Patent Application
20240269601
This invention generally relates to filtration system and, particularly, filtration systems for gases.
There is increasing environmental regulation and controls being implemented in many parts of the world focused on reducing air-borne pollutants and emissions from certain industrial sources, such as power plants and materials production facilities. It is possible to control the pollutants and emissions from various industrial sources by separating undesirable particulate matter that is carried in a gas stream by fabric filtration, for example. Such fabric filtration is accomplished in a dust collection apparatus known in the industry as a “baghouse.”
A conventional baghouse typically includes a housing divided into two plenums by a tube sheet. One plenum is a “dirty air” plenum which communicates with an inlet and receives “dirty” or particulate laden gas from a source at the plant. The other plenum is a “clean air” plenum which receives cleaned gas after filtration and communicates with an outlet to direct cleaned gas away from the baghouse. In conventional baghouses, a plurality of relatively long cylindrical fabric filters, commonly called “bag filters,” are suspended from the tube sheet in the dirty air plenum. Each bag filter has a closed lower end and is installed over a cage. Each bag is mounted to the tube sheet at its upper end and hangs vertically downward into the dirty air plenum. The upper end portion of the bag filter is open, and the interior of each bag filter is in fluid communication with the clean air plenum.
In operation, particulate-laden gas is conducted into the dirty air plenum. As the particulate-laden gas flows through the baghouse, the particulates carried by the gas engage the exterior of the bag filter media and accumulate on or in the media. Alternatively, the particulates may be separated from the gas stream prior to reaching the bag filter, and fall into an accumulator chamber at the lower portion of the dirty air plenum. The filtered gas then flows through the media of the fabric filter bags, into the interior of the filter bags, to the clean air plenum and out through the outlet. Although many baghouses are made according to this basic structure, there may be numerous operational and structural differences among baghouses.
In view of the various shortcomings associated with conventional baghouse filter systems, it would be desirable in the industry to have a filter assembly system that provides many of the advantages of the relatively long bag filters while also addressing some of the aforementioned shortcomings.
Embodiments of the present invention provide such a filter assembly system. These and other advantages of the invention, as well as additional inventive features, will be apparent from the description of the invention provided herein.
Embodiments of the present invention relate to utilization of both a pleated filter and long bag filter simultaneously that is shown to achieve enhanced compartmental flow distribution results in favored lower operating differential pressure. One feature of the present invention involves simultaneously utilizing a plurality of pleated filter in combination with a plurality of conventional long bag filters where both types of filters are designed to operate continuously at 500 degrees Fahrenheit. In this context, operating continuously at 500 degrees Fahrenheit involves continuous filtration of a gas or gases having an average temperature of 500 degrees Fahrenheit. Conventional industrial filtration applications do not include the simultaneous use of both pleated filters and long bag filters both operating continuously at 500 degrees Fahrenheit.
In one aspect, embodiments of the invention provide a filtration system that includes a filter housing, a plurality of elongated bag filters disposed in the filter housing, and a plurality of cylindrical pleated filters disposed in the filter housing. The plurality of elongated bag filters and the plurality of cylindrical pleated filters are arranged so as to filter a gas passing through the filter housing. Additionally, the average length of the plurality of elongated bag filters is at least twice the average length of the plurality of cylindrical pleated filters.
In a particular embodiment, a first filter media in the plurality of elongated bag filters and a second filter media in the plurality of cylindrical pleated filters are each configured to continuously filter the gas having an average temperature of 500 degrees Fahrenheit.
In certain embodiments, the average length of the plurality of elongated bag filters is between two and five times the average length of the plurality of cylindrical pleated filters. Embodiments of the invention further include those in which the filter housing is rectangular, and the plurality of elongated bag filters and the plurality of cylindrical pleated filters are arranged in alternating rows. In such an arrangement, the number of elongated bag filters may be equal, or nearly equal, to the number of cylindrical pleated filters.
