Device for flushing a continuously or quasi-continuously flowing bulk-material moving bed by means of a flushing gas or flushing gas mixture

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for flushing a continuously or quasi-continuously flowing bulk-material moving bed by means of a flushing gas or flushing gas mixture. The invention additionally relates to a system consisting of at least two devices which are arranged one after the other in the flow direction of the bulk-material moving bed in such a way that the bulk material outlet of one device is connected to the bulk material inlet of a subsequent device. The invention further relates to the use of a device or a system for discharging a gas or a gas mixture contained in the bulk material.

Description

[0001] FN0713P-WG-0013

[0002] 1 / 40

[0003] DEVICE FOR FLUSHING A CONTINUOUSLY OR NEARLY CONTINUOUSLY FLOWING BULK MATERIAL MOVING BED BY MEANS OF A FLUSHING GAS OR FLUSHING GAS MIXTURE

[0004] Technical field

[0005] The present invention relates to a device for purging a continuously or quasi-continuously flowing bulk material moving bed by means of a purging gas or purging gas mixture, a system consisting of at least two devices, and the use of the device or system for venting a gas or gas mixture contained in the bulk material.

[0006] Background of the invention

[0007] Carbonate-containing materials, such as limestone or dolomite, change their chemical composition and crystalline structure when heated. At temperatures between approximately 700 °C and 1,200 °C, limestone (CaCO₃) decomposes into carbon dioxide (CO₂) and calcium oxide (CaO, quicklime); this process is called lime burning or calcination. For dolomite, the process begins at around 450 °C.

[0008] For every ton of pure lime (CaO), approximately 786 kg of CO2 are inevitably and irreducibly produced, released from the mineral CaCOs. This amount cannot be reduced due to the chemical composition of CaCOs. Furthermore, CO2 is also produced during process heat generation through the combustion of carbon-containing fuels. In total, approximately 1.2 tons of CO2 are generated and emitted for every ton of lime produced.

[0009] In a conventional lime kiln, lime is burned using hot combustion gases. By adding extra air to the stoichiometric air requirement of combustion, the temperature of the combustion gases is adjusted to the level required for the desired lime quality. The exhaust gases from a lime kiln consist mainly of nitrogen, carbon dioxide from combustion, carbon dioxide from calcination, oxygen, water vapor, and dust. Production of 6.6 million FN0713P-WG-0013

[0010] 2 / 40

[0011] The annual production of limestone and dolomite in Germany (2011) results in approximately 7.9 million tons of CO2 emissions per year. It would be beneficial to capture the released carbon dioxide at its source and to minimize the CO2 emissions from combustion. However, separating the carbon dioxide from this gas-dust mixture for carbon capture utilization (CCU) or carbon capture storage (CCS) is technically extremely complex and therefore uneconomical.

[0012] Carbonate rocks such as limestone and dolomite, which also include chalk, are used in numerous industries. A large proportion is used for the production of cement in the construction and building materials industry.

[0013] Furthermore, they are used in the production of iron, steel, glass and paper, mortars and plasters, in agricultural and forestry fertilization, water treatment, as animal feed, as fillers in plastics, adhesives, paints, varnishes or ceramic compounds, in the chemical industry and in the production of food and beverages. In Germany, approximately 55.2 million tons of limestone, dolomite and marlstone, including chalk, were extracted in 2020 that were not used as crushed natural stone (see Germany - Raw Materials Situation 2020, Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources).

[0014] Depending on its intended use, quicklime is subject to different requirements, the limits of which are constantly being narrowed by increasingly precise process controls. However, these precise requirements apply to a product whose properties, due to its natural origin, will always be subject to certain fluctuations shaped by the geological history of its raw material, limestone. Producing quicklime precisely to meet specific requirements, despite these natural variations in the raw material, necessitates a thorough understanding of the influencing parameters that affect the resulting quicklime properties.

[0015] Quicklime is produced by the thermal dissociation of limestone (so-called calcination) with the release of carbon dioxide: FN0713P-WG-0013

[0016] 3 / 40

[0017] CaCO3+ 178.4 kJ CaO + CO2 (1 )

[0018] If the quicklime produced after calcination is subjected to further temperature exposure, sintering processes occur, which can significantly alter the product's physical properties, such as specific surface area, bulk density, etc. The extent of these changes can vary considerably depending on the type of limestone. These sintering processes directly influence quicklime reactivity, one of the most important parameters for process control in applications where quicklime is used. Quicklime reactivity is a product parameter that relates to the reaction rate of quicklime with water. The enthalpy of the reaction

[0019] CaO + H₂O ⇌ Ca(OH)₂ + 65.19 kJ (2) While the AHR (AHR) is constant at -65.19 kJ / mol CaO, the rate at which the reaction proceeds, and thus the rate of heat release, varies depending on the physical and chemical properties of the quicklime. Depending on the reaction rate, which is directly dependent on the sintering of the lime, quicklimes are classified as hard-burned, medium-burned, and soft-burned. However, there is no precise definition to delineate these groups. As a guideline, a maximum reaction time of two minutes can be assumed for soft-burned quicklime, while a reaction time between two and eight minutes characterizes medium-burned quicklime, and hard-burned quicklime requires an even longer period until all the CaO content is converted to Ca(OH)₂.

[0020] From DE 10 2021 202 485 A1, a shaft kiln for burning, in particular, carbonate-containing material is known, which has a preheating zone for preheating the material, a combustion zone for burning the material, a cooling zone for cooling the burned material, and a material outlet for discharging the material from the shaft kiln, wherein the shaft kiln has a recirculation device for circulating recirculating gas within the combustion zone and for generating a co-current combustion zone within the combustion zone. WO 2011 / 138022 further describes a process for converting carbonates into oxides with the release of carbon dioxide in calcining kilns in which carbon-containing fuels are burned, wherein mineral feedstocks are thermally treated.The process is characterized in that technical oxygen or air enriched with technical oxygen is used as an oxidizing agent in the fuel mixture and the CO2-containing exhaust gas produced during combustion is at least partially introduced as a cooling gas into a cooling zone at the lower end of the calcining furnace.

[0021] The method described in WO 2011 / 138022 attempts to minimize the high throughput through the entire bed by burning oxygen. However, in this case, cooling or preheating is always dependent on combustion in the heating zone.

[0022] In the chemical industry, devices are frequently used in which an inert atmosphere must be maintained to avoid, for example, unwanted oxidation reactions.

[0023] Examples of such equipment include reactors, stirred tanks, centrifuges, vacuum filters, grinding and mixing plants, tank farms, containers, dryers, silos, filling plants, but also oil and fuel pipelines.

[0024] In particular, this involves reducing the oxygen content and avoiding contact between oxygen and / or moisture and reactive or adsorptive products.

[0025] It is already known that atmospheric oxygen can be displaced by inert gases.

[0026] Examples of inert gases include nitrogen, carbon dioxide (CO2) and all noble gases (helium, neon, argon, krypton, xenon, radon).

