Title of Invention: APPARATUS FOR CHANGING SULFUR IN LIQUEFIED STATE TO SOLID STATE PARTICLES

Technical Field

[1] The present invention relates to an apparatus for changing sulfur in a liquefied state to solid state particles by the solidification of sulfur produced as a result of a desulfu- rization operation in an oil refining process. Background Art

[2] In general, desulfurization is performed during an oil refining process.

[3] Sulfur produced as a result of the desulfurization process is commonly extracted in liquid form at a temperature of around 18O ⁰ C. Since this causes difficulties in operations such as the treatment and transport of the extracted sulfur, the extracted sulfur needs to be solidified, crushed into particles, and transported to a disposal site.

[4] In this regard, the sulfur is naturally solidified at ambient (room) temperature. This solidified sulfur needs to be crushed into particles for treatment or transport. However, the crushing of the solidified sulfur produces dust. This sulfur dust may have a negative effect on an operator's health and working environment. In order to prevent problems caused by this harmful dust, it is necessary to provide facilities for dust treatment. Also, since the sulfur is naturally solidified at ambient (room) temperature, its solidification takes a considerable amount of time.

[5] That is, in order to treat sulfur extracted in a traditional oil refining process, it is necessary to solidify liquefied sulfur and crush the solidified sulfur into particles, thereby causing disadvantages in terms of facilities, processing times, and working environments.

Disclosure of Invention Technical Problem

[6] An aspect of the present invention is to change sulfur in a liquefied state extracted in an oil refining process to solid state particles of a small size.

[7] Another aspect of the present invention is to change sulfur in a liquefied state to solid state particles under flexibly applicable conditions according to the liquefied sulfur' s state.

[8] Another aspect of the present invention is to change sulfur in a liquefied state extracted in an oil refining process to solid state particles with reduced treatment processes and processing times. Solution to Problem

[9] An apparatus for changing sulfur in a liquefied state to solid state particles in connection with an exemplary embodiment of the invention in order to address at least one of the above problems may comprise the following characteristics.

[10] The present invention is basically designed to solidify liquefied sulfur extracted in an oil refining process into solid sulfur particles of a small size.

[11] According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for changing sulfur in a liquefied state to solid state particles comprising: a dropping portion supplied with liquefied sulfur extracted in an oil refining process and allowing the supplied liquefied sulfur to fall into space; a blower portion supplying a cooling fluid; a transfer portion connected to the blower portion and guiding the cooling fluid to be transferred into an area of the dropping portion; and a cooling fluid discharging portion connected to the transfer portion and dispersing the cooling fluid to the falling liquefied sulfur.

[12] The cooling fluid discharging portion may include a plurality of dispersion outlets disposed at different heights, each of which may disperse the cooling fluid having varying dispersion strengths and amounts to the falling liquefied sulfur.

[13] The transfer portion may include a cooling water supply portion whose inside is supplied with cooling water to be dispersed through the cooling fluid discharging portion. In this case, the cooling fluid discharging portion may include first and second dispersion outlets disposed at different heights, each of which may disperse the cooling fluid and the cooling water having varying dispersion strengths and amounts to the falling liquefied sulfur.

[14] The blower portion or the transfer portion may include a flow adjusting portion to adjust a flow amount of the cooling fluid. Also, the transfer portion may include at least one of a flow speed detecting portion or a pressure detecting portion to adjust a dispersion strength and amount of the supplied cooling fluid, according to values related to at least one of a speed and a pressure of the transferred cooling fluid.

[15] The dropping portion may be disposed above the cooling fluid discharging portion and be combined with a supporting member to be tilted so as to adjust a falling amount and a moving speed of the liquefied sulfur.

[16] The dropping portion may include a tilting adjusting portion allowing an end of the dropping portion to be tilted by adjusting a height of the end of the dropping portion by an adjusting portion having a screw structure or a cylinder structure in order that a straight-line movement distance is variable.

[17] The dropping portion may include a flow path formed to move the liquefied sulfur toward a drop-off location and a heating portion disposed along the flow path so as to adjust a viscosity of the liquefied sulfur moving along the flow path. In this case, the flow path may have a floor formed as a discharging plate of a plate structure in order that the liquefied sulfur is widely dispersed when moving toward the drop-off location, and the discharging plate may have two wings at both sides thereof. [18] The apparatus may further include a controlling portion so as to adjust at least one of a dispersion strength and a pressure of the cooling fluid dispersed from the cooling fluid discharging portion. Also, the apparatus may further include a controlling portion so as to adjust a tilt angle of the dropping portion. [19] The apparatus may further include a data collecting portion so as to collect data regarding a speed and a pressure of the transferred cooling fluid and a falling amount of the liquefied sulfur.

