Annular nozzle and process for its use

Claim 2

A process for making a gas mixture containing hydrogen and carbon monoxide by the partial oxidation of a slurry of solid carbonaceous fuel in a liquid carrier admixed with a gas containing free oxygen, the partial oxidation occurring in a free-flowing hollow reactor, characterized in that (a) a first gas stream containing free oxygen passes through a first passageway formed by a central conduit of a burner with an exit discharge velocity from 23 m/s (75 ft/s) to sonic velocity, the burner nozzle including spaced coaxial second and third conduits surrounding the central conduit forming an annular second passageway between the central and second conduits and an annular third passageway between the second and third conduits, the first, second and third passageways being closed at their upstream ends wherein inlets are provided for a gas feedstream and a slurry feedstream and open at downstream discharge ports; (b) a second gas stream containing free oxygen simultaneously passes through the annular third passageway with an exit discharge velocity from 23 m/s (75 ft/s) to sonic velocity and a stream of the slurry through the annular second passageway with an exit discharge velocity from 0.3 to 15 m/s (1 to 50 ft/s); (c) the stream of slurry impinges on a converging surface of a nozzle diffuser, whereby the stream of slurry and first and second gas streams are mixed by the impact of the slurry on the conveying surface and by the shearing action of the first and second gas streams to produce a uniformly dispersed atomized admixture of finely divided solid carbonaceous fuel, liquid carrier and gas containing free oxygen; (d) the admixture passes through an elongate exit orifice at an accelerated velocity of from 30 m/s (100 ft/s) to sonic velocity to further atomize the admixture before it enters the reactor; and (e) the admixture reacts in the reactor to form the partially oxidized gas mixture containing hydrogen and carbon monoxide.

Claim 3

A process as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the diffuser is c a continuous converging section of the third conduit connected to the exit orifice.

Claim 4

A process as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the diffuser is a separate plug held in place by the third conduit with the exit orifice extending through the plug.

Claim 5

A process as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the second conduit comprises a distribution chamber or annular segment, said chamber or segment extending from the slurry feed inlet to the, or the remainder of the, annular second passageway and having a substantially larger cross-sectional area than the, or the remainder of the, annular second passageway thereby providing a substantially uniform pressure of the slurry stream throughout the annular area where it interconnects with the, or remainder of the, annular second passageway.

Claim 6

A process as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the second passageway comprises a first elongate segment and a second annular elongate segment, the first elongate segment extending from the slurry feed inlet and converging into the second segment which in turn extends to its discharge port, the cross-sectional area of the first segment being substantially larger than the cross-sectional area of the second segment thereby providing a pressure of the slurry stream in the first segment which is substantially uniform throughout the annular area of the first segment at the point where it converges and interconnects with the second segment.

Claim 7

A process as claimed in Claim 4 or Claim 5, wherein the pressure drop for the slurry stream from the slurry feed inlet to said point of interconnection is twenty percent or less of the pressure drop for the slurry stream from the point of interconnection to the discharge port of the second segment.

Claim 8

A burner nozzle for a free flowing hollow reactor used to make a gas mixture containing hydrogen and carbon monoxide by a process of partially oxidizing a slurry of solid carbonaceous fuel in a liquid carrier admixed with a gas containing free oxygen, characterised in that said burner nozzle comprises a central conduit (1) forming a central passageway (4) for transporting a gas stream containing free oxygen; a coaxially spaced second conduit (31) forming an annular second passageway (32) between the central and second conduits for transporting a stream of slurry; a coaxially spaced third conduit (3) forming an annular third passageway (6) between the second and third conduits for transporting a gas stream containing free oxygen; the first, second, and third passageways being closed at their upstream ends wherein inlets (15,16) are provided for a gas feedstream and a slurry feedstream and open at downstream discharge ports (8) formed by the termination of the central, second, and third conduits; a nozzle diffuser (33) interconnecting with and disposed near the end of the third conduit, and in a juxtaposed position downstream from the discharge ports of the central and second passageways, the diffuser having a converging surface (9a) on which the slurry stream impinges; and an elongate exit orifice (11) interconnected with the diffuser through which the admixture of slurry and gas containing free oxygen is transported at an accelerated velocity into the reactor; the second passageway formed by the central and second conduits including a first elongate segment (32a) and a second elongate segment (32b), the first segment extending from the slurry feed inlet and converging into the second segment which in turn extends to its discharge port (8b) formed by the termination of the central and second conduits, the cross-sectional area of the first segment being substantially larger than the cross-sectional area of the second segment thereby providing a pressure of the slurry stream in the first segment which is substantially uniform throughout the annular area of the first segment at the point where it converges and interconnects with the second segment.

