DEVICE FOR SAFE MANIPULATION OF POWDERY COAL

• Main Authors: HONAKER JOHN ALAN, SEXTON JAMES RUSSELL, GARBES ALLEN KENT
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 27.04.1983
• Subjects: ADDING MATERIALS TO FUELS OR FIRES TO REDUCE SMOKE ORUNDESIRABLE DEPOSITS OR TO FACILITATE SOOT REMOVAL; BLASTING; CHEMISTRY; COMBUSTION APPARATUS; COMBUSTION PROCESSES; CONVEYING; DESTRUCTIVE DISTILLATION OF CARBONAGEOUS MATERIALS FORPRODUCTION OF GAS, COKE, TAR, OR SIMILAR MATERIALS; FEEDING FUEL TO COMBUSTION APPARATUS; FIRE-FIGHTING; FIRELIGHTERS; FUELS; FUELS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL; HEATING; HUMAN NECESSITIES; LIFE-SAVING; LIGHTING; LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GAS; LUBRICANTS; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; METALLURGY; NATURAL GAS; PACKING; PEAT; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS; SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS; STORING; SYNTHETIC NATURAL GAS OBTAINED BY PROCESSES NOT COVERED BYSUBCLASSES C10G, C10K; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING ORTIPPING; TRANSPORTING; WEAPONS

A system for the safe handling of pulverized coal, which system includes conventional coal pulverizing and drying equipment, with cyclones and bag filters added, the latter serving to separate the fine coal from the conveying gas (usually air); and explosion suppression and fire suppression systems, both of which latter systems include conventional components. All three of these systems (coal preparation, explosion suppression and fire suppression) are so combined as to effect the grinding of raw coal whereby to dry and collect the pulverized coal in a oxygen containing atmosphere without property loss due to explosion or fire. A number of explosion detectors and associated extinguishers are strategically located throughout the coal preparation system so that when pressures slightly above operating pressure begin to develop, the explosion extinguishers will be actuated not only to suppress the explosion but also simultaneously to shut down the coal preparation system. Similarly, fire detectors and associated extinguishers are also strategically located throughout the system so that when temperatures slightly above process temperature are sensed the extinguishers will immediately act to suppress the fire and simultaneously shut down the coal preparation system. Preferably the fire suppression system will go into actuation prior to the explosion suppression system and when this happens, the explosion suppression system may be shut down manually if the operator decides it will not be needed, whereby to avoid the expense of having to reload the explosion suppression system.