Advantageous Effects of Invention

[20] As set forth above, according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the apparatus is able to solidify the liquefied sulfur extracted in the oil refining process into the solid sulfur particles of a small size. [21] According to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the apparatus is able to change the liquefied sulfur to the solid sulfur particles under flexibly applicable conditions according to the liquefied sulfur' s state. [22] Such flexibly applicable conditions make it possible to perform the solidification after the liquefied sulfur is transported for any great distance. [23] Such flexibly applicable conditions make it possible to reduce the influence of the ambient (room) temperature during the solidification of the liquefied sulfur. [24] Such flexibly applicable conditions make it possible to flexibly control processing speed, processing amount, or particle size according to the extracted sulfur' s state. [25] Also, the apparatus provides an advantage of reducing treatment processes and processing times. [26] Furthermore, the apparatus provides an advantage of preventing or minimizing the production of dust.

Brief Description of Drawings [27] FIG. 1 is a schematic front view illustrating a configuration of an apparatus for changing sulfur in a liquefied state to solid state particles according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; [28] FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view illustrating a configuration of an apparatus for changing sulfur in a liquefied state to solid state particles according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; [29] FIG. 3 is an enlarged view illustrating in part a cooling fluid discharging portion and a dropping portion of an apparatus for changing sulfur in a liquefied state to solid state particles according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; [30] FIGS. 4 through 6 are plan, front and side views illustrating a configuration for a dropping portion of an apparatus for changing sulfur in a liquefied state to solid state particles according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

[31] FIGS. 7 and 8 are front and plan views illustrating a cooling water supply portion of an apparatus for changing sulfur in a liquefied state to solid state particles according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

[32] FIG. 9 illustrates the tilting state of a dropping portion of an apparatus for changing sulfur in a liquefied state to solid state particles according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and

[33] FIG. 10 is a schematic plan view illustrating an apparatus for changing sulfur in a liquefied state to solid state particles according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Mode for the Invention

[34] Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[35] The invention will be described in connection with preferred embodiments to illustrate the technical characteristics of the invention. However, the technical characteristics of the invention should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. The invention can be exemplified by the embodiments set forth herein. Therefore, the present invention may be embodied in many different forms as disclosed in the following exemplary embodiments, which fall within the scope of the invention.

[36] In the drawings, the same or sequential reference numerals will be used throughout to designate the same or like elements associated with the same functions.

[37] Exemplary embodiments of the present invention are based on the solidification of liquefied sulfur extracted in an oil refining process into small solid sulfur particles.

[38] FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate an apparatus 10 for changing sulfur in a liquefied state to solid state particles according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention. The apparatus 10 may include a cooling portion 100 dispersing a cooling fluid so as to solidify the liquefied sulfur into the solid sulfur particles, and a dropping portion 200 allowing the liquefied sulfur to fall into the cooling fluid dispersed by the cooling portion 100.

[39] The cooling portion 100 may include a blower portion 110 supplying the cooling fluid that may be air or be formed by adding other cooling materials to the air, a transfer portion 120 connected to the blower portion 110 and guiding the cooling fluid to be transferred into the area of the dropping portion 200, and a cooling fluid discharging portion 130 connected to the transfer portion 120 and dispersing the cooling fluid to the falling liquefied sulfur.

[40] The blower portion 110 may have the same structure as a general blower. For example, the blower portion 110, as illustrated, may include a driving portion 111 providing a rotational driving force and a blower fan 113 connected to the driving portion 111 and supplying the cooling fluid. Here, the rotations of the blower fan 113 may cause the air to be introduced from the outside and output by the cooling fluid discharging portion 130 after passing through the transfer portion 120. The blower fan 113 has an inlet (not shown), in which the outside air is introduced. A flow adjusting portion 112 may be included at the inlet to adjust air inflow rates and thus adjust the dispersion strength or amount of the cooling fluid that is dispersed by the cooling fluid discharging portion 130. Also, a filter 112a may be further included at the inlet to prevent foreign objects such as dust contained in the air from being introduced to the area of the blower fan 113.

