Flue gas desulfurization system with a stepped tray
View Patent ↗A stepped, perforated tray is provided for increasing the available gas-slurry contact area in a flue gas desulfurization chamber. The tray redirects the horizontal flow upwardly through the tray for increased surface area and contact time with slurry for removing SO x or other contaminants from a fossil fuel combustion flue gas before releasing the flue gas to the atmosphere. The tray is adaptable for use in vertical tower systems as well.
1. A flue gas desulfurization unit, comprising:
a chamber having a bottom, a sidewall and an inlet and an outlet defining a flowpath therethrough;
a stepped, perforated tray defining a plurality of open top compartments having perforated floors, the tray positioned within the chamber spanning the flowpath; and
means located above the stepped tray for spraying a slurry into the flue gas, wherein the means for spraying a slurry comprises a plurality of spray headers positioned at different vertical distances above the bottom of the chamber.
2. The desulfurization unit of claim 1 , wherein the tray is stepped downwardly from the inlet toward the outlet.
3. The desulfurization unit of claim 2 , wherein the means for spraying a slurry comprises a plurality of spray headers positioned at decreasing vertical distances above the bottom from the inlet toward the outlet.
4. The desulfurization unit of claim 1 , wherein the flue gas desulfurization unit comprises a horizontal flue gas desulfurization unit.
5. The desulfurization unit of claim 1 , wherein the flue gas desulfurization unit comprises a vertical flue gas desulfurization unit.
6. The desulfurization unit of claim 1 , wherein the stepped tray comprises a plurality of vertical supports connecting perforated horizontal plates.
7. The desulfurization unit of claim 6 , wherein the vertical supports comprise a vertical section and a perpendicular lower flange, the lower flange of each vertical support connected to an adjacent perforated plate.
8. The desulfurization unit of claim 1 , wherein the tray comprises:
a support having a vertical section and a lower flange;
a first perforated plate connected to the vertical section adjacent the lower flange; and
a second perforated plate, vertically and horizontally spaced from the first perforated plate, and connected to the vertical section above the lower flange.
9. The desulfurization unit of claim 8 , wherein the vertical section is perforated.
10. A horizontal flue gas desulfurization unit with increased flue gas contact area, comprising:
a chamber having an inlet, an outlet, a pair of side walls, and a bottom;
a stepped, perforated tray positioned within the chamber extending between the side walls forming a plurality of open top compartments having perforated floors, the tray stepped downwardly from the inlet toward the outlet; and
a plurality of spray headers extending across the chamber above the tray, the spray headers positioned at different vertical distances above a bottom of the chamber.
11. The desulfurization unit of claim 10 , wherein the spray headers are arranged so that the spray headers are decreasingly vertically positioned above the bottom from the inlet toward the outlet.
12. A flue gas desulfurization system comprising:
a chamber having a bottom, at least one side wall, a gas inlet and a gas outlet;
a stepped tray defining a plurality of open top compartments with perforated floors, the tray stepped downwardly from adjacent the gas inlet, wherein the stepped tray comprises a plurality of vertical supports connecting perforated horizontal plates, wherein the vertical supports comprise a vertical section and a perpendicular lower flange, the lower flange of each vertical support connected to an adjacent perforated plate; and
means, located above the stepped tray, for spraying a slurry against a flow of flue gases flowing upwardly through the perforated floors of the compartments.
13. A flue gas desulfurization system comprising:
a chamber having a bottom, at least one side wall, a gas inlet and a gas outlet;
a stepped tray defining a plurality of open top compartments with perforated floors, the tray stepped downwardly from adjacent the gas inlet, wherein the stepped tray comprises a plurality of vertical supports connecting perforated horizontal plates; and
means, located above the stepped tray, for spraying a slurry against a flow of flue gases flowing upwardly through the perforated floors of the compartments, wherein the means for spraying a slurry comprises a plurality of spray headers spaced above the stepped tray at different vertical distances from the chamber bottom.
14. A flue gas desulfurization system comprising:
a chamber having one or more side walls, a gas inlet and a gas outlet defining a flowpath therethrough;
a stepped tray defining a plurality of open top compartments positioned within and extending across the chamber from the one or more side walls, the tray comprising:
a support having a vertical section and a lower flange;
a first perforated plate connected to the vertical section adjacent the lower flange;
a second perforated plate, vertically and horizontally spaced from the first perforated plate, and connected to the vertical section above the lower flange; and stepped means, located above the stepped trays, for spraying a slurry against a flow of flue gases flowing upwardly through the first and second perforated plates.
15. A flue gas desulfurization system according to claim 14 , wherein the vertical section has an upper flange.
16. A flue gas desulfurization system according to claim 14 , wherein the vertical section is perforated.
17. A tray for use in a gas-liquid contact device, comprising a plurality of vertically and horizontally spaced, horizontally disposed perforated plates;
a vertical section having a lower flange;
a first perforated plate connected to the vertical section adjacent the lower flange; and
a second perforated plate, vertically and horizontally spaced from the first perforated plate and connected to the vertical section above the lower flange.
18. A tray for use in a gas-liquid contact device, comprising a plurality of vertically and horizontally spaced, horizontally disposed perforated plates;
wherein the perforated plates are arranged at decreasing elevations along the length of the tray; and
wherein the vertical section has an upper flange.
19. A tray for use in a gas-liquid contact device, comprising a plurality of vertically and horizontally spaced, horizontally disposed perforated plates;
wherein the perforated plates are arranged at decreasing elevations along the length of the tray; and
wherein the vertical section is perforated.