Heat direct contact

Sublimation sources have the advantage that the vaporizing material does not melt and flow. Examples of vaporization from a solid are sublimation from a chunk of pure material, such as chromium, and sublimation from a solid composed of a subliming phase and a nonvaporizing phase, e.g. Ag 50% Li for lithium vapor and Ta 25% Ti alloy wire (KEME P ) for titanium vapor. Heating may be by resistive heating, direct contact with a hot surface, radiant heating from a hot surface, or bombardment by electrons. 

One disadvantage of fluidized heds is that attrition of the catalyst can cause the generation of catalyst flnes, which are then carried over from the hed and lost from the system. This carryover of catalyst flnes sometimes necessitates cooling the reactor effluent through direct-contact heat transfer hy mixing with a cold fluid, since the fines tend to foul conventional heat exchangers. 

Heat transfer. Once the basic reactor type and conditions have been chosen, heat transfer can be a major problem. Figure 2.11 summarizes the basic decisions which must be made regarding heat transfer. If the reactor product is to be cooled by direct contact with a cold fluid, then use of extraneous materials should be avoided. 

The final restriction of simple columns stated earlier was that they should have a reboiler and a total condenser. It is possible to use materials fiow to provide some of the necessary heat transfer by direct contact. This transfer of heat via direct contact is known as thermal coupling. 

While a superstructure based on the structure in Fig. 16.26 allows for many structural options, it is not comprehensive. Wood, Wilcox, and Grossmanr showed how direct contact heat transfer by mixing at unequal temperatures can be used to decrease the number of units in a heat exchanger network. Floudas, Ciric, and Grossman showed how such features can be included in a heat exchanger network superstructure. Figure 16.27 shows the structure from Fig. 16.26 with possibilities for direct contact heat transfer included. In the... 

Figure 16.27 Possibilities for direct contact heat transfer can be added to the superstructure.

If condensation requires gas stream cooling of more than 40—50°C, the rate of heat transfer may appreciably exceed the rate of mass transfer and a condensate fog may form. Fog seldom occurs in direct-contact condensers because of the close proximity of the bulk of the gas to the cold-Hquid droplets. When fog formation is unavoidable, it may be removed with a high efficiency mist collector designed for 0.5—5-p.m droplets. Collectors using Brownian diffusion are usually quite economical. If atmospheric condensation and a visible plume are to be avoided, the condenser must cool the gas sufftciendy to preclude further condensation in the atmosphere. 

Direct Contact Heat Exchangers. In a direct contact exchanger, two fluid streams come into direct contact, exchange heat and maybe also mass, and then separate. Very high heat-transfer rates, practically no fouling, lower capital costs, and lower approach temperatures are the principal advantages. 

Lead Telluride. Lead teUuride [1314-91 -6] PbTe, forms white cubic crystals, mol wt 334.79, sp gr 8.16, and has a hardness of 3 on the Mohs scale. It is very slightly soluble in water, melts at 917°C, and is prepared by melting lead and tellurium together. Lead teUuride has semiconductive and photoconductive properties. It is used in pyrometry, in heat-sensing instmments such as bolometers and infrared spectroscopes (see Infrared technology AND RAMAN SPECTROSCOPY), and in thermoelectric elements to convert heat directly to electricity (33,34,83). Lead teUuride is also used in catalysts for oxygen reduction in fuel ceUs (qv) (84), as cathodes in primary batteries with lithium anodes (85), in electrical contacts for vacuum switches (86), in lead-ion selective electrodes (87), in tunable lasers (qv) (88), and in thermistors (89). 

The hydrocarbon gas feedstock and Hquid sulfur are separately preheated in an externally fired tubular heater. When the gas reaches 480—650°C, it joins the vaporized sulfur. A special venturi nozzle can be used for mixing the two streams (81). The mixed stream flows through a radiantly-heated pipe cod, where some reaction takes place, before entering an adiabatic catalytic reactor. In the adiabatic reactor, the reaction goes to over 90% completion at a temperature of 580—635°C and a pressure of approximately 250—500 kPa (2.5—5.0 atm). Heater tubes are constmcted from high alloy stainless steel and reportedly must be replaced every 2—3 years (79,82—84). Furnaces are generally fired with natural gas or refinery gas, and heat transfer to the tube coil occurs primarily by radiation with no direct contact of the flames on the tubes. Design of the furnace is critical to achieve uniform heat around the tubes to avoid rapid corrosion at "hot spots."... 

Contactive (Direct) Heat Transfer Contactive heat-transfer equipment is so constructed that the particulate burden in solid phase is directly exposed to and permeated by the heating or cooling medium (Sec. 20). The carrier may either heat or cool the solids. A large amount of the industrial heat processing of sohds is effected by this mechanism. Physically, these can be classified into packed beds and various degrees of agitated beds from dilute to dense fluidized beds. 

This section describes equipment for heat transfer to or from solids by the indirect mode. Such equipment is so constructed that the solids load (burden) is separated from the heat-carrier medium by a wall the two phases are never in direct contact. Heat transfer is by conduction based on diffusion laws. Equipment in which the phases are in direct contact is covered in other sections of this Handbook, principally in Sec. 20. 

Enabhng the use of hard or even sea water for heat rejection e,g, for absorption of gases (CO9, SO9, CIO9, , , ) in chilled water (desorption is provided simultaniously with chilling) when a direct contact barometric condenser is used. 

Heating medium brought into direct contact with evaporating liquid. 

Direct contacting of hot gases with the solids is employed for solids heating and vapor removal. 

In tunnel equipment, the solids are usually heated by direc t contact with hot gases. In high-temperature operations, radiation from walls and refractory lining may be significant also. The air in a direc t-heat unit may be heated directly or indirectly by combustion or, at temperature below 475 K, by finned steam cods. 

As a general nile, the direct-heat units are the simplest and most economical in construction and are emploved when direct contact between the solids and flue gases or air can be tolerated. Because the total heat load must be introduced or removed in the gas stream, large gas volumes and high gas velocities are usually required. The latter will be rarely less than 0.5 m/s in an economical design. Therefore, employment of direct rotating equipment with solids containing extremely fine particles is likely to result in excessive entrainment losses in the exit-gas stream. 

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