Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
170 words
A single stage, fluidbed coal gasification reactor comprising: a. a closed shell side having enclosing wall structure for containing a fluid bed of particulate carbonaceous material; b. a tube side comprising the volume within an enclosing tube which is positioned within said shell side in substantial upright orientation, said tube side being substantially segregated from said shell side except for an opening at the lower end of said tube which permits transfer of said carbonaceous material from the shell side to the tube side during operation of the reactor; c. means for introducing shell side reactant fluid at the base of said shell side to actuate a fluid bed state of the particulate carbonaceous material therein; d. means for introducing a high flow of oxygen containing fluid into said lower tube opening, e. means adapted for actuating a combustion reaction between said contained oxygen and said carbonaceous material within said tube side, and f. means for separately removing gaseous products from the respective shell and tube sides of the reactor.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
170 words
A single stage, fluidbed coal gasification reactor comprising: a. a closed shell side having enclosing wall structure for containing a fluid bed of particulate carbonaceous material; b. a tube side comprising the volume within an enclosing tube which is positioned within said shell side in substantial upright orientation, said tube side being substantially segregated from said shell side except for an opening at the lower end of said tube which permits transfer of said carbonaceous material from the shell side to the tube side during operation of the reactor; c. means for introducing shell side reactant fluid at the base of said shell side to actuate a fluid bed state of the particulate carbonaceous material therein; d. means for introducing a high flow of oxygen containing fluid into said lower tube opening, e. means adapted for actuating a combustion reaction between said contained oxygen and said carbonaceous material within said tube side, and f. means for separately removing gaseous products from the respective shell and tube sides of the reactor.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
32 words
A reactor as defined in claim 1, wherein said enclosing tube is constructed of material having high heat transmissive characteristics for conducting thermal energy between the tube side and the shell side.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
45 words
A reactor as defined in claim 1, further comprising additional tube members in upright orientation within the shell side to provide additional tube side reaction sites, each tube member having a means for introducing a high flow of oxygen containing fluid into lower openings thereof.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
46 words
A reactor as defined in claim 1, wherein said means for separately removing gaseous products includes a tube coupled to said tube side and extending through said enclosing wall structure of the shell side to conduct by-products of the combustion reaction out of said shell side.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
39 words
A reactor as defined in claim 1, further comprising a cyclone separating means coupled to said tube side for separating and returning carbonaceous material from combustion reaction by-products and returning said material to the shell side for further reaction.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
A reactor as defined in claim 1, further comprising a distributor plate positioned toward the base of said shell side and in close proximity below said tube opening.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
42 words
A reactor as defined in claim 6 wherein said distributor plate comprises a conical structure whose apex extends downward and in co-axial orientation with respect to said tube with said tube opening being proximate to the interior surface of said conical structure.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
43 words
A reactor as defined in claim 7, wherein said distributor plate further comprises horizontally traversing inlets disposed around the surface of said conical structure for passing said shell side reactant fluid to the shell side, thereby adapting the structure for fluid bed operation.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
62 words
A reactor as defined in claim 1, wherein said means for introducing a high flow of oxygen containing fluid includes a nozzle spatially displaced from said tube opening at a distance based upon the desired rate of particle transfer from the shell side to the tube side, said nozzle being adapted to direct substantially all fluid passing therefrom into said tube opening.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
30 words
A reactor as defined in claim 1, wherein said means for introducing the oxygen containing fluid is adapted to draw air with oxygen therein for use as a combustion reactant.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
42 words
A reactor as defined in claim 7, wherein said shell side reactant fluid is introduced into a feed chamber located below the distributor plate and structured to withstand high internal pressures, said feed chamber providing uniform fluid flow through said distributor plate.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
36 words
A reactor as defined in claim 11, wherein the shell side is in stacked configuration over the feed chamber and separated by a distributor plate mounted therebetween, with said conical apex protruding into the feed chamber.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
32 words
A reactor as defined in claim 1, wherein said means for introducing the shell side reactant fluid is adapted for coupling to a source of steam as the shell side reactant fluid.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
26 words
A reactor as defined in claim 1, wherein said means for actuating a combustion reaction comprises an ignition system located at the opening of said tube.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
34 words
A reactor as defined in claim 1, wherein the length of said tube and enclosing shell side is sufficiently long to permit substantially complete combustion of entrained carbonaceous material injected at said tube opening.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
49 words
A reactor as defined in claim 1, wherein said means for separately removing gaseous products from the shell side comprises an outlet located toward the top of said shell side with external tube means communicating therewith for removing raw gas produced by the steam-carbon reaction of the shell side.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
37 words
A reactor as defined in claim 16, further comprising a cyclone separator means coupled to said tube means for removing raw gas and operable to return partially reacted carbonaceous material to the shell side for further reaction.