Furnace equipment

Abstract

To provide a heat storage unit in which a proper heat storage material corresponding to heat energy of a heat source can be installed easily, even for a heat source whose heat energy changes frequently.SOLUTION: A heat storage unit is provided which includes a housing, and a cartridge which is installed in the housing, and in which a heat storage material is filled. According to the heat storage unit, the cartridge in which the heat storage material is filled can be replaced easily, so that, even in the case where an environment such as a temperature around the heat storage material has changed, a proper heat storage material corresponding to the temperature can be used.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a heat storage unit including a heat storage material, and further to a heat storage unit suitable for use in furnace facilities such as waste incinerators and steel-making furnaces. [Background technology]

[0002] In furnace facilities such as waste incinerators and steelmaking furnaces, high-temperature exhaust gas is generated, and the thermal energy contained in the exhaust gas is recovered and utilized by a heat exchanger. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses that in an organic waste recycling device, the thermal energy contained in the exhaust gas is recovered by a heat exchanger and the recovered thermal energy is utilized as a driving source for an exhaust fan. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2003-106506 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The exhaust gas discharged from the furnace equipment has a temperature of about 1500℃, and is cooled to about 100℃ before being discharged outside the facility. Therefore, the temperature of the exhaust gas passing through the piping varies depending on the location. Also, in facilities where the furnace equipment is frequently shut down, the temperature of the exhaust gas drops every time it is shut down, and the temperature of the exhaust gas passing through a given location also changes significantly.

[0005] On the other hand, it is known that the heat storage material has a temperature range suitable for heat storage depending on the type of the material. When the heat storage material is installed at a predetermined position in the piping, the desired heat storage reaction may not be obtained due to the change in the temperature of the piping.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide a heat storage unit in which a heat storage material appropriate for the thermal energy of a heat source can be easily installed, even if the heat energy of the heat source changes frequently. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] As a result of thorough investigation into the above-mentioned problems, the inventors discovered that by making a heat storage device equipped with a heat storage material into a cartridge-type heat storage unit filled with heat storage material, even if the thermal energy changes, it is possible to apply an appropriate heat storage material corresponding to the thermal energy simply by replacing the cartridge, and thus completed the present invention. That is, the present invention relates to the following heat storage unit and method of using the heat storage unit.

[0008] The heat storage unit of the present invention, which has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, is characterized by comprising a housing and a cartridge that is placed in the housing and is filled with a heat storage material. With this heat storage unit, the cartridge filled with heat storage material can be easily replaced, so that even if the environment, such as the temperature around the heat storage material, changes, an appropriate heat storage material that corresponds to that temperature can be used.

[0009] In addition, in conventional heat storage devices, thin tubes are used to circulate a fluid having thermal energy in order to increase the efficiency of heat exchange. On the other hand, the exhaust gas from the furnace equipment contains dust, and when it flows through the thin tubes, problems such as the dust clogging the thin tubes tend to occur. For this reason, the exhaust gas is usually supplied to the heat storage device after removing the dust from the exhaust gas using a filter or the like. In this case, heat loss occurs when the exhaust gas passes through the filter, and the thermal energy of the exhaust gas cannot be effectively utilized. Furthermore, since the heat resistance of the filter is not high, it is necessary to lower the temperature of the exhaust gas to a temperature that can withstand the heat resistance of the filter. However, according to the heat storage unit of the present invention, the exhaust gas is circulated to the outside of the cartridge, and therefore, there is an effect that a sufficient space for the exhaust gas to pass through can be secured.

[0010] Furthermore, one embodiment of the heat storage unit of the present invention is characterized in that the number or arrangement of the cartridges installed in the housing is changeable. According to the above feature, since the number and arrangement of the cartridges installed in the housing can be changed, by changing the number of cartridges, it is possible to adjust the amount of heat storage material appropriately according to the temperature of the fluid having thermal energy such as exhaust gas. Also, by changing the arrangement of the cartridges, it is possible to change the arrangement density of the cartridges according to the amount of dust contained in the exhaust gas.

