Method and apparatus for producing high temperature materials using thermal energy generated in a rotating machine

Abstract

A method of inputting thermal energy into a fluid medium in a high temperature material production process by at least one rotating device is provided, the rotating device comprising a casing with at least one inlet and at least one outlet, a rotor including at least one rotor blade row arranged around a rotor hub mounted on a rotor shaft, and a stator formed as a fixed vane assembly arranged at least upstream of the at least one rotor blade row, wherein an amount of thermal energy is imparted to a fluid medium flow guided along a flow path formed inside the casing between the inlet and the outlet by a series of energy transformations occurring as the fluid medium flow passes through the fixed vanes and the at least one rotor blade row, respectively. The method further comprises incorporating the at least one rotating device into a high temperature material production facility configured to perform high temperature material production, such as production of glass, glass wool, carbon fiber, carbon nanotubes, and clay-based materials, at a temperature essentially equal to or greater than about 500°C, and directing an amount of input energy into the at least one rotating device incorporated into a heat consuming process facility, the input energy comprising electrical energy. A rotating device and related uses are further provided.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates generally to systems and methods for inputting thermal energy (heat) into fluids, and more particularly to tools and processes that optimize energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas and particulate emissions in high temperature material production carried out at high and very high temperatures. [Background technology]

[0002] Industries and governments are struggling to find technologies to significantly reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Heavy industrial processes such as high temperature material production play a key role in achieving low emission targets set by companies, governments, and international organizations. Electrification of these processes is seen as a solution to reduce emissions. One of the obstacles to electrification has been reaching the high temperatures required in high temperature material production. As an example, the core processes involved in the production of high temperature materials such as glass, glass wool, carbon fibers, carbon nanotubes, and various clay-based materials (bricks, ceramics, porcelain, etc.) require extremely high temperatures, for example, temperatures in the range of about 850-1600°C. As an example, the process of heating and melting precursors used in glass production, such as sand and recycled glass, proceeds at temperatures of about 1400-1500°C, and some carbonization processes involved in the production of carbon fibers proceed at temperatures of about 1300-1500°C. This places stringent requirements on the energy sources and technologies utilized. Specifically, while electricity is already being used for some high temperature processes, in most cases the technology and economics are not yet in a position to do so.

[0003] For heating purposes, several rotary solutions have been proposed. The hydrodynamic heater pump apparatus disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 11,098,725 (Sanger et al.) is operable to selectively generate a flow of heated and / or pressurized fluid. The aforementioned hydrodynamic heater pump is designed to be installed within the cooling system of an automotive vehicle to provide heat for the passenger compartment of the vehicle and to enable other capabilities such as window de-icing and engine cooling. The disclosed apparatus can also provide a pressurized fluid flow for engine cooling. Because the disclosed technology is friction based and the fluid to be heated is a liquid, the presented design is not suitable for conditions involving extreme turbulence of gas aerodynamics.

[0004] US Patent No. 7,614,367 (Frick) discloses a system and method for flameless heating, condensing or vaporizing a fluid by converting rotational kinetic energy into heat. A system configured for fluid heating may include a rotational kinetic energy generator, a rotary heating device, and a primary heat exchanger, all in closed-loop fluid communication. The rotary heating device may be a water brake dynamometer. The specification discloses the use of the system for heating water on an offshore drilling or oil production platform. However, the presented system is not suitable for heating gaseous media and is not feasible for use with high and extremely high temperatures (based on liquid stability, vapor pressure, etc.).

[0005] In addition, several rotating turbomachinery type devices are also known to carry out the process of hydrocarbon (steam) cracking, with the goal of maximizing the yield of target products, such as ethylene and propylene.

[0006] In this regard, updates in the art related to designing and manufacturing efficient heating systems, particularly systems suitable for high and very high temperature applications, are still desirable in view of efficiently and environmentally addressing the challenges associated with increasing temperatures of fluid materials. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] It is an object of the present invention to solve or at least mitigate at least some of the problems resulting from limitations and drawbacks of the related art. One or more of the objects are achieved by the various embodiments of the method for producing a heated fluid medium, the rotating device and the related uses defined herein, as described herein. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In one aspect, a method for high temperature material production includes generating a heated fluid medium by at least one rotating device integrated into a high temperature material production facility. Effect of the Invention

[0009] As used herein, "high temperature material" refers to a material that requires one or more manufacturing steps involving high temperatures. Examples of high temperature materials that may be produced by or benefit from the methods described herein include, for example, glass, glass wool, carbon fiber, carbon nanotubes, bricks, ceramics, porcelain, and tiles formed from ceramics or porcelain. In an embodiment, "high temperature" refers to a temperature essentially equal to or greater than about 500°C, or essentially equal to or greater than about 1200°C, or essentially equal to or greater than about 1700°C.

[0010] According to one embodiment, a method of producing high temperature materials, including generating a heated fluid medium by at least one rotating device integrated into a high temperature materials production facility, improves energy efficiency and / or reduces greenhouse gas and particulate emissions.

[0011] In an embodiment, a method of producing high temperature material includes generating a heated fluid medium by at least one rotating device installed in a high temperature material production facility, the at least one rotating device including a casing with at least one inlet and at least one outlet, a rotor including at least one rotor blade row disposed circumferentially about a rotor hub mounted on a rotor shaft, and a plurality of stationary vanes disposed in an assembly upstream of the at least one rotor blade row, the fluid medium flow being converted by a series of energy transformations occurring as the fluid medium flows through the stationary vanes and the at least one rotor blade row, respectively, to: An amount of thermal energy is imparted to a fluid medium stream directed along a flow path formed within the casing between the inlet and the outlet, thereby generating a heated fluid medium stream, the method further including directing an amount of input energy into the at least one rotating device incorporated within the high temperature material production facility, the input energy comprising electrical energy, supplying the heated fluid medium stream generated by the at least one rotating device into the high temperature material production facility, and operating the at least one rotating device and the high temperature material production facility to perform high temperature material production at a temperature essentially equal to or greater than about 500°C.

[0012] In another aspect, a method for inputting thermal energy into a fluid medium during high temperature material production is provided.

[0013] In one embodiment, a method includes inputting thermal energy into a process associated with producing a high temperature material in a high temperature material production facility, the method includes generating a heated fluid medium by at least one rotating device installed in the high temperature material production facility, the at least one rotating device including a casing with at least one inlet and at least one outlet, a rotor including at least one rotor blade row disposed about a rotor hub mounted on a rotor shaft, and a plurality of stationary vanes disposed upstream of the at least one rotor blade row, the method including inputting thermal energy into a process associated with producing a high temperature material in a high temperature material production facility, the method including generating a heated fluid medium by at least one rotating device installed in the high temperature material production facility, the at least one rotating device including a casing with at least one inlet and at least one outlet, a rotor including at least one rotor blade row disposed about a rotor hub mounted on a rotor shaft, and a plurality of stationary vanes disposed upstream of the at least one rotor blade row, the method including and directing an amount of input energy into the at least one rotating device incorporated within the high temperature material production facility such that the input energy comprises electrical energy, and a series of energy transformations occurring as the fluid medium stream passes through the stationary vanes and the at least one rotor blade row, respectively, impart an amount of thermal energy to a fluid medium stream directed along a flow path formed within the casing between the inlet and the outlet, thereby generating a heated fluid medium stream.

[0014] In an embodiment, the method includes operating the at least one rotating device operatively connected and / or integrated to at least one heat consuming unit configured to perform a heat consuming process associated with producing high temperature materials at a temperature essentially equal to or greater than about 500°C. The heat consuming unit can be configured to process raw raw material / precursor materials through melting and / or reaction to form high temperature materials in a high temperature material production facility. In an additional or alternative form, the heat consuming unit is configured to thermally process raw material / precursor materials without changing their composition, for example through heating and / or drying. In an embodiment, the heat consuming unit is a furnace or kiln, including any one of a blast furnace, a rotary kiln, a multi-stage incinerator, and the like. In an embodiment, the method includes operating the at least one rotating device operatively connected to at least one furnace configured to heat sand, limestone, soda ash, and recycled glass to produce glass in a glass production facility. In an embodiment, the method comprises operating the at least one rotating device operatively connected to at least one furnace configured to melt glass to produce molten glass or harden glass in a glass wool production facility during high temperature production of glass wool. In an embodiment, the method comprises operating the at least one rotating device operatively connected to at least one furnace configured to carbonize polyacrylonitrile fibers to form carbon fibers in a carbon fiber production facility during high temperature production of carbon fibers. In an embodiment, the method comprises operating the at least one rotating device operatively connected to at least one furnace configured to cause high pressure carbon monoxide disproportionation to form carbon nanotubes in a carbon nanotube production facility during high temperature production of carbon nanotubes. In an embodiment, the method comprises operating the at least one rotating device operatively connected to at least one kiln configured to heat treat, e.g., fire, bricks in a brick production facility during high temperature production of bricks.In an embodiment, the method includes operating the at least one rotating device operatively connected to at least one kiln configured to heat treat high temperature clay-based material in a facility for the production of clay-based material, the clay-based material being ceramic or porcelain, and the facility for producing clay-based products being configured as a ceramic production facility and / or as a porcelain production facility.

[0015] In the manufacture of high temperature materials, the raw material / precursor may be sand, limestone, soda ash, or recycled glass, or combinations thereof, so that the method is effective for producing glass wool from these precursors. The raw material / precursor may be polyacrylonitrile fiber or another carbon fiber precursor, so that the method is effective for producing carbon fiber from these precursors. The raw material / precursor may be acetylene or other carbon nanotube precursor, so that the method is effective for producing carbon nanotubes from these precursors. The raw material / precursor may be clay, so that the method is effective for producing clay-based materials, such as any one of bricks, ceramics, or porcelain. The raw material / precursor may be clay, shale, lime, sand, concrete, or other precursors, so that the method is effective for producing bricks from these precursors. The raw material / precursor may be clay, or other ceramic precursors, so that the method is effective for producing ceramics from these precursors. The raw material / precursor may be clay, or other porcelain precursors, so that the method is effective for producing porcelain from these precursors.

[0016] In some other embodiments, the heat consuming unit is configured as any one of an oven, a reactor, a heater, a burner, a dryer, a boiler, a conveyor device, or a combination thereof.

[0017] In embodiments, the method includes producing the fluid medium heated to a temperature essentially equal to or greater than about 500°C, or essentially equal to or greater than about 1200°C, or essentially equal to or greater than about 1700°C.

[0018] In an embodiment, this includes adjusting the velocity and / or pressure of a fluid medium stream propagating through the rotating device to create conditions under which the heated fluid medium is generated.

[0019] In an embodiment, in the method, the heated fluid medium is generated by at least one rotating device including two or more rows of rotor blades arranged successively along the rotor axis.

[0020] In an embodiment, the method includes operating the at least one rotating device further including a diffuser region located downstream of at least one rotor blade row, the method including operating the at least one rotating device integrated into the high temperature material production such that a quantity of thermal energy is imparted to a fluid medium flow guided along a flow path formed inside the casing between the inlet and the outlet by a series of energy conversions occurring as the fluid medium flow passes successively through the fixed vanes, the at least one rotor blade row, and the diffuser region, thereby generating a flow of a heated fluid medium. The diffuser region may be formed with or without fixed vanes.

[0021] In an embodiment, in the method, the amount of thermal energy added to the fluid medium flow propagating through the rotating device is controlled by adjusting the amount of input energy directed into the at least one rotating device incorporated into the high temperature material production facility.

[0022] In an embodiment, the method further comprises locating an additional heating device downstream of the at least one rotating device and introducing a reactive compound or a mixture of reactive compounds into the fluid medium stream propagating through the rotating device and / or through the additional heating device, whereby the amount of thermal energy is added to the fluid medium stream through an exothermic reaction. In an embodiment, the reactive compound or mixture of reactive compounds is introduced into the fluid medium stream that is preheated to a predetermined temperature. In an embodiment, the reactive compound or mixture of reactive compounds is introduced into the fluid medium stream that is preheated to a temperature essentially equal to or greater than about 1700°C.

