Conveying apparatus, systems and method

{
  "publication_number": "US9115320B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Conveying apparatus, systems and method",
  "abstract": "A conveying apparatus is provided. The conveying apparatus comprises a conveying pipeline and a supplementary gas pipeline extending into the conveying pipeline. The conveying pipeline defines an inlet and an outlet, and comprises an expanding portion defining the inlet, a shrinking portion defining the outlet, and an intermediate portion disposed between and in fluid communication with the expanding portion and the shrinking portion. A conveying apparatus and a conveying method are also presented.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A conveying apparatus for pneumatic conveyance of a solid powder, comprising: a conveying pipeline defining an inlet and an outlet, wherein the conveying pipeline comprises, an expanding portion defining the inlet; a shrinking portion defining the outlet; and an intermediate portion disposed between and in fluid communication with the expanding portion and the shrinking portion, wherein diameters of at least a section of the intermediate portion is larger than diameters of at least a section of each of the expanding portion and the shrinking portion; and a supplementary gas pipeline extending into the conveying pipeline, wherein the supplementary gas pipeline is disposed on the intermediate portion, and wherein the supplementary gas pipeline comprises an outlet disposed within the shrinking portion.",
    "2. The conveying apparatus of claim 1, wherein diameters of the expanding portion increase along a direction from the inlet to the outlet, and where diameters of the shrinking portion decrease along the direction from the inlet to the outlet.",
    "3. The conveying apparatus of claim 1, wherein a longitudinal axis of the conveying pipeline has an angle in a range of from about 70° to about 90° relative to a horizontal direction.",
    "4. The conveying apparatus of claim 1, wherein the expanding portion, the shrinking portion and the intermediate portion are integral with each other.",
    "5. A conveying system for pneumatic conveyance of a solid powder, comprising: a storage tank configured to receive a solid powder; a carrier gas pipeline in fluid communication with the storage tank; a conveying pipeline disposed downstream of and in fluid communication with the storage tank, wherein the conveying pipeline comprises, an expanding portion defining an inlet; a shrinking portion defining an outlet; and an intermediate portion disposed between and in fluid communication with the expanding portion and the shrinking portion; and a supplementary gas pipeline in fluid communication with the conveying pipeline.",
    "6. The conveying system of claim 5, wherein diameters of the expanding portion increase along a direction from the inlet to the outlet, and where diameters of the shrinking portion decrease along the direction from the inlet to the outlet.",
    "7. The conveying system of claim 5, wherein the supplementary gas pipeline is disposed on the intermediate portion, and wherein at least a portion of the supplementary gas pipeline is disposed within the conveying apparatus and extends towards the outlet of the conveying pipeline.",
    "8. The conveying system of claim 5, wherein the supplementary gas pipeline extends into the conveying pipeline and defines an outlet disposed within the shrinking portion.",
    "9. The conveying system of claim 5, further comprising a first feeding pipeline disposed between and in fluid communication with the storage tank and the conveying pipeline through the inlet of the expanding portion.",
    "10. The conveying system of claim 9, further comprising a second feeding pipeline disposed downstream of and in fluid communication with the conveying pipeline through the outlet of the shrinking portion.",
    "11. The conveying system of claim 10, wherein diameters of at least a section of the expanding portion are larger than diameters of the first feeding pipeline, and wherein diameters of at least a section of the shrinking portion are larger than diameters of the second feeding pipeline.",
    "12. The conveying system of claim 10, wherein the first and second feeding pipelines and the conveying pipeline are disposed upright relative to a horizontal direction.",
    "13. A conveying system for pneumatic conveyance of a solid powder as a gas-solid mixture, the apparatus comprising: a storage tank configured to receive a solid powder; a carrier gas pipeline disposed on the storage tank and configured to introduce a carrier gas into the storage tank to mix with the solid powder to form a gas solid mixture; a conveying pipeline disposed downstream of and in fluid communication with the storage tank, wherein the conveying pipeline comprises, an expanding portion defining an inlet; a shrinking portion defining an outlet; and an intermediate portion disposed between and in fluid communication with the expanding portion and the shrinking portion, wherein the conveying pipeline is disposed upright relative to a horizontal direction; and a supplementary gas pipeline in fluid communication with the conveying pipeline; wherein the conveying pipeline is configured so that the gas-solid mixture passes through the expanding portion, the intermediate portion, and the shrinking portion in turn.",
    "14. The conveying system of claim 13, further comprising a first feeding pipeline disposed between and in fluid communication with the storage tank and the conveying pipeline through the inlet of the expanding portion, and further comprising a second feeding pipeline disposed downstream of and in fluid communication with the conveying pipeline through the outlet of the shrinking portion."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "1. Field of the Invention\n\nEmbodiments of the present invention relate to conveying apparatuses, systems and conveyance methodologies. More particularly, the embodiments of the invention relate to conveying apparatuses, systems and conveyance methodologies for pneumatic conveyance of solid powders such as carbonaceous fuel powders into gasifiers for gasification.\n\n2. Description of the Related Art\n\nGasification is a process that enables the conversion of carbonaceous fuels, such as coal into a combustible gas, such as coal gas or synthesis gas. Generally, gasification processes include feeding carbonaceous fuels into gasifiers along with a controlled and/or limited amount of oxygen and other steams. A stable and controllable flow of such carbonaceous fuels into gasifiers is beneficial for obtaining desirable gasification performance.\n\nPneumatic conveyance technologies are often used to convey carbonaceous fuels into gasifiers. In conventional conveying systems employing pneumatic conveyance technologies, such conveying systems typically comprise storage tanks, feeding pipelines in fluid communication with the storage tanks, and a conveying pipeline disposed between and in fluid communication with the storage tanks and the gasifiers.\n\nThe storage tanks receive carbonaceous fuels and carrier gases through the feeding pipelines. With the introduction of the carrier gases into the storage tanks, the pressures of the storage tanks increase to desired levels, which are higher than pressures in the gasifiers so as to generate pressure differences between such storage tanks and gasifiers.",
  "cpc": [
    "C10J 3/506",
    "B65G 53/04",
    "B65G 53/52",
    "C10J 2200/15",
    "C10J 3/50"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B65G 51/18",
    "C10J 3/50"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "General Electric Co"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Lishun Hu",
    "Wei Chen"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2012-06-11",
  "publication_date": "2015-08-25",
  "grant_date": "2015-08-25",
  "priority_date": "2011-06-14",
  "application_number": "US-201213493964-A",
  "family_id": "47330957",
  "cited_by_count": 3,
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  ]
}