IP Library Granted Patent US 7,641,878
Granted Patent B2
US 7,641,878 · App. 11/358,575 · Granted Jan 5, 2010

Fly ash beneficiation systems with sulfur removal and methods thereof

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,641,878
App. No.
11/358,575
Granted
Jan 5, 2010
Kind
B2
Abstract

A system and method for beneficiation of fly ash particles which at least partially reduces sulfur emissions includes at least one mixing reactor with a chamber and at least one exhaust, at least one fly ash source connected to provide fly ash particles to the chamber, at least one sorbent source, and at least one fluid supply system. The sorbent source provides at least one type of sorbent particles to be mixed with the fly ash particles to reduce sulfur emissions. A mass of the fly ash particles in the chamber is greater than a mass of the sorbent particles in the chamber. The fluid supply system provides at least one fluid to the chamber during a beneficiation of at least a portion of the fly ash particles in the chamber.

Claims (57)

1. A system for beneficiation of fly ash particles which at least partially reduces sulfur emissions, the system comprising:

at least one mixing reactor with a chamber and at least one exhaust;

at least one fly ash source connected to provide fly ash particles to the chamber;

at least one sorbent source that provides at least one type of sorbent particles to be mixed with the fly ash particles to reduce sulfur emissions, wherein a mass of the fly ash particles in the chamber is greater than a mass of the sorbent particles in the chamber; and

at least one fluid supply system which provides at least one fluid to the chamber during a beneficiation of at least a portion of the fly ash particles in the chamber.

2. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein an operating temperature of a fluid bed of the fly ash particles with the sorbent particles in the chamber is at or below about 1375° F.

3. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein sulfur emissions in the exhaust are reduced by at least about 50%.

4. The system as set forth in claim 3 wherein sulfur emissions in the exhaust are substantially eliminated.

5. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the sorbent particles comprise at least one of calcium carbonate, magnesium carbonate, an oxide of calcium and an oxide of magnesium.

6. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the sorbent particles have an average particle size which is substantially the same size or smaller than an average particle size for the fly ash particles.

7. The system as set forth in claim 6 wherein the sorbent particles have an average size range between about 0.010 mm and 0.020 mm.

8. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein a ratio of a portion of the provided sorbent particles that reacts with sulfur to a mass of sulfur in the fly ash particles in the chamber of the mixing reactor is at least 1:1.

9. The system as set forth in claim 8 wherein the ratio of the portion of the provided sorbent particles that reacts with the sulfur to a mass of sulfur in the fly ash particles in the chamber of the reactor is at least 2:1.

10. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the at least one sorbent source provides the sorbent particles to be mixed with the fly ash particles in the chamber.

11. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the at least one sorbent source provides the sorbent particles to the at least one fly ash source to be mixed with the fly ash particles before being supplied into the chamber.

12. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the at least one sorbent source provides the sorbent particles to a circulation system before being supplied into the chamber.

13. The system as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a control system that controls an amount of a mass of the sorbent particles to be mixed with the fly ash particles.

14. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the fluid supply system further comprises:

at least one heater which heats the at least one fluid at least during a startup period; and

at least one fan which provides the at least one fluid to the at least one heater.

15. A method for making a system for beneficiation of fly ash particles which at least partially reduces sulfur emissions, the method comprising:

providing at least one mixing reactor with a chamber and at least one exhaust;

connecting at least one fly ash source to the chamber that supplies fly ash particles;

providing at least one sorbent source that supplies at least one type of sorbent particles to be mixed with the fly ash particles to reduce sulfur emissions, wherein a mass of the fly ash particles in the chamber is greater than a mass of the sorbent particles in the chamber; and

connecting at least one fluid supply system to the chamber, the fluid supply system provides at least one fluid during a beneficiation of at least a portion of the fly ash particles.

16. The method as set forth in claim 15 wherein an operating temperature of a fluid bed of the fly ash particles with the sorbent particles in the chamber is at or below about 1375° F.

17. The method as set forth in claim 15 wherein sulfur emissions in the exhaust are reduced by at least about 50%.

18. The method as set forth in claim 17 wherein sulfur emissions in the exhaust are substantially eliminated.

19. The method as set forth in claim 15 wherein the sorbent particles comprise at least one of calcium carbonate, magnesium carbonate, an oxide of calcium and an oxide of magnesium.

20. The method as set forth in claim 15 wherein the sorbent particles have an average particle size which is substantially the same size or smaller than an average particle size for the fly ash particles.

21. The method as set forth in claim 20 wherein the sorbent particles have an average size range between about 0.010 mm and 0.020 mm.

22. The method as set forth in claim 15 wherein a ratio of a portion of the provided sorbent particles that reacts with sulfur to a mass of sulfur in the fly ash particles in the chamber of the mixing reactor is at least 1:1.

23. The method as set forth in claim 22 wherein a ratio of the portion of the provided sorbent particles to a mass of sulfur in the fly ash particles in the chamber of the reactor is at least 2:1.

24. The method as set forth in claim 15 wherein the at least one sorbent source provides the sorbent particles to be mixed with the fly ash particles in the chamber.

25. The method as set forth in claim 15 wherein the at least one sorbent source provides the sorbent particles to the at least one fly ash source to be mixed with the fly ash particles before being supplied into the chamber.