[0023] In an embodiment, the method includes producing a heated fluid medium by at least two rotating devices integrated into a high temperature material production facility, the at least two rotating devices being connected in parallel or in series. In an embodiment, the method includes producing a heated fluid medium by at least two rotating devices connected in series, the fluid medium stream being preheated to a predetermined temperature in at least a first rotating device in sequence, and the fluid medium stream being further heated in at least a second rotating device in sequence by inputting an additional amount of heat energy into the preheated fluid medium stream propagating through the second rotating device. In an embodiment, the method includes preheating the fluid medium stream to a temperature essentially equal to or greater than about 1700° C. in at least the first rotating device in sequence. In an embodiment, the method includes adding an additional amount of heat energy to the fluid medium stream propagating through at least the second rotating device in sequence by introducing the reactive compound or mixture of compounds into the stream. In an embodiment, the method comprises introducing the reactive compound or mixture of reactive compounds into a process associated with the production of high temperature materials.

[0024] In an embodiment, the method further comprises the step of: generating a fluid medium from the at least one rotating device selected from the group consisting of a feed gas, a recycle gas, a make-up gas, and a process fluid; ...

[0025] In an embodiment, the method includes generating the heated fluid medium in the rotating device. In an embodiment, the method includes the heated fluid medium generated in the rotating device includes any one of air, steam (H2O), nitrogen (N2), hydrogen (H2), carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide (CO), methane (CH4), or any combination thereof. Any other gas can be utilized if appropriate. In an embodiment, the method includes the fluid medium to be heated in the rotating device is an off-gas generated during the production of high temperature materials, for example a recycled gas recycled from exhaust gas.

[0026] In an embodiment, the method includes generating the heated fluid medium, e.g., gas, vapor, liquid, and mixtures thereof, and / or heated solid material, outside of the rotating device through a heat transfer process between the heated fluid medium generated within the rotating device and any one of the above-mentioned substances that bypasses the rotating device.

[0027] In an embodiment, the method further comprises supplying a heated fluid medium produced by or within the at least one rotating device into at least one heat consuming unit within the high temperature material production facility, the heat consuming unit being provided as one of a furnace or a kiln.The method further comprises supplying a heated fluid medium produced by or within the at least one rotating device into at least one heat consuming unit within the high temperature material production facility, the heat consuming unit being provided as one of an oven, a reactor, a heater, a burner, a dryer, a boiler, a conveyor device, or a combination thereof.

[0028] In an embodiment, the method further comprises increasing a pressure in the fluid medium flow propagating through the rotating device.

[0029] In an embodiment, the method includes directing an amount of electrical energy as an energy input into the at least one rotating device incorporated in a high temperature materials production facility in a range of about 5 percent to 100 percent.

[0030] In an embodiment, in the method, the amount of electrical energy introduced as energy input into the at least one rotating device integrated in the high temperature material production facility can be derived from a renewable energy source or from different energy sources, optionally a combination of renewable energy sources.

[0031] In an embodiment, the method includes incorporating the at least one rotating device together with at least one heater device capable of operating with non-electrical energy into the high temperature material production facility, thereby utilising it to balance fluctuations, e.g. surpluses and shortages, in the amount of electrical energy (e.g. obtained through supply and / or production), optionally renewable electrical energy.

[0032] In another aspect, the present disclosure provides a high temperature material production facility including at least one rotating device configured to generate a heated fluid medium and at least one heat consumption unit configured to perform a process related to high temperature material production.

[0033] In one embodiment, the high temperature material production facility includes at least one rotating device configured to generate a heated fluid medium and at least one heat consuming unit configured to perform a process related to high temperature material production, the at least one rotating device being incorporated into the high temperature material production facility and including a casing with at least one inlet and at least one outlet, a rotor including at least one rotor blade row arranged around a rotor hub mounted on a rotor shaft, and a plurality of stationary vanes arranged in an assembly at least upstream of the at least one rotor blade row, the fluid medium flow passing through the stationary vanes and the at least one heat consuming unit configured to perform a process related to high temperature material production. A series of energy transformations occurring as the rotor blades pass through at least one of the rotor blade rows impart an amount of thermal energy to a fluid medium flow guided along a flow path formed inside the casing between the inlet and the outlet, thereby generating a heated fluid medium flow, and the at least one rotating device is configured to receive an amount of input energy including electrical energy and to generate a heated fluid medium for inputting thermal energy into at least one heat consuming unit, the heat consuming unit being configured to carry out a process related to high temperature material production at a temperature essentially equal to or greater than about 500°C.

[0034] In an embodiment, the at least one heat consuming unit provided within the high temperature material production facility is a furnace or kiln, and the at least one rotating device is connected to the furnace or kiln.

[0035] In an embodiment, the at least one heat consuming unit is formed as any one of an oven, a reactor, a heater, a burner, a dryer, a boiler, a conveyor device, or a combination thereof, and the at least one rotating device is connected to any one of these heat consuming units, or any combination thereof, within the high temperature material production facility.

[0036] In an embodiment, in the high temperature material production facility, the at least one rotating device includes two or more rotor blade rows arranged in series along the rotor axis. In one embodiment, a fixed vane arranged in an assembly upstream of the at least one rotor blade row is formed as a fixed guide vane. In one embodiment, the at least one rotating device further includes a diffuser area arranged downstream of the at least one rotor blade row. The diffuser area may be formed with or without a fixed diffuser vane. In some configurations, a vaned diffuser may be realized as a plurality of fixed vanes arranged in an assembly downstream of the at least one rotor blade row.

[0037] In an embodiment, the at least one rotating device disposed within the high temperature material production facility is further configured to increase pressure in the fluid medium flow propagating through the rotating device.

[0038] In some embodiments, at least one rotating device provided within the high temperature material production facility is configured to achieve fluid flow between an inlet and an outlet along a flow path established based on any one of an essentially helical orbit formed within an essentially toroidal shaped casing, an essentially helical orbit formed within an essentially tubular casing, an essentially radial orbit, and a flow path established by a fluid medium flow in the form of two spirals wound up as side-to-side vortex rings.

[0039] In a further aspect, an assembly is provided, said assembly including at least two rotating devices according to any previous aspect, said rotating devices being connected in parallel or in series.

[0040] In a further aspect, an arrangement is provided, said arrangement comprising at least one rotating device according to any previous aspect, said at least one rotating device being connected to at least one heat consumption unit configured as a furnace or kiln.

[0041] In a further aspect, there is provided a high temperature material production facility configured to perform a high temperature material production process through a method according to any of the previously defined aspects and embodiments, and the high temperature material production facility includes at least one rotating device according to any of the previous aspects.

[0042] The usefulness of the present invention arises for a variety of reasons depending on each particular embodiment of the invention.

[0043] Overall, the embodiments provide an electrified rotating fluid heater to provide high temperature fluids, e.g. gases, to be used in the production of high temperature materials, instead of fuel-fired heaters. The presented method allows for inputting thermal energy into furnaces used in the production of high temperature materials and operating at high and very high temperatures, e.g. temperatures generally above 500°C. The present invention provides an apparatus and method for heating a fluid substance to temperatures in the range of about 500°C to about 2000°C, i.e. temperatures used in the production of high temperature materials. The rotating apparatus disclosed herein allows for heating of the fluid to a given temperature (e.g. up to 1700°C). These temperatures can be further increased (up to 2000°C and above) through the so-called booster heating concept.

[0044] High temperature material production typically employs utilities that have a high demand for heat energy and therefore heat consumption, such as fuel-fired heaters. The heat consumption utilities are used to heat fluids to the temperature required for high temperature material production. The invention presented herein allows for the use of rotating equipment instead of conventional heat consumption utilities, such as fuel-fired heaters. The advantages associated with using rotating equipment instead of fuel-fired heaters in a process include at least: - Support electrified heating; - Greenhouse gases (e.g. NO, CO2, CO, NO X ), eliminating or at least significantly reducing other harmful components derived from the fuel (e.g., HCl, H2S, SO2, and heavy metals), particulate emissions, and smoke emissions; - the heater volume is reduced, i.e. the volume of the rotating equipment is at least an order of magnitude smaller compared to conventional process heaters or heat exchangers; - Improved safety when using flammable and hazardous fluids / gases; - The handling of large volumes of gas is feasible; - there is no pressure drop, - the possibility of using the rotary (heater) device also for gas compression (blower function); - No dependency on temperature differences for direct heating of gases. Temperature rises in rotating equipment can range from about 10 to 1700°C or more. - the possibility of using rotating devices for indirect heating of fluids, optionally by optimizing the temperature difference in the heat exchanger; - at least partial recycling of hot process gases is possible, thus improving and making heat recovery simpler and improving energy efficiency; It is possible to further increase the temperature of the gas to be heated by adding reactive chemicals which further increase the gas temperature by an exothermic reaction, for example up to 2000°C or more; This includes:

[0045] In an embodiment, the rotating machine can be used in place of conventional fired heaters or process furnaces for direct or indirect heating in high temperature material production. Traditionally, such heat is mainly produced through the combustion of fossil fuels, which results in significant CO2 emissions. The use of wood or other bio-based materials instead of fossil fuels has significant resource limitations and other significant impacts on the environment, such as those related to sustainable land use. As renewable electricity becomes more cost-effective, i.e., with the rapid development of wind, piezoelectric and solar power generation, it is possible to use rotating machines powered by renewable electricity instead of fossil fuel combustion. This will significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The rotating machine allows for the electric heating of fluids to temperatures up to 1700°C or higher. Such temperatures are difficult or impossible to reach using current electrical heating.

[0046] The rotary device can be used to directly heat process gas, inert gas, air, or any other gas, or indirectly heat process fluids (liquid, steam, gas, steam / liquid mixture, etc.). The heated fluid generated in the rotary device can be used to heat any one of gas, steam, liquid, and solid materials. In particular, the rotary device can be used to directly heat recycled gas recycled from the exhaust gas generated from the production of high temperature materials. The rotary device can at least partially replace or be combined with many types of furnaces, heaters, kilns, gasifiers, and reactors that are traditionally burned or heated (e.g., as a preheater) with solid, liquid, or gaseous fossil fuels, and in some cases bio-based fuels, including furnaces used in high temperature material production. The heated gases can be flammable, reactive, or inert, and can be recycled back to the rotary device. In addition to heating, the rotary device can act as a combined blower-heater, increasing pressure and allowing gas to be recycled.

[0047] Heated fluids, e.g. gases, can be used for various applications. The heated object can be a solid material, a liquid or a gas. The gas further participates in numerous reactions or is used as a heating medium. Thus, hot gas can be used to heat solid materials, such as when heating feeds into catalytic or thermal reactors. An example of a catalytic reaction is the reverse water-gas shift reaction of carbon dioxide (CO2) with hydrogen to synthesis gas, which further allows for the production of useful chemicals by carbon capture. One embodiment is the use of hot gas as a heating medium in a heat exchanger for thermal treatment of gases or liquids or for use as an evaporator. When the process fluid is at high pressure or vacuum, the preferred approach is to use an inert hot gas as a heating medium.

[0048] Additionally, the rotating device 100 can be applied within high temperature material production processes / facilities for heat provision and fluidization in fluidized bed applications, including, by way of example, drying of solids, gas-solid heating processes / reactions, and solid catalytic reactors containing gaseous reactants.

[0049] This invention reduces greenhouse gas emissions (CO, CO2, NO x ) and reduced particle emissions. The use of rotating equipment can also further improve the energy efficiency of these processes by creating a closed or semi-closed heating loop for the process and reducing heat losses through the flue gas. In conventional heaters, flue gas can only be partially recycled.

[0050] In addition, the solution allows for improved optimization of the temperature difference in the heat exchanger during indirect heating.