[0027] Nitrogen is most commonly used for inerting, sometimes CO2, and in exceptional cases, argon. Different inerting methods exist for different applications, such as covering with nitrogen (also called "blanketing"), sparging (i.e., introducing nitrogen in the form of tiny bubbles into liquids), and purging.

[0028] During purging, oxygen and moisture are displaced by purging with gaseous nitrogen during start-up or shutdown.

[0029] Among the flushing methods known are displacement flushing, dilution flushing and pressure swing flushing.

[0030] In displacement purging, evaporated nitrogen is blown into an open apparatus to displace the unwanted gas.

[0031] During dilution purging, gaseous nitrogen is introduced into an open apparatus to dilute the unwanted gas.

[0032] In contrast, pressure swing flushing involves forcing gaseous nitrogen into a closed apparatus to increase the pressure.

[0033] When the gas is vented, the unwanted gas is released first.

[0034] Pressure alternating flushing can be performed using overpressure or vacuum.

[0035] To displace oxygen, a lock with a through-hole (so-called gas lock) can be placed on the container opening, into which inert gas is fed, thus creating an inert buffer layer.

[0036] EP 2 085 136 A1 discloses an inert gas lock in which an adjustable closure element is provided, allowing a change in the free flow cross-section for the gas exiting the gas outlet. FN0713P-WQ-0013

[0037] 6 / 40

[0038] The basic body of the inert gas lock is cylindrical in shape, which is attached in the opening of a container that can be filled with bulk material and whose cross-section essentially corresponds to the cross-section of the opening of the container, as well as a gas supply and at least one gas outlet, which is connected to the gas supply on the flow side.

[0039] The inert gas lock has means at the lower end of the cylindrical base body that close the container opening almost gas-tight, seal off the quantity of bulk material and gas penetrating the container, and are designed in such a way that a gas flow is formed in the direction of the bulk material flowing into the container.

[0040] EP 2 085 1 36 B1 relates to an inert gas lock with a cylindrical base body which is attached in the opening of a container that can be filled with bulk material and whose cross-section essentially corresponds to the cross-section of the opening of the container, as well as a gas supply and at least one gas outlet connected to the gas supply on the flow side.

[0041] The gas lock can be sealed almost gas-tight and the amount of bulk material flowing into the container can be regulated, with minimal contamination of the container atmosphere.

[0042] However, there is a need to develop a device for flushing a continuously or quasi-continuously flowing bulk material moving bed using a flushing gas or flushing gas mixture for inerting, as well as a system consisting of at least two devices for use in venting a gas or gas mixture contained in the bulk material.

[0043] There is a particular need for the development of a simple, low-maintenance, and low-wear device and system consisting of at least two units, which can, for example, efficiently and cost-effectively displace oxygen and moisture. The device can therefore be used to vent a gas or gas mixture contained in bulk material. FN0713P-WG-0013

[0044] 7 / 40

[0045] Object of the invention

[0046] The object of the present invention is the efficient and cost-effective rinsing of a continuously or quasi-continuously flowing bulk material stream by a simple, low-maintenance and low-wear device.

[0047] Furthermore, the object of the present invention is to provide a device for calcining, sintering and / or producing soft-burned lime, medium-burned lime and hard-burned lime, wollastonite, cement clinker using carbonate-containing and / or mineral bulk materials, ores and / or other bulk materials, which enables the most energy-efficient production possible of specific, fired end products.

[0048] This task is solved using the independent claims. The dependent claims further develop the core idea of ​​the invention.

[0049] Summary of the invention

[0050] In a first aspect, the invention provides a device for flushing a continuously or quasi-continuously flowing bulk material moving bed by means of a flushing gas or flushing gas mixture, wherein the device comprises a substantially vertically arranged shaft having an upper bulk material inlet and a lower bulk material outlet, the shaft having gas passage openings in horizontally opposing shaft walls in at least one shaft area between the upper bulk material inlet and the lower bulk material outlet for a flushing gas or flushing gas mixture flowing at least partially transversely to the flow direction of the moving bed, and the gas passage openings having at least one guiding element around which the flushing gas or flushing gas mixture flows, which guides the bulk material towards the bulk material outlet.

[0051] The guide elements can be arranged horizontally opposite each other and / or horizontally offset. The purge gas or purge gas mixture can flow partially or completely around the guide element. In one embodiment, the flow around the guide element can occur only from one side, e.g., the top, and not from the other side, e.g., the bottom. In another embodiment, the guide element is surrounded by the purge gas or purge gas mixture from both the top and the bottom. Preferably, the device is part of a plant for lime and / or cement production.

[0052] Preferably, the device for rinsing the bulk material is designed for gas exchange and is therefore simply called a gas exchanger.

[0053] Preferably, two gas exchangers are installed on a reactor, and even more preferably, one gas exchanger is installed at the inlet and the other gas exchanger at the outlet of the reactor.

[0054] The gas exchanger operates continuously and can be purged with process gas, except for start-up processes.

[0055] The gas exchanger is flexible in terms of its geometry and design, adapting to its application.

[0056] Preferably, the gas exchanger is designed in a simple rectangular shaft shape.

[0057] Preferably, the gas exchanger itself has no moving parts in the bulk material flow, so that it requires little maintenance and wear due to abrasion is minimized.

[0058] Preferably, the operating principle of the gas exchangers is the same, but the task of the gas exchangers is different.

[0059] Figure 1 shows an exemplary operating principle of the gas exchanger at the inlet with material flows, where the gas flow directions can or must be adjusted depending on the task. The gas exchanger at the inlet has the task of removing or purging the air contained in the bulk material and replacing it with another gas, so that the atmosphere in the reactor consists, for example, exclusively of CO2 and water vapor.

[0060] Pure CO2 can be obtained by condensing the water vapor without having to laboriously remove air components; this is preferably achieved by using superheated water vapor, even more preferably by using CO2 as a replacement gas, and most preferably by purging the bulk material at the inlet with CO2 from the reactor exhaust gas.

[0061] The gas exchanger at the discharge point has the task of removing the water vapor-CO2 mixture contained in the bulk material, analogous to the input process. The removal of the water vapor is of particular importance here.

[0062] Since the product cools down after being discharged from the reactor, and consequently the contained water vapor also cools down, the bulk material is purged with purge gas or a purge gas mixture to prevent a reaction of the water vapor with lime at low temperatures, as well as condensation of the water vapor in the product and a reaction of the water with lime.

[0063] Preferably the purge gas is CO2, even more preferably the purge gas mixture is air, which is mainly composed of nitrogen (N2), oxygen (O2), the noble gas argon (Ar) and carbon dioxide (CO2).

[0064] Preferably, the exhaust gas streams of the gas exchangers are an air-water vapor-CO2 mixture.

[0065] Preferably, the bulk material is moved by gravity.

[0066] Preferably, the purge gas or purge gas mixture is supplied and discharged via lateral ducts. Preferably, the purge gas or purge gas mixture is supplied via the lower bulk material outlet, and air is drawn in via the upper bulk material inlet.

[0067] Thus, neither nozzles nor nozzle manifolds nor feed pipes for injecting the purge gas or purge gas mixture into the side wall are necessary.

[0068] The lateral purge gas shafts are sealed by the bulk material itself via the pressure loss in the bulk material.

