Patent · US Expired

Excess-growth control system for fluidized-bed reactor

US4177144A · kind A · utility

27Cited by
5References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 19, 1978
Grant dateDec 4, 1979
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 19, 1998

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY02W10/10
  • WIPO fieldChemical engineering
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

A control system to prevent the accumulation of excessive cellular material in a fluidized-bed reactor wherein waste water or other liquid to be processed is conducted upwardly at a velocity conducive to fluidization through a bed of particles which function as a carrier for the growth of the material. Included in the system is a separator column whose low end extends toward the fluidized bed and whose high end extends toward a head of liquid effluent which lies on the bed. In the course of reactor operation, the cellular material on the particles continues to grow, causing the bed to expand until its level reaches an alarm point indicative of excessive growth. This point is sensed to activate an agitator arrangement which effects shearing of the excess cellular material from the particles to produce in the separator column a mixture of sheared material and partially stripped carrier particles. The separator column is provided with a draw-off port somewhat below the surface of the effluent head, the exit flow rate at the draw-off port being adjusted so that the resultant upward flow velocity in the separator column is lower than the settling velocity of the carrier particles in the…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.