26. The method as set forth in claim 15 wherein the at least one sorbent source provides the sorbent particles to a circulation system before being supplied into the chamber.

27. The method as set forth in claim 15 further comprising a control system that controls an amount of a mass of the sorbent particles to be mixed with the fly ash particles.

28. The method as set forth in claim 15 wherein the fluid supply system further comprises:

at least one heater which heats the at least one fluid at least during a startup period; and

at least one fan which provides the at least one fluid to the at least one heater.

29. A method for beneficiation of fly ash particles which at least partially reduces sulfur emissions, the method comprising:

beneficiating fly ash particles which results in an exhausting one or more gases; and

adding at least one type of sorbent particles to the fly ash particles, wherein at least a portion of the sorbent particles interact with at least a portion of the fly ash particles and exhaust gases to at least partially reduce sulfur emissions in the one or more exhausted gases, wherein a mass of the fly ash particles during the beneficiating is greater than a mass of the sorbent particles.

30. The method as set forth in claim 29 wherein an operating temperature of a fluid bed of the fly ash particles with the sorbent particles is at or below about 1375° F.

31. The method as set forth in claim 29 wherein sulfur emissions are reduced by at least about 50%.

32. The method as set forth in claim 31 wherein sulfur emissions are substantially eliminated.

33. The method as set forth in claim 29 wherein the sorbent particles comprise at least one of calcium carbonate, magnesium carbonate, an oxide of calcium and an oxide of magnesium.

34. The method as set forth in claim 29 wherein the sorbent particles have an average particle size which is substantially the same size or smaller than an average particle size for the fly ash particles.

35. The method as set forth in claim 34 wherein the sorbent particles have an average size range between about 0.010 mm and 0.020 mm.

36. The method as set forth in claim 29 wherein a ratio of a portion of the provided sorbent particles that reacts with sulfur to a mass of sulfur in the fly ash particles in the chamber of the mixing reactor is at least 1:1.

37. The method as set forth in claim 36 wherein a ratio of the portion of the provided sorbent particles that reacts with sulfur to a mass of sulfur in the fly ash particles is at least 2:1.

38. The method as set forth in claim 29 wherein the sorbent particles are mixed with the fly ash particles in a chamber of a mixing reactor.

39. The method as set forth in claim 29 wherein the sorbent particles are mixed with at least a portion of the fly ash particles in a circulation system before being supplied to a chamber of a mixing reactor.

40. The method as set forth in claim 29 further comprising controlling an amount of a mass of the sorbent particles to be mixed with the fly ash particles.

41. The method as set forth in claim 29 further comprising heating at least one fluid which is used during the beneficiating of the fly ash particles at least during a startup period.

42. The method as set forth in claim 29 wherein the beneficiation further comprises providing at least one fluid during the beneficiation.

43. The method as set forth in claim 42 wherein the providing at least one fluid further comprises heating the at least one fluid during a startup period.

Assignments (15)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS AT REEL/FRAME NO. 67963/0364 Recorded Sep 16, 2025
From: MIZUHO BANK, LTD., AS AGENT
To: EM RESOURCES LLC
Reel/Frame 072872/0638 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS AT REEL/FRAME NO. 70696/0397 Recorded Sep 15, 2025
From: JEFFERIES FINANCE LLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: EM RESOURCES LLC
Reel/Frame 072910/0155 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 1, 2025
From: EM RESOURCES LLC
To: JEFFERIES FINANCE LLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 070696/0397 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS RECORDED AT R/F 059002/0270 Recorded Feb 12, 2025
From: UMB BANK, N.A.
To: EM RESOURCES LLC (F/K/A BORAL RESOURCES LLC)
Reel/Frame 070191/0325 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jun 28, 2024
From: EM RESOURCES LLC
To: MIZUHO BANK, LTD.
Reel/Frame 067963/0364 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 20, 2024
From: MUFG BANK, LTD
To: EM RESOURCES LLC (FORMERLY KNOWN AS BORAL RESOURCES LLC)
Reel/Frame 067799/0395 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Mar 25, 2022
From: BORAL RESOURCES LLC
To: EM RESOURCES LLC
Reel/Frame 059510/0851 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 10, 2022
From: BORAL RESOURCES LLC
To: UMB BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 059002/0270 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 10, 2022
From: BORAL RESOURCES LLC
To: MUFG BANK, LTD.
Reel/Frame 059003/0211 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 29, 2018
From: PMI ASH TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
To: BORAL RESOURCES LLC
Reel/Frame 045924/0885 →
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jul 20, 2012
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
To: PMI ASH TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
Reel/Frame 028604/0551 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jan 8, 2010
From: PMI ASH TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
To: WACHOVIA BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 023768/0442 →
MERGER Recorded Jul 17, 2008
From: PMI TARGET, LLC
To: PMI ASH TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
Reel/Frame 021253/0132 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jun 6, 2008
From: PROGRESS MATERIALS, INC.
To: PMI TARGET, LLC
Reel/Frame 021050/0887 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 5, 2006
From: COCHRAN, JOSEPH W.; KIRKCONNELL, S. FRANK
To: PROGRESS MATERIALS, INC.
Reel/Frame 017751/0364 →