[0069] The bulk material forms its bed under the slope angle into the upper bulk material inlet.

[0070] Preferably, the cross-section through which the flow passes and the formed packing material comprise lateral lamellae which can be varied in angle and, even more preferably, correspond to the slope angle of the packing material.

[0071] Fluidized beds or fluidized layers must not form on the fins in the gas exchanger.

[0072] In a preferred embodiment of the device according to the first aspect, it is characterized in that the device comprises opposing arrangements of at least two guide elements arranged in a blind-like manner at predetermined vertical distances at a predetermined horizontal distance.

[0073] In a further preferred embodiment of the device according to the first aspect, it is characterized in that the guide elements are positioned at an angle between 0 and 90 degrees to the horizontal in the direction of the bulk material outlet.

[0074] In a further preferred embodiment of the device according to the first aspect, it is characterized in that the magnitude of the angle of inclination of the guide elements corresponds to the magnitude of the angle of repose of the bulk material. In a further preferred embodiment of the device according to the first aspect, it is characterized in that the device comprises at least one funnel-shaped guide element, preferably at least two funnel-shaped guide elements arranged at predetermined vertical distances.

[0075] In a further preferred embodiment of the device according to the first aspect, the shaft has no internal components influencing the purge gas flow other than the at least one guiding element.

[0076] In other words, the interior of the vertical shaft furnace according to the invention, which is defined by and surrounded by the shaft walls forming the vertical shaft furnace, contains no internal components that influence the flow of the heat transfer medium. The only elements provided to influence the flow of the heat transfer medium are the guide elements, which are positioned at the openings in the shaft walls and project outwards.

[0077] According to another aspect of the invention, the guide elements can be angled upwards at their outer ends. Such a design allows the pressure loss in the bulk material to be influenced or appropriately adjusted.

[0078] Specifically, the guide elements can be angled upwards at their outer ends such that the angled portion extends vertically upwards or is inclined at an angle of ± 30°, ± 20°, or ± 10° to the vertical. The length of the angled portion can be between 10% and 90%, between 20% and 80%, between 30% and 70%, or between 40% and 60% of the total length of the respective guide element.

[0079] In a further preferred embodiment of the device according to the first aspect, it is characterized in that the bulk material inlet and the bulk material outlet are arranged vertically one above the other and have the same shaft cross-section, and / or the at least one guide element is arranged outside this shaft cross-section, adjacent to the shaft cross-section. In a further preferred embodiment of the device according to the first aspect, it is characterized by a gas supply line leading to one of the gas passage openings and a gas outlet leading to the other of the gas passage openings.

[0080] In a further preferred embodiment of the device according to the first aspect, it is characterized by a pressure measuring device with pressure sensors assigned to the bulk material inlet, the bulk material outlet and the gas passage openings for measuring the gas pressures at the bulk material inlet, at the bulk material outlet and at the gas passage openings.

[0081] Different pressure differentials arise above the gas exchanger between the inlets and outlets.

[0082] For the function of the gas exchanger and the successful gas exchange, the differential pressures between the various inlets and outlets are crucial for a successful and complete gas exchange.

[0083] If the differential pressure is too low, not all of the gas will be exchanged.

[0084] On the other hand, if the differential pressure is too large, fluidized beds can form on the lamellae and bulk material particles can be carried along by the gas flow.

[0085] Figure 2 shows the relevant differential pressures and the resulting gas flow directions.

[0086] This device(s) is / are also called gas control unit(s) or gas exchanger hood(s).

[0087] This facility(ies) also enables / allows the introduction of cooling gas.

[0088] In a further preferred embodiment of the device according to the first aspect, it is characterized by a differential pressure control for controlling the differential pressures between the gas passage openings and / or between the bulk material inlet and the bulk material outlet and / or between one of the gas passage openings and the bulk material outlet or the bulk material inlet.

[0089] The differential pressure control system can include moving parts that are not installed in the bulk flow and are therefore easily accessible.

[0090] In a further preferred embodiment of the device according to the first aspect, it is characterized in that it comprises flaps and / or valves controllable by differential pressure control in a gas supply line leading to one of the gas passage openings and / or in a gas discharge leading from the other of the gas passage opening.

[0091] Preferably, the differential pressures are controlled by one or more devices consisting of automatic flaps and / or valves and sensors in order to regulate the differential pressures across the gas exchanger using pressure sensors and thus achieve specific gas flow directions.

[0092] In a further preferred embodiment of the device according to the first aspect, it is characterized in that the differential pressure control comprises several controllable vacuum sources.

[0093] Preferably, the differential pressures are controlled by a device consisting of several adjustable vacuum sources.

[0094] Figure 3A shows a differential pressure control system on a plant, using multiple negative pressure sources / fans.

[0095] Figure 3B shows a differential pressure control on a system using a vacuum source / fan.

[0096] In a second aspect, the invention relates to a system comprising at least two devices according to the first aspect, which are arranged successively in the flow direction of the bulk material moving bed in such a way that the bulk material outlet of one device is connected to the bulk material inlet of a subsequent device.

[0097] In reality, the various exhaust gas streams are combined and extracted by a central blower as shown in Figure 5.

[0098] Preferably, false air can be added at all extraction points, which simultaneously cools the exhaust gas flow.

[0099] For subsequent CO2 capture and internal recirculation for cooling and as purge gas, the system must be adapted to minimize the foreign substances in the CO2 exhaust gas stream.

[0100] In a third aspect, the invention provides for the use of the device according to the first aspect or the system according to the second aspect for venting a gas or gas mixture contained in the bulk material.

[0101] Preferably, the device is used as part of a plant for lime or cement production for conditioning or pretreatment of the raw materials before the actual "burning" and for conditioning or post-treatment of the products after "burning".

[0102] The purge gas can, in principle, be used as a heat transfer medium for heating and cooling the bulk material.

[0103] In another aspect of the invention, a vertical shaft furnace is provided for heating and cooling a continuously or quasi-continuously flowing bulk material moving bed.

[0104] A furnace is understood to be a component that, through the addition of heat to the bulk material, allows the thermal modification of physical material properties such as particle size, density, porosity, and / or crystal structure, etc., as well as chemical reactions of the bulk material. The vertical shaft furnace comprises a substantially vertically oriented shaft with an upper bulk material inlet and a lower bulk material outlet. In at least one section of the shaft, between the upper bulk material inlet and the lower bulk material outlet, horizontally opposing shaft walls have openings for a heat transfer medium that flows at least partially perpendicular to the flow direction of the bulk material. These openings have at least one guiding element around which the heat transfer medium flows, directing the bulk material towards the outlet.

[0105] The guide elements can be arranged horizontally opposite each other and / or horizontally offset.

[0106] The heat transfer medium can flow partially or completely around the guide element. In one embodiment, the flow around the guide element can occur only from one side, e.g., the top, and not from the other side, e.g., the bottom. In another embodiment, the heat transfer medium flows around the guide element from both the top and the bottom.

[0107] The opposing arrangements can be in a rectangular and / or round oven and arranged opposite each other but vertically offset.

