KR20140122260A - Method and system for generating sulfur seeds in a moving liquid - Google Patents

Abstract

Sulfur seeds can be produced by spraying liquid molten sulfur into a moving stream of liquid from a sulfur spray nozzle. Some of the sulfur may pass through the liquid and some of the sulfur may be entrained in and carried by the stream of liquid, or all the sulfur may be entrained in the stream of liquid. The sulfur droplets entrained in the stream of liquid can be carried by the liquid to a cooling tank, which can be a spiral dehydrator tank with an angled bottom and a screw conveyor. The opening may be made on the bottom surface of the screw conveyor housing of the spiral dehydrator tank so that liquid is drained from the screw conveyor when the sulfur seeds are moved from the tank to the drum. The screen can be disposed across the opening and the drain trough is attached to the screw conveyor housing to capture any liquids and solids that travel through the screen. The cleaning line can assist in moving the solids passing through the screen.

Description

METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR GENERATING SULFUR SEEDS IN A MOVING LIQUID Field of the Invention [0001]

This application is a continuation in part of pending U.S. Application No. 12 / 953,512, filed November 24, 2010, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all purposes.

The present invention relates to the field of converting molten sulfur (or sulfur) into a sulfur seed using a moving liquid.

Sulfur is an important industrial product most commonly produced in the form of molten liquid as a by-product from oil and gas refining. Most liquid sulfur is solidified into various "forms" such as granules, tablets or prills to facilitate transportation and use. The various forms are produced commercially by different processes. The granules are produced by enlarging the "seeds" in the granulating drum; The tablets are formed by placing sulfur droplets on a continuous stainless steel belt; Frills are produced by dropping liquid sulfur in a water bath of cooling water. While tablets and frills are produced by solidifying single sulfur droplets, the production of granules requires "seed" particles to begin the growth process.

The criteria for evaluating sulfur products have been established by the Sulfur Development Institute of Canada (SUDIC). Under these criteria, the shape and particle size distribution of the sulfur forms is generally spherical with a diameter between 2 mm and 6 mm. Sulfur forms are classified as "high quality product" or "standard product" depending on shape, particle size distribution, moisture content, and friability. Sulfur granules and tablets meet the high quality product specifications in all respects. Wet frills do not meet the high product specification for moisture and are therefore considered "standard product ". It will be appreciated that the sulfur seed may be sulfur particles in industry and the sulfur particles should be sulfur granules requiring further growth to achieve maximum commercial value. It is generally considered that the sulfur seed is less than 2 mm in diameter.

The three commercial forming processes also differ in the way that heat is removed to effect the sulfur melting and cooling of the solid particles. In drum granulation, the sulfur is cooled by transferring heat to the atmosphere inside the drum, and the temperature is controlled by evaporation of the water droplets that are sprayed onto the drum. The tablets are cooled by spraying water down the stainless steel belt and the stainless steel belt is in turn cooled by evaporation in the cooling tower. The wet prills are cooled by transferring heat to the water tank, which is in turn cooled by evaporation in a cooling tower.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,213,924 to Shirley discloses a method for producing sulfur granules in a rotary drum with lifting flights wherein the lifting flights lift the seeds and the seeds then fall off the flights as curtains and then the seeds are coated with a spray of liquid sulfur To produce sulfur granules. The product discharged from the drum is screened and seeds that are not properly grown return to the conveyors and are cooled or heated before they are recycled into the input end of the drum. Also, No. 4,213,924 (Shirley) proposes to crush the oversized product discharged from the granulating drum and recycle the crushed material as a seed or as a recycled material in the drum. A disadvantage of pulverization is that dust is generated which can be released into the surrounding environment. Dust can be explosive and / or unhealthy. Also, the ground product is not constant in size or is not a spherical shape.

In the past, it has been proposed that the fans force the circulation of air through the poling curtains for improved cooling. The more cooled sulfur products are less brittle and tend to be less susceptible to "caking" or " clumping "upon storage. However, the fans become unbalanced due to the sulfur accumulated on the blades.

U.S. Pat. 4,272,234 (Tse) suggests that sulfur seeds are formed in the granulation drum by raising the temperature of the rotating bed of sulfur particles for a short period of time. The sulfur sprayed onto the poling particles in a particular region of the drum is not immediately solidified but remains soft or in a fired state on the surface of the particles and when the particles are tumbled in the bed the polishing action of the other particles is about 0.1 It is proposed to break off into soft coatings of small pieces having a diameter in the range of about 1.0 mm to about 1.0 mm.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,507,335 (Mathur) discloses a process for producing sulfur sulphide particles in a granulated drum, in which the liquid sulfur droplets present at the outer edges of a thin flat spray plume are solidified into the seeds before contacting the poling curtain of solid sulfur particles, Lt; / RTI > U.S. Pat. No. 5,435,945 (De Paoli et al.) Proposes to generate sulfur seeds in the granulation drum by crossing a molten sulfur spray with a water spray or by generating a spray of sulfur droplets to allow solidification in the atmosphere within the granulation drum do.

The disadvantage of producing seeds in the granular growth drum is that the conditions required in the drum for optimal granule generation are not the same as those required for optimal seed generation. This typically requires a skilled technician to monitor and operate the system.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,638,076 (Koten) discloses a process for producing solid frills by passing molten sulfur through an overflow filter, a drip tray with a heating channel, an injection conduit for transfer to a cooled zone of the water, Curved screen and vibrating screen.

There is a need for a method and system for more efficiently generating sulfur seeds for use in growth into sulfur granules. It is possible to substantially eliminate the need to screen the drum output and recycle the under-sized product by conveyors back to the drum input end, as the sulfur granules are produced in a one-pass continuous growth process through the granulation drum at reasonably high production rates It would be desirable to control the size distribution and generation rate of the seeds in a manner that directly corresponds to the growth requirements to make them grow. There is also a need to improve the rate at which the granules are cooled in the drum to realize improved product quality and higher production rates.

Sulfur seeds can be produced by spraying liquid molten sulfur into a moving stream of liquid, such as water or other cooling medium, from a sulfur spray nozzle. The spray nozzle can spray molten sulfur in the same direction as the flow of the moving liquid. In one embodiment, a portion of the sulfur may pass through the liquid and a portion of the sulfur may be entrained in and carried by the stream of liquid. Sulfur droplets passing through the stream of liquid may fall into the cooling tank. In yet another embodiment, all of the sulfur is maintained in a stream of liquid. The sulfur droplets entrained in the stream of liquid can be carried by the liquid to the cooling tank. The cooling tank may be a spiral dehydrator tank having an angled bottom and a screw conveyor and in this case the screw conveyor may transport the seeds to a granulating drum used to grow the seeds from the bottom of the tank into the sulfur granules. In one embodiment, the spreading trough may be located at an elevation higher than the cooling tank to provide a broad stream contact of liquid to the sulfur spray so that the stream is not present in the container upon contact with the sulfur spray. The water may be supplied to the spreading trough from the wet scrubber.