[0051] The present invention further allows for flexible use of electrical energy, for example electrical energy obtained from renewable sources. Renewable energy production varies from day to day and even hour to hour. The present invention allows for balancing of renewable electrical production by integrating the rotating devices disclosed herein with conventional fuel-operated heaters, for example to provide heat for high temperature material production processes.

[0052] The present invention further allows for reduced on-site capital costs compared to traditional fossil-fired furnaces.

[0053] The phrase "a number of" as used herein means any positive integer starting from 1, for example, 1, 2, or 3. The term "a plurality of" as used herein means any positive integer starting from 2, for example, 2, 3, or 4. The terms "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish one element from another, without denoting any order or importance, unless otherwise expressly stated.

[0054] The term "gasification" is utilized herein to indicate that a substance is converted into a gaseous form by any possible means.

[0055] Various embodiments of the invention become apparent by consideration of the detailed description and accompanying drawings. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0056] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a block diagram generally designated 1000 showing the layout of a high-temperature, heat-consuming process facility provided as a facility for producing high-temperature materials and configured to carry out a method according to an embodiment. [Diagram 2] 2A-2D are exemplary layouts of a rotating device 100 within a high temperature materials production facility, according to an embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0057] Detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0058] FIG 1 is a block diagram generally at 1000 illustrating a layout of a high temperature materials production facility process equipment configured to perform methods according to embodiments. FIGs 2A-2D describe apparatus and methods according to embodiments. The drawings and associated examples are for illustrative purposes and are not intended to limit the applicability of the inventive concepts to the layouts explicitly depicted in this disclosure. Block diagram sections shown with dashed lines are optional.

[0059] The production of high temperature materials, including but not limited to glass, glass wool, carbon fiber, carbon nanotubes, and clay-based materials, including but not limited to bricks, ceramics, porcelain, and tiles, where tiles may be formed from ceramics or porcelain, has a high thermal energy demand and consumption in conventional solutions (i.e., outside the scope of the heat integration scheme 1000 presented herein) and produces large amounts of industrial emissions, such as carbon dioxide, into the atmosphere. The present disclosure provides an apparatus and method for inputting thermal energy into a high temperature material production process 101, which can significantly improve the energy efficiency of the process and / or reduce the amount of air pollutants emitted into the atmosphere. Layout 1000 (FIG. 1) shows a schematic of these improved facilities and methods.

[0060] Heat consuming process facility 1000 is a facility configured to perform a heat consuming industrial process associated with high temperature material production at a temperature essentially equal to or greater than 500° C. Facility 1000 may be representative of an industrial plant, factory, or any industrial system that includes equipment designed to perform the above-mentioned heat consuming industrial process associated with high temperature material production.

[0061] The heat consuming industrial process 101 is provided as any one of: forming glass and / or glass wool by heating sand, limestone, soda ash, and recycled glass; forming carbon fibers by anaerobic carbonization of oxygenated polyacrylonitrile; forming carbon nanotubes by disproportionation of high pressure carbon monoxide; forming carbon nanotubes by catalytic chemical vapor deposition of acetylene on carbon and iron catalysts; or forming bricks, ceramics, or porcelain by thermally treating clay based materials, for example through heating, drying, or combustion, depending on the shape and exact composition of the clay.

[0062] In an embodiment, the facility 1000 is configured to perform a heat consuming industrial process at a temperature in the range of 500-1700°C. In an embodiment, the facility 1000 is configured to perform a heat consuming industrial process related to high temperature material production, starting essentially at a temperature in the range of about 800-900°C or more. In an embodiment, the facility 1000 is configured to perform a heat consuming industrial process related to high temperature material production, starting essentially at a temperature equal to or greater than 1000°C. In an embodiment, the facility 1000 is configured to perform a heat consuming industrial process related to high temperature material production, starting essentially at a temperature in the range of about 1100-1200°C or more. In an embodiment, the facility is configured to perform a heat consuming industrial process related to high temperature material production, starting essentially at a temperature equal to or greater than 1200°C. In an embodiment, the facility is configured to perform a heat consuming industrial process related to high temperature material production, starting essentially at a temperature equal to or greater than 1200°C. In an embodiment, the facility is configured to perform a heat consuming industrial process related to high temperature material production, starting essentially at a temperature in the range of about 1300-1700°C or more. In an embodiment, the facility is configured to perform a heat consuming industrial process associated with high temperature material production at a temperature essentially equal to or greater than 1500°C. In an embodiment, the facility is configured to perform a heat consuming industrial process associated with high temperature material production at a temperature essentially equal to or greater than 1700°C. In an embodiment, the facility can be configured to perform an industrial process associated with high temperature material production at a temperature greater than 1700°C, such as 2000°C or greater, such as a temperature in the range of about 1700°C to about 2500°C. The facility can be configured to perform an industrial process associated with high temperature material production at 1700°C, 1800°C, about 1900°C, about 2000°C, about 2100°C, about 2200°C, about 2300°C, about 2400°C, about 2500°C, and any temperature value included between the aforementioned temperature points. It is noted that the facility 1000 is not precluded from performing at least a portion of the industrial process at a temperature less than 500°C.

[0063] In an embodiment, the method includes producing a heated fluid medium, such as air, oxygen, fuel-enriched air, steam, nitrogen (N2), hydrogen (H2), carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, methane, or any other (flue) gas, by a rotary heater unit 100 that includes or consists of at least one rotating device (hereinafter device 100). For clarity, the rotary heater unit is indicated in this disclosure by the same reference number 100 as the rotating device. The rotary heater unit is preferably integrated into a high temperature material production facility 1000. In an embodiment, the heated fluid medium is produced by at least one rotating device. However, in some embodiments, multiple rotating devices may be used in parallel or in series.

[0064] The rotating machines 100 can be provided as stand-alone machines or as several machines arranged in series (in series) or in parallel. One or more machines may be connected to a common heat consuming unit 101, for example a furnace or kiln. The connection may be direct or through several heat exchangers.

[0065] Heat consuming units / utilities 101 for the production of high temperature materials include various kilns, furnaces, heaters, dryers, mixers, etc. In some configurations, several rotating equipment units 100 can be connected to several heat consuming utilities 101. Different configurations, for example, n+x rotating equipment may be connected to n utilities (for example, furnaces), n being equal to or greater than zero and x being equal to or greater than one. Thus, in some configurations, the installation 1000, and specifically the rotary heater 100, may include one, two, three or four parallel rotating equipment units connected to a common heat consuming unit, for example, a furnace. A number of rotating equipment greater than four is not excluded. When several rotating equipment are connected in parallel to a common heat consuming unit, one or more of said equipment 100 may have different types of drive engines, for example, electric motor driven equipment can be combined with equipment driven by steam turbines, gas turbines and / or gas engines.

[0066] In an embodiment, the amount of input energy E1 is directed into at least one rotating device 100 incorporated as a (rotary) heater unit into the heat-consuming process facility 1000. The input energy E1 preferably comprises electrical energy. In some embodiments, the amount of electrical energy directed as input energy into the at least one rotating device incorporated into the heat-consuming process facility is provided in the range of about 5 to about 100 percent, preferably in the range of about 50 to about 100 percent. Thus, the amount of electrical energy directed as input energy into the at least one rotating device incorporated into the heat-consuming process facility may account for any one of 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, and 100 percent (from the total input energy), or any intermediate value included between the above points.

[0067] Electrical energy can be supplied from external or internal sources. In practice, the electrical input energy E1 supplied into the device can be defined in terms of power, the latter being defined as the rate of energy transfer (measured in watts) per unit time.

[0068] In some embodiments, the heated fluid medium generated within the rotating device 100 is supplied during processes associated with high temperature material production within the high temperature material production facility 1000 and carried out within heat consuming units within the high temperature material production facility. In an embodiment, the heat consuming process / unit 101 may be, for example, a process for heating sand, limestone, soda ash, and recycled glass to produce glass in a high temperature material production facility 1000, herein formed as a high temperature glass production facility; a process for melting glass to produce molten glass or a process for hardening glass, herein formed as a high temperature glass wool production facility; a process for carbonizing polyacrylonitrile fibers to form carbon fibers, herein formed as a high temperature carbon fiber production facility; a process for disproportionating high pressure carbon monoxide to form carbon nanotubes, herein formed as a high temperature carbon nanotube production facility; a process for burning bricks, herein formed as a high temperature carbon nanotube production facility; a process for burning ceramics, herein formed as a high temperature ceramic production facility; a process for burning porcelain, herein formed as a high temperature porcelain production facility; or a combination thereof.

[0069] The method according to the embodiment relates to the generation of a heated fluid medium for inputting thermal energy into several processes 101 for the purpose of producing various materials including, by way of example, glass, glass wool, carbon fibers, carbon nanotubes, bricks, ceramics, porcelain, and tiles made from ceramics or porcelain. The above mentioned high temperature materials are typically produced in furnaces operating at high temperatures and are optionally post-processed. Thus, the production of these high temperature materials is a process with a large energy demand.

[0070] Some heat consuming processes 101 configured to utilize the heated fluid medium generated within the rotating device 100 include at least the following:

[0071] Glass and glass wool production Raw materials for the production of glass and glass wool include sand, limestone, soda ash, and recycled glass. Sand and recycled glass are heated to about 1400°C to 1500°C to produce glass. In some embodiments, the glass is then heated in a furnace to about 1100°C to produce molten glass. The molten glass is then spun into fibers. In other embodiments, the initial product of glass is directly spun into glass fibers without an intervening cooling step. The glass fibers are then cured in an oven at about 250°C to produce glass wool. In embodiments, the method is effective for producing glass wool from sand and recycled glass, including intermediate steps of producing glass, producing molten glass, and curing the glass fibers. In embodiments, the method is effective for producing glass from sand and recycled glass. In embodiments, the method is effective for producing molten glass from glass. Because the production of glass wool involves several high temperature steps, multiple rotating devices may be used to recycle heat and / or energy between the high temperature steps.

[0072] Manufacturing of carbon fibers and carbon nanotubes The production of carbon fiber involves both chemical and mechanical processes. Approximately 90% of the carbon fiber produced is formed from polyacrylonitrile (PAN). The raw material, also called precursor, is drawn into long strands or fibers and then heated to extremely high temperatures without allowing contact with oxygen in the so-called carbonization process.

[0073] Before the fibers are carbonized, they need to be chemically stabilized to convert the linear atomic bonds into more thermally stable ladder bonds. This is accomplished by heating the fibers in air to approximately 200-300°C for 30-120 minutes. This causes the fibers to pick up oxygen molecules from the air and rearrange their atomic bonding pattern. In the carbonization process, the raw material is heated to high temperatures (1000-3000°C) in an oxygen-free environment. Rather than burning, the extreme heat vibrates the fiber atoms, so that nearly all non-carbon atoms are driven off.

[0074] The gas pressure inside the furnace is kept higher than the outside air pressure, and the point where the fiber enters and leaves the furnace is sealed to prevent oxygen from entering. As the fiber heats up, it begins to lose these non-carbon atoms, as well as some carbon atoms, in the form of various gases, including water vapor, ammonia, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, hydrogen, nitrogen, and others. As the non-carbon atoms are driven off, the remaining carbon atoms form tightly bonded carbon crystals. These carbon crystals are aligned more or less parallel to the long axis of the fiber. Carbonization may involve two furnaces for better control of the temperature and the carbonization process. One furnace is for a temperature of about 700-900°C, and the other furnace typically has a temperature of about 1300-1500°C.

[0075] After the carbonization process is complete, the remaining fibers are made up of long, tightly intertwined chains of carbon atoms with little or no non-carbon atoms remaining. These fibers can then be woven into fabrics or incorporated with other materials that can be molded into desired shapes and forms.

[0076] The rotating device 100 is ideal for providing the high temperatures and process conditions required for carbon fiber production. The fluid heated in the rotating device can be oxygen-free and can be used directly in the carbonization process or a heat exchanger can be used. The rotating device can also be used to provide the heat required in the stabilization portion of the manufacturing process.