[0108] The heat transfer medium can be, for example, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, water vapor and / or air, but also mixtures of gases or multiphase media, such as a gas / particle flow or a gas / droplet flow.

[0109] A bulk material moving bed is understood to be a bulk material that moves in a vertical direction.

[0110] In the present invention, the term "bulk material" refers to fine-grained or lumpy material. The bulk material can, for example, comprise or consist of mineral-containing, in particular carbonate-containing, bulk material. The material can be granular materials, raw granules, pellets, briquettes, or similar compacts or agglomerates. The range of usable particle size distribution is preferably between 50 µm and 150 mm.

[0111] Mineral-containing, especially carbonate-containing, bulk material includes limestone, quicklime and / or compacted cement raw material.

[0112] In addition to CaO and CaCOs, already burnt lime, raw cement compact (raw) or raw cement compact (pre-calcined) can pass through the vertical shaft kiln.

[0113] The use of agglomerated raw materials allows the production of cement and hydraulic lime, as well as other products based on carbonate-containing raw materials.

[0114] Agglomeration is a collective term for processes that increase the size of particles by joining them together. Agglomeration is primarily used with fine-grained or powdered raw materials to improve flowability and thus machinability. Very fine-grained powders often have an extremely low bulk density, are easily agitated, and tend to adhere to surfaces.

[0115] Agglomerated powder particles are much easier to handle and process. Mixing the raw materials allows for very precise control of the chemical composition of the agglomerates. Due to the predetermined mixture and the contact surfaces and points between the individual components created or enforced by agglomeration, mineral formation is enabled without the need to partially or completely melt the mixture, as is the case in rotary kilns during cement production. The advantage is that the energy-intensive melting of the mixture, and thus the energy-efficient mineral formation, is avoided when using raw materials. Agglomeration is preferably achieved through pelletizing or briquetting.

[0116] It is advantageous to use starting materials with water contents of up to 20 wt% for the agglomerates in order to minimize spalling of the agglomerate at temperatures above 100 °C due to water evaporation. FN0713P-WC-0013

[0117] 17 / 40

[0118] Furthermore, the supplied raw material can consist predominantly of soft-burned lime, and a medium-burned or hard-burned product can be produced by a predetermined residence time and temperature in the middle range.

[0119] The supplied raw material can also consist of dolomite or limestone flour (<300 pm), which, through agglomeration, achieves grain sizes greater than 300 pm, but especially greater than 1 mm, and through a predetermined residence time and temperature in the middle range, burnt lime, burnt dolomite or semi-burnt dolomite is produced.

[0120] Alternatively, the supplied raw material can consist of cement raw materials and be processed into cement clinker by a predetermined residence time and temperature in the medium range.

[0121] This also allows the production of cement clinker and / or heat-treated sintered material with specified mechanical or chemical properties.

[0122] The bulk material may also comprise particles and / or agglomerates, wherein the agglomerates are formed as pellets and / or briquettes and the edge lengths or diameters of the particles and / or agglomerates are preferably in the range of 0.1 mm to 150 mm.

[0123] The bulk material may also consist of agglomerated raw materials comprising one or more of the substances silicon dioxide, aluminium oxide, an iron compound, in particular iron(II) oxide, as well as calcium carbonate and / or calcium oxide.

[0124] The bulk material preferably has a water content of up to 20 wt.%.

[0125] The vertical shaft furnace is constructed from a high-temperature material such as refractory concrete, refractory bricks, silicon carbide, or austenitic stainless steels. FN0713P-WG-0013

[0126] 18 / 40

[0127] In a preferred embodiment of the device according to the first aspect, it is characterized in that the vertical shaft furnace comprises opposing arrangements of at least two guide elements arranged in a blind-like manner at predetermined vertical distances at a predetermined horizontal distance.

[0128] In a further preferred embodiment of the device according to the first aspect, it is characterized in that the guide elements are positioned at an angle between 0 and 90 degrees to the horizontal in the direction of the bulk material outlet.

[0129] The guiding elements according to the invention therefore allow the heat transfer medium to flow through the bulk material at least partially transversely and, due to the blind-like arrangement, uniformly.

[0130] In a further preferred embodiment of the device according to the first aspect, it is characterized in that the magnitude of the angle of inclination of the guide elements corresponds to the magnitude of the angle of repose of the bulk material.

[0131] In a further preferred embodiment of the device according to the first aspect, it is characterized in that the vertical shaft furnace comprises at least one funnel-shaped guide element, preferably at least two funnel-shaped guide elements arranged at predetermined vertical distances.

[0132] In a further preferred embodiment of the device according to the first aspect, it is characterized in that the shaft, apart from the at least one guiding element, has no internal components influencing the flow of the heat transfer medium.

[0133] In other words, the interior of the vertical shaft furnace according to the invention, which is defined by and surrounded by the shaft walls forming the vertical shaft furnace, contains no internal components that influence the flow of the heat transfer medium. The only elements provided to influence the flow of the heat transfer medium are the guide elements, which are positioned at the openings in the shaft walls and project outwards.

[0134] In a further preferred embodiment of the device according to the first aspect, it is characterized in that the bulk material inlet and the bulk material outlet are arranged vertically one above the other and have the same shaft cross-section.

[0135] In a further preferred embodiment of the device according to the first aspect, it is characterized in that the at least one guide element is arranged outside this shaft cross-section, adjacent to the shaft cross-section.

[0136] In a further preferred embodiment of the device according to the first aspect, it is characterized in that the vertical shaft furnace has an upper shaft area between the upper bulk material inlet and the lower bulk material outlet, which forms a preheating zone for preheating the bulk material, a middle shaft area, which forms a heating zone for heating the bulk material to a predetermined target temperature, and a lower shaft area, which forms a cooling zone for cooling the bulk material.

[0137] At least the upper shaft area and the lower shaft area have at least one guiding element around which the heat transfer medium flows.

[0138] The guiding elements according to the invention thus enable a spatial and therefore fluid-technical separation of the heating / preheating and cooling areas from the central heating area, the so-called heating zone.

[0139] The throughput through these areas can therefore also be individually controlled and is thus very flexible with regard to cooling and preheating, depending on the type of heat transfer medium. In a further preferred embodiment of the device according to the first aspect, it is characterized in that the central shaft area has no opposing guide elements.

[0140] In a further preferred embodiment of the device according to the first aspect, it is characterized in that the central shaft area also has at least one guiding element around which the heat transfer medium flows.

[0141] Preferably, one or more predetermined temperature ranges between 380 °C and 1200 °C can be set in the vertical shaft furnace for calcination.

[0142] Preferably, one or more predetermined temperature ranges between 400°C and 1600°C can be set, particularly for sintering.

[0143] In the direction of flow of the bulk material upstream of the heating zone, the upper shaft section, the so-called preheating zone, is arranged for preheating the bulk material. The preheating zone preferably connects directly to a material inlet for the bulk material into the vertical shaft furnace and serves to preheat the bulk material to a temperature of approximately 600 °C to 800 °C.

