Method and apparatus with outlet for extracting molten salt
The invention relates to a device for drawing off liquid salt, particularly for facilities for purifying wastewater, said device comprising a heating chamber. The heating chamber comprises an inlet for introducing a salt-containing substance and is connected to an outlet for a salt melt. The outlet comprises an outlet channel and an outlet channel end, a cooling region for cooling the salt melt being provided downstream of the outlet channel end. The outlet channel is peripherally surrounded by an outlet wall at least along a section, the outlet comprising a heating element.
1. An apparatus for extracting molten salt from a saline solution, the apparatus comprising:
tube walls forming a heating chamber for heating the solution sufficiently to melt salt therein and having an inlet receiving the saline solution and an outlet for the molten salt, the outlet having a passage defined by an outlet wall and having a passage end from which the molten salt exits the chamber;
a cooling station for receiving the molten salt from the outlet and then cooling and solidifying the molten salt; and
a heating element in the outlet.
2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the outlet has a trough.
3. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the outlet is constructed such that a gas heated by and emanating from the heating element can flow inside the passage and below the molten salt in the passage.
4. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein an outlet end of the passage has a trap for preventing outside air from entering into the passage.
5. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein an inner wall of the outlet has a ceramic layer.
6. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the passage end opens downward.
7. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the outlet is on a lateral wall of the heating chamber.
8. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the outlet has at least one inspection window.
9. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the outlet has a removable lid.
10. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the outlet has at least one temperature sensor.
11. The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a scrubber in the outlet.
12. The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a conveyor in the cooling station below the passage end positioned such that the molten salt can fall onto the conveyor from the passage end.
13. A method of extracting molten salt with the apparatus according to claim 1 from a saline solution, the method comprising the steps of:
heating the heating chamber to vaporize the saline solution and melt the salt therein;
flowing the molten salt from the heating chamber along a passage of an outlet until reaching an end of the outlet;
heating walls of the outlet to prevent solidification of the molten salt therein; and
cooling the molten salt downstream of the passage end in a cooling station at least until solidified.
14. The method according to claim 13 , further comprising the steps of:
guiding the molten salt in the passage along an outlet trough, and
heating a gas with the heating element and flowing the heated gas flow around the outlet trough in its complete periphery at least along a portion of the trough.
15. The method according to claim 13 , further comprising the step of:
cooling walls of the chamber such that at least some of the fused salt in the chamber solidifies as a layer on the walls.