[0011] Furthermore, in one embodiment of the heat storage unit of the present invention, the cartridge has a cylindrical shape. According to this feature, since heat can easily reach deep inside the internal space of the cartridge, it is possible to provide a cartridge which has improved heat exchange efficiency and which easily stores or dissipates heat.

[0012] Furthermore, in one embodiment of the heat storage unit of the present invention, the cartridge is characterized in that it comprises a flow path member through which a reaction fluid passes in the internal space, and the flow path member is formed of a foam. According to this feature, since the internal space of the cartridge is provided with a flow path member through which the reaction fluid passes, the reaction fluid generated from the chemical thermal storage material filled in the internal space of the cartridge can be efficiently discharged through the flow path member. In addition, by using a foam, it is possible to prevent the chemical thermal storage material from flowing out of the flow path member.

[0013] Furthermore, one embodiment of the heat storage unit of the present invention is characterized in that it comprises a joint flow path for collectively recovering the reaction fluids discharged from a plurality of cartridges. According to this feature, since a joint flow path for combining reaction fluids discharged from a plurality of cartridges is provided, the configuration of the piping attached to each cartridge can be simplified.

[0014] The method of using a heat storage unit of the present invention for solving the above problems is a method of using a heat storage unit having a cartridge filled with heat storage material, characterized in that it includes a step of searching for a position in a path of a fluid having thermal energy where the desired thermal energy can be obtained, and a step of placing the cartridge at that position. This method of using a heat storage unit includes a step of searching for a position in the path of a fluid carrying thermal energy where the desired thermal energy can be obtained, so that the heat storage material can be placed in a temperature range suitable for the specified heat storage material. Furthermore, since heat can be stored in the heat storage material simply by replacing the cartridge, heat-stored heat storage material can be easily prepared. Effect of the Invention

[0015] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a heat storage unit in which a heat storage material appropriate for the thermal energy of a heat source can be easily installed, even if the heat energy of the heat source changes frequently. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing a transition in temperature of exhaust gas in a furnace facility according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing the configuration of a heat storage unit according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 is a schematic explanatory view showing a configuration of a cartridge according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a schematic explanatory view showing another example of a cartridge according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing an example of the number and arrangement of cartridges according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing an example of the number and arrangement of cartridges according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 4 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing the configuration of a heat storage unit according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8]FIG. 11 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing another example of a joining flow path of the heat storage unit according to the embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0017] The heat storage unit of the present invention is characterized by comprising a housing and a cartridge that is installed in the housing and is filled with a heat storage material. The heat storage unit of the present invention can be used in facilities where the heat storage material is frequently replaced, since the heat storage material can be easily replaced. For example, in furnace facilities, exhaust gas having a large amount of thermal energy is generated, so the heat storage material quickly stores heat, and therefore replacement is frequent. In addition, since the temperature of the exhaust gas is easily changed, the heat storage unit can be suitably used when replacing the heat storage material with one suitable for the temperature of the exhaust gas. The energy stored in the heat storage unit may be used within the facility where the heat was recovered, or may be used outside the facility.

[0018] Here, examples of furnace facilities include incinerators such as waste incinerators and crematoria, firing furnaces such as kilns and rotary kilns, smelting furnaces such as steelmaking furnaces and blast furnaces, fireplaces such as hearths, stoves and ovens, and boilers that serve as power sources for steamships and steam locomotives, etc. Steelmaking furnaces are frequently operated and stopped repeatedly, and therefore the temperature of the exhaust gas is easily changed, so the heat storage unit of the present invention can be suitably used for them.

