Method and apparatus for gasification of pulverized coal

Claim 2

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said second nozzle means is constructed and arranged to direct said suspension of fuel and steam tangentially to said second wall of said annular reaction chamber.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said second nozzle means is constructed and arranged to direct said suspension of fuel and steam tangentially to said second wall of said annular reaction chamber.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said first nozzle means comprises a plurality of nozzle assemblies spaced around the circumference of and extending through said first vertically extending wall, said nozzle assemblies being angularly directed such that the stream from each nozzle assembly impinges upon the stream emanating from an adjacent nozzle assembly, and wherein said second nozzle means comprises a plurality of nozzles spaced around the circumference of and extending through said vertically extending wall.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means extending across the interior of said second wall comprises at least one hopper means for collecting particulate ash falling from the make gas and including means for introducing said collected particulate ash in suspension in steam into said reaction chamber adjacent to said bottom.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means for discharging molten slag comprises a plurality of cylindrical sleeves communicating at their upper ends with a corresponding number of slag discharge openings in said bottom of said reaction chamber, each of said sleeves extending downward from said bottom and terminating in a corresponding number of slag hoppers, said hoppers being filled with water to a level to immerse the lower ends of said cylindrical sleeves; and drain means associated with each of said hoppers for periodically removing accumulated slag from the hoppers.

Claim 7

A process for continuously generating a low Btu make gas by the reaction at high temperatures of oxygen and steam with a solid fuel containing carbon and ash, which comprises: introducing into the lower end of a vertical annular reaction zone, a stream of solid fuel in a pulverized state in suspension in a stream of gas containing free oxygen at near stoichiometric proportions; burning said stream of fuel and gas in said annular reaction zone to produce gaseous products of combustion at a temperature above the fuel ash fusion temperature, said products of combustion rising upwardly within said zone; introducing into said reaction zone at a level above the point of introduction of said stream of fuel and gas, a stream of solid fuel in a pulverized state in suspension in a stream of steam, said stream of fuel and steam impinging upon said rising hot products of combustion; endothermically reacting said stream of fuel and steam with said hot products of combustion; and simultaneously conducting said endothermically reacting gases upwardly to the top of said reaction zone and from thence inward and downward through a vertical coaxially disposed annular gas passage zone and then inward and upwardly through a central circular gas exit passage, said path through which said reacting gases pass being sufficiently long to provide a residence time of said reacting gases therewithin sufficient for substantially complete gasification of said solid fuel to take place.

Claim 8

The process of claim 8 wherein said solid fuel and gas suspension is introduced into said annular reaction zone in a plurality of streams emanating from spaced points about the periphery of said annular reaction zone each of said plurality of streams being directed such that it impinges upon an adjacent stream.

Claim 9

The process of claim 9 wherein said solid fuel and steam suspension is introduced into said annular reaction zone in a plurality of streams emanating from spaced points about the periphery of said annular reaction zone each of said plurality of streams being directed such that it impinges upon an adjacent stream.

Claim 10

The process of claim 8 wherein said gas containing free oxygen is heated to a temperature between about 500*-650*F prior to introduction into said reaction zone.

Claim 11

The process of claim 8 wherein the temperature of said stream of fuel and steam prior to introduction into said reaction zone is slightly below the temperature at which the volatile matter in said fuel will be volatilized.

Claim 12

The process of claim 8 wherein the ratio by weight of solid fuel contained in said stream of fuel and gas to that contained in said stream of fuel and steam is about 1:2.