[0077] Carbon nanotubes can be produced using high pressure carbon monoxide disproportionation (HiPCO), which is carried out at temperatures between 900 and 1100 °C. Heating carbon monoxide to such high reaction temperatures makes it ideal for rotating equipment.

[0078] Several other techniques have also been developed for carbon nanotube production that require temperatures between 500 and 1400 °C. These involve the production of carbon nanotubes through chemical vapor deposition (CVD). Here, carbon nanotubes can be formed by catalytic CVD of acetylene over cobalt and iron catalysts supported on silica or zeolites. Rotating equipment can provide the required heat and process conditions for the CVD-based carbon nanotube production process.

[0079] Another process for producing carbon nanotubes is the so-called ball milling process, where temperatures of about 1400 °C are required for annealing the ground graphite powder. Rotating devices can be used to generate the heat required for annealing the graphite powder to produce carbon nanotubes.

[0080] Manufacturing of clay-based materials Clay-based materials include a wide variety of materials and products including, by way of example, ceramics, porcelain (which is technically a type of ceramic), and related products, as well as bricks and tiles.

[0081] Clay is the primary precursor material for producing bricks and is typically mixed with other precursors such as shale, lime, concrete, fly ash, etc. The process of making bricks from clay involves preparation, molding, and hydraulic consolidation of the clay, and thermal treatment of the bricks, such as drying and firing.

[0082] In the combustion stage of the process, the dried bricks are fired in clamps (small scale) or in kilns (large scale) to achieve the required hardness and strength for the final product. The maximum temperature required to optimize the strength of the bricks and avoid the chance of moisture absorption from the atmosphere is approximately 1000-1200°C. Traditionally, kilns have been fired mostly with solid fossil fuels, i.e. coal, and more recently with natural gas and other gaseous or liquid fossil fuels. The kiln may consist of several stages with different temperature levels. A rotating device may act as a heat source for the kiln used in firing the bricks.

[0083] Ceramic tiles follow the brick manufacturing process quite closely, apart from the shape and form of the tile. However, the production of glazed tiles requires pouring or spraying the glaze onto the tile prior to the firing step. Firing then takes place at similar temperatures as for ordinary bricks. Porcelain bricks contain about 50% feldspar and require higher temperatures in the firing step than ceramic tiles or bricks. For porcelain, production temperatures of 1300-1400°C are required. Rotary equipment can be directly applied to produce the heat required for the production of ceramic tiles and porcelain, regardless of the shape of the furnace or kiln used.

[0084] Other clay-based materials include expanded clay aggregates, such as LECA (lightweight expanded clay aggregate). LECA is produced by expanding a mixture of clay and additives at high temperatures, typically around 1150°C. Production is usually carried out in a rotary kiln (101). Here, fossil fuel is burned in a burner and the hot flue gas thus produced flows in a counter direction against the solid material. The rotation of the slightly inclined kiln improves the gas-liquid contact and allows for a counter flow of the solid material. The LECA product is a sintered, expanded and granulated material. This material is lightweight and durable, and can be used as a material-efficient construction material.

[0085] Lime, cement, and / or aluminum oxide production In addition to the production processes aimed at the production of clay-based materials as mentioned above, other processes requiring high temperatures and moderate to high residence times for carrying out gas-solid heating processes include, by way of example, the production and recovery of lime, the production of cement, and / or the production of aluminium oxide, which are carried out in corresponding heat consuming units 101 configured as kilns or furnaces.

[0086] Kilns, such as rotary kilns, are process units commonly used for the industrial production of hot materials, typically through a calcination process. Calcination can be defined as the heating of solids to high temperatures in order to remove volatiles, oxidize part of the mass, or make the solids friable (finely divided). Kilns typically operate against hot gases originating from fuel combustion. The hot gases flow against the solid material to be heated. To allow the flow of the solid material, kilns are typically slightly inclined towards the hot gas source and rotate along the kiln axis. The rotation allows mixing of the solids and improves the contact of the hot gases with the heated solids. Kilns can be equipped with specially designed lifters to improve the heat and mass exchange within the kiln.

[0087] Lime production and recovery processes utilize fresh limestone (calcium carbonate, CaCO3) or limestone recovered from chemical processes, such as pulp production, that involve the calcination or re-calcination of limestone to lime. Lime (calcium oxide, CaO) is formed when carbon dioxide is released from calcium carbonate in an endothermic reaction. The endothermic reaction occurs at temperatures between about 550°C and about 1150°C, preferably in the range of about 850-950°C. Lime calcination, sometimes referred to as lime combustion, is carried out in kilns or calciners of various designs, including blast furnaces, rotary kilns, multi-stage incinerators, and fluidized bed reactors. Regardless of the type of process, hot gases from fuel combustion are typically used as the heat source for calcination.

[0088] Calcination of limestone to lime is also a core process in cement manufacture.

[0089] Aluminum oxide (alumina Al2O3) is a ceramic material with a wide variety of uses ranging from electrical insulation to catalyst support material. Aluminum oxide is produced from aluminum hydroxide (Al(OH)3), which is typically refined from bauxite, the most important aluminum-containing mineral. Aluminum hydroxide is converted to aluminum oxide by calcination at high temperatures, typically above 1100°C, in a kiln-type calciner.

[0090] In the production of cement, the reactivity of the cement product can be improved by mixing it with thermally or chemically activated clay. The clay can be mixed with the cement raw material (e.g. limestone) and thermally activated in a clinker kiln, or a separate clay activation kiln may be utilized. In the kiln, hot flue gases originating from burning fuel are used to dry, heat and activate the clay at temperatures up to about 900°C. The method disclosed herein allows for at least one rotating device 100 to be connected and / or integrated into any one of the above-mentioned processes to provide thermal energy into a kiln, furnace or other heat consuming unit used in the production of high temperature materials. In fact, all the above-mentioned examples involve fossil-derived fuels, such as natural gas, crude oil-derived fuels or coal, which are burned in the furnace or kiln to produce the hot flue gases necessary to heat the solid materials in said furnace or kiln to the required temperature. The rotary device 100 connected to the furnace or kiln can effectively replace the fuel-fired burners, and thus the heated fluid medium generated in the device 100 can be used instead of the hot flue gas produced in the furnace / kiln. By heating an inert gas, e.g. air, (water) steam or nitrogen, to a temperature sufficient for use in the production of hot materials according to the above examples, for example when heating solids to the required temperature, the rotary device (thus replacing the fuel-fired burners in the furnace or kiln) correspondingly reduces the amount of fossil-based fuel required for the production process and allows a significant reduction in the greenhouse gas emissions produced in the process. If a recycle of the kiln / furnace flue gases is implemented, the energy efficiency of the production process can be increased (see the description of FIG. 2D).

[0091] Details of some embodiments of the present invention implemented in the facility layout of Figure 1 are described along the lines below: With reference to Figure 1, the following reference numbers are used for elements: Streams: 1. Feed, 2. Preheated feed or feed mixture, 3. Feed heated by the rotating device 100, 4. Feed further heated in an additional (booster) heater unit designed to raise / boost the temperature, for example through an (exothermic) chemical reaction, 5. Hot fluid medium leaving the heat consuming process 101, 6. Fluid medium led to the purification section, 7. Product stream and / or exhaust gas, 8. Reactive compound or mixture of compounds, for example reactive chemicals, or support fuel used to increase the temperature of the fluid / gas in the additional heater unit 103, 9. Process stream (solid, liquid, gas, steam, or mixture thereof) to be heated by the hot fluid medium during the heat consuming process 101 (indirect heater application), 10. Heated process stream (solid, liquid, gas, steam, or mixture thereof) sent for further processing and / or storage (indirect heater application), 11. Recycle stream leaving the purification section, 12. Feed stream to the heat recovery section, 13. Hot fluid stream from the heat recovery section. Divisions (units): 100. Rotary heater unit (rotary device), 101. Heat consuming operation (process) unit, e.g. furnace or kiln depending on the specific high temperature material being produced, 102. Preheater unit, 103. Additional heating device (booster heater unit), 104. Heat recovery unit, 105. Purification unit.

[0092] The heat consuming process is designated by the numeral 101 and in this embodiment is a furnace or kiln for producing any one of glass, glass wool, carbon fiber, carbon nanotubes, bricks, ceramics, or porcelain. Each of these involves one or more high temperature processing steps where high temperatures are achieved, typically by burning fuel gas or coal. Such operating steps include pre-heating gases before they enter the furnace or kiln.

[0093] The rotating device 100 is configured to receive a feed stream 1, hereafter feed 1. Overall, feed 1 can comprise or consist of any fluid, such as a liquid or gas, or a combination thereof. The feed can be raw gas, process gas, make-up gas (so-called replacement / supplement gas), and the like. Gaseous feeds can comprise inert gases (air, nitrogen gas, and the like), or reactive gases, such as oxygen, flammable gases, such as hydrocarbons, or any other gas, such as hydrogen and ammonia. The feed is selected depending on the process, i.e., the nature of the heat-consuming process 101 (and indeed the specific industry / industry field to which the heat-consuming process 101 belongs) implies certain requirements and / or limitations on the choice of the feed material. Thus, in the production of glass, glass wool, carbon nanotubes, and clay-based materials, feed 1 is typically air, or a combination of air and additional oxygen, or a combustion fuel. In the production of carbon fibers, feed 1 is typically an oxygen-free gas, such as preheated carbon dioxide or an inert gas. Additionally or alternatively, Feed 1 may comprise any one of (water) steam, nitrogen (N2), hydrogen (H2), carbon monoxide (CO), and methane (CH4).

[0094] Feed 1 preferably enters the apparatus 100 in essentially gaseous form. Preheating of the feed or conversion of a liquid or essentially liquid feed into gaseous form can be carried out in an optional preheater unit 102. The preheater unit is formed as a (pre)heater device or group of devices. In the preheater unit 102, the feed stream initially provided in gaseous form (e.g. process gas) can be further heated (e.g. superheated). In the preheater unit 102, feed 1 can be evaporated if it is not already in gaseous form and, optionally, superheated.

[0095] The preheater unit 102 may be any conventional device / system configured to provide heat to a fluid material. In some forms, the preheater unit 102 may be a fired heater (i.e., a direct fired heat exchanger that uses hot combustion gases (flue gases) to increase the temperature of a fluid feed, e.g., a process fluid, flowing through coils disposed within the heater). Additionally or alternatively, the preheater unit 102 may be configured to utilize energy made available by other units in the heat consuming facility (e.g., by extracting thermal energy from the hot stream 13 arriving from a heat recovery section). The preheater unit 102 may thus be configured to utilize other steam streams, as well as electricity and / or waste heat streams (not shown).

[0096] Depending on the heat consuming process producing the hot material and the associated equipment in this embodiment, the feed stream 1 used to produce the heated fluid medium, e.g., air, by the rotary heater unit (apparatus 100) includes unused feed (fresh feed) and / or recycle streams. Thus, feed 1 may consist of any one of fresh feed, recycle (fluid) streams, and mixtures thereof. Stream 2, representing the preheated feed, may include, in addition to feed 1, all recycle streams, e.g., arriving from the purification section 105 and / or the heat recovery section 104.

[0097] In the rotating heater unit / rotating device 100, the temperature is increased to the level required by the heat consuming process 101 or to the maximum level achieved by the rotating device. If the temperature increase achieved by the rotating device 100 is not sufficient for the heat consuming process and / or if, for example, the temperature of the fluid needs to be increased again after it has transferred its heat to the heat consuming process, the temperature can be further increased downstream of the rotating heater unit 100 (100A) by additional heater units (100B, 103), further called "booster" heaters. See the explanation regarding FIG. 2B. Each additional heater unit comprises or consists of an additional heating device realized according to:

[0098] In heat consuming processes, such as the production of high temperature materials described herein, the primary sources of heat consumption are heating of the working fluid and / or associated equipment, and endothermic reactions (reactions that require external energy to proceed). In some applications, heat can be recovered from the heat consuming process 101. The heat recovery section is shown in FIG. 1 at 104. The recovered heat can be further used to heat the feed stream 1 and / or the recycle stream (a separate recycle stream is shown in FIG. 1 at 11).