The opening may be made on the bottom surface of the screw conveyor housing of the spiral dehydrator tank so that liquid is drained from the screw conveyor when the sulfur seeds are moved from the tank to the granulating drum. In one embodiment, the opening may be substantially the same length as the screw conveyor housing. The screen can be disposed across the opening and the drain trough is attached to the screw conveyor housing to capture any liquids and solids that travel through the screen. The screen size may be selected to minimize the number of solids passing through the screen. The drainage trough may be angled to support transport of the contents returning to the spiral dehydrator tank. In one embodiment, the pipe can carry the contents of the drainage trough to a spiral dehydrator tank. In an embodiment, a liquid, such as water, can be supplied to the drain trough to ensure that solids passing through the screen into the trough are transferred to the spiral dehydrator tank. The water may be supplied from a cleaning line bypassed from the pipe connected to the spiral dehydrator tank to the wet scrubber.

A better understanding will be given by way of example only and as a result of the following detailed description of the various disclosed embodiments in non-limiting Figures:

Figure 1 shows a sulfur seed with a cooling tank with a screw conveyor arranged with a granulation drum and a sulfur granulation system comprising a wet scrubber with a cyclone, an air fan, a belt conveyor and air, liquid sulfur and water lines ≪ / RTI > is a schematic diagram of an exemplary system layout of spray nozzles.
2A is an isometric view of a sulfur seed generating system having a plurality of sulfur seed generating nozzles located with two sulfur seed header conduits, a spiral dehydration cooling tank with top cover removed, and an inner screw conveyor.
FIG. 2B is a plan view of FIG. 2A.
Figure 2C is an end view of Figure 2A.
FIG. 2D is a front view of FIG. 2A.
Figure 2e is an isometric view of the ten sulfur-generating nozzles attached to two sulfur seed header conduits by the hoses.
2F is a detailed view of the sulfur seed nozzle of FIG. 2E.
Figure 3a is an isometric view of a sulfur seed generation system disposed with a granulation drum system.
FIG. 3B is a plan view of FIG. 3A.
Figure 3c is an end view of Figure 3a.
Figure 3d is a front view of Figure 3a.
Figure 4a is an isometric view of an inner portion of a granulating drum having a plurality of sets of segmented lifting flights and ribs attached between the flights and the inner surface of the drum, some of which are not aligned.
Figure 4b is similar to Figure 4a in which one set of segmented lifting flights reside adjacent to the retaining ring at one end of the drum.
4C is a detail view of the rib members and portions of the lifting flights in FIG. 4B.
Figure 4d is an isometric view of the three sets of rib members, each set of ribs supporting a set of three lifting flights, one set of lifting flights being parallel to the drum axis of rotation and three sets of lifting flights The two are not parallel to the drum axis of rotation.
Figure 5 shows a rib member that allows to obtain the required growth from the sulfur spray nozzles for the finer grained particles rather than to travel through the gap for the more coarse grained particles to avoid growth by the sulfur spray Sectional views detailing a granulating drum having a gap between the drum and lifting flights generated by the granulating drum.
FIG. 6 shows a cross-sectional view of a portion of a plurality of sets of segmented lifting flights and ribs that are attached between the flights and the inner surface of the drum, a liquid sulfur header line (nozzles not shown) and a plurality of water nozzles Is an isometric view of the inner portion of the granulating drum with one water header line.
Figure 7 shows a schematic partial cut-away view of an alternate embodiment of the seed input end of a granulating drum without lifting flights in that the segment of the drum and the membrane are attached to the inner surface of the drum adjacent to the retaining ring by membrane- Fig.
7A is a cross-sectional view of the drum of FIG. 7 showing the inner surface of the drum and the attached membrane by the sulfur seeds and the attachment strips falling into the seed bed.
8 is an isometric view of a spiral dehydrator cooling tank having a cleaning conveyor housing and a cleaning line attached to one end of the attached drain trough and drain trough and bypassed from the pipe below the screw conveyor housing.
Fig. 9 is a plan view of Fig. 8. Fig.
9A is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 9A-9A in Fig.
9B is a cross-sectional view taken along line 9B-9B of Fig.
FIG. 9B is a sectional view taken along the line 9C-9C in FIG. 9. FIG.
10 is a detailed view of the detailed area 10A of Fig.
11 is a front view of Fig.
11A is a sectional view taken along the line 1 lA-11A in Fig.
Figure 12 is a schematic front view of a sulfur spray in which a portion of the sulfur is accompanied by a liquid flowing from the trough and a portion of the sulfur passes through the liquid.
13 is a schematic front view of a sulfur spray in which all the sulfur is accompanied by a liquid flowing from the trough;

In Fig. 1, the sulfur seed generating system 5 includes sulfur seed generating nozzles 2 (shown in detail in Figs. 2E and 2F) and a cooling or forming tank 4. The cooling tank 4 may be a spiral dehydrator tank having an angled bottom surface and a screw conveyor or auger 20, as shown in Figures 2A-2D. Other cooling tank configurations are also contemplated. 1, the liquid sulfur is pumped through the liquid sulfur supply line 14 by the liquid sulfur pump 22. [ The liquid sulfur may be diverted from the line 14 to the sulfur seed line 26 for transfer to the tank 4 through the sulfur seed nozzles 2 in the form of a spray (or droplet). The cooling tank 4 contains a liquid, such as water, to cool and solidify the molten sulfur spray. Other liquids, fluids or cooling water are contemplated. The sulfur seeds formed by the interaction of the liquid and the sulfur spray settle in the tank 4. The sulfur seeds produced by the system 5 may typically be spherical in shape between 0.1 and 2 mm in diameter and may require further growth to meet SUDIC size specifications to achieve maximum commercial value.

The seeds produced in the tank 4 may be conveyed to the granulating drum 6 by a conveyor belt or a screw conveyor such as a drag chain or an auger 20 or other transportation means. The auger 20 may extend above the level of the cooling medium in the tank 4 to allow the accompanying cooling medium to drain back into the tank 4. The dehydration of the seeds can minimize the potential for the seeds to be clustered together at the drum (6).

The sulfur line 14 provides sulfur to the drum 6 for growing sulfur seeds with granules. The air line 16 provides air to the drum 6 and air in the drum can be initially drawn through the cooling tank cover 76 located above the tank 4 so that it can be deployed from the cooling liquid surface Collect any vapors. The water line 18 is connected to the water pump 24 and the water filter 40 to provide water to the drum 6.

The sulfur supply line 14 may include measurement devices 27, 28, 32 and an ON / OFF valve 30. [ The measuring devices, sensors or indicators 27, 28, 32 may measure temperature, pressure, and / or flow rate. The measuring device 32 located downstream of the intersection of the supply line 14 and the sulfur seed line 26 can monitor for excess pressure and underpressure conditions that cause a system shutdown. Although a single device may be shown for all of the measurement devices, sensors, or indicators in FIG. 1, a single device may be configured to measure one or more conditions, such as independent devices, to measure temperature, pressure, flow rate, Device. The output of all of the measurement devices shown in FIG. 1 may be interrogated by a computer, processor, control logic, or a control system such as a microprocessor (not shown). The control system can display the measured values, modularize the process control valves and pumps, start the system, and shut down the system. The sulfur feed line 14 and the sulfur seed line 26 may be steam jacketed to maintain liquid sulfur in a liquid state for delivery. The steam can be supplied to the jackets by the steam line 34. The condensate produced as a result of heat transfer from the steam can be passed to the condensate line 34A via the steam trap 34B of the conventional configuration.

