摘要 |
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR COOLING PARTICULATE SOLIDS The apparatus for cooling solid particulates comprises a housing containing a multiplicity of parallel, spaced, vertical heat exchanger plates having passages therebetween. Each plate has continuous flow channels for cooling fluid therein. A fluid inlet and outlet are attached to the flow channels in each plate and common fluid inlet and outlet headers are attached to the inlets and outlets, respectively. A feed hopper for feeding particulates to the passages is positioned above and attached to the housing. A discharge hopper for receiving cooled particulates from the passages is positioned below and attached to the housing. The discharge hopper contains two adjacent parallel bins each having a swinging section operatively connected to an actuator activated by a level control means positioned in the feed hopper. Particulates such as fertilizer particulates, are fed into the feed hopper and pass downward in a mass flow regime between the heat exchanger plates where they are cooled with a fluid, preferably water, that passes through the plates. Cooled particulates collect in the discharge hopper from which they are discharged at a rate controlled by the actuator and level controller so that the plates are maintained in a flooded state with respect to the particulates. Attrition and abrasion of the particulates are substantially eliminated. |