The invention relates to processing a solid in granular form, including a granular solid especially heterogeneous in particle size, with particles ranging from small to large; to contacting a granular solid with a gas; to heating or cooling a granular solid; to drying granular solids (especially ones that are delicate physically); to heat-treating small metal parts; to exchanging heat between a granular solid and a gas; to condensing steam through heat exchange with air; and to processing granular matter in a condition of low or substantially zero natural gravity, such as on the surface of the moon or in outer space.
An article in Powder Technology (Arthur M. Squires, vol. 175, pp. 56-62, entitled “Chemical process opportunities for vibrated powders: 3. Provisional design for an experimental sidewards flying bed”) provides an introduction to the sidewards flying bed (
I have been surprised to discover an improved method and apparatus for creating an
In the invention, a relatively shallow bed of a granular solid is held by centrifugal force against the inner wall of a rotating cylinder. The speed of rotation is varied, causing the centrifugal force to vary as well, yet centrifugal forces, for a large part of the time, exceed ambient gravity. The speed variation also creates tangential forces that act upon the powder is a direction generally perpendicular to the artificial gravity of the varying centrifugal force. It is arranged that there are significant time intervals during which the tangential force is greater than the centrifugal force. In a portion of such time intervals, the granular solid “flies sidewards,” becoming a “sidewards flying bed.” The solid moves in the direction of the tangential force; that is to say, it moves generally circumferentially in relation to the cylinder's axis.
An object of the instant invention is to provide means for processing a solid in granular form, including a solid comprising especially heterogeneous particle sizes, ranging from small to large.
Another object is to provide means for contacting a granular solid with a gas.
Another object is to provide means for heating or cooling a granular solid.
Another object is to provide means for treating a granular solid that includes lumps that are several centimeters in size by heating it to a desired elevated temperature.
Another object is to provide a process for producing foundry or blast-furnace coke.
Another object is to provide a process for producing a lump-form fuel that burns smokelessly in an open fire.
Another object is to provide means for exchanging heat between a granular solid and a gas.
Another object is to condense steam through heat exchange with air.
Another object is to provide a means for processing granular matter in a condition of low or substantially zero natural gravity, such as on the surface of the moon or in outer space.
The instant invention relates to an improved method for establishing a sidewards flying bed (
The instant invention also relates to improved apparatus for creating an
These and further and other objects and features of the invention are apparent in the disclosure, which includes the above and ongoing written specification, with the claims and the drawings.
The invention will be more particularly described in conjunction with the following drawings wherein:
In the several figures, like reference numerals refer to like parts having like functions. The several figures discuss embodiments of the instant invention in which the ambient gravity is earth's gravity.
In
Pillars 17, rising from floor 7, support electric motor 10. (Motor 10 and other elements of
Axle 11 of flywheel 83 is located on a substantially horizontal line 89 passing nearby chord 88. Line 89 commences at the location of hinge 15 when the hinge is at its greatest distance from flywheel 83. In the drawing of
If design parameters for the apparatus of
“Suitable” design parameters are, for example, but not limited to:
For a design with these parameters,
Notice also in
The sketches in
In
Note that in
While the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments, modifications and variations of the invention may be constructed without departing from the scope of the invention, which is defined in the following claims.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/581,301 filed Dec. 29, 2011 and U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/584,357 filed Jan. 9, 2012, which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety as if fully set forth herein.
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Entry |
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Arthur M. Squires, Chemical process opportunities for vibrated powders: 3. Provisional design for an experimental sidewards flying bed, Powder Technology, Jun. 6, 2007, pp. 56-62, vol. 175, Issue 2, Department of Chemical Engineering, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg VA 24061-0211, USA. |
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Thomas et al.; “Some Behaviors of Shallow Vibrated Beds Across a Wide Range in Particle Size and Their Implications for Powder Classification”; Powder Technology, vol. 111, (2000); pp. 34-49. |
Yang et al.; “GCrandular-Bed Filtration Assisted by Filter-Cake Formation 5. Treating a Liquid in a Panel Bed with Pulseback Renewal of Liquid-Entry Granular-Bed Faces”; Powder Technology, 2005, 155, pp. 134-138, Elsevier. |
Radosz et al.; “Flue-Gas Carbon Capture on Carbonaceous Sorbents: Toward a Low-Cost Multifunctional Carbon Filter for “Green” Energy Producers”; Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., (2008), vol. 47, pp. 3783-3794. |
Squires, A.M.; “Granular-Bed Filtration Assisted by Filter-Cake Formation: 4. Advanced Designs for Panel-Bed Filtration and Gas Treating”; Powder Technology, 155 (2005); Elsevier BM.; pp. 74-84. |
Number | Date | Country | |
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61581301 | Dec 2011 | US | |
61584357 | Jan 2012 | US |