Patent US3644192A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3644192A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Upflow three-phase fluidized bed coal liquefaction reactor system
Assignee: ROBERT M KOROS
•
Filing: 1970-08-28
•
Granted: 1972-02-22
•
Expires: 1990-08-28
Abstract
Abstract A coal/liquid slurry is conducted upwardly in a three-phase fluidized state through a plurality of vessels connected in series, with the gas generated in each individual vessel being purged to a common header by a pressure control system included in each stage for ensuring control of flow through the reactors. The lead vessel includes the following features: a narrow, bottom entrance section designed to produce a superficial liquid velocity which is higher than the minimum fluidization velocity of the heaviest, largest particles in the slurry, so that all entering particles can be fluidized in the entrance section; an expanded upper section designed to slow the upflow of the slurry to a superficial liquid velocity sufficiently lower than the aforesaid minimum fluidization velocity to carry upwardly all particles which are essentially organic in composition but insufficient to carry upwardly a major portion of particles which are essentially nonorganic in nature, so that such major portion of essentially nonorganic particles settle from the upper section and do not carry over to a subsequent vessel; and a side opening at the intersection of these two sections for the continuous withdrawal of a slurry of those particles which settle from the upper section. The vessels subsequent to the leading vessel each have a uniform diameter smaller than the diameter in the lead vessel, so that particles passed from the lead vessel will not settle in the subsequent vessels. Each subsequent vessel also has vertical internals to provide a close approach to plug flow performance. Also, entry ports are provided at the base of each subsequent vessel for hydrogen gas addition.
Inventors
- 👤 Sik U Li
- 👤 Edward Effron
- 👤 Robert M Koros
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 21:33
CPC Classifications
C; C10; C10G; C10G1/00; C10G1/04; C10G1/06; C10G1/065
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 6
Claim 1
Independent Claim
483 words
An upflow reactor system for the solvent liquefaction of a slurry of coal particles which comprises: a plurality of elongated, essentially vertical vessels for imposing liquefaction conditions on slurried coal in them, and including a leading vessel and at least one subsequent vessel, said vessels each having an inlet in the bottom thereof for introduction of slurry thereinto and an outlet in an upper portion thereof for removing treated slurry therefrom, said vessels being fluidly connected in series by at least one confined fluid transfer line extending from an outlet of a preceding vessel to the inlet of a next subsequent vessel, said vessels each having in the top thereof a discharge orifice for gaseous material, a discharge line being connected to each of said orifices for removal of gaseous materials from each of said vessels, said vessels, except the last vessel in the series, each having operatively associated therewith pressure control means for discharging said gaseous material so as to maintain the pressure in each vessel at a predetermined level higher than the pressure in the Next subsequent vessel, whereby a positive liquid flow occurs in said reactor system, said leading vessel further having: a narrow elongated bottom entrance with a diameter which, for a chosen slurry feed rate, produces a superficial liquid velocity therein that is higher than the minimum fluidization velocity of the largest particles in the slurry feed, whereby all particles entering the reactor system are fluidized in said entrance, an expanded upper portion below the outlet thereof and sized to provide a superficial liquid velocity which is lower than said minimum fluidization velocity and sufficient to fluidize and carry upwardly substantially all of the particles which are essentially organic in composition but insufficient to fluidize and carry upwardly a major portion of particles which are essentially nonorganic in nature, and to permit a sufficient residence time for dissolution of at least a major portion of dissolvable coal particles, whereby a major portion of particles which are essentially nonorganic in nature settle in the upper portion of the leading vessel and are not carried over to a subsequent vessel, and a side opening between said entrance and said upper portion of the leading vessel for continuous withdrawal of slurried nonorganic particles settled from said upper portion, said subsequent vessel further having: a cross-sectional area smaller than the upper portion of said leading vessel such that the superficial liquid velocity therein is greater than in said upper portion, whereby particles passed from the upper portion of the leading vessel to the subsequent vessel do not settle in the subsequent vessel, and at least one vertical partition between said inlet and said outlet of the subsequent vessel for imposing substantially plug flow upon the slurry admitted through said inlet, said reactor system having hydrogen-rich gas inlet means at least subsequent to said leading vessel for introducing hydrogen gas into said slurry.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
116 words
The reactor system of claim 2 in which the diameter of said entrance of said leading vessel provides a superficial liquid velocity at least sufficient to fluidize and carry upwardly particles having a particle diameter of 8 mesh and smaller with a specific gravity of 5 and lower, and in which said superficial liquid velocity in said upper portion of said leading vessel is sufficient to fluidize and carry upwardly particles having a particle diameter of 8 mesh and smaller with a specific gravity of about 2.4 and lower but insufficient to fluidize and carry upwardly particles which have a particle diameter of 1.6 mm. and larger with a specific gravity of about 2.5 and higher.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
379 words