In alternate embodiments, the filter housing is rectangular, and the plurality of elongated bag filters and the plurality of cylindrical pleated filters are arranged in rows where every two rows of elongated bag filters is separated by one row of cylindrical pleated filters. In such an arrangement, there are at least three elongated bag filters for every two cylindrical pleated filters.
In yet another embodiment, the filter housing is rectangular, and the plurality of elongated bag filters and the plurality of cylindrical pleated filters are arranged in rows where every three rows of elongated bag filters is separated by one row of cylindrical pleated filters. In such an arrangement, there are at least five elongated bag filters for every two cylindrical pleated filters.
In some embodiments, a hopper is situated below, and supports, the filter housing. The length of each of the plurality of elongated bag filters may range from 4 meters to 15 meters, while the length of the plurality of cylindrical pleated filters may range from 1 meter to 4 meters. In particular embodiments, each of the plurality of cylindrical pleated filters comprises a media sheet having radially-projecting pleats that extend longitudinally along the filter element. In more particular embodiments, each of the plurality of cylindrical pleated filters includes an annular upstream endcap which defines a central opening, and a cylindrical downstream endcap that closes a downstream end of the filter.
In a further embodiment, each of the plurality of elongated bag filters comprises a media bag supported by a frame, wherein each elongated bag filter has an open upstream end and a closed downstream end. Embodiments of the invention include the filter housing having an inlet for receiving hot gases, the inlet located in a lower portion of the filter housing, and having an outlet for discharging filtered hot gases, the outlet located in an upper portion of the filter housing.
In a particular embodiment, a pressure differential between the inlet and outlet is less than 85% of the pressure differential that would result if each of the plurality of cylindrical pleated filters was replaced by a similar number of elongated bag filters. In a further embodiment, the pressure differential between the inlet and outlet is less than 80% of the pressure differential that would result if each of the plurality of cylindrical pleated filters was replaced by a similar number of elongated bag filters. In yet another embodiment, the pressure differential between the inlet and outlet is less than or equal to 76% of the pressure differential that would result if each of the plurality of cylindrical pleated filters was replaced by a similar number of elongated bag filters.
In another particular embodiment, the gas passing through the filter housing is filtered in parallel. For the purposes of this application, “filtered in parallel” refers to a filter arrangement in which gas flows through either one of the cylindrical pleated filters, or one of the elongated bag filters, but not both. This parallel filter arrangement is opposed to a series filter arrangement in which a flow of gas passing through the filter housing is filtered through at least one of the cylindrical pleated filters, then through at least one of the elongated bag filters.
Other aspects, objectives and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
The accompanying drawings incorporated in and forming a part of the specification illustrate several aspects of the present invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings:
While the invention will be described in connection with certain preferred embodiments, there is no intent to limit it to those embodiments. On the contrary, the intent is to cover all alternatives, modifications and equivalents as included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
In view of the issues and challenges described above with respect to conventional baghouse filter systems, there is interest in replacing known fabric filter bags with pleated media filter cartridges to increase the effective filtering area while occupying the same, or less, space within the baghouse. However, certain barriers to easy replacement of fabric filter bags by pleated media filter cartridges exist. In some baghouse designs, the fabric filter bags can have a length of about four meters or more. The clean air plenum often has a clearance height that is substantially less than four meters, for example, about two meters. It is generally not a problem to install fabric filter bags in the baghouse since the fabric filter bags are foldable, flexible and non-rigid. A relatively long and rigid pleated media filter cartridge cannot be installed without considerable manipulation if it can be installed at all due to the limited access space in the clean air plenum.
In order to occupy the same space within the baghouse as a fabric filter bag, the length of the pleated media filter cartridge would be relatively long and can be up to about four meters in length or more. In the embodiments of the invention described below, the length of the pleated media filter cartridges may be as short as one meter, or even shorter in some cases, and as long as four meters though even greater lengths are contemplated.