[0144] The central shaft area, the heating zone, preferably connects directly to the preheating zone and serves to burn the bulk material, which is preferably heated to a temperature of about 900 °C to 1400 °C.

[0145] The lower shaft section, the cooling zone, preferably connects directly to the heating zone and serves to cool the fired bulk material to a temperature of, for example, 100 °C. The material outlet is located, for example, in an outlet hopper adjoining the cooling zone.

[0146] This advantageous design allows the reactants to be first calcined and then sintered. In a further preferred embodiment of the device according to the first aspect, it is characterized by a supply line connected to the through-openings of at least one shaft section and a discharge line connected to the correspondingly opposite through-openings.

[0147] In a further preferred embodiment of the device according to the first aspect, it is characterized in that each shaft area has its own supply line and its own discharge line.

[0148] Depending on the kiln type, conventional lime kilns are primarily suited for producing either soft-burned lime (GGR, ring shaft kilns) or hard-burned lime (shaft kiln). Medium-burned lime is produced as a compromise between soft- and hard-burned lime in subsequent, complex process steps. For example, homogeneous temperature profiles cannot be achieved in shaft kilns, which can lead to chemically contaminated lump lime forming sinter deposits with other lump lime, potentially causing production interruptions.

[0149] According to the invention, soft-burned, medium-burned, or hard-burned lime can be selectively controlled by adjusting the temperatures and residence time in the heating zone. This means that quicklime with defined product qualities (defined residual CO2 contents, defined t60 values, the time required to reach a temperature of 60°C when slaking CaO under defined conditions, i.e., soft-burned, medium-burned, or hard-burned) can be produced with production capacities of, for example, 200,000 tons per year.

[0150] By using predetermined temperatures and dwell times, limestone or dolomite can be produced as differently fired end products, such as soft-, medium-, and hard-fired.

[0151] The placement of the guide elements in the vertical shaft furnace according to the invention allows homogeneous reaction conditions (e.g. of temperature) and high heat transfer due to the at least partially occurring transverse flow of the heat transfer medium.

[0152] This means that precise operating conditions can be set in the vertical shaft kiln according to the invention. Therefore, with the invention presented here, it is possible to precisely produce, for example, the corresponding lime qualities of a soft-burned, medium-burned, and hard-burned lime.

[0153] The residence time of limestone or lime particles in kilns increases with the particle diameter. Fine-grained particles can be calcined with significantly shorter residence times than lump lime.

[0154] In a further preferred embodiment of the device according to the first aspect, it is characterized in that a common first inlet and a common first outlet are assigned to the upper and lower shaft areas, while a second inlet and a second outlet are assigned to the middle shaft area.

[0155] The advantage lies in the fact that the middle section of the vertical shaft furnace forms a closed or nearly closed system to achieve an adjustable target temperature, and a second heat transfer medium flows continuously or quasi-continuously largely across the bulk material, heating the bulk material and / or the heat transfer medium in the middle section of the vertical shaft furnace, the so-called heating zone, while independently of this, the bulk material within the upper and lower sections is permeated by another first heat transfer medium.

[0156] In a further preferred embodiment of the device according to the first aspect, it is characterized in that a heater is assigned to the upper shaft area and / or the middle shaft area. The almost closed guide in the heating area also allows for low gas or heat transfer medium flow and optimal heat utilization.

[0157] In a further preferred embodiment of the device according to the first aspect, it is characterized by an electric, inductive or fuel combustion-based heating system.

[0158] Electric heating and separate cooling / preheating with a gas flow or a heat transfer medium flow are also possible.

[0159] In a further preferred embodiment of the device according to the first aspect, it is characterized in that at least one further supply line, preferably a gas supply line, is assigned to the lower shaft area of ​​the vertical shaft furnace.

[0160] Quicklime is used in DAC (Direct Air Capture) to remove carbon dioxide from the air or exhaust gases.

[0161] This has the advantage that if the goal is CO2 separation from air (DAC) or flue gases (CO2 separation), the vertical shaft kiln according to the invention can be used for a process to bind CO2 to the lime.

[0162] This is done via the known mechanisms.

[0163] If CO2 is to be captured from the air, a gas is introduced into the lower section of the vertical shaft furnace via the additional line, then preheated, and finally the CO2 is bound to CaO according to one of the mechanisms mentioned above. FN0713P-WG-0013

[0164] 24 / 40

[0165] In the case of flue gas, depending on the temperature of the flue gas, a corresponding temperature level would be selected in the shaft furnace into which the flue gas is added.

[0166] In a further preferred embodiment of the device according to the first aspect, it is characterized by a pressure measuring device with pressure sensors assigned to the bulk material inlet, the bulk material outlet and the passage openings for measuring the gas pressures at the bulk material inlet, at the bulk material outlet and at the passage openings.

[0167] In a further preferred embodiment of the device according to the first aspect, it is characterized by a differential pressure control for controlling the differential pressures between the passage openings and / or between the bulk material inlet and the bulk material outlet and / or between one of the passage openings and the bulk material outlet or the bulk material inlet.

[0168] In a further preferred embodiment of the device according to the first aspect, it is characterized in that the differential pressure control comprises controllable flaps and / or valves in a supply line leading to one of the through-openings and / or in a discharge line leading from a correspondingly opposite through-opening.

[0169] In a further preferred embodiment of the device according to the first aspect, it is characterized in that the differential pressure control comprises several controllable vacuum sources.

[0170] In a further aspect of the invention, a plant for the calcination, sintering, and / or production of soft-burned lime, medium-burned lime, and hard-burned lime, wollastonite, and cement clinker using carbonate-containing and / or mineral bulk materials, ores, and / or other bulk materials is provided, comprising a vertical shaft kiln according to the invention and a heat recovery device. FN0713P-WG-0013

[0171] 25 / 40

[0172] The heat recovery system is used to utilize the heat contained in the hot combustion gases, the hot gases from the vertical shaft furnace and / or the hot intermediate and end products from the vertical shaft furnace for preheating the bulk material and / or a heat transfer medium.

[0173] In a second preferred embodiment of the device according to the second aspect, it is characterized in that the heat recovery device comprises a condenser for condensing water vapor contained in the hot gas from the vertical shaft furnace and for materially separating carbon dioxide from the hot gases.

[0174] The water obtained during condensation can in turn be used to generate steam.

[0175] In a further aspect of the invention, a system comprising parallel-operated vertical shaft furnaces according to the invention is provided, wherein the upper, middle and lower shaft areas of the respective vertical shaft furnaces are connected to each other via their own supply line and their own discharge line.

[0176] According to another aspect of the invention, the individual areas - preheater - heating zone - cooling zone - are each designed as a separate reactor stacked on top of each other, whereby the sealing against gas leakage at the inlet and / or outlet is ensured by means of technical shut-off devices such as rotary valves and / or by a bulk material height adapted to the respective physical conditions of the gas crossflow.

[0177] According to another aspect of the invention, the gaseous heat transfer medium is generated by a turbomachine.

[0178] According to a further aspect of the invention, at least one of the shaft areas is assigned a piston displacement device which alternately supplies and discharges a heat transfer medium to the passage openings of each of the horizontally opposing guide element arrangements. This causes a heat transfer medium flow that changes direction.

