1-36. (canceled)
37. A feed device for feeding lumpy material into a briquetting press,
wherein the feed device comprises a receiving channel for the lumpy material,
in the receiving channel, at an outlet end, there is arranged a charging device, in particular a charging screw, for providing a supply to the briquetting press,
the lumpy material is conveyed to the charging device by action of gravitational force during intended use,
the receiving channel comprises at least one conveying device with at least one driver which is arranged upstream of the charging device and which serves for conveying at least some of the lumpy material to the charging device, and
the at least one driver is in the form of a projection with a height greater than a maximum width.
38. The feed device as claimed in claim 37, wherein, in the receiving channel, there is arranged at least one guide surface for the lumpy material, the at least one guide surface has at least one opening for the at least one driver, and the at least one driver of the conveying device, and in particular, if appropriate, the at least one driver of the further conveying device, is arranged such that the driver can project through the opening in order to convey at least some of the lumpy material to the charging device.
39. The feed device as claimed in claim 38, wherein the guide surface is arranged such that the receiving channel has, in the interior, a narrowing region and, arranged downstream thereof, a widening region, in particular, the charging device is arranged in the widening region.
40. The feed device as claimed in claim 38, wherein, in the guide surface, there are arranged at least two openings which run substantially parallel to one another and in at least one segment of a movement direction (B) of the driver in the receiving channel.
41. A feed device for feeding lumpy material, in particular chips, into a briquetting press,
wherein the feed device comprises a receiving channel for the lumpy material,
in the receiving channel, at an outlet end, there is arranged a charging device, in particular a charging screw, for providing a supply to the briquetting press,
a receiving region is arranged upstream of the receiving channel, and the receiving region comprises at least one transport device, in particular at least one feed screw, for conveying the lumpy material to the receiving channel,
a base of the receiving region has, along a conveying direction of the lumpy material, a base section, in particular a base edge which, in relation to the direction of action of gravitational force during intended use, is entirely arranged above the charging device, and
in particular, the lumpy material is conveyed from the base section to the charging device by the action of gravitational force.
42. The feed device as claimed in claim 41, wherein an end, facing toward the receiving channel, of the transport device is, in relation to the direction of the action of gravitational force during intended use, entirely arranged higher than the charging device.
43. The feed device as claimed in claim 42, wherein the receiving channel comprises a conveying device with at least one driver for conveying at least some of the lumpy material to the charging device, and the conveying device is at least partially arranged lower than the base section.
44. The feed device as claimed in claim 41, wherein a highest part, by means of which a conveying action can be exerted on the lumpy material during operation, of the charging device has a charging device spacing to the highest point of the base section in relation to the direction of the action of gravitational force, and the charging device spacing is at least equal to, in particular is at least two times, a charging device diameter.
45. The feed device as claimed in claim 41, wherein the base is inclined andor can be inclined, such that the base rises in the direction of the receiving channel counter to the direction of the action of gravitational force, and in particular, the base has an angle of inclination in the range from 10\xb0 to 30\xb0, and preferably from 15\xb0 to 25\xb0, in relation to a plane arranged perpendicular to the direction of action of gravitational force.
46. The feed device as claimed in claim 37, wherein, upstream of the conveying device, on andor in the receiving channel, or in particular if appropriate on andor in the receiving region, there is arranged a breaking-up device, in particular a breaking-up drum, which can in particular be arranged in movable fashion and which serves for breaking up lumpy material which has if appropriate been conveyed by means of the transport device.
47. The feed device as claimed in claim 48, wherein the breaking-up device comprises at least one driver for the lumpy material, and, in particular in the receiving channel or if appropriate in the receiving region, a separating surface with at least one separating surface opening for the at least one driver is arranged such that the driver of the breaking-up device can project through the separating surface opening for the purpose of breaking up at least some of the lumpy material.
48. The feed device as claimed in claim 46, wherein, during operation, the breaking-up device can be operated such that the lumpy material can, in at least one section, be conveyed substantially counter to the conveying direction imparted by the conveying device or if appropriate counter to the transport device.