[0099] Heat recovery may be provided through collecting gases exiting the process unit 101 and recycling these gases to the preheater unit 102 and / or the rotary device 100. The heat recovery unit 104 may be represented by at least one heat exchange unit (not shown). Heat exchangers based on any suitable technology may be utilized. Heat recovery may be optional in heating the feed gas if the heat is consumed elsewhere or if it is not possible to recover the heat for safety or other reasons.

[0100] In the facility layout 1000, the heat recovery unit 104 can be located before and / or after the preheater 102. In the latter configuration, the heat recovery unit 104 is arranged to recover heat from the hot fluid medium (stream 5) flowing from the hot material production process 101. This heat may be further utilized to heat the feed stream 1 and the recycle stream 11. On the other hand, if the heat recovery unit 104 is located before the preheater 102, the feed 1 is first directed to the unit 104 (as stream 12) and then returned to the preheating section 102 as stream 13. In such a case, the unit 104 acts as a first preheater.

[0101] In some cases the gases require purification, e.g. from dust and particulates, before being led to the heat recovery section. Purification can be achieved, e.g., by a series of filters arranged before the heat recovery section 104 (not shown). Additionally or alternatively, the gases leaving the process unit 101 may be led to a purification unit 105 (bypassing unit 104) and returned to the heat recovery section after purification (not shown).

[0102] In addition to useful products, the process gas may also contain unwanted impurities and by-products. The impurities and by-products may accumulate and / or be harmful to the heater apparatus 100, 103 and / or the process unit 101 by causing corrosion and poisoning the catalyst bed. The purification and separation of the stream discharged from the heat consuming process 101 is performed in the purification unit 105. The unit 105 may include several appliances, such as filters, cyclones, etc., configured to mechanically remove dust and solid particles. Any conventional purification / separation method and device may be utilized. Exemplary purification / separation methods include cryogenic separation, membrane processing, pressure swing adsorption (PSA), distillation, absorption, and any combination of these methods. The unit 105 may include devices configured to increase the gas pressure, for example by compression. Typically, the purification unit 105 operates at a lower temperature than the process unit 101. Therefore, the product gas stream is cooled (for example in the heat recovery section 104) before entering the purification unit. It is also important to control the composition of the recycle gas 11 in order to minimize the extent of reactor bed fouling at 101 .

[0103] The purification unit 105 can be further configured to purify the exhaust gas, e.g., carbon dioxide, for further carbon capture. The exhaust gas discharged from the high temperature material production facility as stream 7 (FIG. 1) can be further directed to a carbon capture section (not shown). Suitable exhaust gas purification methods include, e.g., PSA, distillation, absorption, etc.

[0104] The heated fluid medium required to carry out the heat consuming process 101 is generated by at least one rotating device 100 .

[0105] In one embodiment, the heated fluid medium is generated in the rotating device 100. Here, a quantity of thermal energy is added directly into the fluid medium propagated through said device. In such a case, the heated fluid medium generated in the rotating device can be, for example, a process gas, for example a hydrocarbon-containing gas (see FIG. 1, streams 1-4, in particular stream 2), whereas the hot fluid medium 5 leaving the heat consumption unit 101 can be a product-containing stream. In the case of direct heating, streams 1-5 are associated with working or process fluids.

[0106] The heated fluid medium generated within the rotating device can further be used as a carrier to transfer heat energy to a heat consuming process 101. The carrier is configured to perform or mediate a heat consuming process (101) related to the production of high temperature materials. For example, an inert gas, such as air, nitrogen, or steam (H2O), can be heated within the rotating device 100 and further used to transport heat generated by the rotating device to a furnace configured to perform the process 101 related to the production of high temperature materials. In this regard, the generation of a heated medium (e.g., a fluid or solid stream utilized by the process 101) can be performed outside the rotating device through a heat transfer process between the heated fluid medium generated within the rotating device and an appropriate medium utilized by the process 101 and thus bypassing the rotating device. FIG. 1 thus shows stream 9 (process stream) bypassing the rotary device 100 and meaning in this context the feed / process stream (e.g. sand, limestone, concrete, ash, recycled glass and other precursor materials used in hot material production), whereas streams 1-4 arriving at the process unit 101 via the rotary heater 100 mean fluid media (e.g. air, nitrogen, steam or other inert heating media) led to the process unit 101 to heat the "cold" process stream 9. Optionally, an inert hot gas may be preferably used as the heating medium in indirect heating applications when the process stream to be heated is at high temperature or under vacuum. Stream 10 represents the "hot" process stream and / or product stream, respectively. In indirect heating, streams 9 and 10 relate to the working or process fluid, whereas streams 1-5 represent the heat transfer medium. Thus, in indirect heating, unit 101 acts as a "heat exchanger" type device. This device allows the transfer of thermal energy between two fluids flowing through the device without direct contact between said fluids. In the case of indirect heating, the fluid heated in 100 may be the same as or different from the process fluid used in the heat consuming unit / process 101. Typically, however, it is different.

[0107] According to an embodiment, a rotating machine 100 configured to generate a heated fluid medium to be fed into a high-temperature material production facility includes a rotor including a plurality of rotor blades arranged in at least one row around a rotor hub or rotor disk mounted on a rotor shaft, and a casing with at least one inlet and at least one outlet, the rotor being enclosed within the casing. In the machine 100, a quantity of thermal energy is imparted to a fluid medium flow guided along a flow path formed within the casing between the inlet and the outlet by a series of energy transformations that occur when the fluid medium flow propagates between the inlet and the outlet within the casing of the rotating machine, passing through the fixed vanes and the at least one row of rotor blades, thereby generating a heated fluid medium flow.

[0108] The embodiment of the rotary device 100 generally follows the disclosures of rotary reactor devices according to U.S. Pat. No. 7,232,937 (Bushuev), U.S. Pat. No. 9,494,038 (Bushuev), and U.S. Pat. No. 9,234,140 (Seppala et al.), and radial reactor devices according to U.S. Pat. No. 10,744,480 (Xu and Rosic), the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Any other embodiment that can be configured to employ the method according to the embodiment may also be utilized.

[0109] In the above referenced patents, rotating turbomachinery type devices are designed as reactors for processing hydrocarbons, specifically for steam cracking. The general requirements for these applications are rapid heating of the gases, high temperatures, short residence times, and plug flow (a flow model that does not imply axial mixing). These requirements lead to designs in which the turbomachinery type reactors have several heating stages housed in a relatively small volume.

[0110] The present disclosure can be used as a heater to electrify rotating equipment (including but not limited to those referenced above) and generate a heated fluid medium that is further fed into a heat consuming process 101, such as a process related to high temperature material production. Greenhouse gas and particulate emissions can be significantly reduced by incorporating a rotating equipment heater unit into a heat consuming process. As an example, the rotating equipment can replace fuel-fired heaters in various applications (described below). The temperature range can be extended from about 1000° C. (generally achievable with the reactor equipment referenced above) to at least about 1700° C. and even up to 2500° C. Rotating equipment configurations that can achieve these high temperatures are possible due to the absence of aerodynamic hurdles.

[0111] The rotating device 100, which is adapted according to the embodiment to be incorporated into a high-temperature material production facility and adapted to generate a heated fluid medium for the method according to the embodiment, thus comprises a rotor shaft positioned along a horizontal (longitudinal) axis with at least one rotor unit mounted on the rotor shaft. The rotor unit comprises a plurality of rotor (working) blades arranged around a rotor hub or rotor disk. Together, the rotor blades form a rotor blade cascade. The rotating device 100 thus comprises a plurality of rotor (working) blades arranged in at least one row around a rotor hub or rotor disk mounted on a rotor shaft, which rotor blades form an essentially annular rotor blade assembly or rotor blade cascade.

[0112] In an embodiment, the apparatus further comprises a plurality of stationary vanes arranged in an assembly at least upstream of the at least one row of rotor blades, in which the rotating apparatus is operated such that a quantity of thermal energy is imparted to a fluid medium flow channeled along a flow path formed within the casing between the inlet and the outlet by a series of energy conversions occurring as the fluid medium flow passes through the stationary vanes and the at least one row of rotor blades, respectively, thereby generating a heated fluid medium flow.

[0113] In some embodiments, the stationary vanes may be arranged in a stationary vane cascade (stator). The stationary vane cascade may be provided in an essentially annular assembly upstream of at least one row of rotor blades. The stationary vanes arranged in the assembly upstream of at least one row of rotor blades may be provided as stationary guide vanes, e.g., inlet guide vanes (IGVs), and may be configured with a profile, size, and arrangement about a central axis to direct fluid flow into the rotor in a predetermined direction, e.g., to control, and in some cases maximize, the inherent work input capability of the rotor.

[0114] The rotating machine is formed with two or more essentially annular rotor blade rows (rotor blade cascades) arranged consecutively on / along the rotor shaft. In such a case, the fixed guide vanes may be provided upstream of the first rotor blade row, upstream of each rotor blade row in turn, or upstream of any selected rotor blade row in the consecutive arrangement of rotor blade rows.

[0115] In an embodiment, the rotary device 100 further comprises a diffuser region arranged downstream of at least one rotor blade row (rotor blade cascade). In this embodiment, the rotary device is operated such that a quantity of thermal energy is imparted to the fluid medium flow guided along a flow passage formed inside the casing between the inlet and the outlet by a series of energy transformations occurring as the fluid medium flow passes successively through the stationary guide vanes, the at least one rotor blade row, and the diffuser region, thereby generating a heated fluid medium flow. The diffuser region can be formed with or without stationary diffuser vanes. In some embodiments, a vaned or vaneless diffuser is arranged in the diffuser region downstream of at least one rotor blade cascade. In some embodiments, the diffuser can be realized as a plurality of stationary (stator) vanes. These stationary vanes are arranged to form a diffuser vane cascade, which is provided as an essentially annular assembly downstream of the rotor.

[0116] The rotor, stationary guide vanes, and diffuser region are enclosed within an internal passage (duct) formed within the casing.

[0117] In some configurations, such as that described in U.S. Pat. No. 10,744,480 (Xu and Rosic), the provision of a diffuser may be omitted and the diffuser area may be formed by an essentially vane-free portion of the duct (the so-called vaneless space) located downstream of the rotor and configured with respect to its geometry and / or dimensional parameters to diffuse the high velocity fluid flow arriving from the rotor.

[0118] The provision of a vaneless section of the duct is common to all the configurations of the rotating device 100. Depending on the configuration, the vaneless section (vaneless space) is located downstream of the rotor blades (see U.S. Pat. No. 10,744,480 to Xu and Rosic) or downstream of the diffuser vane cascade (see U.S. Pat. No. 9,494,038 to Bushuev and U.S. Pat. No. 9,234,140 to Seppala et al.). In some configurations, such as those described by Seppala et al., the rotating and fixed blade rows in the internal passage inside the casing are arranged such that a vaneless section is formed between the outlet from the fixed diffuser vanes located downstream of the rotor blades and the inlet to the fixed guide blades located upstream of the rotor blades of the following rotor blade cascade unit.

[0119] The terms "upstream" and "downstream" as used herein refer to the spatial and / or functional location of a given part or component, here a structural part or component relative to the rotor, in the direction of fluid flow (from inlet to outlet) through the entire device.

[0120] Overall, a rotor with a working blade cascade may be positioned between rows of fixed (stator) vanes arranged in an essentially annular assembly (called a cascade) on one or both sides of the working blade row. Configurations including two or more rows of rotor blades / rotor blade cascades arranged consecutively (sequentially) on / along the rotor shaft are conceivable, with or without fixed blades between them. If there are no fixed vanes between the rows of rotor blades, the velocity of the fluid medium propagating through the duct increases in each subsequent row. In such a case, a number of stationary vanes may be arranged in said sequence upstream of the first rotor blade cascade (as fixed guide vanes) and downstream of the last rotor blade cascade (as fixed diffuser vanes).