[0019] Moreover, the heat storage unit of the present invention has a cartridge filled with a heat storage material disposed inside a housing, and a fluid having thermal energy such as exhaust gas (hereinafter referred to as "thermal fluid") passes through the outside of the cartridge, and thermal energy is supplied to the heat storage material by heat exchange on the outer circumferential surface of the cartridge. When heat is exchanged from the outer circumferential surface of the cartridge in this manner, there is no need to pass the thermal fluid through thin tubes to exchange heat, so that even if exhaust gas containing dust is used, problems such as dust clogging the thin tubes do not occur. From this perspective, the heat storage unit of the present invention can be suitably used for heat recovery from exhaust gas.

[0020] Hereinafter, the embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The description of the heat storage unit of the embodiments of the present invention can be replaced with the description of the method of using the heat storage unit. The heat storage unit described in the embodiments is merely exemplified to explain the heat storage unit according to the present invention, and is not limited thereto.

[0021] [First embodiment] Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the transition of the temperature of the exhaust gas in a furnace facility 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Fig. 1, the furnace facility 100 includes a furnace 101, and the temperature of the exhaust gas G discharged from the furnace 101 is reduced from about 1000°C to about 100°C and supplied to a dust collector 102. The exhaust gas G supplied to the dust collector 102 is exhausted to the outside of the furnace facility 100 after dust is removed.

[0022] Heat storage units 1A, 1B, and 1C are arranged in the path through which the exhaust gas G passes. The heat storage unit 1A is arranged at a position where the temperature of the exhaust gas G is about 1000 to 500°C, the heat storage unit 1B is arranged at a position where the temperature of the exhaust gas G is about 500 to 200°C, and the heat storage unit 1C is arranged at a position where the temperature of the exhaust gas G is about 200 to 100°C. During normal operation, heat energy is stored in the heat storage material by arranging heat storage materials suitable for each of these temperature zones. Then, after the heat energy is stored in the heat storage material, the heat storage material is replaced. The heat storage material in the heat storage unit of the present invention can be easily replaced by simply removing the cartridge and installing a new cartridge.

[0023] Furthermore, when the operation of the furnace facility 100 is stopped, the temperature of the exhaust gas G fluctuates, so it is preferable to place a predetermined heat storage material that can adapt to the temperature at each position of the exhaust gas G. Before placing the heat storage material, it is preferable to search for a position where the desired thermal energy of the heat storage material can be obtained in the path through which the thermal fluid passes. As a method of searching, for example, thermometers may be installed at predetermined intervals in the path through which the exhaust gas G passes, thereby searching for a position where the desired thermal energy of the heat storage material can be obtained.

[0024] The heat storage material that has stored heat may be used to heat devices in the furnace facility 100, or may be used to heat other facilities. In particular, it is preferable to use the heat storage material to heat the dust collector 102 in the furnace facility 100. When the operation of the furnace facility 100 is stopped, the temperature of the dust collector 102 drops. When the temperature of the dust collector 102 drops, condensation occurs and causes clogging of the filter, etc., so when the temperature of the dust collector 102 drops, the dust collector 102 may be heated by the heat storage material. As a heating means for the dust collector 102, a cartridge of a heat storage material in which thermal energy has been stored may be placed in a housing installed near the dust collector 102 to dissipate heat.

[0025] [Heat storage unit] Fig. 2 illustrates the configuration of a heat storage unit 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Fig. 2, the heat storage unit 1 of the present invention includes a housing 3 and a cartridge 2 installed inside the housing 3. The inside of the cartridge 2 is filled with a heat storage material. The structure of the cartridge 2 will be described later.

[0026] (Housing) The shape and size of the housing 3 are not particularly limited as long as the cartridge 2 can be placed therein. The housing 3 is also provided with a thermal fluid inlet 31 for introducing a thermal fluid such as exhaust gas G, and a thermal fluid outlet 32 ​​for discharging the thermal fluid, and is configured to allow the thermal fluid to flow inside. Since it is desirable to stop the flow of the thermal fluid during the replacement work of the cartridge 2, it is preferable to provide a valve (not shown) in front of the thermal fluid inlet 31.