In a process for liquefying dissolvable coal particles slurried in a hydrogen-donor solvent, the improvement which comprises, continuously: introducing a slurry of said particles in said solvent into the bottom of a leading part of an upflow reactor system at a superficial liquid velocity higher than the minimum fluidization velocity of the heaviest, largest particles in the slurry, whereby all particles in the slurry are fluidized and carried upwardly into an upper portion of said leading part, flowing the slurry upwardly in said upper portion to an exit at a superficial liquid velocity which is lower than said minimum fluidization velocity and sufficient to fluidize and carry upwardly substantially all of the particles which are essentially organic in composition but insufficient to fluidize and carry upwardly a major portion of particles which are essentially nonorganic in nature, and which is lower than any superficial liquid velocity in a subsequent part of said reactor system, for residence time sufficient to permit dissolution of at least the major portion of dissolvable coal particles in said slurry, whereby a major portion of particles which are essentially nonorganic in nature settle from said upper portion and whereby all particles existing from saId upper portion will not settle in a subsequent part of said reactor system, withdrawing slurried settled nonorganic particles from an opening between the upper portion and the bottom of said leading part of said reactor system at a rate which will not vary the liquid-to-coal ratio for the slurry in the leading part of the reactor system more than a predetermined extent, introducing a hydrogen-rich gas into said reactor system subsequent to said leading part thereof, transferring said slurry in the upper portion of said leading part from said exit into the bottom of a subsequent upflow part of the reactor system, conducting said slurry and said hydrogen-rich gas upwardly in said subsequent part of said reactor system in plug flow for a total residence time in said subsequent part sufficient to permit a selected level of coal liquefaction, removing gaseous material from the tops of said leading and said subsequent parts of said reactor system so as to impose a predetermined pressure in said leading and said subsequent parts so that a positive slurry flow occurs in said reactor system.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
117 words
The method of claim 4 in which said superficial liquid velocity in said bottom of the leading part of the reactor system is at least sufficient to fluidize and carry upwardly particles having a particle diameter of 8 mesh and smaller with a specific gravity of 5 and lower, and in which said superficial liquid velocity in said upper portion of said leading part is sufficient to fluidize and carry upwardly particles having a particle diameter of 8 mesh and smaller with a specific gravity of about 2.4 and lower but insufficient to fluidize and carry upwardly particles which have a particle diameter of 1.6 mm. and larger with a specific gravity of about 2.5 and higher.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
474 words
A process of liquefying coal which comprises continuously: forming a slurry of coal particles having a size range of about 8 mesh (Tyler) and smaller in a hydrogen-donor solvent boiling within the range from about 300* F. to about 900* F. and containing at least 30 weight percent of hydrogen donors chosen from the group consisting of C10 to C12 tetralins, indane, C12 and C13 acenaphthenes, di-, tetra-, and octahydroanthracene and tetrahydroacenaphthene, and mixtures of two or more thereof, at a solvent/coal ratio within the range from about 0.8:1 to about 2:1, introducing the slurry into the bottom of a leading part of an upflow reactor system at a superficial liquid velocity greater than about 28 ft./min., whereby all particles in the slurry are fluidized and carried upwardly into an upper portion of said leading part, flowing the slurry upwardly in said upper portion to an exit, at a superficial liquid velocity sufficient to fluidize and carry upwardly particles having a particle diameter of 8 mesh and smaller with a specific gravity of about 2.4 and lower but insufficient to fluidize and carry upwardly particles which have a particle diameter of 1.6 mm. and larger with a specific gravity of about 2.5 and higher, under liquefaction conditions including a temperature within the range from about 700* F. to about 1,000* F. and a pressure within the range from about 350 p.s.i.g. to about 3,000 p.s.i.g., for a residence time sufficient to permit dissolution of at least a major portion of dissolvable coal particles in said slurry, whereby a major portion of particles which are essentially nonorganic in nature settle from said upper portion of said leading part of said reactor system, withdrawing said essentially nonorganic particles settled in slurried form from said upper portion from an opening between the upper portion and the bottom of said leading part of said reactor system at a rate such that the amount of solvent removed through said opening does not exceed about 5 percent of the solvent in the slurry introduced into the system, transferring said slurry in the upper portion of the leading part from said exit therein into the bottom of a subsequent upflow part of the reactor system, introducing a hydrogen-rich gas providing from about 0.1 to about 10 weight percent of hydrogen into the bottom of said subsequent part of said reactor system, conducting said slurry and said hydrogen gas upwardly in said subsequent part of said reactor system in plug flow for a total residence time of at least about 25 minutes, and removing gaseous material from the tops of said leading and said subsequent parts of said reactor system so as to impose a pressure differential between said leading and said subsequent parts sufficient to overcome a pressure drop therebetween, so that a positive slurry flow occurs in said reactor system.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
31 words
The process of claim 6 in which the superficial liquid velocity in the upper portion of the leading vessel is within the range from about 8 ft./min. to about 10 ft./min.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-02-21 | 1975-08-23 | 1976-02-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-02-21 | 1979-08-23 | 1980-02-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-02-21 | 1983-08-23 | 1984-02-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |