Dry Slag Granulation Cooling Control via Energy Density
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Solution Overview
Problem
Dry slag granulation systems face challenges in optimizing air flow to prevent agglomeration while maintaining efficient waste heat recovery, as oversupply of air reduces the temperature of extracted air, limiting the effectiveness of combined slag granulation and heat recovery plants.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for controlling the supply of coolant gas to a dry slag granulation system, using height and temperature detectors to determine energy density and selectively adjust airflow to specific zones of the slag bed, ensuring efficient cooling and heat recovery by directing more airflow to areas of higher energy density.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If air is oversupplied to prevent agglomeration of granulated material, then the granulated material does not re-agglomerate, but power consumption increases and the temperature of extracted air decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the granulation chamber into multiple zones with independent cooling inlets, allowing differential air supply to different regions. This segmentation enables precise control of cooling in each zone, preventing agglomeration where needed while preserving heat in other areas for efficient waste heat recovery.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements local quality control by adjusting air supply based on local conditions in different zones. Height detectors and temperature detectors monitor each zone independently, and cooling inlets are controlled to provide localized cooling only where agglomeration risk exists, rather than uniform oversupply of air throughout the chamber.
2Reliability
If air is oversupplied to prevent agglomeration, then granulated material quality is maintained, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts air supply based on real-time monitoring of slag bed height and temperature in each zone. Rather than maintaining constant oversupply of air, the system responds to changing conditions, reducing air consumption when agglomeration risk is low while maintaining material quality when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs feedback control through height detectors and temperature detectors that continuously monitor zone conditions and adjust cooling inlet operation accordingly. This feedback mechanism ensures air is supplied only when and where needed to prevent agglomeration, optimizing both material quality and energy efficiency.
3Ease of operation
If uniform cooling is applied to the entire slag bed, then cooling simplicity is maintained, but heat recovery efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is segmented into multiple independently controlled zones, each with its own cooling inlet. This allows the system to apply cooling only to specific zones where it is needed, rather than uniformly cooling the entire slag bed, thereby preserving valuable heat for recovery while maintaining operational manageability through modular zone control.
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 optimizes air usage, preventing agglomeration while maintaining high air off-take temperatures for efficient heat recovery, reducing energy costs, and allowing for a more compact system design suitable for space-constrained environments.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of cooling inlets for cooling respective zones of the slag bed
Implementation Method 2
at least one height detector and at least one temperature detector, for determining the height and temperature of the slag bed in the zones
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3a~4
AI summary
A method of controlling a supply of coolant gas to a dry slag granulation system, the system comprising: a rotary atomising granulator; a slag receptacle, for supporting a slag bed which is formed thereon when slag particles are expelled from the granulator, the slag receptacle comprising a plurality of cooling inlets for cooling respective zones of the slag bed; and at least one height detector and at least one temperature detector, for determining the height and temperature of the slag bed in the zones, the method comprising: determining the height of the slag bed in the zones; determining the temperature of the slag bed in the zones; determining the energy density of the slag bed in the zones; and according to the energy density, selectively controlling a supply of coolant gas to the cooling inlets and thereby to the respective slag bed zones.