The sulfur pump 22 is provided with seed generating nozzles 2 disposed together with the tank 4 and thus disposed outside the drum 6 and a sulfur generator 22 disposed inside the drum for sulfur granulation growth nozzles It is ensured that the flow rate is supplied. The sulfur pump 22 may be a positive displacement gear type pump typically equipped with a temperature sensor and a pressure relief valve. Other types of pumps are also contemplated. The sulfur flow rate to the drum can be measured by the measuring device 28 and the flow rate at the seed line 26 is the difference between the flow rate measured by the device 27 and the flow rate measured by the device 28 . The liquid sulfur flow rate to the drum can be controlled by changing the speed of the sulfur pump motor using a variable-frequency drive (VFD). The velocity can be set by the control system according to the flow rate provided by the flow measurement device 27. [

In the sulfur supply line 14, the liquid sulfur pressure may be sufficient so that a pressure boost by the sulfur pump 22 is not necessary. The pump 22 is bypassed in the loop and the pump 22 can be turned off by the control system if the sulfur flow rate is met, but the sulfur pump motor amps remain below the set point for a given period of time. The flow rate of the sulfur in the seed line 26 can be controlled by the flow control valve 180 in the seed line 26 and the flow rate to the drum 6 can be controlled by the seed line 26 when the pump 22 is in the OFF state. 26 by the flow control valve 181 in the feed line 14 downstream of the intersection. The control system may turn on the pump 22 in the ON state if the sulfur flow rate is maintained below one or more predetermined setpoints for a given period of time. When the pump is ON, control of the sulfur flow rate to the seed nozzles 2 outside the drum 6 and the granulation nozzles inside the drum 6 is performed by the sulfur pump VFD.

The granulating drum 6 grows the seeds received in the granules from the cooling tank 4 by increasing the seed diameters by a plurality of coatings of solidified liquid sulfur. The drum 6 can be angled so that the elevation of the discharge end is smaller than the inlet end. The tilt angle can be from 0 to 5 degrees, but other angles are also considered. The flow, temperature, and pressure of the liquid sulfur to the drum 6 can be monitored and controlled. Sulfur pressure can serve as a diagnostic tool. The liquid sulfur temperature and the sulfur granulation temperature may assist the control system in determining the required cooling water flow rate to the drum 6 and the corresponding volume of effluent discharged by the exhaust fan 36. The drum 6 can be rotated with the VFD motor to allow the operator to vary the rotational speed of the drum. The drum torque values may be provided by motor amp readings to alert the operator of any significant changes under load. The drum 6 may be instrumented with a speed switch that shuts down the system when the drum 6 stops spinning.

The belt conveyor 10 transports the finished granules to downstream storage and processing facilities. The conveyor 10 may be provided with one or more measuring devices including a motion detector, a misalignment detector, and a manual pull cord. The system may be shut down based on signals from any belt conveyor measurement devices. The temperature of the sulfur granules on the conveyor 10 may be monitored by a measuring device 182, which may be an infrared (IR) device. The granulation temperature can be received in the control system to control the flow rate of the effluent extracted by the fan 36 and the water to the drum 6. [

The water supply line 18 supplies the cooling water to the drum 6. The water conveyed to the drum 6 is sprayed through the water nozzles to effect the required cooling by evaporation. The seed water line 38 bypasses the feed line 18 and supplies the makeup water to the cooling tank 4.

The water pump 24 may be a multi-stage centrifugal pump that allows a high discharge pressure. A recycle loop with a pressure relief valve from pump discharge to pump suction can be used to protect line 18 from excess pressure. Other types of pumps are also contemplated. The flow measurement device 183 on the pump discharge side can provide the water requirements of the system. In line 18, the measurement devices 184 and 185 may be used to measure pressure, temperature, and / or flow rate for monitoring and control purposes. The replenishment water to the tank 4 through the water line 38 may be required to supplement the evaporation of the water exiting the drum 6 and the process water warmed in the wet scrubber 8 together with the seeds. The makeup water can be modulated by the control valve 180A in the line 38 corresponding to the water level measured by the level measuring device 187 in the pump section of the cooling tank 4. [ The measurement device 188 may be located on line 26 to monitor pressure and temperature for diagnostic and / or control purposes.

The desired water flow to the drum 6 can be determined from several inputs and compared to the flow measured by the measuring device 183 on the discharge side of the water pump 24 at the water supply line 18 . The output of the measuring device 183 controls the position of the flow valve 186 in the water supply line 18 and confirms the water flow into the drum 6, Lt; / RTI > The water flow rate to the drum 6 can be strictly estimated in relation to the heat emitted by the sulfur solidification process. The computed water flow rate can be affected by errors since the water introduced into the drum 6, such as the moisture associated with the seed stream, can not be measured. In this case, the flow valve in line 18 can be manually trimmed if desired.

The air supplied through the air supply line 16 gradually becomes hotter or dewatered as it moves through the drum as a result of the heat transfer from the granules to the water spray generating water vapor from the granules. The wet scrubber 8 of conventional construction and operation captures and removes the sulfur dust and sulfur mist present in the drum effluent from the drum effluent line 58, moving out of the drum. The process water in the cooling tank 4 flowing across the cooling tank weir 46 can be pumped through the wet scrubber line 12 by a wet scrubber feed pump 44 to a scrubber 8 have. The measurement device 48 in the line 12 may provide temperature, pressure, and / or flow measurements.

Process water having sulfur dust particles collected in the cyclone 64 of the wet scrubber 8 flows through the line 52 to the cooling tank feed pump 42 and the cooling tank feed pump 42 feeds the dust particles The slurry is again pumped into the cooling tank (4) which will be accompanied by the sulfur seed droplets. The sulfur dust in the cooling tank can be captured by contact with molten sulfur droplets streaming below the cooling liquid column so that the dust particles are contained in the droplets, thereby being converted to a substantially spherical seed. It is also contemplated that the dust particles may be allowed to settle out in some other tank or system. The balance between the water from the wet scrubber 8 and the water to the wet scrubber 8 can be maintained by controlling the water level at the bottom of the cyclone 64. The measurement device 50 at the cyclone slurry output line 52 may monitor the water level. The water level can be maintained by the VFD control of the pump 42 motor speed. The measuring device 54 in the line 52 on the discharge side of the pump 42 is capable of measuring temperature and pressure. All of the heat transferred to the fluid in the tank 4 as a result of seeding may be rejected by evaporation in the wet scrubber so that the temperature of the fluid in line 52 is less than the temperature of the fluid in line 12. [ It is expected to be cooled. The line 52 may include a heat exchanger (not shown) to further cool the fluid returning to the tank 4. Heat absorbed by the heat exchanger can be removed using a suitable cooling device such as a cooling tower or air cooler.

The measuring device 56 in the drum effluent line 58 to the wet scrubber 8 can measure the temperature. The measuring device 60 in the cyclone air output line 62 connected to the fan 36 is capable of measuring the temperature. The pressure difference can also be measured across the wet scrubber (8). The fan 36 moves air through the system at a flow rate controlled by the VFD in the fan motor. The fan 36 may be protected by a vibration switch. The effluent flow rate required to maintain the desired sulfur product temperature is dependent on several parameters including ambient dry bulb temperature, ambient humidity, liquid sulfur temperature, liquid sulfur flow rate, sulfur product temperature, water flow rate and temperature, and drum effluent temperature and humidity Can be subordinate. The humidity of the drum effluent can be derived from several inputs since direct measurements may not be reliable at high temperature and humidity conditions. The fan 36 VFD may be manually trimmed to accommodate any uncertainties at the determined humidity.