[0179] According to another aspect of the invention, reaction gases, for example water vapor, are introduced into the lower part of the kiln. This leads to the hydration of the lime.

[0180] According to another aspect of the invention, the guide elements are sufficiently long to prevent the bulk material from overflowing. The guide element angle can be set between 0 degrees (horizontal) and 90 degrees (vertical) depending on parameters such as the pressure drop, the angle of repose, and the volumetric flow rate. The guide element length can also be adjusted depending on the guide element angle and the angle of repose.

[0181] According to another aspect of the invention, the guide elements can be angled upwards at their outer ends. Such a design allows the pressure loss in the bulk material to be influenced or appropriately adjusted.

[0182] Specifically, the guide elements can be angled upwards at their outer ends such that the angled portion extends vertically upwards or is inclined at an angle of ± 30°, ± 20°, or ± 10° to the vertical. The length of the angled portion can be between 10% and 90%, between 20% and 80%, between 30% and 70%, or between 40% and 60% of the total length of the respective guide element.

[0183] Balancing energy in the public electricity grid, also known as control reserve, compensates for fluctuations in the grid, specifically in the grid frequency. When balancing energy is deployed, electricity can both be drawn from and fed into the grid. Increasing the feed-in to compensate for a low grid frequency is called positive balancing energy, while reducing the feed-in to lower the grid frequency is called negative balancing energy. Participants in the balancing energy market must maintain the agreed-upon balancing energy reserves. Compensation is paid for the availability of balancing energy and, if it is used, for its actual deployment. Industrial processes that meet the criteria for participation in the balancing energy market have an economic advantage.Due to the use of electricity for process heat generation and the possibility of using fuels additionally or exclusively for process heat generation, the vertical shaft furnace according to the invention is suitable for participating in the balancing energy market.

[0184] Solid, gaseous, liquid fuels and / or electricity can be used to generate process heat.

[0185] The nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile hydrocarbons produced during conventional combustion processes are completely avoided when electricity is used for process heat generation.

[0186] If electricity replaces fuel, then no exhaust gas is emitted from the plant for that amount of energy. If the electricity is based on renewable energies, the CO2 footprint decreases accordingly, meaning the proportion of the substituted fuel drops to zero.

[0187] Furthermore, indirect heat transfer, for example by means of internal components such as heat pipes, can prevent contact between fuel, exhaust gas and the product, so that the product is not contaminated.

[0188] In another aspect, the lower shaft area can also be assigned a supply line, which is connected to an outlet of the lower shaft area with a supply line of the middle shaft area, an outlet of the middle shaft area with a supply line of the upper shaft area, and an outlet is assigned to the upper shaft area.

[0189] In a further aspect of the present invention, a first supply line can be assigned to the lower shaft area, an outlet of the lower shaft area can be connected to a supply line of the upper shaft area, a first outlet can be assigned to the upper shaft area, and a second supply line and a second outlet can be assigned to the middle shaft area. This ensures that a first heat transfer medium is initially assigned to the lower shaft area of ​​the vertical shaft furnace and subsequently to the upper shaft area of ​​the vertical shaft furnace, while an independent second heat transfer medium is assigned to the middle shaft area via its own supply line and outlet.

[0190] This has the advantage that the heat absorbed by the bulk material in the lower shaft area can be at least partially transferred to the bulk material in the upper shaft area.

[0191] In another aspect of the invention, gas exchange is also possible through the flowing heat transfer medium. In this process, gases present in the bulk material are flushed out by the heat transfer medium.

[0192] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to the following non-limiting examples.

[0193] Examples

[0194] Example 1: Gas exchanger configuration “Reactor entry side”

[0195] In a gas exchanger at the input side of the reactor with its material flows, the material flows proceed as follows:

[0196] Initially, bulk material enters the gas exchanger at the top and exits into the reactor at the bottom. This is a desired material flow.

[0197] Air / gas from the surroundings / atmosphere then enters the gas exchanger at the top and exits on the left. This is an undesirable flow of gas. This amount of gas is considered a leak and should be kept to a minimum.

[0198] Purge gas then enters the gas exchanger on the right and exits on the left. This is a desired flow. Subsequently, process gas from the reactor enters the gas exchanger at the bottom and exits on the left. This is an undesired flow. This amount of gas is considered a leak and should be kept to a minimum.

[0199] Then process gas escapes from the reactor at the top right. This is a desired material flow.

[0200] Process gas then escapes from the reactor at the bottom right. This amount of gas is considered a leak and should be kept to a minimum.

[0201] Bulk material then exits the reactor at the bottom right. This is a desired material flow.

[0202] In this configuration, "reactor feed side", the bulk material is unambiguously flowed across.

[0203] The aim is to exchange the gas in the cavities of the bulk material for the purge gas coming from the right.

[0204] Leakage flows of air from the environment and process gas from the reactor can also occur.

[0205] A mixed flow forms at the gas outlet of the gas exchanger.

[0206] In order to achieve the desired flow direction of the gases, the differential pressures visualized in Figure 6 must be in the correct ratio to each other.

[0207] In total, there are four absolute pressures (see Table 1); from which four differential pressures are calculated (see Table 2). Table 1

[0208] Table 2 The following applies:

[0209] (1) Differential pressure 1 is negative, so air is drawn into the mixed gas stream.

[0210] At the same time, the "suction effect" of dp_3 above the gas exchanger is stronger than that of dp_1.

[0211] (2) Differential pressure 2 is negative, so the process gas is drawn into the mixed gas stream. At the same time, the "suction effect" of dp_3 above the gas exchanger is stronger than that of dp_2.

[0212] (3) Differential pressure 3 is the most critical value, because the suction effect due to the differential pressure above the gas exchanger must be at least strong enough to allow the entire gas volume in the bulk material to be exchanged.

[0213] At the same time, however, the differential pressure must be low enough to prevent bulk material from becoming fluidized in the side outlets of the gas exchanger and possibly being discharged laterally.

[0214] At the same time, dp_3 must be strong enough to compensate for leakage currents from the reactor and the environment.

[0215] (4) Differential pressure 4 is a slight negative pressure, so that a suction effect occurs in the reactor and the process gases are discreetly extracted.

[0216] (5) Differential pressure 5 is so pronounced that the reactor does not draw in any purge gas from the gas exchanger.

[0217] (6) Differential pressure 6 is so pronounced that no purge gas escapes from the gas exchanger into the environment.

[0218] Example 2: Gas exchanger configuration “Reactor discharge side”

[0219] Figure 4 shows the gas exchanger on the discharge side of the reactor with its material flows.

[0220] A key difference from Example 1 is the absence of a dedicated purge gas as on the inlet side. For the sake of simplicity and improved product cooling, the same configuration as in Example 1 (i.e., using a side purge gas) was not used for the outlet, but modified as follows.

[0221] Firstly, in the "reactor discharge side" configuration, air is used as the purge gas.

[0222] This is drawn in from below against the flow of bulk material, which preheats the air from the bulk material.

[0223] Optionally, a lateral purge gas supply can be retrofitted, preferably with air preheating, to prevent condensation of water vapor in any case.

