The present invention relates to a burner basket for an ammonia oxidation burner comprising a gas-permeable bottom plate, a side wall that is spaced apart from the bottom plate by a gap, and a retaining device covering the bottom plate and the gap for retaining particles of a bulk material that can be arranged in the burner basket.
Ammonia oxidation burners are used in the synthesis of nitric acid. In the ammonia oxidation burner, ammonia (NH3) and oxygen (O2) are catalytically converted to nitric oxide (NO) and water (H2O). The NO obtained is then further used to produce nitric acid.
Platinum-rhodium gauzes, which are placed on a bulk material composed of particles, are ordinary used as catalysts in ammonia oxidation burners. The particles are as a rule composed of a filling material of stoneware, glass, porcelain or stainless steel and are placed in a burner basket arranged inside the burner. The burner basket ordinarily has a gas-permeable bottom plate provided with openings, so that NH3 fed into the burner can flow through the burner basket and the bulk material.
The oxidation of ammonia in the burner requires an operating temperature of approx. 890° C. at a pressure of approx. 10 bar. Because of the high temperature, the burner basket expands during operation of the ammonia oxidation burner. In order to reduce mechanical stresses in the material of the burner basket, the bottom plate and the side wall are often configured as separate components that are arranged in the interior of the ammonia oxidation burner independently of each other. A gas thus forms between the bottom plate and the side wall.
A burner basket of this type, with a bottom plate and a side wall separated from each other by a gap, is described in WO 2013034303 A1. In order to prevent particles of the bulk material from falling out of the basket through the openings in the gas-permeable bottom plate or through the gap between the bottom plate and the side wall, this burner basket is provided with a retaining device in the form of a gas-permeable gauze that covers the gap and the bottom plate. In this burner basket, however, there is a risk that the gauze, as a result of the movements of the bottom plate with respect to the side wall, can detach from the bottom plate and expose the gap or the openings of the bottom plate so that filling material can fall out of the burner basket.
The object of the present invention is to prevent losses of the particles of the bulk material located in the burner basket.
The object is achieved by means of a burner basket for an ammonia oxidation burner comprising a gas-permeable bottom plate, a side wall that is spaced apart from the bottom plate by a gap, and a retaining device covering the bottom plate and the gap for retaining particles of a bulk material that can be arranged in the burner basket, wherein a fastening element is arranged on the bottom plate by means of which the retaining device is fixed in place.
The object is further achieved by an ammonia oxidation burner comprising such a burner basket.
By means of the fastening element, the retaining device is fixed in place on the bottom plate, so that the retaining device can move together with the bottom plate with respect to the side wall. Detachment of the retaining device from the bottom plate because of movements of the bottom plate with respect to the side wall can be prevented. Even during movements of the bottom plate with respect to the side wall, the gas-permeable bottom plate and the gap between the bottom plate and the side wall therefore remain covered by the retaining device, so that losses of the particles present in the burner basket can be prevented.
The retaining device is preferably configured as a gas-permeable fabric, in particular as a gas-permeable gauze. Particularly preferably, the retaining device has meshes whose mesh size is smaller than the size of the particles of the bulk material, so that the particles of the bulk material can be retained by the retaining device, while the gas, however, can flow through the retaining device.
In an advantageous configuration of the invention, it is provided that the fastening element is arranged in an edge area of the bottom plate facing the gap, making it possible to reduce the probability of at least partial exposure of the gap due to slipping of the retaining device.
It has been found to be advantageous if the fastening element has at least one pin that is arranged transversely to the bottom plate, in particular perpendicularly to the bottom plate. The retaining device can be hooked onto the pin. In the case of a retaining device configured as a gauze, said device can be attached to the pin so that the pin fixes the retaining device in place. Alternatively or additionally, the fastening element can have a barb. The barb can hook into the retaining device and thus cause the retaining device to be attached to the bottom plate so that it can only be detached with difficulty.
Preferred is a configuration in which the bottom plate is connected to a sealing device that at least partially covers the gap. The sealing device thus reduces the gap to a residual gap size, so that particles larger than this residual gap size cannot fall out of the burner basket. Particularly preferably, the sealing device covers the gap in such a way that the gap is reduced to a maximum size of 10 mm. The sealing device can be rigidly connected to the bottom plate. It is possible for the sealing device to be composed of an elastic material so that the sealing device can undergo deformation on contact with the side wall. Moreover, the sealing device can be moveably connected to the bottom plate so that the position of the sealing device can be adapted to the size of the gap between the bottom plate and the side wall.
A structural configuration provides that the sealing device is rigidly connected to the retaining device so that the retaining device is fixed in place with respect to the sealing device. Alternatively, the sealing device can be moveably connected to the retaining device, or the devices can be arranged in the burner basket independently of each other.
It is advantageous if the sealing device has a rectangular or a trapezoidal cross-section. Because of the rectangular or trapezoidal cross-section, the sealing can be flat against a side wall oriented transversely, and in particular perpendicularly, to the bottom plate or may form a gap of a uniform size with respect to such a side wall.
The bottom plate of the burner basket is preferably configured as a honeycomb grid, gauze bottom, sieve bottom, grated bottom or perforated plate so that the gas fed into the ammonia oxidation burner can flow through the bottom plate.
In a structural configuration, it can be provided that the bottom plate has a U-shaped, V-shaped, or trapezoidal cross-section.
Further details, features and advantages of the invention can be derived from the drawings, and from the following description of preferred embodiments with reference to the drawings. In this case, the drawings merely show illustrative embodiments of the invention that do not limit the inventive concept.
In the various figures, the same parts are always indicated with the same reference numbers and are therefore as a rule named or mentioned only once each.
A burner basket 2 corresponding to that shown in
As can further be seen from the diagram in
The fastening elements 7 are arranged in an edge area of the bottom plate 3 that faces the gap. Each of the fastening elements 7 has a pin on which the gauze is placed. The pins of the fastening elements 7 are oriented transversely to the bottom plate 3 so that movement of the gauze parallel to the surface of the bottom plate 3 is blocked.
Each of the burner baskets 2 of an ammonia oxidation burner 1 presented has one gas-permeable bottom plate 3 and one side wall 5 spaced apart from the bottom plate 3 by a gap 4. Furthermore, in these burner baskets 2, a retaining device 6 covering the bottom plate 3 and the gap 4 is provided for retaining particles of a bulk material 8 arranged in the burner basket 2, said retaining device being fixed in place by means of a fastening element 7 arranged on the bottom plate 3. By fixing the retaining device 6 in place, losses of the particles of the bulk material 8 present in the burner basket 2 can be prevented.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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10 2014 223 813.7 | Nov 2014 | DE | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/EP2015/076249 | 11/10/2015 | WO | 00 |