[41] The introduced air moves through the transfer portion 120 so as to function as the cooling fluid on conditions such as pressure, transfer speed, and flow amount controlled by the blower portion 110 for the phase change of the sulfur in the liquefied state to the solid state particles.

[42] Like this, the cooling fluid is dispersed through the cooling fluid discharging portion

130 and used for solidifying (cooling) the liquefied sulfur falling from the dropping portion 200, thereby making the phase change to the solid sulfur particles.

[43] As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3, the cooling fluid discharging portion 130 may include a plurality of dispersion outlets 131 and 132 to solidify the falling liquefied sulfur. In this case, the dispersion outlets 131 and 132 may be disposed at different heights to cool the falling liquefied sulfur in multiple operations by using the cooling fluid dispersed successively from each of the dispersion outlets 131 and 132.

[44] The dispersion outlets 131 and 132 may be able to disperse the cooling fluid by variably controlling conditions such as the dispersion amount, velocity, and strength of the cooling fluid dispersed through the respective dispersion outlets 131 and 132, thereby adjusting the resultant solidified state, solidification time, and particle size. Such conditions as the dispersion amount, velocity, and strength of the cooling fluid may be adjustable by variably forming the shapes or sections of the flow paths of the dispersion outlets 131 and 132.

[45] In this exemplary embodiment, the dispersion outlets 131 and 132 are illustrated to include the first dispersion outlet 131 disposed in an upper position and the second dispersion outlet 132 disposed in a lower position. However, the number of the dispersion outlets may be more than two, and the dispersion outlets may be structured to adjust variable conditions in the solidification of the liquefied sulfur.

[46] As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3, the transfer portion 120 may further include a flow speed detecting portion 122 or a pressure detecting portion 123 in order to control the states of the cooling fluid dispersed from the cooling fluid discharging portion 130 on the basis of at least one of the pressure and the speed of the transferred cooling fluid.

[47] A flow adjusting portion may be included to adjust the strength or the amount of the supplied cooling fluid, on the basis of the states of the cooling fluid detected by the use of the flow speed detecting portion 122 or the pressure detecting portion 123. Such an flow adjusting portion may be configured as the flow adjusting portion 112 adjusting the flow amount of the cooling fluid introduced to the blower fan 113 of the blower portion 110 as described above, or a flow adjusting portion adjusting the flow amount of the cooling fluid transferred through the inside of the transfer portion 120.

[48] The flow speed detecting portion 122 may be able to detect cooling fluid speed by using the average value of the speed values obtained by being disposed at multiple positions in the section of a duct 121 forming the flow path of the transfer portion 120. Since there may be a difference in the cooling fluid speed according to position in the section of the duct 121, for example, between the center of the flow path and the position adjacent to the inside of the duct 121, the flow speed detecting portion 122 may use the average value of the speed values obtained from the flow speed detecting portion 122 disposed at the multiple positions in the section of the duct 121 in order to minimize an error range in the detection of the cooling fluid speed.

[49] In order to more rapidly cool (solidify) the falling liquefied sulfur, cooling water, together with the cooling fluid, may be dispersed through the cooling fluid discharging portion 130. For this, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 3, the transfer portion 120 may further include a cooling water supply portion 140.

[50] As illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8, the cooling water supply portion 140 may include a water pipe 141 transferring the cooling water and a distribution pipe 142 extended from the end of the water pipe 141 and disposed in the width direction of the transfer portion 120. The distribution pipe 142 may be long enough to supply the cooling water with respect to the width direction of the cooling fluid transferring through the inside of the duct 121 of the transfer portion 120.

[51] The distribution pipe 142 may include a plurality of nozzles 142a so as to supply the cooling water to the entirety of the cooling fluid moving through the duct 121 in a maximum width direction. On the other hand, the distribution pipe 142 may include a single nozzle (not shown) in the form of slit so as to supply the cooling water.

[52] As described above, when the cooling water supply portion 140 is further included, the cooling fluid containing the cooling water may be dispersed to the falling liquefied sulfur by the cooling fluid discharging portion 130, thereby cooling (solidifying) the liquefied sulfur. When the cooling fluid discharging portion 130 includes a plurality of dispersion outlets, each of the plurality of dispersion outlets may disperse the different amount of the cooling water.

