FLUIDIZED BED WITH IMPROVED NOZZLE CONSTRUCTION

A fluidized bed system (10) which includes a housing (12) and a floor (14) comprising a plurality of generally parallel tubes (32) joined by fins (34) intermediate adjacent tubes (32). A plurality of nozzle assemblies (30, 50) extend generally vertically in mutually parallel relationship from the floor (14). Each of the nozzle assemblies (30, 50) includes a generally cylindrical body (36) having a centerline disposed in generally perpendicular relationship to the floor (14) and each of the bodies (36) includes a plurality of heads (38) extending generally radially therefrom at an axial extremity thereof remote from the floor (14). In some embodiments of the invention each of the heads (38) are uniformly spaced around the circumferential extent of each of the bodies (36) and each of the heads (38) is generally cylindrical and has a centerline. Each of the centerlines of the heads (38) may be disposed at an angle with respect to a horizontal plan and the angle may be approximately twenty degrees. In some forms of the invention some of the nozzle assemblies (30, 50) each have four heads (38) and some of the nozzle assemblies (30, 50) have two heads (38). In other embodiments all of the nozzle assemblies (30, 50) have two heads (38). In other embodiments all of the nozzle assemblies (30, 50) have four heads (38).