Dual lift system

Abstract

Valve and valve lift system suitable for use in a regenerative thermal oxidizer, and oxidizer including the switching valve. The valve of the present invention exhibits excellent sealing characteristics and minimizes wear. In a preferred embodiment, the valve is sealed with pressurized air during its stationary modes, and unsealed during movement to reduce valve wear.

Description

[0001] This application is a Divisional of U.S. Ser. No. 10 / 696,886 filed on Oct. 30, 2003, which is a Divisional of U.S. Ser. No. 10 / 230,240 filed on Aug. 28, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,669,472, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.BACKGROUND OF The INVENTION [0002] Regenerative thermal oxidizers are conventionally used for destroying volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in high flow, low concentration emissions from industrial and power plants. Such oxidizers typically require high oxidation temperatures in order to achieve high VOC destruction. To achieve high heat recovery efficiency, the “dirty” process gas that is to be treated is preheated before oxidation. A heat exchanger column is typically provided to preheat these gases. The column is usually packed with a heat exchange material having good thermal and mechanical stability and sufficient thermal mass. In operation, the process gas is fed through a previously heated heat exchanger column, which, in tu...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0009] The problems of the prior art have been overcome by the present invention, which provides a lift system for a switching valve, the switching valve, and a regenerative thermal oxidizer including the lift system and switching valve. The valve of the present invention exhibits excellent sealing characteristics and minimizes wear. The lift system assists the valve in rotating with minimal friction and providing a tight seal when it is stationary. In a preferred embodiment, the sealing force of the valve against the valve seat is reduced during switching to reduce the contact pressure between the moving components and the stationary components, thus resulting in less required torque to move the valve.

[0010] For regenerative thermal oxidizer applications, the valve preferably has a seal plate that defines two chambers, each chamber being a flow port that leads to one of two regenerative beds of the oxidizer. The valve also includes a switching flow distributor that provides alternate channeling of the inlet or outlet process gas to each half of the seal plate. The valve operates between two modes: a stationary mode; and a valve movement mode. In the stationary mode, a tight gas seal is used to minimize or prevent process gas leakage. In accordance with the present invention, during valve movement, the sealing pressure is reduced or eliminated, or a counter-pressure or counter-force is applied, to facilitate valve movement and reduce or eliminate wear. The amount of sealing pressure used can be precisely controlled depending upon process characteristics so as to seal the valve efficiently.

Problems solved by technology

Any leakage of untreated process gas through the valve system will decrease the efficiency of the apparatus.

In addition, disturbances and fluctuations in the pressure and / or flow in the system can be caused during valve switchover and are undesirable.

Valve wear is also problematic, especially in view of the high frequency of valve switching in regenerative thermal oxidizer applications.

Frequent valve repair or replacement is obviously undesirable.

Although poppet valves exhibit quick actuation, as the valves are being switched during a cycle, leakage of untreated process gas across the valves inevitably occurs.

Since there is also ducting associated with the valving system, the volume of untreated gas both within the poppet valve housing and within the associated ducting represents potential leakage volume.

Since leakage of untreated process gas across the valves leaves allows the gas to be exhausted from the device untreated, such leakage which will substantially reduce the destruction efficiency of the apparatus.

In addition, conventional valve designs result in a pressure surge during switchover, which exasperates this leakage potential.

However, excessive wear on various components of the valve often results.

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