[53] For example, when the dispersion outlets include the first and second dispersion outlets 131 and 132 as illustrated, the first dispersion outlet 131 disposed in the upper position may disperse a relatively large amount of cooling water together with the cooling fluid, relative to the second dispersion outlet 132 disposed in the lower position. Also, the falling liquefied sulfur may be first cooled (solidified) by using the cooling fluid dispersed from the first dispersion outlet 131, and then completely cooled (solidified) by using the cooling fluid dispersed from the second dispersion outlet 132.

[54] In this case, the second dispersion outlet 132 may control the flow amount, speed, or strength of the cooling fluid so as to adjust a cooling time. Also, the first and second dispersion outlets 131 and 132 may have a different dispersion angle. For example, after the cooling of the falling liquefied sulfur by using the cooling fluid dispersed from the first dispersion outlet 131, the cooling by using the cooling fluid dispersed from the second dispersion outlet 132 may be successively performed in a rapid manner.

[55] For this, the first dispersion outlet 131 may be disposed at an upward angle of 45° and the second dispersion outlet 132 may be disposed at an upward angle of 60°. That is, the cooling time (solidification time) may be adjustable by controlling the dispersion angles of the first and second dispersion outlets 131 and 132.

[56] As described above, when the cooling fluid containing the cooling water is dispersed, the cooling water may restrict the rising of the scattering dust that may be produced in the process of solidifying (cooling) the falling liquefied sulfur.

[57] As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3, the dropping portion 200 is disposed such that the liquefied sulfur falls into the area where the cooling fluid is dispersed from the cooling fluid discharging portion 130. The dropping portion 200 may tilt so as to adjust the falling amount of the liquefied sulfur or the speed at which the liquefied sulfur moves on the dropping portion 200. In this case, the dropping portion 200 may be combined with a supporting member 201 to be disposed above the cooling fluid discharging portion 130, and be able to tilt on the position combined with the supporting member 201.

[58] As an exemplary embodiment of the configuration for the dropping portion 200, the dropping portion 200 may have a rotation axis 213 and tilt on the supporting member 201 by the rotation axis 213. Also, a tilting adjusting portion 150 may be further included such that one end of the dropping portion 200 rises and falls for the tilting of the dropping portion 200.

[59] The tilting adjusting portion 150 may have one end combined with the supporting member 201 and the other end combined with the other end of the dropping portion 200. In such a configuration, one end of the dropping portion 200 rises and falls due to the action of the tilting adjusting portion 150, so the dropping portion 200 tilts on the rotation axis 213 at a preset angle. [60] In this case, the tilting adjusting portion 150 may be realized such that an adjusting portion 151 varying a straight- line movement position has one end combined with the supporting member 201 and the other end combined with the dropping portion 200, thereby causing the dropping portion 200 to tilt.

[61] The tilting adjusting portion 150 may also be realized such that one end of the adjusting portion 151, varying the straight- line movement position, is combined with the supporting member 201, and a movement member 152, exercising a straight- line movement, is combined with the adjusting portion 151. In this case, the end of the movement member 152 is combined with the other end of the dropping portion 200, whereby the dropping portion 200 tilts according to the moving of the movement member 152.

[62] The adjusting portion 151 may have a screw structure or a cylinder structure in order that a straight-line movement distance is variable.

[63] As illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, the dropping portion 200 may include a flow path

210 formed to channel the liquefied sulfur toward a drop-off location. In this case, the flow path 210 may have a floor formed as a discharging plate 211 of a plate structure, and the liquefied sulfur may be widely dispersed to the fullest extent of the plate structure when moving toward the drop-off location. The discharging plate 211 may have two wings 212 at both sides thereof to ensure that the liquefied sulfur does not fall into other locations. In this case, the rotation axis 213 may be disposed at the side of the wings 212.

[64] At the end of the flow path 210 formed to channel the liquefied sulfur toward the drop-off location, a connection portion 220 may be further included to detachably combine with a supply pipe 240 that is supplied with the liquefied sulfur. The connection portion 220 may cause a bracket 221 to which the supply pipe 240 is fixed to be disposed at the center of the two wings 212 by a combination member 222. Also, at the end of the flow path 210 where the connection portion 220 is disposed, a combination portion 214 combined with the other end of the tilting adjusting portion 150 may be further included.

[65] In order to adjust the viscosity of the liquefied sulfur moving along the flow path

210, the dropping portion 200 may further include a heating portion 230. The heating portion 230 may be disposed along the flow path 210. For example, the heating portion 230 may be disposed below the discharging plate 211 forming the flow path 210 and cause the liquefied sulfur to maintain the required temperature range while becoming widely dispersed across the discharging plate 211 and moving toward the drop-off location.

