Counter-Current Cooling Air Stream for Hot Material Conveyance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for conveying and cooling hot materials from combustion boilers require long distances and significant construction space, with inefficient energy recuperation and increased complexity due to the need for extensive cooling systems and water usage in dry regions.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus utilizing a conveyor belt within a housing with a counter-current cooling air stream to cool hot materials quickly over a short distance, allowing for efficient energy recuperation by removing a high volume of heated cooling air and directing it to combustion exhaust gas regions, thereby minimizing the cooling air entering the combustion boiler and maximizing energy recovery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If long conveying distances are used for cooling hot material, then sufficient cooling is achieved, but construction space and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a pneumatic cooling system where compressed air is injected directly onto the hot material conveyor belt. This pneumatic cooling approach enables rapid heat removal over short distances, eliminating the need for long conveying paths while achieving sufficient cooling effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary cooling action by injecting compressed air immediately upon material discharge from the combustion chamber. This preliminary cooling prevents excessive temperature buildup before the material reaches the conveyor belt, enabling shorter conveying distances while maintaining cooling effectiveness.
2Temperature
If multiple cooling stages and ash comminutors are arranged in sequence, then cooling efficiency improves, but device complexity and construction space increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple cooling functions into a single integrated system. The compressed air injection system combines cooling, material conveyance, and temperature control in one unified apparatus, eliminating the need for separate cooling stages and ash comminutors that would otherwise be required.
Solution Approach 2:
The compressed air injection system serves multiple functions simultaneously: it cools the hot material, conveys the material through the housing, and controls temperature distribution. This multi-functionality replaces the need for multiple specialized devices, reducing overall system complexity.
3Temperature
If cooling air is supplied to cool hot material, then cooling is achieved, but energy recuperation is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful effect of hot cooling air (which would normally be wasted) into a useful resource. The heated cooling air is captured and directed back to the combustion chamber to preheat the combustion air, transforming energy loss into energy recovery and improving overall system efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of discarding the heated cooling air as waste, the system recovers its thermal energy by directing it back to the combustion chamber. This recovery process captures the energy that would otherwise be lost, improving overall plant efficiency while maintaining effective cooling of the hot material.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enables rapid cooling of hot materials over a short distance, reducing construction requirements and improving overall plant efficiency by effectively utilizing the energy in the hot materials, while minimizing the impact on combustion reactions and pollutant concentrations.
Implementation Method 1
cooling of the hot material by means of a cooling-air stream moving in the opposite direction to the material in the cooling region
Implementation Method 2
removal by a cooling-air shaft of at least part of the heated cooling-air stream out of a region of the cooling region
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
Method for the conveyance, cooling and energy recuperation of hot material (2) from a combustion boiler (3) of a combustion plant (4), comprising at least the following steps: a) issue of the hot material (2) from a material issue orifice (10) of a combustion boiler (3) into a capture region (7) of a housing (5), a conveyor belt (6) being arranged in the housing (5); b) conveyance of the hot material (2) through a cooling region (8) in the housing (5); c) cooling of the hot material (2) in the cooling region (8) by means of a cooling-air stream moving in the opposite direction to the material (2); d) removal of at least part of the heated cooling-air stream out of at least one region adjacent to the capture region (7) of the housing (5); e) delivery of the removed cooling-air stream to at least one region (12, 13), carrying combustion exhaust gases, of the combustion plant (4). Moreover, a corresponding apparatus for the conveyance, cooling and energy recuperation of hot material (2) from a combustion boiler (3) of a combustion plant (4) is proposed.