[0224] Secondly, extraction takes place at two lateral outlets of the gas exchanger, resulting in a uniform gas exchange.

[0225] Figure 5 shows that the two extraction systems are connected to each other via a pipe, whereby the pressure loss in the connection can be neglected.

[0226] The following material flows can be described for Figure 5:

[0227] (1) Bulk material enters the gas exchanger from the top of the reactor and exits from the bottom. This is a desired material flow.

[0228] (2) Air / gas from the surroundings / atmosphere enters the gas exchanger from below and exits on both sides, right and left. This is a desired flow of matter.

[0229] (3) Process gas from the reactor enters the gas exchanger from above and exits on both sides, right and left. This is an undesirable flow of gas. This amount of gas is considered a leak and should be kept to a minimum.

[0230] As in Example 1, the differential pressures shown in Figure 6 must be in the correct ratio to each other. There are a total of three absolute pressures (see Table 3) from which two differential pressures are derived (see Table 4).

[0231] Table 3

[0232] Table 4

[0233] The following applies:

[0234] (1) Differential pressure 7 is such that the leakage from the reactor is as minimal as possible.

[0235] The primary process is the extraction of gas from the bulk material.

[0236] The suction effect of dp_8 is stronger, so that more air is drawn in.

[0237] (2) Differential pressure 8 is the most critical value, because the suction effect through the differential pressure via the gas exchanger must be at least so strong that the entire gas volume in the bulk material can be exchanged.

[0238] At the same time, the differential pressure must be low enough to prevent bulk material from fluidizing in the side outlets of the gas exchanger and potentially being discharged laterally. Simultaneously, dp_7 must be high enough to compensate for leakage flows from the reactor.

[0239] Example 3: Gas exchanger configuration “Reactor discharge side”

[0240] Example 3 is carried out according to Example 2, with the difference that the gas exchanger is cylindrical (see Figure 7).

[0241] Example 4: Gas exchanger configuration “Reactor discharge side”

[0242] Example 4 is carried out according to Example 2, with the difference that the gas exchanger is constructed in a rectangular shape.

[0243] Example 5: Gas exchanger configuration “Reactor discharge side”

[0244] Example 5 is carried out according to Example 2, with the difference that the

[0245] The gas exchanger is designed to be rotationally symmetrical.

[0246] List of characters

[0247] FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of the operating principle of a gas exchanger with mass flows, which is installed on the input side of the reactor.

[0248] FIG. 2 is a schematic representation according to FIG. 1, showing the differential pressures at the gas exchanger and the desired gas flow directions.

[0249] FIG. 3A is a schematic representation of differential pressure control with multiple vacuum sources in a system. FIG. 3B is a schematic representation of differential pressure control with one vacuum source in a system.

[0250] FIG. 4 is a schematic representation of example 2 of a gas exchanger on the discharge side of the reactor with mass flows.

[0251] FIG. 5 is a schematic representation according to FIG. 4, showing the connecting lines between two lateral extraction ports.

[0252] FIG. 6 is a schematic representation of the gas exchanger on the discharge side of the reactor with differential pressures and the desired gas flow directions.

[0253] FIG. 7 is a schematic representation of example 3 of a gas exchanger on the discharge side of the reactor in a cylindrical design, comprising funnel-shaped guide elements.

[0254] Fig. 8 a schematic representation of a vertical shaft furnace (1 ) in

[0255] shows conformity with an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0256] Fig. 9 a schematic representation of a vertical shaft furnace (1 ) in

[0257] shows conformity with an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0258] Fig. 10 shows a schematic representation of a vertical shaft furnace (1) in

[0259] shows conformity with an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0260] Fig. 11 a schematic representation of a vertical shaft furnace (1) in

[0261] shows conformity with an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0262] Fig. 12 shows a schematic representation of a vertical shaft furnace (1) in

[0263] Agreement with an embodiment of the present disclosure shows; Fig. 13 shows a schematic representation of a vertical shaft furnace (1 ) in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0264] Fig. 14 shows a schematic representation of a vertical shaft furnace (1 ) in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0265] Fig. 15 shows a schematic representation of a system of parallel operated vertical shaft furnaces (1 ) in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0266] Fig. 16 shows a schematic representation of a vertical shaft furnace (1 ) in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0267] Fig. 17 shows a schematic representation of a vertical shaft furnace (1 ) in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0268] Fig. 18 shows a schematic representation of a vertical shaft furnace (1 ) in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0269] Fig. 19 A shows a schematic representation of an inclined guide element of the vertical shaft furnace (1 ) in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0270] Fig. 19 B shows a schematic representation of a less steeply inclined guide element of the vertical shaft furnace (1 ) compared to Fig. 20 A in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0271] Detailed description

[0272] The exemplary embodiment according to Fig. 8A shows a vertical shaft kiln (1) which, in the direction of flow of the bulk material, comprises an upper bulk material inlet (2), an upper shaft area (4), the preheating zone, for preheating the bulk material, a middle shaft area (5), the heating zone, for firing the bulk material, a lower shaft area (6), the cooling zone, for cooling the fired material, and a lower bulk material outlet (3) for discharging the bulk material from the vertical shaft kiln (1), wherein in this exemplary embodiment the inventive louver-like guide elements (8) are arranged uniformly over the entire vertical height of the vertical shaft kiln (1) and the heat transfer medium flows through the areas at least partially transversely to its flow direction.

[0273] In Fig. 8A, each shaft area (4, 5, 6) is also assigned its own supply line (10) and its own discharge line (11).

[0274] Fig. 8B shows a sectional view of Fig. 8A.

[0275] Fig. 9 shows a schematic representation of a further exemplary embodiment of the invention, wherein the upper (4) and lower (6) shaft area is assigned a common first inlet (12) and a common first outlet (13), and the middle shaft area (5) is assigned a second inlet (14) and a second outlet (15).

[0276] Fig. 10A shows a schematic representation of a further exemplary embodiment of the invention, in which a supply line (10) is assigned to the lower shaft area (6), wherein the discharge (11) of the lower shaft area (6) is connected to a supply line (10) of the middle shaft area (5), a discharge (11) of the middle shaft area (5) is connected to a supply line (10) of the upper shaft area (4), and a discharge (11) is assigned to the upper shaft area (4).

[0277] Fig. 10B shows a sectional view of Fig. 10A.

[0278] Fig. 10C shows a side view of Fig. 10A

[0279] Fig. 11A shows a schematic representation of a further exemplary embodiment of the invention compared to Fig. 10.

[0280] Fig. 11B shows a sectional view of Fig. 11A.

[0281] Fig. 11C shows a side view of Fig. 11A. Fig. 12 shows a schematic representation of a further exemplary embodiment of the invention, in which a first inlet (12) is assigned to the lower shaft area (6), a first outlet (13) of the lower shaft area (6) is connected to an inlet (12) of the upper shaft area (4), and a first outlet (13) is assigned to the upper shaft area (4). A second inlet (14) and a second outlet (15) are also assigned to the middle shaft area (5).