Claim 9

A burner nozzle for a free flowing hollow reactor used to make a gas mixture containing hydrogen and carbon monoxide by a process of partially oxidizing a slurry of solid carbonaceous fuel in a liquid carrier admixed with a gas containing free oxygen, characterised in that said burner nozzle comprises a central conduit (1) forming a central passageway (4) for transporting a gas stream containing free oxygen; a coaxially spaced second conduit (31) forming an annular second passageway (32) between the central and second conduits for transporting a stream of slurry; a coaxially spaced third conduit (3) forming an annular third passageway (6) between the second and third conduits for transporting a gas stream containing free oxygen; the first, second, and third passageways being closed at their upstream ends wherein inlets (15,16) are provided for a gas feedstream and a slurry feedstream and open at downstream discharge ports (8) formed by the termination of the central, second, and third conduits; a nozzle diffuser (33) interconnecting with and disposed near the end of the third conduit, and in a juxtaposed position downstream from the discharge ports of the central and second passageways, the diffuser having a converging surface (9a) on which the slurry stream impinges; and an elongate exit orifice (11) interconnected with the diffuser through which the admixture of slurry and gas containing free oxygen is transported at an accelerated velocity into the reactor; the second passageway formed by the central and second conduits including a first elongate segment (32a) and a second elongate segment (32b), the first segment extending from the slurry feed inlet and converging into the second segment which in turn extends to its discharge port (8b) formed by the termination of the central and second conduits, the cross-sectional area of the first segment being substantially larger than the cross-sectional area of the second segment thereby providing a pressure of the slurry stream in the first segment which is substantially uniform throughout the annular area of the first segment at the point where it converges and interconnects with the second segment.

Claim 10

A burner nozzle as claimed in Claim 7, wherein the diffuser is a continuous converging section of the third conduit connected to the exit orifice.

Claim 11

A burner nozzle as claimed in Claim 7, wherein the diffuser is a separate plug held in place by the third conduit with the exit orifice extending through the plug.

Claim 12

An improved plug resistant nozzle for admixing a slurry having a high concentration of a finely divided solid in a carrier liquid with a gas stream characterised in that said nozzle comprises a central conduit (1) for transporting a gas stream; a coaxially spaced second conduit (31) forming an annular second passageway (32) between the central and second conduits for transporting a stream of slurry; and a coaxially spaced third conduit (3) forming an annular third passageway (6) between the second and third conduits for transporting a gas stream; the first, second and third passageways being closed at their upstream ends wherein inlets (15,16) are provided for a gas feedstream and a slurry feedstream and open at downstream discharge ports (8) formed by the termination of the central, second and third conduits; the second passageway formed by the central and second conduits including a first elongate segment (32a) and a second annular segment (32b), the first segment extending from the slurry feed inlet and converging into the second segment which in turn extends to its discharge port (8b) formed by the termination of the central and second conduits, the cross-sectional area of the first segment being substantially larger than the cross-sectional area of the second segment thereby providing a pressure of the slurry stream in the first segment which is substantially uniform throughout the annular area of the first segment at the point where it converges and interconnects with the second segment.

Claim 13

An improved plug resistant nozzle for admixing a slurry having a high concentration of a finely divided solid in a carrier liquid with a gas stream characterised in that said nozzle comprises a central conduit (1) for transporting a gas stream; a coaxially spaced second conduit (31) forming an annular second passageway (32) between the central and second conduits for transporting a stream of slurry; and a coaxially spaced third conduit (3) forming an annular third passageway (6) between the second and third conduits for transporting a gas stream; the first, second and third passageways being closed at their upstream ends wherein inlets (15,16) are provided for a gas feedstream and a slurry feedstream and open at downstream discharge ports (8) formed by the termination of the central, second and third conduits; the second passageway formed by the central and second conduits including a first elongate segment (32a) and a second annular segment (32b), the first segment extending from the slurry feed inlet and converging into the second segment which in turn extends to its discharge port (8b) formed by the termination of the central and second conduits, the cross-sectional area of the first segment being substantially larger than the cross-sectional area of the second segment thereby providing a pressure of the slurry stream in the first segment which is substantially uniform throughout the annular area of the first segment at the point where it converges and interconnects with the second segment.

Claim 14

A nozzle as claimed in any one of Claims 7 to 10, wherein the cross-sectional areas of the first and second segments are proportioned to provide a pressure drop for the slurry stream from the slurry feed inlet to the point where the first segment interconnects with the second segment which is twenty percent or less of the pressure drop for the slurry stream from the point of interconnection to the discharge port of the second segment.