Referring to Figures 2a-2d, a seed generation system 5 with a cooling tank 4 is shown. In this embodiment, the cooling tank 4 is a spiral dehydrator tank having a screw conveyor or auger 20. Helical dehydrator tanks are available from Metso Corporation of Helsinki, Finland. The tank 4 is disposed on the tank support structure or skid 80A to facilitate transport in different locations and setups for rapid operation. The tank 4 is filled with a cooling liquid 72 such as water. Other liquids, fluids and cooling water are contemplated. The liquid 72 temperature may be between 65 ° C and 75 ° C, or nearly 70 ° C, although other temperatures are also contemplated. The height of the weir 46 in the tank 4 can be adjusted to change the depth of the water column relative to the seed droplets to solidify in the tank. It is contemplated that the water will overflow the weir 46 because the water can circulate continuously.

The tank cover or hood 76 (shown in FIG. 3A) located above the tank 4 has been removed. First and second sulfur seed header conduits 70A and 70B disposed with the tank 4 are in fluid communication with the sulfur seed spray nozzles 2 and are shown in detail in Figures 2e and 2f. Returning to Figures 2a-2d, it is contemplated that the tank 4 is deep enough to allow the sulfur seed droplets to solidify until the droplets reach the floor of the tank. The tank depth may be 96 inches (2.4 m) at the deep end and 31 inches (0.8 m) at the shallow end; The tank width may be 78 inches (2 m) at the wide end and 24 inches (0.6 m) at the narrow end, but other depths and widths are also contemplated.

The cyclone slurry output line 52 shown in Figure 1 transports the water and sulfur particle mixture from the drum 6 and the wet scrubber 8 into the tank 4 as shown in Figures 2a, 2b and 2d . Tank 4 can be used both to produce seeds from the sulfur transferred by nozzles 2 in the manner described above with FIG. 1 and to remove the sulfur dust received from line 52. It is also contemplated that the sulfur dust removal process and the seed generation process can be separated. The liquid flow in the tank 4 is generally from right to left as shown in Figures 2a and 2d. In Fig. 2B, the sulfur seed nozzles 2 are attached in fluid communication with the first sulfur seed header conduit 70A and the second sulfur seed header conduit 70B. In FIG. 2d, the sulfur seed feed line 26 from FIG. 1 is shown coupled to the second header conduit 70B.

In Fig. 2E, a dozen sulfur seed nozzles 2 are attached to the first header 70A and the second header 70B by means of a number of sulfur seed tubings or hoses 74. The tubing 74 may be insulated. Other attachment means are also contemplated, including attaching the nozzles 2 directly to the header conduits 70A, 70B. The header input conduit 71 may be in fluid communication with the sulfur seed feed line 26 of FIG. The nozzles 2 may be oriented or arranged at an angle from the horizontal towards the liquid 72 in the tank 4, such as from 45 down to 45 degrees, but other angles are also contemplated. The nozzles 2 can be rotated at different angles. The nozzles 2 may be disposed a predetermined distance from the liquid 72 in the tank 4. The distance may be 12 inches (30.5 cm), but other distances are also contemplated. The nozzles can be spaced approximately 12.4 inches (314 mm), but other distances are also considered. The nozzles 2 may be conventional fluid spray nozzles, such as those available from Spraying Systems Company of Carol Stream, Illinois.

The orifice size and spray angle of the nozzles 2 may be selected and / or configured for optimal seed generation. It is contemplated that the equivalent diameter of the orifice may be 4.4 mm, but other equivalent orifice diameters such as 1.4 to 5.8 mm are contemplated. It is contemplated that the spray angle may be 65 DEG, but other angles of 25 DEG to 90 DEG are contemplated. The considered nozzle 2 may correspond to a 6550 flat fan nozzle available from Spraying Systems Company, but other types and manufacturers are also contemplated. The sulfur pressure at which the nozzle 2 operates will vary depending on the number, type, and size of the nozzles 2 required to achieve the required flow rate. A spray pressure of between 5 psi and 200 psi is considered.

While nozzles 2 with a conical spray and / or deflected spray containing a hollow fan cone and / or a full cone may be selected, such as flat fan spray (tapered, even and / or biased) Other spray types are also considered. Different spray tips can be installed to vary the spray pattern and droplet size distribution. It is also contemplated that the headers 70A, 70B and the attached nozzles 2 may have different orifices, spray angles, angles oriented from horizontal and / or other features, respectively. It is contemplated that a further number of nozzles 2, such as four to sixteen nozzles 2, are used, although the ten sulfur seed nozzles 2 are shown in Figure 2e.

The pressure and / or flow rate of sulfur moving through the sulfur seed nozzles can be adjusted by the control system to increase or decrease the amount and particle size of the resulting sulfur seeds. The nozzle orifice size, spray angle, and / or other characteristics may also be selected to vary the seed size and generation rate.

It is contemplated that the sulfur seed nozzles of the tenon 10 having an interval of 314 mm (12.4 inches) and an angle of 45 degrees downward from the horizontal, such as that shown in Figure 2e, may be used. Other configurations and distances are also contemplated. Each seed nozzle may have a flat fan pattern with a spray angle of 65 °, an equivalent orifice of 4.4 mm, and a liquid sulfur pressure of 45 psi. Other configurations, pressures and sizes are also contemplated. Model 6550 nozzles from Spraying Systems Company give the spray angle and size considered. Seeds produced with a liquid sulfur pressure of 15 psi and a 6550 flat fan nozzle oriented at 45 degrees downward from the horizontal produce seeds of about 97.7 wt% smaller than 2.36 mm and seeds of about 98.4 wt% larger than 0.3 mm It is contemplated that 96 wt% seeds may be 2.36 to 0.3 mm. At a liquid sulfur pressure of 45 psi, the size distribution can be transferred to 98 wt% seeds smaller than 2.0 mm and to 98 wt% seeds larger than 0.15 mm, so 96 wt% seeds can be 2.0 to 0.15 mm . Other distributions and sizes are also contemplated.

The sulfur nozzles used to grow the seeds in the drum can produce a flat spray pattern with tapered or flat edges. A plurality of sulfur nozzles may be used on the spray headers or manifolds so that the spray pattern of adjacent nozzles may overlap to provide a certain coverage across the falling curtains in the axial direction. The spray pattern may have spray angles of between 15 and 110 degrees. A nozzle that produces a uniform flat spray pattern can provide a constant spatial density of droplets across the entire flat spray pattern. It may have spray angles from 15 ° to 110 °. A thin rectangular spray pattern can provide a minimum overlap between adjacent nozzles in a constant coverage. A uniform flat spray pattern can be created by deflected type nozzles. A spray pattern of medium sized droplets is formed by the liquid flowing across the deflector surface from the rounded orifice. The spray angles may be between 15 ° and 150 °. The nozzle may be a rounded orifice, but may have a large free passage configuration that reduces clogging. Narrow spray angles provide higher impact, but wide angle versions produce lower impact.