[0121] A rotor blade row (rotor blade cascade), optionally enclosed inside a casing with a fixed diffuser vane assembly (diffuser region), and a portion of the duct downstream of said rotor blades, can be considered as a minimum process stage (hereafter stage) configured to mediate a complete energy conversion cycle. Thus, the amount of kinetic energy added to the fluid medium flow by at least one rotating blade row is sufficient to raise the temperature of the fluid medium to a predetermined value when said fluid medium flow leaves the rotor blades and propagates in the duct towards the following rotor blade row or enters the same rotor blade row following an essentially helical trajectory formed inside the essentially toroidal shaped casing. The duct (confining the rotor circumference) is preferably shaped in such a way that as the fluid flow propagates in the duct, it slows down, dissipates kinetic energy into the internal energy of the fluid medium, and adds an amount of thermal energy to the fluid medium flow.

[0122] A fixed guide blade row, located upstream of at least one rotor blade row, provides the required flow conditions at the entry of the rotating blade rows (cascade) during the energy conversion cycle.

[0123] In some configurations, the process stage is established by an assembly consisting of a fixed guide vane (upstream of the rotor blades), a row of rotor blades and a diffuser area arranged downstream of said rotor blades. The diffuser area is optionally provided as an essentially vane-free part of the tact provided with the diffuser vanes. During the energy conversion cycle enabled by the successive controlled propagation of the fluid medium flow through the fixed guide vanes, at least one row of rotor blades and the diffuser area, respectively, the mechanical energy of the rotor shaft is converted into kinetic energy and then into the internal energy of the fluid, which subsequently increases the fluid temperature. The amount of kinetic energy imparted to the fluid medium flow by the rotating blade row is sufficient to raise the temperature of the fluid medium to a predetermined value when said fluid medium flow leaves the rotor blades and passes through the diffuser area in a duct, the fluid decelerates, dissipates the kinetic energy into the internal energy of the fluid medium and an amount of thermal energy is added to the fluid medium flow. Within the rotor blade rows, the flow accelerates and the mechanical energy of the shaft and the rotating blades is transferred to the fluid flow. In at least a portion of each rotor blade row, the flow can reach supersonic flow conditions. In the diffuser region, the high-speed fluid flow arriving from the rotor is diffused with a significant entropy increase. This causes the flow to dissipate kinetic energy into the internal energy of the fluid material, which in turn provides thermal energy to the fluid. If the flow upstream of the diffuser is supersonic, the kinetic energy of the fluid flow is converted into the internal energy of the fluid through a system of multiple shocks and viscous mixing and dissipation. The increase in the internal energy of the fluid results in an increase in the fluid temperature. The energy conversion function can be performed, for example, by a vaneless section of a duct located downstream of the rotor blades (see U.S. Pat. No. 10,744,480 to Xu and Rosic) and / or by a diffuser vane assembly (see U.S. Pat. No. 9,234,140 to Seppala et al.).

[0124] The rotating machine 100 can be formed as a multi-stage or single stage solution. A multi-stage configuration can be considered to include several rotor units (e.g. 1-5 rotor blade rows arranged consecutively on / along the rotor shaft) alternating with a common diffuser area (vaned or vaned).

[0125] In an exemplary embodiment outlined in US Pat. No. 9,234,140 to Seppala et al., the rotating device 100 can be realized substantially in the shape of a ring torus, where the cross section of the duct in the meridian plane forms a ring-like profile. The device includes a rotor unit arranged between stationary guide vanes (nozzle vanes) and stationary diverging vanes. Stages are formed with rows of stationary nozzle vanes, rotor blades, and diverging vanes. Through these the fluid flow propagates successively according to a flow path established on the basis of an essentially helical trajectory. In this embodiment, the fluid flow circulates through the rotating rotor blade cascade several times, propagating between an inlet and an outlet inside the device. A similar ring-shaped embodiment is described in US Pat. No. 9,494,038 to Bushuev.

[0126] In another exemplary configuration, as outlined in U.S. Patent No. 9,234,140 to Seppala et al., the rotating machine 100 may be configured as an essentially tubular, axial-type turbomachine. In such a configuration, the machine includes an elongated (elongated) rotor hub along which a plurality of rotor blades are arranged in several successive rows. The rotor is enclosed within a casing, the inner surface of which includes stationary (stator) vanes and diffuser vanes. The stationary and diffuser vanes are positioned longitudinally (from inlet to outlet along the length of the rotor shaft) along the rotor hub, alternating with the blades / vanes of the stator, rotor cascade, and diffuser cascade. The blades of the rotor cascade at a particular location longitudinally along the rotor form a stage together with adjacent pairs of stationary guide (nozzle) vanes and diffuser vanes, respectively.

[0127] In the described configuration, subsequent stages have blade / vane-free spaces between them.

[0128] In yet another exemplary configuration outlined in U.S. Pat. No. 10,744,480 to Xu and Rosic, the rotary machine 100 may be configured as a radial turbomachine. Radial turbomachines generally follow the design for centrifugal compressors or centrifugal pumps. The term "centrifugal" implies that the fluid flow inside the machine is radial, and thus the machine may be referred to as a "radial flow machine" in this disclosure. The machine includes several rotor units mounted on an elongated shaft. Each rotor unit is preceded by a fixed guide vane. A vaneless section of duct (e.g., a U-bend or S-bend) shaped in a manner that allows for energy conversion is disposed after the rotor units. Additionally, the configuration may include a separate diffuser device (vaned or vaneless) disposed downstream of the rotor.

[0129] In all the above forms, the rotating device 100 functions in the same way in the method disclosed herein. During operation, an amount of input energy directed into at least one rotating device incorporated in a heat consuming process installation is converted into mechanical energy of the rotor. Conditions in the rotating device are adjusted to create flow conditions. In this flow condition, the amount of kinetic energy imparted to the fluid medium flow by the rotating blades of the rotor is sufficient to raise the temperature of the fluid medium to a predetermined value when said fluid medium flow leaves at least one rotor blade row and enters a subsequent or the same rotor blade row by passing through a duct and / or a diffuser region. The rotor blade row may be preceded by a fixed guide vane. Conditions that can be adjusted therefore include at least adjusting the fluid medium flow propagating between an inlet and an outlet inside the casing of the rotating device. Adjusting the flow may include adjusting an operation-related parameter of such device, such as temperature, mass flow rate, pressure, etc. Additionally or alternatively, the flow conditions can be adjusted by changing the shape of a duct formed inside the casing.

[0130] In some exemplary configurations, the rotating device can be configured to achieve fluid flow between the inlet and the outlet along a flow path established based on any one of an essentially helical orbit formed inside an essentially toroidal shaped casing as discussed in either one of U.S. Patent No. 9,494,038 to Bushuev and U.S. Patent No. 9,234,140 to Seppala et al., an essentially helical orbit formed inside an essentially tubular casing as discussed in U.S. Patent No. 9,234,140 to Seppala et al., an essentially radial orbit as discussed in U.S. Patent No. 10,744,480 to Xu and Rosic, and a flow path established by a fluid medium flow in the form of two spirals rolled up as side-to-side vortex rings as discussed in U.S. Patent No. 7,232,937 to Bushuev. The aerodynamic design of the rotating device can be varied.

[0131] The rotating devices utilize a drive engine. In a preferred embodiment, the devices utilize electrical energy as input energy, and thus the devices are electric motor driven. For purposes of this disclosure, any suitable type of electric motor (i.e., a device capable of transferring energy from a power source to a mechanical load) may be utilized. Suitable couplings disposed between the motor drive shaft and the rotor shaft, as well as various appliances, such as power converters, controllers, and the like, are not described herein. Additionally, the devices may be directly driven, for example, by a gas or steam turbine, or any other suitable drive device. In a layout involving the parallel connection of several rotating devices 100 to a common heat consuming unit 101, such as a furnace, one or more of the devices may utilize different types of drive engines, for example, electric motor driven devices may be combined with devices driven by steam turbines, gas turbines, and / or gas engines.

[0132] Electric power (defined as the rate of energy transfer per unit time) can be provided into the rotating equipment through the supply of electrical current to an electric motor used to drive the rotating shaft of the equipment. The supply of electrical power into the rotating equipment can be achieved from an external source (relative to the rotating heater unit / apparatus 100 and / or the heat consuming process equipment 1000). Additionally or alternatively, electrical energy can be produced within the equipment 1000.

[0133] The external source includes various support facilities provided for sustainable energy production. Thus, the power can be provided from a power generation system utilizing at least one renewable energy source, or a combination of power generation systems utilizing different renewable energy sources. The external source of renewable energy can be provided as solar power, wind power, and / or hydroelectric power. Thus, power can be received into the process from at least one of the following units: a solar power generation system, a wind power generation system, and a hydroelectric power generation system. In some exemplary examples, a nuclear power plant can be provided as an external power source. Nuclear power plants are generally considered to be emission-free. "Nuclear power plant" should be interpreted as using traditional nuclear power, and additionally or instead of nuclear fusion power.

[0134] Electricity can be provided from a power plant that utilizes a turbine as a kinetic energy source to drive a generator. In some cases, the power for driving at least one device 100 can be provided from at least one gas turbine (GT), for example provided as a separate unit or within a cogeneration unit and / or within a combined cycle power plant. The power can thus be provided from at least one of the following units: a combined cycle gas turbine plant (CCGT), and / or a cogeneration unit configured for electricity production combined with heat recovery and utilization through combined heat and power (CHP). In some examples, the CHP plant can be a biomass combustion plant to increase the share of renewable energy in the described process. Additionally or alternatively, the supply of power can be realized from a spark ignition engine, for example a gas engine, and / or a compression engine, for example a diesel engine, optionally provided as part of an engine power plant. Additionally, any conventional power plant configured to produce electrical energy from fossil feedstocks such as coal, oil, natural gas, gasoline, and the like, typically mediated through the use of steam turbines, may be used to generate electrical energy as an input energy for the rotating machine 100. Hydrogen may also be utilized as a renewable energy source and reconverted, for example, to electricity using fuel cells.

[0135] Any combination of the above power sources implemented as external and internal sources is contemplated. Capturing low emission power from another (external) source improves the energy efficiency of heat consuming process equipment.

[0136] The introduction of input energy, including electrical power, into the driving engine of the rotating equipment may be further accompanied by directing mechanical shaft power from a power turbine to the driving engine, optionally utilizing thermal energy generated elsewhere in the plant 1000 or external to the plant. Shaft power is defined as the mechanical power transferred from one rotating element to another, calculated as the sum of the shaft torque and the rotational speed. Mechanical power is defined as the amount of work or energy (measured in watts) per unit time.

[0137] In practice, the shaft power from, for example, the electric motor and the power turbine may be split so that either one of them may provide the total shaft power or a portion thereof.

[0138] 2A-2D show an exemplary layout of a rotating device 100 forming a rotary heater unit inside a facility 1000 with respect to a preheater unit 102, a temperature booster section 103 and a heat recovery unit 104. The following reference symbols are used for the components: 100, 100A, 100B - rotary heater unit (rotating device), 101 - heat consuming unit / process, 102 - preheater unit, 103 - additional heating device (booster heater).