[0027] The housing 3 is provided inside with a holder (not shown) for holding the cartridge 2. The holder limits the movement of the cartridge 2 even when a thermal fluid flows inside, and can fix the cartridge 2 in place.

[0028] Examples of the housing 3 include a housing 3 in which a holder for the cartridge 2 is provided at a predetermined position in a pipe through which the exhaust gas G passes, and a housing 3 arranged in a pipe branched off from a pipe through which the exhaust gas G passes. In the former case, the pipe for the exhaust gas G can be used as the housing 3, and since no new equipment or piping is required, it is easy to introduce. In the latter case, since the housing 3 is arranged in the branched pipe, it is possible to stop the introduction of the thermal fluid into the housing 3 and replace the cartridge 2 without stopping the operation of the furnace facility 100.

[0029] (cartridge) Fig. 3 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the cartridge 2 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Fig. 3, the cartridge 2 includes a main body 21 serving as a container filled with a heat storage material 25, a flow path member 23 that is installed in the internal space of the main body 21 and through which a fluid passes, and a lid 22. In addition, the lid 24 is formed with an air vent 24 for discharging or introducing the fluid that has passed through the flow path member 23.

[0030] <Main body> The shape and size of the main body 21 are not particularly limited as long as it has a space for filling the heat storage material 25. Examples of the shape include cylindrical, elliptical, triangular, square, polygonal, and star-shaped cylinders, as well as spherical, cubic, and plate-like shapes. From the viewpoint of making it easier for heat to reach the depths of the internal space of the main body, it is preferable that the main body 21 of the cartridge 2 be cylindrical.

[0031] The material of the main body 21 is not particularly limited, but is preferably one that has excellent heat resistance and thermal conductivity. Examples include metal members such as stainless steel, aluminum, iron, copper, and alloys, as well as ceramics, gypsum, and pottery. From the viewpoint of excellent thermal conductivity, a metal member is preferable.

[0032] <Cover> The shape and size of the lid 22 are not particularly limited as long as it constitutes the container of the cartridge together with the main body 21. In addition, the same material as that of the main body 21 may be used. In addition, it is preferable that the joint between the main body 21 and the lid 22 has an airtight structure by providing an airtight means such as a packing so that the reaction gas R does not pass through.

[0033] The lid 22 is formed with a vent 24 through which the reaction gas R generated by heating the chemical heat storage material passes. The vent 24 exhausts the reaction gas R generated from the chemical heat storage material to the outside of the cartridge during heat storage. On the other hand, during heat release, the reaction gas R is introduced through the vent 24 to perform an exothermic reaction.

[0034] Moreover, in order to store the chemical thermal storage material, it is preferable to provide a sealing means such as a valve at the ventilation port 24. By sealing the cartridge 2, it is possible to store the chemical thermal storage material while keeping the thermal energy stored therein.

[0035] <Heat storage material> Examples of the heat storage material 25 include chemical heat storage materials that separate into a heat storage product and a reaction gas R when heated and undergo the reverse reaction when heat is released, latent heat storage materials that undergo a phase transition at a predetermined temperature and absorb or release latent heat, and sensible heat storage materials that absorb or release sensible heat.

[0036] Examples of the heat storage product and the reaction gas R constituting the chemical heat storage material include calcium oxide (CaO) and water vapor (H2O), calcium chloride (CaCl2) and water vapor (H2O), calcium bromide (CaBr2) and water vapor (H2O), calcium iodide (CaI2) and water vapor (H2O), magnesium oxide (MgO) and water vapor (H2O), magnesium chloride (MgCl2) and water vapor (H2O), zinc chloride (ZnCl2) and water vapor (H2O), strontium chloride (SrCl2) and ammonia (NH3), strontium bromide (SrBr2) and ammonia (NH3), calcium oxide (CaO) and carbon dioxide (CO2), magnesium oxide (MgO) and carbon dioxide (CO2), etc. From the viewpoint of ease of handling, it is preferable that the chemical heat storage material uses water vapor as the reaction gas R. In addition, as the chemical heat storage material in the present invention, it is preferable to use a combination of calcium oxide and water vapor (400 to 500°C) or a combination of magnesium oxide and water vapor (300 to 400°C) as the heat storage product and reaction gas R capable of chemically storing heat at high temperatures.

[0037] Examples of latent heat storage materials include mannitol (166.5°C), trans-polybutadiene (145°C), erythritol (119°C), magnesium chloride hexahydrate (117°C), and the like (phase transition temperatures are in parentheses). Examples of sensible heat storage materials include bricks and gravel.

[0038] <Flow path components> The flow path member 23 is a member for guiding the reaction gas R generated from the chemical thermal storage material filled deep inside the main body 21 to the ventilation port 24. The shape of the flow path member 23 may be any shape as long as it has a space formed therein through which a fluid can pass, and examples of such shapes include a foam, a nonwoven fabric, a porous body, a net, and a porous cylinder having punched holes. From the viewpoint of reliably preventing the outflow of the chemical thermal storage material, a foam, a nonwoven fabric, and a porous body are preferred, and a foam is particularly preferred.

[0039] Furthermore, the material of the flow path member 23 is not particularly limited as long as it has excellent heat resistance, and examples thereof include metal members such as aluminum, iron, nickel, and alloys thereof, ceramics, plaster, and pottery.

[0040] The arrangement of the flow path member 23 in the internal space of the cartridge main body 21 is not particularly limited, but in consideration of the purpose of guiding the reaction gas R generated from the chemical heat storage material filled deep inside the main body 21 to the vent 24, it is preferable to arrange it so as to penetrate from the vent 24 to the center of the main body 21. In addition, multiple flow path members may be arranged in the internal space of the main body 21, or one flow path member may be branched and arranged over a wide range of the internal space of the main body 21.

[0041] (Another example of a cartridge) FIG. 4 is a schematic explanatory view showing another example of a cartridge according to an embodiment of the present invention. A cartridge 2A in FIG. 4(A) includes a rectangular prism-shaped main body 21A and a rectangular prism-shaped flow path member 23A. 4(B) includes a star-shaped cylindrical main body 21B and a flow path member 23B formed of a mesh. The star-shaped cylindrical shape increases the surface area of ​​the cartridge body, which has the effect of improving the efficiency of heat supply to the heat storage material 25 and heat release from the heat storage material 25. 4(C) includes a plate-shaped main body 21C, a plurality of vent holes 24, and a flow path member 23. By providing a plurality of flow path members 23, the cartridge can be made larger.

[0042] (Example of cartridge placement) 5 and 6 are schematic explanatory diagrams showing examples of the arrangement of cartridges arranged in the housing 3. Note that Fig. 5 and Fig. 6 are plan views of the housing 3 as viewed from above. 5A shows an example in which cartridges 2 are aligned vertically and horizontally in a housing 3. When cartridges 2 are aligned vertically and horizontally, there is an advantage that installation is easy. Figure 5(B) shows an example in which multiple rows aligned in the flow direction of exhaust gas G are arranged so that adjacent rows are shifted forward and backward in the flow direction. In this arrangement, compared to the arrangement in Figure 5(A), the minimum width of the flow passage through which exhaust gas G passes is larger, which has the effect of reducing pressure loss. FIG. 6A shows an example in which cartridges 2 are arranged in a housing 3 at different densities. FIG. 6B shows an example in which a cylindrical cartridge 2 and a plate-shaped cartridge 2C are used together. Note that the example arrangements in Figures 5 and 6 are examples in which the cartridge is installed vertically in the vertical direction of the housing, but the cartridge may be arranged horizontally, parallel to the flow direction of the exhaust gas G, or tilted at an angle.

[0043] [Second embodiment] Fig. 7 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing the configuration of a heat storage unit 10A according to a second embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 7(A) is a front view of the heat storage unit 10A, and Fig. 7(B) is a plan view of the heat storage unit 10A. The heat storage unit 10A of the second embodiment includes a joint flow path 4A for collectively recovering the reaction gas R discharged from a plurality of cartridges 2. The rest of the configuration is the same as that of the first embodiment. 7(B), the joint flow path 4A is a flow path for collectively recovering the reaction gas R discharged from all the cartridges 2 arranged in the housing 3. The joint flow path 4A can collect the reaction gas R discharged from the multiple cartridges 2, thereby simplifying the piping configuration.

[0044] Fig. 8 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing another example of a junction channel of a heat storage unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. A heat storage unit 10B shown in Fig. 8 is composed of a junction channel 4B for combining the reactant gas R for each row, and a junction channel 4C for further combining the multiple junction channels 4B. The junction channel 4B and the junction channel 4C are detachably connected. Since the heat storage units 10B can be grouped together in rows, the cartridges 2 do not become bulky and are easy to handle.

[0045] The heat storage unit of the present invention can be modified as appropriate. For example, when the exhaust gas G contains a large amount of dust, a dust remover may be installed in front of the heat storage unit. The dust collector is for removing dust from the exhaust gas G. The dust collector is not particularly limited as long as it is a solid-gas separation device that can remove dust from the exhaust gas G, and examples of the dust collector include a filtration separation device that passes dust through a filter or a particle-packed bed, an electric dust collector, a gravity separation device that separates dust by gravity, and a centrifugal separation device that separates dust by centrifugal force such as a cyclone.

[0046] The dust collector preferably removes dust when the temperature of the exhaust gas G is 500°C or higher. Harmful substances such as dioxins are generated by a reaction between dust and gas components in the exhaust gas G, and are generated when the exhaust gas G cools to 300 to 500°C. Therefore, by removing dust from the exhaust gas at 500°C or higher, even if the temperature of the air after dust removal drops in the heat storage unit, the generation of harmful substances such as dioxins is suppressed. In addition, it is preferable that the dust collector removes dust when the temperature of the exhaust gas G is 800° C. or less. When the temperature of the exhaust gas G is 800° C. or less, the dust collector does not need to have high heat resistance, so a variety of dust collectors can be used.

[0047] It is preferable to use a dust collector having excellent heat resistance from the viewpoint of removing dust at 500° C. or higher. Examples of dust collectors having excellent heat resistance include ceramic filters, electric dust collectors, and cyclones.

[0048] In addition, the housing of the heat storage unit of the present invention may be provided with a dust removal means such as a dust removal port. With this, when dust in the exhaust gas G accumulates in the housing, the dust can be easily removed by the dust removal means. [Industrial Applicability]

[0049] The heat storage unit of the present invention can be used to store heat from thermal fluids such as exhaust gas from furnace equipment. In addition, a cartridge filled with a heat storage material can store thermal energy and be used as a heat source for agricultural vinyl greenhouses, agricultural hot water sterilization, bathing in the event of a disaster, and other purposes other than furnace equipment. [Explanation of symbols]

[0050] 100...furnace equipment, 101...furnace, 102...dust collector, 1, 1A, 1B, 1C, 10A, 10B...heat storage unit, 2, 2A, 2B, 2C...cartridge, 21, 21A, 21B, 21C...main body, 22...lid body, 23, 23A, 23B...flow path, 24...vent, 25...heat storage material, 3...housing, 31...thermal fluid inlet, 32...thermal fluid outlet, 4A, 4B, 4C...junction path, G...exhaust gas, R...reaction gas

Claims

1. A furnace facility in which a plurality of heat storage units are disposed in a path through which exhaust gas passes between a furnace and a dust collector, A furnace facility, wherein the plurality of heat storage units are filled with heat storage materials having different reaction temperatures that are adaptable to the temperature of the exhaust gas.

2. The furnace system according to claim 1 , wherein the heat storage unit comprises a housing and a cartridge disposed inside the housing.

3. 3. The furnace installation according to claim 2, characterized in that the cartridge is replaceable.

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