Patent ID: 8714094

Claim:
A grate assembly for a fluidized bed reactor, the grate assembly comprising: a plurality of parallel air ducts extending side-by-side in a substantially horizontal plane and defining spaces therebetween through which coarse material from the fluidized bed descends; a plurality of nozzle assemblies attached to each air duct for supplying fluidizing air from within the air duct into the fluidized bed, each of the assemblies including: a nozzle formed from a tube having an inlet end in fluid communication with the air duct, and an outlet end in fluid communication with the inlet end, and a chamfered orifice disposed at the outlet end, wherein the nozzle is bent proximate the outlet end to direct a primary direction of a stream of fluidizing air flowing from the orifice toward the air duct such that an angle θ between the primary direction and the substantially horizontal plane formed by the air ducts is between about 30 to about 90 degrees, and wherein each nozzle assembly includes a connector pipe disposed between the air duct and the nozzle and a sleeve disposed around the nozzle and the connector pipe to secure the nozzle to the connector pipe, wherein the connector pipe is a separate element from the nozzle and the nozzle is tack welded to the sleeve.