49. The feed device as claimed in claim 37, for feeding lumpy material into a briquetting press, wherein the feed device comprises a charging device, in particular a charging screw, for providing a supply to the briquetting press, the feed device comprises a detector, in particular a light sensor, for detecting a degree of charging, in particular a charge height andor a charge density, of lumpy material in the feed device, and, in particular, the charging device can be controlled or regulated on a basis of the defected degree of charging.
50. The feed device as claimed in claim 49, wherein the feed device comprises a conveying device, in particular a conveying drum, for conveying the lumpy material to the charging device, andor a transport device, in particular at least one feed screw, for conveying the lumpy material to a receiving channel of the feed device, and the conveying device andor the transport device can be controlled or regulated on the basis of the detected degree of charging.
51. The feed device as claimed in claim 37, wherein the feed device comprises a receiving channel, in the receiving channel, at an outlet end, there is arranged a charging device for providing a supply to the briquetting press, and, upstream of the receiving channel, there is arranged a receiving region with a base, in the receiving region, there is arranged at least one transport device for conveying the lumpy material to the receiving channel, in the receiving region, in relation to a normal to the base, at least two transport devices are arranged one above the other at least in one section.
52. The feed device as claimed in claim 37, wherein the feed device comprises a receiving channel, in the receiving channel, at an outlet end, there is arranged a charging device for providing a supply to the briquetting press, in a wall of the receiving channel, there is arranged a discharge opening for the discharge of material out of the feed device or for the emptying of the charging device, and the discharge opening can be opened or closed by a cover.
53. The feed device as claimed in claim 52, wherein the feed device has a detection device for detecting at least a blockage of the charging device, and the cover of the opening can be automatically opened on the basis of a blockage being detected, andor an operator can be instructed to manually open the cover.
54. A briquetting press comprising a feed device as claimed in claim 37.
55. A method for feeding lumpy material into a briquetting press by a feed device as claimed in claim 37, comprising the step of briquetting the lumpy material in the briquetting press.
56. The method as claimed in claim 55, wherein the feed device comprises a receiving channel for the lumpy material, in the receiving channel, at an outlet end, there is arranged a charging device for providing a supply to the briquetting press, the receiving channel comprises at least one conveying device with at least one driver which is arranged upstream of the charging device and which serves for conveying at least some of the lumpy material to the charging device, upstream of the conveying device, there is arranged a further conveying device, and the two conveying devices can be operated at different speeds, and in particular, the further conveying device has a lower speed than the conveying device.
57. The method as claimed in claim 55, wherein the feed device comprises a charging device for providing a supply to the briquetting press, the feed device-comprises a detector for detecting a degree of charging lumpy material in the feed device, and at least one of a feed of the lumpy material into feed device and a discharge from the feed device is regulated on a basis of the detected degree of charging.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A vapor-liquid contact tray apparatus, comprising:
a tray with a fluid infeed section and a fluid travel section;
a downcomer which is in fluid communication with the fluid travel section of said tray;
a redirecting baffle positioned at an inlet opening of said downcomer; and
pusher valves provided in the fluid travel section of said tray.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said redirecting baffle includes a concave upper end which has an upper edge positioned above a level defined by the fluid travel section of said tray.
3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein there are a plurality of redirecting baffles positioned at the inlet opening of said downcomer.
4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said redirecting baffles extend in chordal fashion across the entire inlet opening of said downcomer.
5. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein at least two of said plurality of redirection baffles have curved upper ends positioned above tray level and are radially spaced to define multiple downcomer flow channels.
6. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein at least one of said plurality of redirecting baffles have an apertured section positioned below the tray level.
7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said apertured section includes one or more awning-type apertures comprising an aperture and partial cover sloping downward.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said redirecting baffle includes an apertured section below tray level.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said downcomer has an upper section and a lower section with the lower section having an outward slope and said upper section being more vertical, and said redirecting baffle includes a lower edge which terminates at a level essentially at or above a slope transition area between the upper and lower sections of the downcomer inner wall.
10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said downcomer is an end downcomer in contact with said tray and positioned at an end of said tray which is opposite to an end section defining the infeed section of said tray.
11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said downcomer is one of a stepped or bottom floored downcomer.
12. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said downcomer has a sloping interior defining wall.
13. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein an upstream portion of the fluid travel section of said tray is adjacent said infeed section of said tray and is at a raised level relative to a downstream plate portion of the fluid travel section of said tray.
14. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising non-push valves, essentially non-push valves or non valved apertures provided in the fluid travel section of said tray.
15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said tray has one or more concentrated zones of push valves.
16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein there is positioned a first concentrated zone of push valves in an upstream portion of the fluid travel section of said tray which is adjacent said infeed section of said tray.
17. The apparatus of claim 16 further comprising a second concentrated zone of push valves arranged adjacent the inlet opening of said downcomer.
18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the concentration of push valves in the second concentrated zone is less than that of said first concentrated zone.
19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein said push valves are spaced essentially across, as in an alternating sequence or a non-alternating continuous sequence across a full length of a fluid inlet receiving edge of said downcomer.
20. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein said push valves are altered in spaced sequence with non-valved apertures or valves of a lesser momentum than the push valves spaced across the full length.
21. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein said push valves are arranged in column of at least three deep.
22. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the push valves in the one or more sections of said tray include high momentum push valves.
23. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein said high momentum push valves include essentially mono-directional push valves.
24. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein said essentially mono-directional push valves include an upward sloping top portion and two side walls extending from edges of said top portion down to said tray.
25. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein at least one of said one or more concentrated zones of push valves is arranged adjacent the inlet opening of said downcomer.
26. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein said push valves are spaced across a full length of a fluid inlet receiving edge of said downcomer.
27. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a downcomer positioned in an interior portion of said tray that is spaced inward of end regions of said tray.
28. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein said downcomer has a polygonal cross-section with first side that receives fluid from a first infeed section of said tray and a second side which receives fluid from a second infeed section of said tray, and there are a plurality of redirecting baffles with a first one or set of redirection baffles having a concave upper surface facing in a direction to receive fluid from the first side and a second one or set of redirecting baffles having a concave upper surface facing in a direction to receive fluid from the second side.
29. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein said downcomer has a circular cross-sectioned inlet opening and said redirecting baffle has a circular cross section.
30. A distillation column, comprising:
a tower; and
a plurality of the tray apparatuses of claim 1 arranged in vertically spaced sequence within said tower;
a gas infeed port for passing a gas up through trays of said plurality of tray apparatuses; and
a liquid infeed port for feeding liquid to said trays.
31. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said downcomer is a truncated downcomer having a vertical height of 85% or less of an overall tray to tray vertical spacing.
32. A tray apparatus for use in a distillation column, comprising:
a tray with vapor passages provided in the tray;
a downcomer which is positioned for fluid communication with said tray;
enhancement means for enhancing fluid flow momentum in the fluid flow traveling along said tray toward said downcomer; and
means for redirecting fluid flow travel and momentum form a direction along the tray to a direction through the downcomer.
33. The tray apparatus of claim 1 wherein said enhancement means includes at least one zone of push valves which are positioned to increase fluid flow momentum toward said downcomer.
34. The tray apparatus of claim 33 wherein said push valves include essentially mono-directional push valves which are positioned (i) adjacent an inlet region of said downcomer, (ii) and are spaced along a receiving edge of said downcomer, or (iii) a combination of (i) or (ii).
35. The tray apparatus of claim 33 wherein said enhancement means includes high concentration push valves at an inlet feed area of said tray and at an exit section of said tray interfacing with said downcomer.
36. A method of assembling a tray apparatus for use in a distillation column, comprising:
providing a tray with a fluid infeed section and a fluid travel section;
providing a downcomer so as to be in fluid communication with the fluid travel section of said tray;
providing a redirecting baffle at an inlet opening of said downcomer; and
providing push valves in the fluid travel section of said tray.
37. A method of using a tray apparatus supported in a column, comprising:
passing fluid horizontally across an area of said tray deck having an active area;
bubbling gas up through apertures in said active area into said fluid flow;
increasing horizontal flow fluid momentum in a direction toward a downcomer of said tray apparatus with push valves receiving vapor from apertures in the active area; and
directing the liquid with increased momentum from the push valves into a baffle provided in an inlet of said downcomer which redirects the horizontal fluid flow into a vertical flow through the downcomer.