  and onto the adsorber shelf  113  located below the adsorber shelf  113  holding the heat exchange material  140 . The lip  401  on each adsorber shelf  113  can allow the heat exchange material  140  located on the adsorber shelf  113  to stay in place until sufficient force is placed on the heat exchange material  140  to move the heat exchange material  140  downwards through the lower end  111  in  FIG. 1  of the vertical reactor stack  110  in  FIG. 1 . In an embodiment, the heat exchange material  140  can move from the side heating chamber (not shown) and onto the adsorber shelves  113  through an upper opening  412  and can move downward into the lower container (not shown in  FIG. 4B ) through a lower opening (not shown in  FIG. 4B ). 
         [0044]      FIG. 5A  is a cutaway side view of several desorber shelves  114  according to an embodiment. The desorber shelves  114  can be located at the upper end  112  of the vertical reactor stack  110  as shown in  FIG. 1 . In an embodiment, each desorber shelf  114  can comprise an edge  511  that does not extend fully to the vertical reactor stack left wall  520  and right wall  521 . The edge  511  creates an empty space  502  between the edge  511  and the vertical reactor stack left wall  520  or right wall  521 . The edge  511  of each desorber shelf  114  can be located either nearest to the left wall  520  or the right wall  521 . In an embodiment, each desorber shelf  114  can comprise a lip  501  located at the edge  511  of the desorber shelf  114 . 
         [0045]      FIG. 5B  is a cutaway side view of several desorber shelves  114  wherein each shelf contains heat exchange material  140  according to an embodiment. The heat exchange material  140  can move across the desorber shelves  114  and down through the upper end  112  of the vertical reactor stack  110  as shown in  FIG. 1 . In an embodiment, the heat exchange material  140  can move from one desorber shelf  114  to another desorber shelf  114  located below it by passing through the empty space  502  created by the edge  511  of each desorber shelf  114  and the vertical reactor stack left wall  520  or right wall  521 . The lip  501  on each desorber shelf  114  can allow the heat exchange material  140  located on the desorber shelf  114  to stay in place until sufficient force is placed upon the heat exchange material  140  to move the heat exchange material  140  downwards through the upper end  112  of the vertical reactor stack  110  as shown in  FIG. 1 . In an embodiment, the heat exchange material  140  can move from the upper container (not shown) and onto the desorber shelves  114  through an upper opening  512  and can move downward into the heating chamber  122  (not shown in  FIG. 5B ) through a lower opening  513 . 
         [0046]      FIG. 6  is a front close-up cutaway view of a lower heat exchange container  131  containing heat exchange material  140  according to an embodiment. The heat exchange material  140  can move from the adsorber shelves  113  into the lower heat exchange container  131  through a hollow tube  135 . The heat exchange material  140  can accumulate in the lower container  131 . The heat exchange material  140  can move from the lower container  131  to an upper heat exchange container (not shown) through a vertical hollow tube  133 . In an embodiment, the lower container  131  can comprise a rectangular shape. In an embodiment, an airlift blower  134  can move the heat exchange material  140  out of the lower container  131  and upwards through the vertical hollow tube  133 . 
         [0047]      FIG. 7  is a front close-up cutaway view of an upper heat exchange container  132  containing heat exchange material  140  according to an embodiment. The heat exchange material  140  can move from the lower container (not shown in  FIG. 7 ) into the upper heat exchange container  132  through the vertical hollow tube  133 . The heat exchange material  140  can accumulate in the upper heat exchange container  132 . The heat exchange material  140  can move from the upper container  132  to the desorber shelves (not shown in  FIG. 7 ) through a hollow tube  136 . In an embodiment, the upper container  132  can comprise a rectangular shape. 
         [0048]      FIG. 8  is a front close-up cutaway view of a heating chamber  122  containing heat exchange material  140  according to an embodiment. The heating chamber  122  can be located outside of the vertical reactor stack  110  shown in  FIG. 1  and can be located to the side of the combustion chamber  120 . In an embodiment, the heating exchange material  140  can flow from the desorber shelves  114  into the heating chamber  122  through an upper opening  513 . The heating exchange material  140  can accumulate in the heating chamber  122 . In an embodiment, the heating exchange material  140  can move from the heating chamber  122  onto the adsorber shelves  113  through the upper opening  412 . In another embodiment, the heating exchange material can bypass the adsorber shelves  113  and move through a hollow bypass tube  123  to the lower end  111  of the vertical reactor stack  110  shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0049]      FIG. 9  is a front close-up cutaway view of a combustion chamber  120  according to an embodiment. The combustion chamber can be located in the vertical reactor stack  110  in  FIG. 1  below the desorber shelves  114  and above the adsorber shelves  113 . In an embodiment, the combustion chamber  120  can house the combustion of polluted air that flows into the vertical reactor stack  110  through the gas inlet (not shown). The combustion chamber  102  can contain a fuel burner  901 . A combustion fuel (not shown in  FIG. 9 ) can be introduced into the combustion chamber  120  through a pipe  121  and can comprise natural gas or any other suitable combustible fuel. The combustion fuel and the fuel burner  901  can be used to combust polluted air into cleaned air. The polluted air can enter the combustion chamber  120  after flowing upwards through the lower end  111  of the vertical reactor stack  110  as shown in  FIG. 1 . The combusted air can then leave the combustion chamber  120  and can travel upwards through the upper end  112  of the vertical reactor stack  110 . 
         [0050]      FIG. 10  is a front view of a spherical heat exchange material  140  according to an embodiment. In an embodiment, the heat exchange material  140  can be spherical in shape. The heat exchange material  140  can be uniform in size and/or shape and can be comprised of ceramic, glass, metal or any other suitable material. 
         [0051]    Although the present devices and methods have been described in terms of exemplary embodiments, none is limited thereto. Rather, the appended claims should be construed broadly, to include other variants and embodiments of the present device and method, which may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and range of equivalents of either the device or method.

Technology Classification (CPC): 5