In the filtration system 100 of
In certain applications, for example filtering the hot gaseous exhaust emitted as a byproduct of the cement manufacturing process, an elongated filter media 112 in the plurality of elongated bag filters 106 and a pleated filter media 116 in the plurality of cylindrical pleated filters 108 are each configured to continuously filter gas having an average temperature of 500 degrees Fahrenheit.
Referring to
The filter cartridge 108 along with its pleated filter element 116 in this application is periodically reverse pulsed to dislodge filter cake collected on the pleated filter element 116. For example, as shown schematically in
A controller 186 at timed intervals or when sensing pressure differentials indicating dust cake loads will periodically open the solenoid valve 184 to create a jet pulse of air through the manifold 182 that back pulses air through the filter cartridges 108 to dislodge accumulated filter cake upon the pleated filter elements 116.
When installed in a filter house 170, for instance a typical pulse jet baghouse, the filter cartridge 108 is in in parallel circuit with other similar filter cartridges 108 along a tube sheet 168 that divides the filter housing into a clean chamber and a dirty chamber. Unfiltered or dirty gas passes from the inlet 172 through the pleated filter elements 116 of the filter cartridges 108, removing particulates. This, in turn, creates filtered air that passes into the clean chamber that can exit the house 170 through the outlet 174. Periodically, a pulse jet system will pulse air to remove “filter cake” from the pleated filter elements 116 to be collected at the bottom of the filter house 170, and therefore regenerate the lifespan of the pleated filter media 116 of the filter cartridges 108. As referenced above, the cylindrical pleated filter 108 are particularly useful in elevated temperature applications, such as cement kiln filtration applications, where operating temperatures are often above 500 degrees Fahrenheit. This can occur for long periods of continuous operation over several hours, days, or weeks.
Referring again to
In alternate embodiments, the filter housing 104 is rectangular, and the plurality of elongated bag filters 106 and the plurality of cylindrical pleated filters 108 are arranged in rows where every two rows of elongated bag filters 106 is separated by one row of cylindrical pleated filters 108. In such an arrangement, there are at least three elongated bag filters 106 for every two cylindrical pleated filters 108.
The filter housing 104 has an inlet 110 for receiving hot gases. The inlet 110 may be located in a lower portion of the filter housing 104 or in the hopper 105, as shown in
As a result of the use of both elongated bag filters 106 and cylindrical pleated filters 108, the filtration system 100 exhibits an improved compartmental flow distribution as compared to conventional filtration systems with only elongated bag filters 106. The improved compartmental flow distribution results in a lower differential pressure drop. A reduced differential pressure between the inlet 110 and the outlet 114 is indicative of improved performance of the filtration system 100.
One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the embodiments of the gas filtration system 100 disclosed herein provide for the gas to pass through the filter housing 104 while being filtered in parallel. As explained above, in the context of this application, “filtered in parallel” refers to a filter arrangement in which gas flows through either one of the cylindrical pleated filters 108, or one of the elongated bag filters 106, but not both. This parallel filter arrangement is opposed to a series filter arrangement in which a flow of gas passing through the filter housing 104 is filtered through at least one of the cylindrical pleated filters 108, then through at least one of the elongated bag filters 106.
Based on the foregoing test numbers, the pressure differential between the inlet 110 and outlet 114 for the aforementioned first system is less than 85% of the pressure differential that would result if each of the plurality of cylindrical pleated filters 108 was replaced by a similar number of elongated bag filters 106. The pressure differential between the inlet 110 and outlet 114 for the aforementioned second system is less than 80% of the pressure differential that would result if each of the plurality of cylindrical pleated filters 108 was replaced by a similar number of elongated bag filters 106. The pressure differential between the inlet 110 and outlet 114 for the aforementioned third system is less than or equal to 76% of the pressure differential that would result if each of the plurality of cylindrical pleated filters 108 was replaced by a similar number of elongated bag filters 106.
