Method and apparatus for supplying pre-heated particulate mineral material for making a mineral melt

Abstract

A method and an apparatus for making a mineral melt having a cyclone furnace and a separating cyclone, said apparatus further having a device for supplying pre-heated particulate mineral material from a bottom of the separating cyclone to an inlet of the cyclone furnace. A material receiving conduit adapted for receiving the pre-heated particulate mineral material from the bottom outlet of the separating cyclone, in which the material receiving conduit has a first pressure. An outlet conduit supplying the particulate mineral material to the inlet of the cyclone furnace having a second pressure, wherein said second pressure is higher than said first pressure, and the particulate mineral material is fluidised and flows from the material receiving conduit to the outlet conduit. A gas-lock valve is provided between said material receiving conduit and said outlet conduit.

1 .- 9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . An apparatus for making a mineral melt, comprising:
 a cyclone furnace with an inlet;   a separating cyclone with a bottom outlet; and   a device, the device supplying pre-heated particulate mineral material from the bottom outlet of the separating cyclone to the inlet of the cyclone furnace, said device comprising:
 a material receiving conduit adapted for receiving the pre-heated particulate mineral material from the bottom outlet of the separating cyclone, the material receiving conduit having a first pressure defined therein; 
 an outlet conduit supplying the particulate mineral material to the inlet of the cyclone furnace, the outlet conduit having a second pressure defined therein, the second pressure being higher than the first pressure; and
 a gas-lock valve provided between the material receiving conduit and the outlet conduit, the gas-lock valve, comprising:
 an elongated housing having a lowermost section and an opposing uppermost section, the elongated housing being inclined upwards from the material receiving conduit at the lowermost section of the elongated housing to the outlet conduit at the uppermost section of the elongated housing; and 
 a fluidisation element operable to fluidise the pre-heated particulate mineral material received from the bottom outlet of the separating cyclone, the fluidisation element being arranged so that the fluidised particulate mineral material can flow due to gravity from the material receiving conduit into the lowermost section of the elongated housing and from the uppermost section of the elongated housing into the outlet conduit. 
 
 
   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the material receiving conduit and the outlet conduit are substantially vertically oriented. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the fluidisation element comprises a stirring element provided in the gas-lock valve. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the stirring element comprises an axle extending longitudinally in the elongated housing of the gas lock valve, said axle having radially extending elements. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the stirring element comprises a screw conveyor. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the fluidisation element comprise one or more air inlets in the gas-lock valve for fluidisation of the pre-heated particulate mineral material. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus according to  claim 10 , further having one or more air inlets in the gas-lock valve for further fluidisation of the pre-heated particulate mineral material. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus according to  claim 10 , further having one or more air inlets in the material receiving conduit for fluidising the pre-heated particulate mineral material before the pre-heated particulate mineral material enters the elongated housing. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus according to  claim 10 , further comprising a material distributor, the bottom outlet of the separating cyclone being connected to a plurality of material receiving conduits via the material distributor. 
     
     
         19 . A method for supplying pre-heated particulate mineral material from a separating cyclone to an inlet of a cyclone furnace, said method comprising:
 receiving the pre-heated particulate mineral material in a material receiving conduit from the bottom outlet of the separating cyclone, the material receiving conduit having a first pressure defined therein;   supplying the pre-heated particulate mineral material from an outlet conduit to the inlet of the cyclone furnace, the outlet conduit having a second pressure defined therein, the second pressure being higher than the first pressure; and   providing a gas-lock valve between the material receiving conduit and the outlet conduit, the gas-lock valve comprising an elongated housing, which is inclined upwards from the material receiving conduit at a lowermost section of the elongated housing to the outlet conduit at an uppermost section of the elongated housing, the gas-lock valve being provided with a fluidisation element, so that the pre-heated particulate mineral material is fluidised and flows due to gravity from the material receiving conduit into the lowermost section of the elongated housing and from the uppermost section of the elongated housing into the outlet conduit.   
     
     
         20 . A method according to  claim 19 , further comprising a step of providing an apparatus according to  claim 10 .