[66] The heating portion 230 may be a general heater using an electric driving mechanism or a heating device using a heat exchange mechanism. In order to determine or adjust the temperature heated by the heating portion 230, a temperature detecting portion (not shown) detecting the temperature of the liquefied sulfur moving toward the drop-off location may be further included at a certain location of the dropping portion 200. The temperature detecting portion may also be configured to detect the temperature of the flow path 210 itself, thereby adjusting the viscosity of the liquefied sulfur.

[67] In the above-described configuration, the liquefied sulfur supplied to the dropping portion 200 may fall into space. At this time, the liquefied sulfur is dispersed by using the cooling fluid dispersed from the cooling fluid discharging portion 130, and cooled (solidified) into the solid sulfur particles. In this case, as described above, the particle size of the solidified (cooled) sulfur and the cooling speed (solidification speed) may be determined on the basis of the dispersion amount, strength, speed, or angle of the cooling fluid.

[68] The moving speed and the falling amount of the liquefied sulfur may be adjustable by the tilt angle of the flow path 210 formed by the tilting of the dropping portion 200. Here, the falling speed and amount of the liquefied sulfur may be factors that determine the particle size of the solidified (cooled) sulfur and the cooling speed (solidification speed). Also, the moving speed of the liquefied sulfur and the temperature heated by the heating portion 230 may be factors that adjust the viscosity of the liquefied sulfur.

[69] Referring to FIG. 9, the relationship between the falling direction of the liquefied sulfur due to the tilt angle of the flow path 210 by the tilting of the dropping portion 200 and the dispersion direction of the cooling fluid dispersed from the cooling fluid discharging portion 130 will be described below in detail.

[70] The edge of the dropping portion 200 at which the liquefied sulfur falls may be disposed ahead of the edge of the cooling fluid discharging portion 130 from which the cooling fluid is dispersed, in view of the dispersion direction. In this case, as described in FIG. 5, even when the tilt angle of the dropping portion 200 is changed, the intersection point between a line A extended from the edge of the dropping portion 200 and a line B extended from the dispersion direction of the cooling fluid may be managed so as to create a gap G from the edge of the dropping portion 200.

[71] Such a configuration causes the cooling fluid to be dispersed to the area below the dropping portion 200, whereby the dispersion amount and strength of the cooling fluid dispersed to the falling liquefied sulfur may not be reduced.

[72] As described in FIG. 10, the apparatus for changing the sulfur in the liquefied state to the solid state particles may further include a scaffold 161 adjacent to the connection portion 220 of the dropping portion 200, and further a set of stairs 162 used when an operator goes onto the scaffold 161. This helps the operator to easily attach and detach the supply pipe 240 to the connection portion 220 of the dropping portion 200 and perform adjustments of the tilting adjusting portion 150.

[73] The apparatus 10 for changing the sulfur in the liquefied state to the solid state particles may further include a controlling portion (not shown) so as to adjust the dispersion amount, velocity, and strength of the cooling fluid, the tilt angle of the dropping portion 200, and the viscosity of the liquefied sulfur by the heating portion 230. This configuration may be realized by using the values obtained from the flow speed detecting portion 122, the pressure detecting portion 123, and the temperature detecting portion included in the dropping portion 200. This embodiment may be realized by applying a well-known controlling portion to the above-described configuration, so its detailed descriptions will be omitted.

[74] The apparatus 10 for changing the sulfur in the liquefied state to the solid state particles may further include a data collecting portion (not shown). Like the aforementioned configuration including the controlling portion, the data collecting portion may collect data from the flow speed detecting portion 122, the pressure detecting portion 123, and the temperature detecting portion included in the dropping portion 200. The collected data may be used for producing data information in order to determine optimal conditions for cooling (solidifying) the liquefied sulfur into the solid sulfur particles.

[75] In other words, the apparatus 10 including the data collecting portion may also be used as a test apparatus for establishing or setting an apparatus for cooling (solidifying) the liquefied sulfur into the solid sulfur particles.

[76] The above-described apparatus for changing sulfur in liquefied state to solid state particles are not limited to the exemplary embodiments disclosed, but all or part of the exemplary embodiments can be selectively combined to form modifications and variations.