BigPatents India

A pebble bed system comprising a plurality of linearly configured horizontally oriented modular pebble sections or unit-beds (1) that function as the main heat transfer matrix, contained inside metallic cylindrical vessels, said modular unit-beds being provided with at least two dished end covers (2) that along with the cylindrical vessel form a closed pressure vessel chamber, said cylindrical vessel being provided with pipe nozzles (3,4,5,6) that act as the process gas flow interface between the pebble bed system and each of hot gas supply system, stack system, cold blow system and hot blow system, said flow nozzles being positioned on the top curved side of the cylindrical vessel, said nozzles being connected to process gas piping in different planes such that they do not interfere with one another, said nozzles being connected to other systems through suitable valves (not shown), said unit-bed further comprising a small spherical shaped objects called pebbles (7), said pebbles being made of ceramic material and thereby capable of withstanding very high temperatures of the order of 1000°C -2200°C.