Two-stage coal gasification process

Claim 1

A non-catalytic two-stage upflow process for gasification of a carbonaceous material, which process comprises the steps of (a) combusting in a fired horizontal slagging reactor a stream comprising an oxygen-containing gas and a first increment of a slurry of particulate carbonaceous material in a liquid carrier at a temperature of between 2400° F. (1316° C.) and 3000° F. (1649° C.) and at a pressure of from 50 psig (345 kPa gage) to 600 psig (4137 kPa gage) by means of opposed horizontal burner nozzles, thereby evolving heat and forming a liquid, molten slag and a gaseous products stream and entrained byproduct sticky, molten slag particles; (b) separating said liquid, molten slag; (c) contacting, in an unfired vertical second stage, said gaseous products stream and said entrained byproduct sticky, molten slag particles from the fired horizontal reactor with a second increment of a slurry of particulate carbonaceous material in a liquid carrier at a temperature of between 1600° F. (871° C.) and 2000° F. (1093° C.), whereby a substantial portion of the heat evolved in the said step (a) is recovered by converting the second increment of carbonaceous material and carrier liquid into steam, vapor from the carrier liquid, synthesis gas and char, whereby at least a portion of the entrained byproduct sticky, molten slag particles are cooled below the temperature of adherence to heat transfer surfaces and at least a portion of said entrained sticky, molten slag particles are absorbed onto said char preventing the fouling of the downstream heat recovery equipment; and (d) recovering another portion of the heat values from said gaseous combustion products in a high temperature heat recovery system, including a fire-tube boiler, whereby the gaseous combustion products are cooled to a temperature of about 450° to about 550° F. (232° to 288.7° C.).