[0282] Fig. 13 shows a schematic representation of another exemplary embodiment of the invention, in which the upper shaft area (4) and the lower shaft area (6) have opposing guide element arrangements (8).

[0283] The central shaft section (5) of the vertical shaft furnace (1), the so-called heating zone, is heated directly by electricity in this exemplary embodiment (16). The heat transfer medium is therefore conveyed from the lower shaft section (6) to the upper shaft section (4).

[0284] Fig. 14 shows a schematic representation of another exemplary embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, at least one of the shaft areas (4, 5, 6) is assigned a piston displacement device which alternately supplies and discharges a heat transfer medium to the through-openings (9) of each of the horizontally opposing guide element arrangements (8). Additionally, heating elements (18) are arranged between the pistons (17) and the guide elements (8).

[0285] Fig. 15 shows a schematic representation of another exemplary embodiment of the invention. The system shown in Fig. 15 comprises parallel-operated vertical shaft furnaces (1), wherein the upper (4), middle (5), and lower (6) shaft sections of the respective vertical shaft furnaces (1) are each assigned their own supply line (10) and their own outlet (13). Fig. 16 shows a schematic representation of another exemplary embodiment of the invention in which additional heating elements (18) are installed. Furthermore, the upper shaft section (4) is connected to the lower shaft section (6) via an additional line.

[0286] Fig. 17 shows a schematic representation of a further exemplary embodiment of the invention, in which a first supply line (12) is assigned to the lower shaft area (6), a first outlet (13) of the lower shaft area (6) is connected to a supply line (12) of the upper shaft area (4), and a first outlet (13) is assigned to the upper shaft area (4). A direct or indirect heating system (16) is also assigned to the middle shaft area (5).

[0287] Fig. 18 shows a schematic representation of a further exemplary embodiment of the invention, in which a first supply line (12) and a second supply line (14) are assigned to the lower shaft area (6), a first outlet (13) and a second outlet (15) of the lower shaft area (6) are each connected to a supply line (10) of the upper shaft area (4), and a first outlet (13) and a second outlet (15) are assigned to the upper shaft area (4). A direct or indirect heating system (16) is also assigned to the middle shaft area (5).

[0288] Fig. 19 A shows a schematic representation of an inclined guide element of the vertical shaft furnace (1 ) in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure, wherein the guide elements are sufficiently long to prevent the bulk material from overflowing.

[0289] Fig. 19B shows a schematic representation of a less steeply inclined guide element of the vertical shaft kiln (1) compared to Fig. 19A in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure, wherein the guide elements are sufficiently long to prevent the bulk material from overflowing. FN0713P-WG-0013

[0290] 40 / 40

[0291] Reference symbol list:

[0292] For figures 1 - 7:

[0293] 1 Device

[0294] 2 essentially vertically arranged shafts

[0295] 3 upper bulk material inlet

[0296] 4 lower bulk material outlet

[0297] 5 gas passage openings

[0298] 6 Conducting element surrounded by purge gas

[0299] 7 Horizontal distance between the opposing arrangements

[0300] 8 Gas supply line

[0301] 9 Gas vent

[0302] For figures 8 - 19:

[0303] 1 vertical shaft furnace

[0304] 2 upper bulk material inlet

[0305] 3 lower bulk material outlet

[0306] 4 upper shaft area

[0307] 5 middle shaft area

[0308] 6 lower shaft area

[0309] 7 Horizontal spacing of opposing arrangements consisting of at least two guide elements arranged in a blind-like manner at predetermined vertical intervals

[0310] 8 Conductive element surrounded by the heat transfer medium

[0311] 9 passage openings

[0312] 10 Supply line

[0313] 11 Derivative

[0314] 12 first supply line

[0315] 13 first derivative

[0316] 14 second supply line

[0317] 15 second derivative

[0318] 16 Heating

[0319] 17 pistons

[0320] 18 heating elements

Claims

FN0713P-WG-0015 1 / 3 Claims 1. Device (1) for flushing a continuously or quasi-continuously flowing bulk material moving bed by means of a flushing gas or flushing gas mixture, wherein the device (1) comprises a substantially vertically arranged shaft (2) having an upper bulk material inlet (3) and a lower bulk material outlet (4), the shaft (2) having gas passage openings (5) in horizontally opposing shaft walls in at least one shaft area between the upper bulk material inlet (3) and the lower bulk material outlet (4) for a flushing gas or flushing gas mixture flowing at least partially transversely to the flow direction of the moving bed, and the gas passage openings (5) having at least one guiding element (6) around which the flushing gas or flushing gas mixture flows, which guides the bulk material towards the bulk material outlet (4).

2. Device (1 ) according to claim 1 , characterized in that the device (1 ) comprises opposing arrangements of at least two guide elements (6) arranged in a blind-like manner at predetermined horizontal distances (7).

3. Device (1 ) according to claim 2, characterized in that the guide elements (6) are positioned in the direction of the bulk material outlet (4) at an angle between 0 and 90 degrees to the horizontal.

4. Device (1 ) according to claim 3, characterized in that the magnitude of the angle of inclination of the guide elements (6) corresponds to the magnitude of the angle of repose of the bulk material.

5. Device (1 ) according to claim 1 , characterized in that the device (1 ) comprises at least one funnel-shaped guide element (6), preferably at least two funnel-shaped guide elements (6) arranged at predetermined vertical distances.

6. Device (1 ) according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the shaft (2) has no internals influencing the purge gas flow other than the at least one guide element (6).

7. Device (1 ) according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the bulk material inlet (3) and the bulk material outlet (4) are arranged vertically one above the other and have the same shaft cross-section, and / or the at least one guide element (6) is arranged outside this shaft cross-section, adjacent to the shaft cross-section.

8. Device (1 ) according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized by a gas supply line (8) leading to one of the gas passage openings (5) and a gas discharge line (9) leading to the other of the gas passage openings (5).

9. Device (1 ) according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized by a pressure measuring device with pressure sensors assigned to the bulk material inlet (3), the bulk material outlet (4) and the gas passage openings (5) for measuring the gas pressures at the bulk material inlet (3), at the bulk material outlet (4) and at the gas passage openings (5).

10. Device (1) according to claim 9, characterized by a Differential pressure control for controlling the differential pressures between the gas passage openings (5) and / or between the bulk material inlet (3) and the bulk material outlet (4) and / or between one of the gas passage openings (5) and the bulk material outlet (4) or the bulk material inlet (3). FN0713P-WG-0015 3 / 3 11. Device (1) according to claim 10, characterized in that the differential pressure control comprises controllable flaps and / or valves in a gas supply line (8) leading to one of the gas passage openings (5) and / or in a gas outlet (9) leading from the other of the gas passage opening (5).

12. Device (1) according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that the differential pressure control comprises several controllable vacuum sources.

13. A system comprising at least two devices (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 12, arranged successively in the flow direction of the bulk material moving bed such that the bulk material outlet (4) of one device (1) is connected to the bulk material inlet (3) of a subsequent device (1).

14. Use of a device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 12 or of a Apparatus according to claim 13 for venting a gas or gas mixture contained in the bulk material.

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