[0139] FIG. 2A shows a schematic representation of a basic embodiment of a rotating device 100 configured to inject heat into a fluid medium stream (feed stream 1) conducted through the rotating device. The heated streams leaving the device 100 are respectively indicated with the reference number 2. In the basic embodiment, the rotor system of the rotating device 100 is aerodynamically configured so that a volume of fluid is heated to a predetermined temperature while propagating along a flow path formed between an inlet and an outlet in the casing of the device 100 (so-called "one-pass" embodiment). The device 100 allows a temperature increase (delta T, ΔT) in one stage in the range of about 10° C. to about 120° C., in some embodiments up to about 500° C. Thus, in the case of multi-stage embodiments, the fluid can be heated up to 1000° C. in a "one-pass" implementation (a temperature increase of 100° C. per stage in the case of a 10-stage device). Since the residence time that the fluid medium spends passing through the device stages is on the order of a few seconds, for example on the order of about 0.01 to 1.0 milliseconds, already in the basic form a fast and efficient heating can be achieved. The temperature increase can be optimized as needed.

[0140] 2B illustrates the basic concept involved in so-called booster heating, which is any method of heating a fluid medium, e.g., a process gas, beyond the capabilities of a stand-alone heating device 100.

[0141] The temperature boost can be considered thermal, chemical or both. In the first configuration, also called "thermal boost", an additional rotary heater device (shown as 100B in Figs. 2B, 2C and 2D) is placed downstream of the "primary" rotary heater device (shown as 100A in Figs. 2B, 2C and 2D). The devices 100A, 100B are generally recognized within the scope of this disclosure as rotary heater unit 100. The production of a heated fluid medium can thus be achieved by providing at least two rotary devices 100A, 100B connected in series. A fluid medium stream (feed stream 1) is heated to a predetermined temperature in at least the first rotary device (100A) in the series, referred to here as the primary heater. The fluid medium flow (see flow 2) is then further heated in at least the second rotating device (100B) in the series by injecting an additional amount of thermal energy into the fluid medium flow (see flow 3) propagating through the second rotating device 100B, "preheated" in the first rotating device 100A. The device 100B is therefore called a booster heater. The devices 100A, 100B may be identical or may vary in terms of size or internal design. A train of two or more booster devices, for example 100B, may be arranged after the primary heater 100A. The booster devices may be arranged in parallel or in series, or in any combination that allows the optimization of their rotational speed and aerodynamic characteristics.

[0142] In a second additional or alternative configuration (also referred to as "chemical boost"), an additional heating device, designated by reference number 103 (FIGS. 1, 2B), is configured to receive a reactive component 5, such as a combustible fuel, into the fluid media stream propagating therethrough, thereby providing heat by exothermic reaction prior to directing said fluid media stream to the heat consuming process 101 of high temperature material production. In this configuration, a temperature boost can be achieved by introducing (e.g. injecting) a reactive chemical 5 into the fluid media stream directed through the additional heater unit / heating device 103. Note that stream 5 in FIG. 2B corresponds to stream 8 shown in FIG. 1.

[0143] The reactive chemical-based booster heater unit 103 may be placed after the thermal booster heater unit 100, 100B (FIG. 2B) or immediately after the primary heater 100, 100A (FIG. 1). The reactive chemicals (reactants) 5 may include combustion gases, such as hydrogen gas, hydrocarbons, ammonia, oxygen, air, other gases and / or any other suitable reactive compounds, optionally with a catalyst. In the unit 103, by exothermic reactions, the fluid stream can be heated to a level that typically cannot be achieved by a single rotating device that does not participate in chemical-mediated heating (see stream 4). For example, a fuel gas, such as hydrogen, can be introduced into an oxygen-containing process gas, such as air. At high temperatures, hydrogen and oxygen enter into an exothermic reaction to produce water molecules (hydrogen combustion).

[0144] The temperature of the gas may be increased by injecting fuel gas with air (or enriched oxygen) through a burner into the booster heater unit 103. Air and / or oxygen may be added if the heated gas contains flammable gases and these gases may be consumed only for heating. The process gas may contain H2, NH3, CO, fuel gases (methane, propane, etc.) that may be combusted to produce heat. If feasible, heat may also be produced by injecting other reactive gases.

[0145] The additional heater 103 configured for chemical boosting may be formed as a piece of pipe or as a chamber in which an exothermic reaction takes place and / or may include at least one rotating device 100 arranged to receive a reactive compound for supporting an exothermic reaction to produce additional heat energy. The booster section 103 may thus include at least one rotating device 100. Optionally, the reactive chemical may be injected directly into the heat consuming process 101 (not shown). Additionally or alternatively, reactive chemical mediated boosting may also be implemented in a single device 100, 103 modified accordingly.

[0146] In a configuration involving booster heating, the temperature of a fluid medium stream preheated to a predetermined temperature in a first rotating device (100A) can be further increased to a maximum limit in a subsequent heater unit (100B, 103). As an example, the temperature of a fluid medium stream preheated to about 1700° C. in the primary heater (100A) can be further increased to 2500° C. or more in a subsequent heater unit (100B, 103).

[0147] The above concepts can be used separately or in combination to introduce reactive chemicals 5 into any one of the parallel or series (continuous) connected devices 100. A booster heater is optional.

[0148] Additionally or alternatively, pre-heating and additional heating may be performed in the same apparatus 100 (not shown). This may be accomplished in a multi-stage configuration, which includes several rotor units (e.g., 1-5 rotor blade rows arranged consecutively on / along the rotor shaft) alternating with a common diffuser region (vaned or vaned).

[0149] Additionally or alternatively, booster heating may be used when the temperature of a fluid that has been heated, for example in the rotating device 100, needs to be increased again after the fluid has transferred its heat to the heat consuming process 101.

[0150] A rotating device assembly can be established when at least two rotating devices, e.g. 100A, 100B and optionally 103 (if 103 is implemented as a rotating device 100), are connected in parallel or in series (see e.g. Figs. 2B-2D). The connection between the rotating devices 100 realized as "primary" heaters 100A or "booster" heaters 100B, 103 can be mechanical and / or functional. A functional connection (e.g. in terms of achievable heat input) can be established when at least two individual, physically integrated or not integrated, individual equipment units are coordinated. In the latter case, the coordination between the at least two rotating devices can be established via some auxiliary equipment (not shown). In some forms, the assembly includes at least two devices connected in a mirror-like manner to each other. Thereby, said at least two devices are at least functionally connected via their central (rotor) axis. Such a mirrored configuration may be further defined as having at least two rotating devices 100 mechanically connected in series (in series), while the functional connection may be considered as a parallel (array) connection. In some cases, the "mirrored" array may be further modified to include at least two inlets and a common exhaust (ejection) module located essentially at the center of the array.

[0151] The rotating devices (see 100A, 100B, 103 in FIG. 2B) can be assembled on the same (rotor) shaft. Each rotating device can optionally be equipped with a separate drive (motor) allowing independent optimization of the device. If two or more separate rotating devices are used, the construction costs (materials, etc.) can be optimized in terms of operating temperatures and pressures.

[0152] Additionally or alternatively, at least one rotating device within the assembly can be designed to increase the pressure of the fluid flow. Thus, at least one rotating device within the assembly can be assigned a combination of heater and blower functions. The device 100 configured to act as a blower provides the pressure increase necessary for the fluid to circulate within the furnace 101. The device 100 can thus replace a separate air blower / system fan that would otherwise be required in a conventional fuel-fired furnace.

[0153] Additionally or alternatively, a stream containing a reactive or inert gas (e.g., stream 8 in FIG. 1) can be fed to the rotating device 100 (not shown) or to any equipment downstream of the device (e.g., into the heat-consuming process section 101). Thus, a reactive gas (e.g., stream 8 in FIG. 1) can be injected directly into the heat-consuming process unit 101 if the heat-consuming process unit 101 is configured to receive such chemicals. In the production of high temperature materials, a combustible fuel (8) can be injected directly into the process unit 101, e.g., a furnace, to generate heat and / or participate in a reaction.

[0154] FIG. 2C shows the use of the rotary heater arrangement 100A, optionally 100B, with indirect process heating. The rotary arrangement 100 (100A, 100B) can be used for indirect heating of a fluid in a heat consuming unit 101. Heat is transferred between two immiscible fluids in a heat exchanger type configuration. Thus, a fluid, e.g., a gas or a liquid, can be evaporated (vaporized) or superheated in the heat exchanger arrangement 101, which can be realized for the fluid heated in the rotary arrangement 100. The heat consuming unit 101, which is configured to correspond to a heat consuming process, can be represented by any (existing) fired heater, reactor or furnace, or any conventional heat exchanger arrangement. The "heat exchanger" configuration (101) can be selected as required for optimal heat transfer. The heating gas (see streams 1-3) can be selected to be optimal for heating and safety (e.g. steam, N2, air). The gas heated in rotating devices 100A, 100B can be at near atmospheric pressure, or the pressure can be increased to improve heat transfer. The heat transfer medium 3 heated in device 100 (Stream 3 exiting 100B) is directed to a heat consuming process 101, where heat is transferred from stream 3 to a "cold" process stream 6, thereby producing a "hot" process stream 7. Stream 4 represents the heat transfer medium effluent, respectively.

[0155] Process streams 6 and 7 in FIG. 2C thus correspond to streams 9 and 10, respectively, in FIG. 1 (indirect heating configuration), whereas heat transfer medium streams 3 and 4 in FIG. 2C correspond to streams 3 (optionally 4) and 5, respectively (indirect heating configuration).

[0156] FIG. 2D shows the rotary heater apparatus 100A with a preheater 102 and a recycled process fluid (stream 4) recycled from a heat consuming process (not shown). The preheater can be electric, fired, a combustion engine, a gas turbine, etc., and it can be a heat exchanger to recover excess heat from any hot stream in the process. The presence of the preheater 102 is optional. This concept can include an optional booster heater 100B located downstream of the apparatus 100A. Thermal or chemical booster heating can be used. Stream 1′ represents the (feed) fluid sent to the preheater 102. The fluid is further propagated through the rotary apparatus 100A, 100B, where the feed is heated and sent in stream 3 to the heat consuming process.

[0157] Any one of the rotating devices 100A, 100B can be equipped with a fluid recycle device (see flow 4 in FIG. 2D). Any combination of rotating devices and fluid recycle devices is contemplated. Recycling is made possible through recirculation of the fluid media stream through at least one rotating device.

[0158] In some configurations, the rotary device 100 can utilize low oxygen content flue gas discharged from a conventional combustion heater. In such cases, the hot flue gas discharged from the combustion heater is mixed with recycle gas (stream 4 in FIG. 2D) and used for heating in the rotary heater 100, 100A. The oxygen content in the flue gas used in the described case is preferably below the flammability limit to allow safe heating.

[0159] As is clear to those skilled in the art, with the development of technology the basic idea of ​​the invention can be realized and combined in various ways, the invention and its embodiments are thus not limited to the above examples, which may vary widely within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

**Claim 1** A method for producing a high-temperature material, the method comprising generating a heated fluid medium by at least one rotating device incorporated within high-temperature material production equipment, the at least one rotating device comprising a casing having at least one inlet and at least one outlet, a rotor including at least one row of rotor blades disposed around a rotor hub mounted on a rotor shaft, a plurality of stationary vanes arranged upstream of at least the at least one row of rotor blades so as to form an assembly, wherein an amount of thermal energy is imparted to a fluid medium flow guided along a flow path formed inside the casing between the inlet and the outlet by a series of energy conversions occurring when the fluid medium flow passes through the stationary vanes and the at least one row of rotor blades respectively, thereby generating a flow of the heated fluid medium, the method further comprising - introducing an amount of input energy into the at least one rotating device incorporated within the high-temperature material production equipment, the input energy including electrical energy, - supplying a flow of the heated fluid medium generated by the at least one rotating device into the high-temperature material production equipment, and - operating the at least one rotating device and the high-temperature material production equipment so as to carry out high-temperature material production at a temperature essentially equal to or exceeding about 500 °C. A method for producing a high-temperature material, further comprising the above. **Claim 2** The method according to claim 1, wherein within the high-temperature material production equipment, the at least one rotating device is connected to at least one heat-consuming unit formed to carry out a process related to high-temperature material production at a temperature essentially equal to or exceeding about 500 °C. **Claim 3** The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the high-temperature material is glass, and the heat-consuming unit to which the at least one rotating device is connected is at least one furnace formed to heat sand, limestone, soda ash, and recycled glass for producing glass within the high-temperature material production equipment formed as glass production equipment. **Claim 4** The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the high-temperature material is glass wool, and the heat-consuming unit to which the at least one rotating device is connected is at least one furnace formed in the high-temperature material production facility formed as a glass wool production facility so as to melt glass to produce molten glass and / or to cure glass fibers to produce glass wool.

5. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the high-temperature material is carbon fiber, and the heat-consuming unit to which the at least one rotating device is connected is at least one furnace formed in the high-temperature material production facility formed as a carbon fiber production facility so as to carbonize polyacrylonitrile fibers to form carbon fibers.

6. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the high-temperature material is carbon nanotube, and the heat-consuming unit to which the at least one rotating device is connected is at least one furnace formed in the high-temperature material production facility formed as a carbon nanotube production facility so as to cause disproportionation of high-pressure carbon monoxide to form carbon nanotubes.

7. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the high-temperature material is brick, and the heat-consuming unit to which the at least one rotating device is connected is at least one kiln formed in the high-temperature material production facility formed as a brick production facility so as to burn the brick.

8. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the high-temperature material is a clay-based material, and the heat-consuming unit to which the at least one rotating device is connected is at least one kiln formed in the high-temperature material production facility formed as a clay-based material production facility so as to heat-treat the clay-based material.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the high-temperature clay-based material is ceramic or porcelain, and the high-temperature material production facility is formed as a ceramic production facility and / or as a porcelain production facility.

10. The method according to claim 1 or 2, comprising generating the fluid medium heated to a temperature essentially equal to 500 °C, or a temperature above about 500 °C, preferably essentially equal to about 1200 °C, or above about 1200 °C, more preferably essentially equal to about 1700 °C, or above about 1700 °C.

11. The method according to claim 1 or 2, comprising adjusting the velocity and / or pressure of the fluid medium flow propagating through the rotating device in order to create the conditions under which the heated fluid medium is produced.

12. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the heated fluid medium is produced by at least one rotating device comprising two or more rotor blade rows arranged continuously along the rotor shaft.

13. The heated fluid medium is produced by at least one rotating device further comprising a diffuser region disposed downstream of at least one rotor blade row, and the method comprises imparting an amount of thermal energy to the fluid medium flow guided along the flow path formed inside the casing between the inlet and the outlet by a series of energy conversions occurring when the fluid medium flow successively passes through the stationary vanes, the rotor blades, and the diffuser region, thereby generating a flow of heated fluid medium, and operating the at least one rotating device incorporated into the high-temperature material production facility. The method according to claim 1 or 2.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein within the rotating device, the diffuser region is formed with or without stationary diffuser vanes.

15. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the amount of thermal energy added to the fluid medium flow propagating through the rotating device is controlled by adjusting the amount of input energy guided into the at least one rotating device incorporated into the high-temperature material production facility.

16. The method according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising disposing an additional heating device downstream of the at least one rotating device and introducing a reactive compound or a mixture of reactive compounds into the fluid medium flow propagating through the additional heating device, whereby the amount of thermal energy is immediately added to the fluid medium flow through an exothermic reaction.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the reactive compound or the mixture of reactive compounds is introduced into the fluid medium flow preheated to a predetermined temperature.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the reactive compound or the mixture of reactive compounds is introduced into the fluid medium flow preheated to a temperature essentially equal to or exceeding about 1700 °C.

19. The method according to claim 16, wherein the preheating of the fluid medium to the predetermined temperature is carried out in the rotating device.

20. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the heated fluid medium is generated by at least two rotating devices incorporated in the high-temperature material production facility, and the at least two rotating devices are connected in parallel or in series.

21. The method according to claim 20, comprising generating the heated fluid medium by at least two continuously connected rotating devices, wherein the fluid medium flow is preheated to a predetermined temperature in at least a first rotating device in sequence, and an additional amount of thermal energy is introduced into the preheated fluid medium flow propagating through the second rotating device, whereby the fluid medium flow is further heated in at least the second rotating device in sequence.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein the fluid medium flow is preheated to a temperature essentially equal to or exceeding about 1700 °C in at least the first rotating device in sequence.

23. The method according to claim 21, wherein the additional amount of thermal energy is added to the fluid medium flow propagating through at least the second rotating device in sequence by introducing the reactive compound or mixture of compounds into the flow.

24. The method according to claim 1 or 2, comprising introducing the reactive compound or mixture of compounds into the process related to the production of the high-temperature material carried out in the furnace or kiln.

25. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the heated fluid medium generated by the at least one rotating device is selected from the group consisting of supply gas, recycle gas, makeup gas, and process fluid.

26. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the fluid medium entering the rotating device is essentially a gaseous medium.

27. The method according to claim 1 or 2, comprising generating the heated fluid medium in the rotating device.

28. The heated fluid medium generated within the rotating device is air, steam (H ２ O), nitrogen (N ２ ), hydrogen (H ２ ), carbon dioxide (CO ２ ), carbon monoxide (CO), methane (CH ４ ), or any one of any combination thereof, the method according to claim 27.

29. The method according to claim 27, wherein the heated fluid medium generated in the rotating device is a recycle gas recycled from off-gas generated during the production of the high-temperature material.

30. Performing, outside the rotation device, generating a heated fluid medium, such as gas, steam, liquid, and mixtures thereof, and / or a heated solid material, through a heat transfer process between the heated fluid medium generated within the rotation device and any one of the above-described substances bypassing the rotation device. The method according to claim 1 or 2 further includes this step.

31. The method according to claim 1 or 2 further includes increasing the pressure in the fluid medium flow propagating through the rotation device.

32. The amount of electrical energy introduced as input energy into the at least one rotation device incorporated within the high-temperature material production facility is within the range of about 5 percent to 100 percent. The method according to claim 1 or 2.

33. The amount of electrical energy introduced as input energy into the at least one rotation device incorporated within the high-temperature material production facility can be obtained from a renewable energy source, or various different energy sources, optionally a combination of renewable energy sources. The method according to claim 1 or 2.

34. The at least one rotation device is incorporated within the high-temperature material production facility together with at least one heater device operable with non-electrical energy, thereby being utilized to balance fluctuations in the amount of electrical energy, optionally renewable electrical energy, such as supply surpluses and shortages. The method according to claim 1 or 2.

35. The energy efficiency of the high-temperature material production facility is improved, and / or the greenhouse gas emissions and particulate emissions within the high-temperature material production facility are reduced. The method according to claim 1 or 2.

36. A high-temperature material production facility, including at least one rotation device formed to generate a heated fluid medium and at least one heat-consuming unit formed to perform a process related to high-temperature material production. The at least one rotation device includes a casing having at least one inlet and at least one outlet, a rotor including at least one row of rotor blades arranged around a rotor hub mounted on a rotor shaft, a plurality of fixed vanes arranged to form an assembly at least upstream of the at least one row of rotor blades, and including The at least one rotary device is formed such that, by a series of energy conversions occurring when the fluid medium flow passes through the fixed vane and the at least one rotor blade row respectively, an amount of thermal energy is imparted to the fluid medium flow guided along the flow path formed inside the casing between the inlet and the outlet, thereby generating a flow of heated fluid medium. And the at least one rotary device is formed to receive an amount of input energy including electrical energy and to generate a heated fluid medium for injecting thermal energy into at least one heat-consuming unit, the heat-consuming unit being formed to carry out a process related to the production of high-temperature materials at a temperature essentially equal to about 500 °C or at a temperature exceeding about 500 °C. , high-temperature material production equipment.

37. The high-temperature material production equipment according to claim 36, wherein the at least one heat-consuming unit is a furnace or a kiln.

38. The high-temperature material production equipment according to claim 36, which is formed as glass production equipment, and the at least one heat-consuming unit is a furnace or a kiln formed to heat sand, limestone, soda ash, and recycled glass in order to produce glass in the glass production equipment.

39. The high-temperature material production equipment according to claim 36, which is formed as carbon fiber production equipment, and the at least one heat-consuming unit is a furnace or a kiln formed to melt glass in order to produce molten glass in the glass wool production equipment and / or to cure glass fibers.

40. The high-temperature material production equipment according to claim 36, which is formed as carbon fiber production equipment, and the at least one heat-consuming unit is a furnace or a kiln formed to carbonize polyacrylonitrile fibers in order to produce carbon fibers in the carbon fiber production equipment.

41. The high-temperature material production equipment according to claim 36, which is formed as carbon nanotube production equipment, and the at least one heat-consuming unit is a furnace or a kiln formed to cause disproportionation of high-pressure carbon monoxide in order to form carbon nanotubes in the carbon nanotube production equipment.

42. It is formed as a brick production facility, and the at least one heat-consuming unit is a furnace or a kiln formed to burn a furnace or bricks within the brick production facility. The high-temperature material production facility according to claim 36.

43. It is formed as a facility for manufacturing clay-based products, and the at least one heat-consuming unit is a furnace or a kiln formed to heat-treat clay-based materials within the facility for manufacturing clay-based products. The high-temperature material production facility according to claim 36.

44. It is formed as a ceramic production facility and / or as a porcelain production facility, and the at least one heat-consuming unit is a furnace or a kiln formed to heat-treat ceramics or porcelain within the ceramic and / or porcelain production facility. The high-temperature material production facility according to claim 43.

45. The at least one rotating device is further connected to a heat-consuming unit formed as any one of an oven, a reactor, a heater, a burner, a dryer, a boiler, a conveyor device, or a combination thereof. The high-temperature material production facility according to any one of claims 36 to 44.

46. The at least one rotating device includes two or more rotor blade rows continuously arranged along the rotor shaft. The high-temperature material production facility according to claim 36.

47. The at least one rotating device further includes a diffuser region arranged downstream of the at least one rotor blade row. The high-temperature material production facility according to claim 36.

48. The rotating device includes the diffuser region formed with or without fixed diffuser vanes. The high-temperature material production facility according to claim 47.

49. The at least one rotating device is further formed to increase the pressure in the fluid medium flow propagating through the rotating device. The high-temperature material production facility according to claim 36.

50. At least two rotating devices are arranged to form an assembly and are connected in parallel or in series. The high-temperature material production facility according to any one of claims 36 to 44.

51. A high-temperature material production facility formed to implement a process related to producing a high-temperature material through the method according to claim 1 or 2.

52. A method of introducing thermal energy into a process related to producing a high-temperature material within a high-temperature material production facility, the method including generating a heated fluid medium by at least one rotating device incorporated within the high-temperature material production facility, the at least one rotating device comprising a casing having at least one inlet and at least one outlet, a rotor including at least one rotor blade row disposed around a rotor hub mounted on a rotor shaft, a plurality of stationary vanes arranged upstream of at least the at least one rotor blade row so as to form an assembly, and comprising the method being - incorporating the at least one rotating device into a high-temperature material production facility configured to carry out a process related to producing a high-temperature material at a temperature essentially equal to or exceeding about 500 °C, - introducing an amount of input energy into the at least one rotating device incorporated into the high-temperature material production facility, the input energy including electrical energy, and - operating the at least one rotating device incorporated into the high-temperature material production facility such that an amount of thermal energy is imparted to a fluid medium flow guided along a flow path formed inside the casing between the inlet and the outlet by a series of energy conversions occurring as the fluid medium flow passes through the stationary vanes and the at least one rotor blade row respectively, thereby generating a flow of heated fluid medium. The method further comprising a method of introducing thermal energy. **Claim 53** The method according to claim 52, wherein the process related to producing a high-temperature material within the high-temperature material production facility is any one of (i) the production of glass, (ii) the production of glass wool, (iii) the production of carbon fibers and carbon nanotubes, (iv) the production of bricks and / or tiles, (v) the production of clay-based materials such as ceramics and / or porcelain, or (vi) any combination thereof.

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