System for controlling coal flow in a coal pulverizer
View Patent ↗The present invention relates generally to the field of coal flow in the outlet portion of a coal pulverizer, and in particular to a new and useful system/apparatus, method and drive means for controlling the position of one or more coal flow vanes in the upper portion of a coal pulverizer. The system and/or apparatus in accordance with the present invention utilizes a “cartridge” which is insertable into a turret at the top portion of a coal pulverizer, the present invention permitting the control of one or more coal flow vanes via an internal control system/means. In certain embodiments, the “cartridge” in accordance with the present invention encircles the raw coal inlet pipe, and is insertable into a turret at the top portion of a coal pulverizer, the present invention again permitting the control of one or more coal flow vanes via an internal control system/means.
1. A system for controlling one or more coal flow vanes in a coal pulverizer via an internal control system, the internal control system comprising:
a cartridge assembly designed to operatively engage and/or be positioned in an upper portion of a coal pulverizer, the cartridge assembly comprising:
at least two coal flow vanes; and
at least one drive, or actuating, means per coal flow vane, wherein the at least one drive, or actuating, means is operatively coupled to a coal flow vane,
wherein the location of the cartridge assembly is selected so that each of the at least two coal flow vanes can affect the output of pulverized coal in at least one outlet pipe of the coal pulverizer.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the number of coal flow vanes is equal to the number of coal outlet pipes in a coal pulverizer.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the number of coal flow vanes is less than the number of coal outlet pipes in a coal pulverizer.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the number of coal flow vanes is greater than the number of coal outlet pipes in a coal pulverizer.
5. The system of claim 1 , where each coal flow vane is designed to be independently actuated.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one drive, or actuating, means per coal flow vane is selected from a rack and pinion drive, chain and sprocket drive, or a combination thereof.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the cartridge assembly is designed to operatively engage, or encircle, a portion of a coal inlet pipe in an internal portion of a coal pulverizer.
8. A system for controlling one or more coal flow vanes in a coal pulverizer via an internal control system, the internal control system comprising:
a cartridge assembly designed to operatively engage and/or be positioned in an upper portion of a coal pulverizer, the cartridge assembly comprising:
at least two coal flow vanes; and
at least one drive, or actuating, means per coal flow vane, wherein the at least one drive, or actuating, means is operatively coupled to a coal flow vane,
wherein the location of the cartridge assembly is selected so that each of the at least two coal flow vanes can affect the output of pulverized coal in at least one outlet pipe of the coal pulverizer, and wherein the at least two coal flow vanes are positioned at equal intervals around an external surface of a coal inlet pipe of the coal pulverizer.
9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the number of coal flow vanes is equal to the number of coal outlet pipes in a coal pulverizer.
10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the number of coal flow vanes is less than the number of coal outlet pipes in a coal pulverizer.
11. The system of claim 8 , wherein the number of coal flow vanes is greater than the number of coal outlet pipes in a coal pulverizer.
12. The system of claim 8 , where each coal flow vane is designed to be independently actuated.
13. The system of claim 8 , wherein the at least one drive, or actuating, means per coal flow vane is selected from a rack and pinion drive, chain and sprocket drive, or a combination thereof.
14. The system of claim 8 , wherein the cartridge assembly is designed to operatively engage, or encircle, a portion of a coal inlet pipe in an internal portion of a coal pulverizer.
15. A method for controlling the output of coal in a plurality of coal outlet pipes in a coal pulverizer, the method comprising the steps of:
modifying, or retrofitting, a portion of a coal pulverizer with a cartridge assembly designed to operatively engage and/or be positioned in an upper portion of a coal pulverizer, the cartridge assembly comprising:
at least two coal flow vanes; and
at least one drive, or actuating, means per coal flow vane, wherein the at least one drive, or actuating, means is operatively coupled to a coal flow vane; and
controlling either independently, or in combination, the at least two coal flow vanes so as to modify, or control, the amount of coal exiting at least one coal outlet pipe in a coal pulverizer,
wherein the location of the cartridge assembly is selected so that each of the at least two coal flow vanes can affect the output of pulverized coal in at least one outlet pipe of the coal pulverizer.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the number of coal flow vanes is equal to the number of coal outlet pipes in a coal pulverizer.
17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the number of coal flow vanes is less than the number of coal outlet pipes in a coal pulverizer.
18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the number of coal flow vanes is greater than the number of coal outlet pipes in a coal pulverizer.
19. The method of claim 15 , where each coal flow vane is designed to be independently actuated.
20. The method of claim 15 , wherein the at least one drive, or actuating, means per coal flow vane is selected from a rack and pinion drive, chain and sprocket drive, or a combination thereof.
21. The method of claim 15 , wherein the cartridge assembly is designed to operatively engage, or encircle, a portion of a coal inlet pipe in an internal portion of a coal pulverizer.