The pleated filter element 116 is formed from a filter media composite 190 (also referred to as a composite or laminated composite), as shown in
To provide additional support for the filter media composite 190 when incorporated into the cylindrical pleated filter 108, a support core 222 may be used as shown in
As first shown in
As first shown in
The open 224 may include a seal structure 228 arranged around the first end 226 of the cylindrical pleated filter 108, which may take the form of annular ribs that can engage an annular projection along the tube sheet 168 (shown in
The open endcap 224 may include a seal structure 228 arranged around the first end 226 of the cylindrical pleated filter 108, which may take the form of annular ribs that can engage an annular projection along the tube sheet 168 (shown in
As first shown in
Furthermore, at least one support strap 234 (shown in
The support straps 234 are arranged to contact the pleat tips that face radially outward and can contact the filtration layer. For example, metal bands suitable for high temperature applications may be used as a support strap 234.
The fibrous support layer 180 and the filtration layer 200 are both in pleated form to provide the plurality of pleats 236, as shown in
The cylindrical pleated filters 108 each have a cylindrical arrangement of pleated filter media 116 having radially projecting pleats 225 extending longitudinally along the pleated filter media 116 with an annular upstream endcap 224 defining a central opening 160 and a cylindrical downstream endcap 230 closing the downstream end 232 of the cylindrical pleated filter 108.
In embodiments of the invention more particular than those described above, the average length of the plurality of elongated bag filters 106 is between two and five times the average length of the plurality of cylindrical pleated filters 108. Embodiments of the invention further include those in which the filter housing 104 is rectangular, and the plurality of elongated bag filters 106 and the plurality of cylindrical pleated filters 108 are arranged in alternating rows. In such an arrangement, the number of elongated bag filters 106 may be equal, or nearly equal, to the number of cylindrical pleated filters 108.
In typical applications, the length of each of the plurality of elongated bag filters 106 may range from 4 meters to 15 meters, while the length of the plurality of cylindrical pleated filters 108 may range from 1 meter to 4 meters. In particular embodiments, each of the plurality of cylindrical pleated filters 108 comprises a pleated filter media 116 having radially-projecting pleats 225 (see
In a further embodiment, each of the plurality of elongated bag filters 106 includes the aforementioned elongated filter media 112 supported by a frame 113, wherein each elongated bag filter 106 has an open upstream end 226 and a closed downstream end 232, as shown in
All references, including publications, patent applications, and patents cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each reference were individually and specifically indicated to be incorporated by reference and were set forth in its entirety herein.
The use of the terms “a” and “an” and “the” and similar referents in the context of describing the invention (especially in the context of the following claims) is to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. The terms “comprising,” “having,” “including,” and “containing” are to be construed as open-ended terms (i.e., meaning “including, but not limited to,”) unless otherwise noted. Recitation of ranges of values herein are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range, unless otherwise indicated herein, and each separate value is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein. All methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context. The use of any and all examples, or exemplary language (e.g., “such as”) provided herein, is intended merely to better illuminate the invention and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the invention unless otherwise claimed. No language in the specification should be construed as indicating any non-claimed element as essential to the practice of the invention.
Preferred embodiments of this invention are described herein, including the best mode known to the inventors for carrying out the invention. Variations of those preferred embodiments may become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the foregoing description. The inventors expect skilled artisans to employ such variations as appropriate, and the inventors intend for the invention to be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein. Accordingly, this invention includes all modifications and equivalents of the subject matter recited in the claims appended hereto as permitted by applicable law. Moreover, any combination of the above-described elements in all possible variations thereof is encompassed by the invention unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context.
This patent application is a continuation of U.S. PCT Patent Application No. PCT/US2022/026152, filed Apr. 25, 2022, which is now pending, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/317,622, filed Mar. 8, 2022, and claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/289,762, filed Dec. 15, 2021, the entire teachings and disclosure of which are incorporated herein by reference thereto.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63317622 | Mar 2022 | US | |
| 63289762 | Dec 2021 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | PCT/US2022/026152 | Apr 2022 | WO |
| Child | 18647881 | US |