3a-3d, the cooling tank 4 is in fluid communication with the granulating drum 6; The wet scrubber 8 and the cyclone 64 are in fluid communication with the drum 6; The fan 36 is in fluid communication with the cyclone 64. The tank 4 is disposed on a tank support structure or skid 80A and the drum 6 is mounted on a drum support structure or skid 80B to facilitate both rapid set- And the cyclone 64 and the wet scrubber 8 are disposed on the cyclone support structure or skid 80C. The cooling tank top cover 76 is disposed with the tank 4 so that the sulfur seed nozzles 2 can not be seen. The screw conveyor 20 can move the seeds to a drum 6 having a first plenum or breach 78A and a second plenum or breech 78B. In Figure 1, the drum effluent line 58 moves the air, steam and sulfur particle mixture to a wet scrubber 8, which in line 52 captures sulfur dust for the fluid exiting the wet scrubber. And remove it. The drum 6 may have a diameter of approximately 10 feet (3 m) and a length of approximately 30 feet (9 m), although other sizes are contemplated. The sulfur granules discharged from the drum 6 drop onto the belt conveyor 10 shown in Figures 3a, 3b and 3c (the conveyor 10 is not shown in Figures 3a, 3b or 3c) .

Referring to FIG. 4A, there is shown a drum 6 without a first plenum 78A. The first retaining ring 82 minimizes the outflow from the drum 6 and another similar second retaining ring can be located at the opposite end of the drum 6. [ The first retaining ring 82 may have a height of 5 inches (12.7 cm), but other heights are contemplated. The first set of lifting flights 88 are disposed with the inner surface 98 of the drum 6. A first set of rib members 84A, 84B may be disposed between the first flights 88 and the drum inner surface 98. There may be a plurality of segmented sets of first set of rib members 84A, 84B disposed about the inner surface 98 of the drum 6. The sets of rib members 84A, 84B are segmented in that each set is shorter than the circumference of the inner surface of the drum. Each of the rib members 84A and 84B may have a curved length equivalent to approximately one quarter of the inner circumference of the drum 6 as covering 90 DEG of the circumference of 360 DEG. However, other lengths are also contemplated. Segmentation of the rib members allows for easy assembly, maintenance and transportation.

Each segmented set of rib members 84A, 84B may support a plurality of flights 88, such as from 1 to 20, and preferably 14, The rib member 84A may be attached to the drum 6 at at least two positions, such as at the first connection point 85A and the second connection point 85B. 4A, the rib member 84A is preferably attached to the drum 6 at four positions: a first connection point 85A, a second connection point 85B, a third connection point 85C), and a fourth connection point (hidden from the drawing by flight 88A). Each connection point, such as the first connection point 85A and the second connection point 85B, is connected to the drum 6 through a hole in the rib member 84A, 84B and extends radially into the drum 6 It is contemplated that bolts may be welded to the inner surface. The nut may be used to secure the drum and rib members 84A, 84B at their respective connection points 85A, 85B.

4B and 4C show the connection points of the inner surface of the drum and the rib members. 4B is similar to FIG. 4A except that the first flights 88 of the drum 6A are located at one end adjacent to the first retaining ring 82a. The retaining rings 82,82 may have heights of at least the same dimensions as the heights of the flights 88,90, 92,94 and 96. In Fig. 4B, the rib member 84A is located at the first connection point (hidden from the drawing behind the flight 88B), at the second connection point 85B, at the third connection point 85C, and at the fourth connection point 85D And is connected to the inner surface of the drum 6A. As shown in FIG. 4C, the second connection point 85B of the rib member 84A has two holes 85B1 and two holes 85B2. The bolts (not shown) are centered on the reference line 87 through the holes 85B2. The bolts (not shown) are positioned through the two holes 95A in the rib member 86A along the reference line 87 and through the two holes 93B in the rib member 84B. The first set of lifting flights 88 are not aligned with the second set of lifting flights 90. The two holes 95B in the rib member 86A allow the alignment of the second set of lifting flights 90 with the first set of lifting flights 88 by moving the rib member 86A, The bosses 95B are positioned along the reference line 87 and the bolts are positioned through the holes 95B rather than the holes 95A.

The third connection point 85C of the rib member 84A has two holes 85C1 and two holes 85C2. Bolts (not shown) are centered on the reference line 89 through holes 85C2. The bolts (not shown) are positioned through the two holes 83A in the rib member 86A along the reference line 89 and through the two holes 83B in the rib member 84B. The two holes 91B in the rib member 86A also allow alignment of the second set of lifting flights 90 with the first set of lifting flights 88 by moving the rib member 86A The holes 91B are located along the reference line 89 and the bolts are positioned through the holes 91B rather than the holes 91A. All other rib members and flights may be similarly arranged with the drum 6. [

Each of the rib members 84A, 84B and 86A has two holes 85B1 and two holes 85B2 at the second connection point 85B of the rib member 84A, Likewise, it may have two pairs of holes at each connection point to allow staggering of adjacent flight segments. The rib members may have a pair of matching holes spaced apart by half the distance between adjacent flights of the flight segment. A staggered configuration may be used to create alternating pairs of holes, for example, a top pair for a first set of flights, a bottom pair for a second set of flights, a top pair for a third set of flights, Lt; RTI ID = 0.0 > bolts < / RTI > A non-staggered alignment can be obtained by aligning the top pair (or bottom pair) of holes in the bolts and all flight segments. At each connection point, such as connection points 85A and 85B, one or more bolts and nuts can be used. Other connections are also considered.

Returning to Fig. 4A, it is contemplated that flights 88 may be welded to the rib members 84A, 84B, but other connections are also contemplated. It is also contemplated that the rib members 84A and 84B may not be present and that the first flights 88 may be directly attached to the inner surface 98 of the drum 6. [ As can be appreciated heretofore, the rib members 84A, 84B facilitate the processing and / or replacement of the first flights 88. The thickness of the rib members 84A, 84B, as shown in FIG. 5 and discussed in detail below with FIG. 5, advantageously allows larger seeds and / or granules to move when the drum 6 rotates Thereby providing a gap between the surface 98 and the first flights 88.

In Figure 4a, a second set of lifting flights 90 is also disposed with the inner surface 98 of the drum 6. The second set of rib members 86A and 86B may be disposed between the drum 6 and the second flights 90 in a configuration similar to the first set of rib members 84A and 84B. It is also contemplated that the rib members 86A and 86B may not be present and that the second flights 90 may be attached directly to the inner surface 98 of the drum 6. [ A third set of flights 92, a fourth set of flights 94, and a fifth set of flights 96 attached with respective rib members in a similar manner are also shown. The flights 88, 90, 92, 94 and 96 are not continuous through the length of the drum 6 but are segmented all shorter than the length of the drum 6.

Flights 88, 90, 92, 94, 96 may be four feet long, but other lengths are also contemplated. The flights 88, 90, 92, 94, 96 are not aligned but are offset from one another. It is also contemplated that one or more sets of flights 88, 90, 92, 94, 96 may be aligned with the first flights 88, the third flights 92, and all other odd flights do. Even sets of flights can also be sorted. It is contemplated that sets of rib members such as first rib members 84A and 84B and second rib members 86A and 86B may have the same thickness but also that different sets of rib members may have different thicknesses do. Un-aligned or staggered flights can advantageously increase cooling and air circulation in the drum.

