US4714032A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Pollution-free pressurized combustion utilizing a controlled concentration of water vapor
Assignee: ENERTECH ENVIRONMENTAL Inc (DELAWARE C CORP)
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Filing: 1985-12-26
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Granted: 1987-12-22
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Expires: 2005-12-26
Abstract
Abstract In a continuous pressurized process for the combustion, in the presence of steam and alkali, of solid fuels charged as aqueous slurries, the improvements comprising the elevation of inlet zone temperature in an entrained phase reactor by recirculating hot solid products to the zone, maintaining increased temperature and/or reduced steam partial pressure in the reactor and/or utilizing contaminated water from an associated fuels processing apparatus as a source of slurry and/or reactor temperature control water. An embodiment suitable for a coal-fired gas turbine locomotive is described and illustrated.
Inventors
- 👤 Norman L. Dickinson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 14:34
CPC Classifications
F; F23; F23C; F23C99/00; C; C02; C02F; C02F11/00; C02F11/06; C02F11/08; C02F11/086; C10; C10L; C10L1/00; F01; F01K; F01K3/00; F01K3/18; F01K3/188; F02; F02C; F02C3/00; F02C3/20; F02C3/26; F23C10/00; F23C10/02; F23C10/04; F23C10/08; F23C10/10; F23C10/16; F23K; F23K1/00; F23C2206/00; F23C2206/10; F23C2206/101; F23G; F23G2201/00; F23G2201/60; F23G2201/603; F23G2201/80; Y; Y02; Y02T; Y02T50/00; Y02T50/60
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
230 words
A continuous combustion process comprising pressurizing an aqueous slurry of fuel particles containing alkali in an amount at least the chemical equivalent of the sulfur in the fuel particles; pressurizing an oxygen-containing gas; mixing the pressurized fuel slurry, the pressurized oxygen-containing gas and particles of recycled solid products in an inlet zone of an elongated reactor to form a mixture comprising a gaseous phase of oxygen-containing gas and water vapor in which the particles of fuel, alkali and recycled solid products are entrained; permitting combustible portions of the fuel particles to burn at a temperature not exceeding 1600° F. as the mixture flows from the inlet zone to a reactor outlet while maintaining a partial pressure of water vapor of at least 3 atmospheres, as measured at the outlet, forming a reactor effluent comprising gaseous products in which particles of net and recycled solid products are entrained; passing the effluent through a gas-solids separating device, forming gaseous products carrying fine particles of unseparated solid products and separated net and recycled solid particles; returning the recycled portion of the separated solid particles to the inlet zone; withdrawing the net portion of the separated solid particles; cooling the gaseous products containing the unseparated particles at essentially combustion pressure, by extracting useful heat therefrom, to a temperature below their dewpoint, forming a flue gas and a fines slurry containing the unseparated solid particles.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
230 words
A continuous combustion process comprising pressurizing an aqueous slurry of fuel particles containing alkali in an amount at least the chemical equivalent of the sulfur in the fuel particles; pressurizing an oxygen-containing gas; mixing the pressurized fuel slurry, the pressurized oxygen-containing gas and particles of recycled solid products in an inlet zone of an elongated reactor to form a mixture comprising a gaseous phase of oxygen-containing gas and water vapor in which the particles of fuel, alkali and recycled solid products are entrained; permitting combustible portions of the fuel particles to burn at a temperature not exceeding 1600° F. as the mixture flows from the inlet zone to a reactor outlet while maintaining a partial pressure of water vapor of at least 3 atmospheres, as measured at the outlet, forming a reactor effluent comprising gaseous products in which particles of net and recycled solid products are entrained; passing the effluent through a gas-solids separating device, forming gaseous products carrying fine particles of unseparated solid products and separated net and recycled solid particles; returning the recycled portion of the separated solid particles to the inlet zone; withdrawing the net portion of the separated solid particles; cooling the gaseous products containing the unseparated particles at essentially combustion pressure, by extracting useful heat therefrom, to a temperature below their dewpoint, forming a flue gas and a fines slurry containing the unseparated solid particles.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
28 words
A process as in claim 1 in which a water vapor pressure of at least 1 atmosphere is maintained in the reactor, as measured at the reactor outlet.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
26 words
A process as in claim 2 in which the combustible portions of the fuel particles are permitted to burn at a temperature not exceeding 2100° F.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
38 words
A process as in claim 3 in which the temperature in the reactor is maintained below a predetermined maximum by extracting heat through heat transfer surface from the mixture flowing from the inlet zone to the reactor outlet.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
41 words
A process as in claim 3 in which the temperature in the reactor is maintained below a predetermined maximum by extracting heat through heat transfer surface from the separated solid particles prior to returning the recycle portion to the inlet zone.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
33 words
A process as in claim 3 in which the temperature in the reactor is maintained below a predetermined maximum by injecting water into the mixture flowing from the inlet zone to the outlet.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
54 words
A process as in claim 3 in which the withdrawn net separated solid particles are mixed with a portion of the fines slurry, which displaces the gases accompanying the solid particles, forming therewith an ash slurry, the displaced gases being separated from the ash slurry and returned to the pressurized portion of the apparatus.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
30 words
A process as in claim 3 in which at least a portion of the water used to prepare the aqueous fuel slurry is a by-product from a fuels processing apparatus.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
30 words
A process as in claim 3 in which ammonia is injected into partially cooled gaseous products in an amount at least the molal equivalent of the nitrogen oxides contained therein.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
34 words
A process as in claim 3 in which the pressure of the combustion is in excess of that existing in an underground oil-bearing reservoir to which a portion of the flue gas is directed.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
39 words
A process as in claim 3 in which the flue gas is reheated by indirect exchange with the gaseous products and at least a portion of the reheated flue gas expanded through a turbine which produces useful mechanical energy.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
24 words
A process as in claim 6 in which at least a portion of the water injected into the mixture is comprised of fines slurry.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
27 words
A process as in claim 6 in which at least a portion of the water injected into the mixture is a by-product from a fuel processing apparatus.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
39 words
A process as in claim 6 in which at least of a portion of the useful heat extracted from the gaseous products is utilized to supply at least a portion of the energy consumed by the fuels processing apparatus.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
17 words
A process as in claim 10 in which the oxygen-containing gas comprises at least 90 percent oxygen.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
30 words
A process as in claim 11 in which the flue gas being reheated and expanded through the turbine is augmented by steam generated from waste heat in the turbine exhaust.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
37 words
A process as in claim 14 in which at least a portion of the useful heat being supplied to the fuels processing apparatus is transferred by direct contact between the gaseous products and the fuel being processed.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
42 words
A process as in claim 14 in which at least a portion of the heat being supplied to the fuels processing apparatus is transferred by direct contact between flue gas reheated by indirect exchange with gaseous products and the fuel being processed.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4380960A
Cited
US4377066A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1990-12-21 | 1991-06-22 | 1991-12-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1994-12-21 | 1995-06-22 | 1995-12-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1998-12-21 | 1999-06-22 | 1999-12-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |