초록 ▼

A modular mobile furnace train apparatus and a process is disclosed. Mobile furnaces may be interconnected in series to form a modular mobile furnace train. Exhaust gas may then flow through mobile furnaces in a furnace train, allowing for more effective heat transfer to payload being heated as well

A modular mobile furnace train apparatus and a process is disclosed. Mobile furnaces may be interconnected in series to form a modular mobile furnace train. Exhaust gas may then flow through mobile furnaces in a furnace train, allowing for more effective heat transfer to payload being heated as well as increasing energy recapture. Volatile gasses emitted by the payload may be combusted. This recapture reduces production of carbon dioxide and reduces the amount of energy required during the firing while the combustion of volatiles reduces exhaust pollutants. A fire line is an area where heat is applied, while a service line is an area where loading, unloading, inspection, and ongoing maintenance may take place. The modular mobile furnace train allows separation of the fire and maintenance which reduces worker exposure to dangerous environments while decreasing operational costs. Furthermore, the modular mobile furnace facility is less costly to build and operate.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A method comprising: loading a payload comprising a carbon anode or a carbon cathode in a mobile furnace;placing the mobile furnace containing the payload into a fire line, wherein the fire line comprises a plurality of mobile furnaces configured in a plurality of zones, wherein the mobile furnac

1. A method comprising: loading a payload comprising a carbon anode or a carbon cathode in a mobile furnace;placing the mobile furnace containing the payload into a fire line, wherein the fire line comprises a plurality of mobile furnaces configured in a plurality of zones, wherein the mobile furnace comprises: a plurality of wheels configured to move the mobile furnace along the fire line in a direction of travel;one or more flues, wherein each flue is configured to permit a flow of first gasses to or from another mobile furnace;one or more fuel inputs arranged within each of the one or more flues:one or more pits, wherein each of the pits: comprises one or more removable pit end walls,comprises one or more fixed pit walls, wherein the one or more fixed pit walls correspond to one or more of the flues, andare configured to: carry the payload within the one or more fixed pit walls and the one or more removable pit end walls,permit a transfer of one or more volatile gasses released by the payload during heating to the one or more of the flues which correspond to the pit;wherein each of the one or more flues is configured to allow a first gas composition within the one or more the flues to maintain a negative pressure relative to a second gas composition within the one or more pits, such that the one or more volatile gasses present in the second gas composition are drawn into the one or more flues; andperiodically moving the mobile furnace containing the payload along the fire line in the direction of travel through the plurality of zones, wherein each of the zones in the fire line corresponds to a different production profile. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the flow of gasses between the two or more mobile furnaces is opposite the direction of travel of the mobile furnace along the fire line. 3. The method of claim 1, further comprising rotating orientation of the mobile furnace with respect to the direction of travel. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein two or more mobile furnaces in the fire line are moved contemporaneously. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile furnace further comprises a heat source, wherein the heat source comprises at least in part combustion of the volatile gasses outgassed by the payload. 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the periodically moving comprises rolling the mobile furnace along a track. 7. The method of claim 1, further comprising removing one or more of the plurality of mobile furnaces from at least a portion of the fire line. 8. The method of claim 1, wherein the loading further comprises: removing, from the mobile furnace, a cover of the mobile furnace;removing, from the mobile furnace, the one or more removable pit end walls of the mobile furnace;placing the payload within the one or more pits;placing the one or more removable pit end walls on the mobile furnace; andplacing the cover on the mobile furnace. 9. A method comprising: loading a payload comprising carbon into one or more pits of a mobile furnace, wherein the one or more pits are configured to hold the payload and comprise one or more removable pit walls and one or more fixed pit walls;coupling the mobile furnace to a plurality of previously coupled mobile furnacesmoving the mobile furnaces in a direction of travel; andproviding a plurality of zones in the coupled mobile furnaces to provide different production profiles, wherein each of the zones comprises one or more of the mobile furnaces, and further wherein the payload remains within each of the coupled mobile furnaces throughout each of the plurality of zones. 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the one or more of the mobile furnaces in each of the zones are coupled in series to one another such that gasses from one mobile furnace are permitted to flow to another mobile furnace. 11. The method of claim 10, wherein the direction of the flow of the gasses is opposite the direction of travel. 12. A method comprising: loading a carbon payload into one or more pits of a first mobile furnace, wherein the one or more pits are configured to hold the carbon payload and comprise one or more removable pit walls and one or more fixed pit walls;coupling the first mobile furnace to a first end of a fire line, the fire line comprising a plurality of previously coupled mobile furnaces including a second mobile furnace at a second end of the fire line which is opposite the first end; andconfiguring the fire line to provide a plurality of zones, wherein each of the zones comprise one or more of the mobile furnaces operating with a particular production profile, and further wherein the first mobile furnace and the second mobile furnace are in different zones and retain their respective carbon payloads while coupled in the fire line. 13. The method of claim 12, wherein the production profile comprises one or more of: an unfired heat-up of the one or more mobile furnaces in the fire line,a volatile fired heat-up of the one or more mobile furnaces in the fire line,a supplemental fuel fired heat-up of the one or more mobile furnaces in the fire line,a supplemental fuel fired soak of the one or more mobile furnaces in the fire line, ora cooling of one or more mobile furnaces in the fire line. 14. The method of claim 12, wherein at least a subset of the mobile furnaces change zones after the coupling. 15. The method of claim 12, further comprising decoupling the second mobile furnace from the fire line. 16. The method of claim 15, further comprising moving the decoupled second mobile furnace to a service line separate from the fire line. 17. The method of claim 16, wherein heating is discontinued for the mobile furnaces associated with the service line.