The flights 88, 90, 92, 94 and 96 are connected to the drum 6, such as the first flights 88 attached to the first rib members 84A and 84B, at the respective positions 104A and 104B. With the drum inner surface 98 on lines parallel to the longitudinal axis or axis of rotation. The one or more sets of flights 88, 90, 92, 94 and 96 may also be arranged with the drum inner surface 98 on lines that are not parallel to the longitudinal axis of the drum 6, .

In FIG. 4D, the first set of rib members 206A, 206B, the second set of rib members 208A, 208B, and the third set of rib members 210A, 210B are similar to the drum 6 Is attached to the inner surface (212) of the granular growth drum. A first set of flights 222 is attached to a first set of rib members 206A and 206B and a second set of flights 224 is attached to a second set of rib members 208A and 208B, And a third set of flights 226 is attached to the third set of rib members 210A, 210B. Although only the rib members and flights of the three sets are shown in Figure 4D for clarity, more sets of rib members and flights are contemplated. In a relative relationship to each other, the first flights 222 are located closest to the input end of the drum and the third flights 226 are located closest to the output end of the drum.

The reference lines 200A, 200B, 200C are shown for illustrative purposes and are parallel to the drum rotational axis. The first set of flights 222 are attached to the first set of rib members 206A, 206B on lines that match or are parallel to the reference lines 200A, 200B, 200C. A second set of flights 224 is attached to the second set of rib members 208A, 208B on lines that are not parallel to the reference lines 200A, 200B, 200C. The second flight center line 216 is disposed at an angle 214 from the reference line 200B when using the second flight 224a with the second flight center line 216 for illustrative purposes. Similarly, other second flights 224 may be disposed at an angle 214 from their closest reference line 200A, 200B, 200C. Similarly, a third set of flights 226 is attached to a third set of rib members 210A, 210B on a line that is not parallel to the reference lines 200A, 200B, 200C. The third flight center line 218 is disposed at an angle 220 from the reference line 200B when using the third flight 226A with the third flight center line 218 for illustrative purposes. It is contemplated that angle 220 may be greater than angle 214. Although only three sets of flights are shown, it is contemplated that more sets of flights may be present, and each successive flight from the input end of the drum to the output end is disposed at a larger angle from the reference line. As can be appreciated heretofore, the lifting flight can be arranged in a plane intersecting only the drum axis at one location.

The angled flight attachment lines may allow progressively faster movement of the particles from the input end to the output end of the drum 6 using a screw type action. Angled flight attachment lines can change the distance that the sulfur granules advance the drum downward for each drum rotation. It is contemplated that the attachment angle may be progressively larger from the input end of the drum 6 to the output end. This can maintain a constant height of the granular bed in the drum in the axial direction, or else the depth of the seeds and granules in the bed at the bottom of the drum can often significantly exceed the height of the flights. This condition prevents flights from lifting multiple seeds and granules into the air space where multiple seeds and granules are effectively cooled.

Angled or screw shaped flights can advantageously increase the exposure of hot seeds and granules to the cooling atmosphere by minimizing the height of the beds of seeds and granules in the drum. The more cooled products are less friable and tend to be less sensitive to "caking" or " clumping "during storage. The larger the helical flights move the larger granular volume, the larger the volume is produced. This always keeps the bad depth at a constant height (slightly above the flights) below the drum. As a result, virtually all granules remain in circulation to the curtains where they are effectively cooled. Without volume acceleration, the extra volume can simply increase the bed depth and thus rather the bed is not lifted and is simply tumbled to make cooling less effective.

4A, the height 100 of the first flights 88 may be the same as or different from the height 102 of the second flights 90 or any other flights. It is contemplated that the flights 88, 90, 92, 94, 96 may be 5 inches (12.7 cm) in height, but other heights are also contemplated. It is also contemplated that one or more flight sets may have angular heights such that the height is not constant across the length of the flights. The angled flights may allow a gradually larger volume of particles to be lifted into the air space from the input end of the drum 6 to the output end. As the bulk volume of the granules increases in the axial direction, the volumes of the flights are lifted deeper into the air space at the particular point at which the granules can be cooled. It is contemplated that angles can be progressively larger from the input end of the drum to the output end. It is also contemplated that flights such as curved or bent can not be included in a single plane. It is contemplated that all of the described embodiments of flights and rib members can be used in any combination or permutation. By varying the configuration of the flights, it is possible to maintain the level amount of sulfur granules along the bottom of the drum 6 as the drum 6 rotates.

Referring to FIG. 5, lifting flights 99, 99A, 99B, 99C and 99D provide a gap 132 between the flights 99, 99A, 99B, 99C and 99D and the inner surface of the drum 6 Is spaced from the drum 6 by the thickness of the rib members (not shown). It is contemplated that the rib thickness may range from ¼ inch (0.64 cm) to 2 inches (5.1 cm), but other thicknesses and gaps 132 are also contemplated. As the drum 6 rotates clockwise, the flights 99, 99A, 99B, 99C, and 99D lift the seeds and granules from the bed 134. There may be a natural stratification of the granules in the bed 134 through the thickness 146, coarse particles present near the exposed surface and fine graded particles present adjacent the inner surface of the drum. It is contemplated that the flight 99A is initially filled with coarse granules that slide under the bed 134. The coarse granules can be slid into the approach flight 99A, and then the approach flight 99A is progressively filled with smaller granules and seeds. The height 130 of the flights 99, 99A, 99B, 99C and 99D limits its lifting ability relative to the outer boundary line 144. [ Pre-emergent flight 99B may have coarse particles near gap 132 and finer particles near outer boundary line 144. [

Flight 99C may have coarse particles 148 falling through gap 132 when flight 99C begins to discharge so that a number of coarse particles 148 may flow from the drum 6 to the sulfur header conduit 138 And the sulfur spray 142 from the attached spray nozzle 140. This is advantageous because it permits more efficient growth of smaller particles that require more growth than larger particles. Finer grainy particles 150 from flight 99D can be discharged into the poling curtains 136 toward the sulfur spray nozzle 140 and are most likely to be sprayed. Fine particles, such as particles 152, may be present in the poling curtain 136 closest to the spray nozzle 140. The poling curtain 136 closest to the nozzle 140 may consist mostly of small particles.

Referring to FIG. 6, the drum sulfur header line 120 and the drum water line 116 are disposed inside the granulating drum 6B. The sulfur feed line 14 from Figure 1 can be in fluid communication with the drum sulfur header line 120 and the water feed line 18 from Figure 1 can be in fluid communication with the drum water line 116. The drum sulfur line 120 has a plurality of sulfur spray nozzles for spraying and growing the not shown sulfur seeds. Spray nozzles can be spaced almost 8 inches (20 cm), but other spacing is also considered. It is contemplated that the drum sulfur spray nozzles may be oriented substantially horizontally, but other angles are also contemplated.

