Methods and systems for improved quench tower design
The present technology describes methods and systems for an improved quench tower. Some embodiments improve the quench towers ability to recover particulate matter, steam, and emissions that escape from the base of the quench tower. Some embodiments improve the draft and draft distribution of the quench tower. Some embodiments include one or more sheds to enlarge the physical or effective perimeter of the quench tower to reduce the amount of particulate matter, emissions, and steam loss during the quenching process. Some embodiments include an improved quench baffle formed of a plurality of single-turn or multi-turn chevrons adapted to prevent particulate matter from escaping the quench tower. Some embodiments include an improved quench baffle spray nozzle used to wet the baffles, suppress dust, and/or clean baffles. Some embodiments include a quench nozzle that can fire in discrete stages during the quenching process.
1. A system for quenching coke, the system comprising:
a quench tower comprising a first region and a second region disposed over the first region, the quench tower including a plurality of sidewalls that together define (i) an open upper area having a first perimeter at the second region and (ii) a first opening in the first region, the first opening being configured to receive a train car containing coke, wherein the train car has a train car perimeter smaller than the first perimeter, and wherein the first region has a second perimeter including (i) a first pair of parallel sides that extends beyond a corresponding first pair of parallel sides of the first perimeter and (ii) a second pair of parallel sides that do not extend beyond a corresponding second pair of parallel sides of the first perimeter; a plurality of quench baffles disposed in the second region of the quench tower, at least a portion of the quench baffles including multi-turn chevrons extending toward the first region; a quench spray nozzle array comprising a plurality of quench spray nozzles disposed below the plurality of quench baffles and extending toward the first region, the quench spray nozzles being configured to spray fluid toward the first region; and a baffle spray nozzle coupled to the quench tower below the quench baffles and positioned to spray fluid onto the quench baffles.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the quench spray nozzles include a first nozzle disposed at a first angle relative to one of the sidewalls and a second nozzle disposed at a second angle relative to the one of the sidewalls, the first angle being different than the second angle.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the baffle spray nozzle is in the second region vertically between the quench spray nozzle array and the quench baffles.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the baffle spray nozzle is mechanically coupled directly to a sidewall of the quench tower via a mount, and is angled upward toward the quench baffles.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the baffle spray nozzle is a first baffle spray nozzle positioned below the quench baffles, the system further comprising a second baffle spray nozzle positioned above the quench baffles.
6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the quench baffles are a first plurality of quench baffles, the quench tower further comprising a third region disposed over the second region, the system further comprising a second plurality of quench baffles disposed in the third region of the quench tower and including chevrons extending toward the second region.
7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the second baffle spray nozzle is positioned vertically between the first plurality of quench baffles and the second plurality of quench baffles, the second baffle spray nozzle being angled upward toward the second plurality of quench baffles and configured to spray fluid at the second plurality of quench baffles.
8. The system of claim 7 , further comprising a third baffle spray nozzle positioned vertically above the second plurality of quench baffles and configured to spray fluid at the second plurality of quench baffles.
9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the quench tower further comprises one or more second openings configured to receive ambient air from an area outside the sidewalls, the one of more second openings being positioned such that, in operation, the ambient air received from the one or more second openings enters the first region at an elevation below a portion of the train car containing the coke.
10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second pair of parallel sides of the second perimeter extends beyond the corresponding second pair of parallel sides of the first perimeter.
11. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least three of sides of the first second perimeter include an opening.
12. A system for quenching coke, the system comprising:
a quench tower comprising (i) a plurality of sidewalls at least partially defining a structure and an open top having a first perimeter, and (ii) a base region having a second perimeter and an entrance configured to receive a train car, wherein the train car has a train car perimeter configured to contain coke and that is smaller than the first perimeter, and wherein the second perimeter incudes (i) a first pair of parallel sides that extends beyond a corresponding first pair of the parallel sides of the first perimeter and (ii) a second pair of parallel sides that do not extend beyond a corresponding second pair of parallel sides of the perimeter;
a plurality of quench baffles disposed in an interior portion of the quench tower above the base region, at least a portion of the quench baffles including multi-turn chevrons extending toward the base region; a quench spray nozzle array disposed in the interior portion of the quench tower and comprising a plurality of quench spray nozzles disposed adjacent the plurality of quench baffles and extending toward the base region, the quench spray nozzles being configured to spray fluid toward the base region; and a baffle spray nozzle disposed in the interior portion of the quench tower vertically between the quench spray nozzle array and a bottommost portion of the quench baffles and positioned to spray fluid toward the quench baffles.
13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the quench tower comprises one or more openings in the sidewalls of the base region, the one or more openings being configured to receive ambient air from outside the quench tower and direct the ambient air toward the open top of the quench tower.
14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the one of more openings are positioned such that, in operation, the ambient air received from the one or more openings enters the first region at an elevation below a portion of the train car containing the coke.
15. The system of claim 12 , wherein the baffle spray nozzle is mechanically coupled to one of the sidewalls of the quench tower and is angled upward toward the plurality of quench baffles.
16. The system of claim 12 , wherein the baffle spray nozzle is mechanically coupled to a sidewall of the quench tower via a mount, is angled upward toward the quench baffles.
17. The system of claim 12 , wherein the quench spray nozzles include a first nozzle disposed at a first angle relative to one of the sidewalls and a second nozzle disposed at a second angle relative to the one of the sidewalls, the first angle being different than the second angle.
18. The system of claim 12 , wherein the baffle spray nozzle is a first baffle spray nozzle positioned below the quench baffles, the system further comprising a second baffle spray nozzle positioned above the quench baffles.
19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the quench baffles are a first plurality of quench baffles, the system further comprising a second plurality of quench baffles disposed above the first plurality of quench baffles and including chevrons extending toward the base region.
20. The system of claim 19 , wherein the second baffle spray nozzle is positioned vertically between the first plurality of quench baffles and the second plurality of quench baffles, the second baffle spray nozzle being angled upward toward the second plurality of quench baffles and configured to spray fluid on the second plurality of quench baffles.