The drum sulfur line 120 may have the ability to rotate the spray to allow downward, upward, or horizontal orientation into the poling curtains. This facilitates the use of particularly deflected spray sulfur nozzles. The drum sulfur line 120 may be of the steam jacket type. The drum sulfur line 120 may be positioned approximately one foot (30.5 cm) from the closest position of the inner surface of the drum 6B, although other positions are also contemplated. The drum sulfur line 120 may have a length of 30 feet (9.1 meters) inside a 30 foot long drum 6B and may be present at both ends so that an additional one foot extension to the outside of the drum is attached to the support structure have. Other dimensions are also considered.

The drum water line has a plurality of water spray nozzles 118. It is contemplated that the water nozzles 118 may be angled downwardly, such as 45 degrees from horizontal, although other angles are also contemplated. Exemplary sets of flights 122 and rib members 110A and 110B are shown and flights 122 have lengths 126 and heights 124, similar to FIGS. 4A and 4C. The rib member 110A is attached to the drum 6B at the first connection point 112A, the second connection point 112B, the third connection point 112C and the fourth connection point 112D.

In FIG. 7, an alternative embodiment is shown relative to the seed input end 176 of the granulating drum 160. The flights 162 may start at a distance 164 from the seed input end 176 of the drum 160 such that no flights may be present at the distance 164. Distance 164 may be from about 2 feet (0.6 m) to 4 feet (1.2 m), but other distances are also contemplated. Retaining ring 166 may be present at drum end 176. The membrane 170 may be attached to the inner surface of the drum 160 at a distance 164 with the membrane attachment strips 168, as best shown in FIG. 7A. The membrane 170 may be a flexible silicon-based membrane, but other types of materials are also contemplated for the membrane 170. Membrane attachment strips may be of conventional dimensions, such as channel stock. It is contemplated that the wet seeds may enter the drum end 176 and be present in the tumbling seed bed 172 and that the seeds in the tumbling seed bed 172 may be held together by moisture. When the drum 160 rotates, the forcibly moved seed agglomerates may fall to the bed 172 as in the curtains 174. As can be appreciated, membrane 170 allows the seeds to have a tendency to make agglomerates from moisture to potentially separate and dry before being lifted by lifting flights 162. Through this region, a normal air flow with no water spray can dry the seeds before entering the normal fried section of the drum 160.

The embodiments described above can permit control of the size distribution and generation rate of seeds produced outside the granulating drum which enables one-pass growth cycles through drums (no seed recycling) at high production rates (over 1500 tonnes per day) have. This capability eliminates the need for an output screen and a lower side recycle conveyor (lower capex and operating cost). The system can provide an improved production quality and an increase in unit production rate made possible by improved cooling of granules (i.e. improved exposure of the granules to the sweep air where cooling by itself is maintained by water evaporation). This can be accomplished by unaligned or staggered lifting flights. This can provide a more curved path for air flow around the poling curtains.

Per minute drum revolutions (RPM), the poling curtains can be selected to fill at least 75% of the granulating drum volume. The flights directly attached to the drum on lines that are attached to the rib members or not parallel to the drum rotational axis are moved to the discharge end at a gradual faster rate corresponding to the sulfur mass introduced as a spray, Quot; configuration, the amount of granules tumbling in the bed without cooling can be kept to a minimum. Substantially constant product temperatures can be maintained, among other things, for changes in key operating parameters such as sulfur production rates, temperature of liquid sulfur and sulfur products, and ambient temperature and humidity. This can be achieved by adjusting the air flow rate through the drum by changing the speed of the fan. The fan speed can be determined by the control system or process using inputs from various devices.

Improved particle size distribution of the product by including a gap between the flights and the drum shell allowing for preferential spraying of finer granules and seeds as a result of discharging coarse granules from the most distal curtains from the sulfur spray nozzles Control may be possible. There is a possibility that the seeds may adhere to or prevent the lifting flights originating from the seed input end of the drum, since the seed particles may be wet. This can be mitigated by installing a flexible membrane around the inner wall of the drum and removing flights at the first 2 to 4 feet of the drum. The membrane, which may be non-rigid, can be bent as it rotates against the top of the drum, allowing the lumps to fall back into the bed. A normal air flow with no water spray passing through this area can dry the seeds before entering the normal flight section of the drum.

The system shown schematically in Figure 1 is a skid < Desc / Clms Page number 10 > system for facilitating construction or transport, such as support structures 80A, 80B, 80C in Figures 2a- Or support structures. The system may substantially obviate prior art conveyors and other structures that extend from the output end of the drum to the input end of the drum that are required for recycling of undersized sulfur particles through the drum. In addition, the modular nature of the system allows easy setup and operation. In addition, the generation of sulfur seals outwardly with respect to the drum 6 may permit the use of lower pressure in the drum 6 and better optimization of granulation. Separation of seed production from granule production may also allow for better optimization of seed production. Although the preferred uses of the above methods and systems are for sulfur (or sulfur), the method and system as well as any embodiments and components can be used to convert other molten liquids into solid seeds or granules, such as asphalt Which may be used for < / RTI > Exemplary embodiments of the above methods and systems are to pass molten sulfur through water, but other new fluids or cooling media may be considered and used when used herein, except for water as known in the prior art.

Referring to Figs. 8-11A, the seed generation system 300 is similar to the seed generation system 5 in Figs. 2A-2D, the differences being described in detail below. The seed generation system 300 may be used in the system of FIG. Similar to the seed generation system 5 of Figures 2-A, 2D, the seed generation system 300 of Figures 8-11A includes a cooling tank 304, a screw conveyor or auger 314, and a screw conveyor housing 302, Respectively. The screw conveyor housing 302 extends outwardly from the cooling tank 304 and surrounds a portion of the screw conveyor 314. Unlike the seed generating system 5 of Figures 2-A, 2D, the seed generating system 300 of Figures 8-11A is similar to the seed generating system 300 of Figure 1, except that the seed generating system 300 of Figures < And has an opening on the side. Screen 316 may be a wedge wire screen with 1 mm openings, but other screens and apertures are also contemplated. A drainage trough 306 is attached to the screw conveyor housing 302 around the opening.

The opening proceeds at substantially the same distance as the drain trough 306, but other opening sizes are also contemplated. The water or other liquid carried by the auger 314 along with the sulfur seeds through the screw conveyor housing 302 can be drained to the drain trough 306 through the screen 316, have. The drain trough 306 is inclined because the drain trough 306 is followed by the screw conveyor housing 302. The drainage trough pipe 308 may be attached to one end of the drainage trough 306 to transport water and solids back to the cooling tank 304. 8, the drainage trough pipe 308 can enter the tank 304 from the tank port 318. As shown in FIG. The drainage of water from the screw conveyor housing 302 through the screen 316 assists in controlling the moisture content of the sulfur seeds carried by auger 314.

Some solid sulfur particles may fall through the screen 316 with drainage troughs 306. 10, the cleaning line 310 can bypass water or other liquid from the line 312 and transport water or other liquid to the high end 320 of the drain trough 306 . Line 312 may be the wet scrubber line 12 shown in FIG. 1 that proceeds from the seed generation system 5,300 to the wet scrubber 8. Other sources of water are also considered. Water or other liquid from the cleaning line 310 enters the upper end 320 of the drain trough 306 and flushes and cleans solid particles falling through the screen 316 into the cooling tank 304.

Valve 358 may be included in line 310 to regulate the flow rate of the water. Perspective glass 360 may be included in line 308 to monitor the flow rate of water returning to tank 304. The amount of water that can be drained from the seed is dependent on the distance traveled across the screen 316 and the distance is adjusted by changing the water level of the tank 304, as is done by adjusting the rise of the weir 362 Lt; / RTI > As shown in FIG. 11, the short drain distance corresponds to a high level in the tank (level A), while the long drain distance corresponds to a low level in the tank (level B). It is contemplated that the level A may be two feet higher than the level B. The plurality of drain ports may be located in the drain trough 306 for use in connection with the water level in the tank 304. As shown in FIG. 11, the longest drainage distance is obtained using the drain port 364 in connection with the lowest level (B) of the water in the tank 304. Similarly, the shortest drainage distance is obtained when the drain port 366 can be connected to the line 308 in relation to the highest level (A) of water in the tank 304.

Referring to Fig. 12, a sulfur seed nozzle 332 is positioned over a moving stream of liquid or water 336 in a tank (not shown). The sulfur spray seed nozzle 332 may be a flat fan type, but other spray nozzles having different spray patterns are contemplated. The water 342 may be transported from the wet scrubber through a pipe 344 (which extends below the water level in one embodiment), which may be the cyclone slurry output line 52 in FIG. Other sources of water or liquid are also contemplated. The water 342 from the wet scrubber flows into the spreader fan 368 having a tilted chute 330 that allows a broad stream of water 336 from the pipe 344 to be provided to the sulfur spray 334. [ The spreader fan 368 allows a uniform flow across the width of the channel. The sulfur spray 334 is in the same direction as the stream flow of the water 336. In this embodiment, a portion of the sulfur passes through the water to produce sulfur droplets 340 and the sulfur droplets 340 may fall into the cooling tank, such as the cooling tank 304 in FIG. A portion of the sulfur is entrained in the water to produce sulfur droplets 338 and the sulfur droplets 338 can be transported by a stream of water 336 into a cooling tank, have. The sulfur droplets 338 in the moving stream 336 may be finer than the sulfur droplets 340. It is contemplated that the spray nozzle 332 may be positioned anywhere from 3 inches (2 inches) to 2 feet (80.3 cm) from the nearest location of the stream of liquid 336, cm). Other distances are also considered. The spray nozzle 332 can be sprayed at a relatively narrow angle from the horizontal. Chute 330 may be approximately one foot (30.5 cm) in width, but other distances are also contemplated. For all embodiments it is also contemplated that the spray nozzle may be under a stream of liquid and that the sulfur spray may not be in the same direction as the flow of the moving liquid. However, it may be advantageous to spray the sulfur in the same direction as the moving liquid to minimize the relative velocity between the two.

13, a sulfur seed nozzle 350 is positioned over a moving stream of liquid or water 354. The water is conveyed from the wet scrubber through a pipe 344, which may be the cyclone slurry output line 52 in FIG. Other sources of water or liquid are also contemplated. The water 342 from the wet scrubber flows into the spreader pan 368 having a tilted chute 330 that allows a broad stream of water 354 from the pipe 344 to be provided to the sulfur spray 352. The sulfur spray 352 is in the same direction as the stream flow of the water 354. 13, all of the sulfur is entrained in the water to generate sulfur droplets 356 and the sulfur droplets 356 are introduced into the cooling tank such as the cooling tank 304 in Fig. ) Stream. ≪ / RTI > The sulfur droplets 356 may be rougher than the sulfur droplets 338 associated with the moving stream of water in FIG. It is contemplated that the spray nozzle 350 may be in any location 3 inches (7.6 cm) to 2 feet (80.3 cm) from the closest location of the stream of liquid 354, with a preferred distance being about 1 foot (30.5 cm) , But other distances are also considered. The spray nozzle 350 can be sprayed at a relatively narrow angle from the horizontal. The spreading troughs 330 may be approximately one foot (30.5 cm) wide, although other distances are also contemplated.

The foregoing disclosure and description of the present invention are illustrative and for the purpose of understanding, and various changes in the details of the exemplary apparatus and system, as well as the construction and operation of the invention, can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Claims (20)

CLAIMS 1. A method for converting molten sulfur into sulfur seeds used for enlargement in sulfur granules, comprising:
Spraying the molten sulfur into a moving stream of liquid;
Transporting the molten sulfur to the moving stream of liquid; And
And forming a sulfur seed by interaction of the liquid with the molten sulfur. ≪ Desc / Clms Page number 17 > The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the molten sulfur is sprayed in the same direction as the moving stream of the liquid. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the spray nozzle is located above the moving stream of the liquid. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the liquid is a water. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the moving stream of the liquid is not present in the container upon interaction with the molten sulfur. The method according to claim 1,
Further comprising injecting said moving stream of liquid from a trough prior to said atomizing step. ≪ Desc / Clms Page number 13 > The method according to claim 1,
Further comprising transferring the seeds from the moving stream of liquid to a cooling tank. ≪ Desc / Clms Page number 19 > 8. The method of claim 7,
Further comprising the step of transferring the seeds from the cooling tank to a sulfur granulating device. 9. The method of claim 8,
Further comprising the step of growing said sulfur seeds with sulfur granules in said granulation device. A method for converting molten sulfur into sulfur seeds used for growth into sulfur granules, comprising:
Spraying the molten sulfur through a spray nozzle into a moving stream of liquid;
Passing a portion of the sulfur through the moving stream of liquid;
Transporting a portion of the sulfur to the moving stream of liquid; And
And forming sulfur sids by interaction of the liquid with the sulfur. ≪ Desc / Clms Page number 19 > 11. The method of claim 10,
Wherein the molten sulfur is sprayed in the same direction as the moving stream of the liquid. 11. The method of claim 10,
Wherein the spray nozzle is located above the moving stream of the liquid. 11. The method of claim 10,
Wherein the moving stream of liquid is not present in the container upon contact with the molten sulfur. 11. The method of claim 10,
Further comprising injecting the moving stream of the liquid from the trough prior to the spraying step. 11. The method of claim 10,
Further comprising transferring the seeds from the moving stream of liquid to a cooling tank. ≪ Desc / Clms Page number 19 > An apparatus for producing sulfur seeds,
A sulfur spray nozzle disposed with the cooling tank;
The cooling tank having a screw conveyor;
A screw conveyor partially received in a screw conveyor housing extending outwardly from the cooling tank; And
A drain trough attached under the screw conveyor housing;
Wherein the screw conveyor housing has an opening at the bottom surface covered by the screen. 17. The method of claim 16,
Wherein the drain trough is configured to transport liquid traveling through the screen toward the cooling tank. 17. The method of claim 16,
Further comprising a cleaning line attached to said drainage trough;
Wherein the cleaning line is configured to transport liquid to the drain trough to transport solid particles passing through the screen. 17. The method of claim 16,
Further comprising a drain trough line attached between said drain trough and said cooling tanks;
Wherein the drain trough line is configured to transport liquids and solids from the drain trough to the cooling tank. A system for generating sulfur seeds comprising:
A sulfur spray nozzle disposed with the cooling tank and outputting molten sulfur;
A trough coupled to said cooling tank for collecting and discharging a stream of liquid;
And a sulfur seed generating region generated by interaction of said molten sulfur with said stream of liquid.

Images