Abstract: A downdraft channel gasifier for the efficient conversion of biomass materials to usable heat energy, which includes at least two generally triangularly shaped air ducts positioned longitudinally across an enclosed housing defining a combustion chamber. The air ducts have sloping sides which downwardly converge towards one another to define at least one open-botton V-shaped channel, the sloping sides primarily supporting the biomass fuel which will be combusted to derive producer gas. The air ducts are hollow and are in fluid communication with a high pressure air source at one end, and with the gasification chamber through air jet openings near their apexes. The high pressure air exits out air jet openings along the top edges of the air ducts, providing primary air for gasification of the biomass in the channels. The producer gas passes down between the channels and horizontally to an exit.

Abstract: Inexpensive process for synthetic fuel production, contained fluidized-bed burner, pyrolysis reactor with layer of fuel & hot material mixture and hot material circulation system.Fuel is heating up to pyrolysis temperature by surrounded hot material in layer. Volatile matter, evacuated from pyrolyser to cooler, is used for synthetic fuel production. Warm mixture of char and bed material is returned to fluidized bed for burning. Heat of burned char used for circulated material heat up and for steam generation. Hot material from fluidized bed is transported to pyrolyser and, after mixing with fuel form layer in pyrolyser.The process may be used for utilization of extremely wide range of fuels. For fuels with low value of fixed carbon content, oil shale for example, the process may be used solely for synthetic fuel production; for coals only part of fuel energy may be transfer to synthetic fuel, rest have to be used for steam generation.

Abstract: An apparatus for safely and continuously pyrolyzing organic material, such as contained in municipal waste, in a two-bed pyrolysis system including a pyrolysis reactor and combustion reactor in which several different physical factors influencing the state of fluidization, such as amount of sand in the system, circulation rate of the sand, pressure difference between the free boards of the two reactors and superficial velocity in the pyrolysis reactor, are comprehensively controlled or regulated so as to maintain the operating point of the system at substantially the center of the stable operating range. The feed rate of material charged into the system may also be regulated as required.

Abstract: An improvement in a method of pyrolysis wherein an organic material, such as city waste, is pyrolyzed using a two-bed type pyrolysis system including a fluidized bed type pyrolysis reactor and a combustion reactor and wherein energy is recovered from burning the pyrolysis gases produced is disclosed. The improvement comprises recovering the heat of a combustion exhaust gas which is generated when the energy of the pyrolysis gas is recovered, heating a fluid medium with the recovered heat, and heating the organic material to be pyrolyzed with the heated fluid heat medium to dry the organic material before it is pyrolyzed.

Abstract: A vapor generating system in which a furnace section is provided that is formed by four upright walls. A plurality of openings are formed in one of the walls, and a plurality of gasifiers extend adjacent said one wall and surround the openings so that the respective interiors of the gasifiers communicate with the openings. A bed of adsorbent material is supported in each gasifier for adsorbing the sulfur generated as a result of the gasification of fuel introduced into the gasifier, and air is passed through the bed of adsorbent material to fluidize said material so that, upon combustion of said fuel, a substantially sulfur-free product gas is produced which passes from the gasifier, through the openings and into the furnace section.

Abstract: A substantially smokeless burning system for burning waste material fuels. An elongated hollow burning chamber is supported in a generally horizontal orientation. An elongated fuel accumulation chamber and a hydraulic hoist driven ram in the chamber are adapted to push elongated volumes of new fuel into the lower front end of the burning chamber such that already burning fuel is pushed to the rear of the chamber. This establishes a charcoal burning zone which at least partially overlies a volatile burning zone such that incomplete combustion products from the volatile burning zone pass over and through the charcoal burning zone to be substantially burned before exiting at the rear of the burning chamber. Integral preheat and air delivery channels are formed in the walls of the burning chamber. A pipe section is mounted within the burning chamber for incinerating liquid waste materials.

Abstract: A biomass gasification method and apparatus employs a rectangular design and linear injection of feedstock to allow compact modular design to accommodate a wide variety of energy demands with a single-size production unit which can be stacked with others for different energy output demands. The method and construction make use of a long and narrow grate in combination with an air supply system and producer gas return system which uses a down-draft technique to restrict and control by-products and to improve the efficiency of the energy conversion system.

Abstract: A method for desulfurization, denitrification, and oxidation, of carbonaceous fuels including a two stage oxidation technique. The carbonaceous fuel, containing ash, along with an oxygen-containing gas is introduced into a first stage partial oxidation unit containing a molten ash slag maintained at a temperature of about 2200.degree.-2600.degree. F. A flux may also be introduced into the first stage partial oxidation unit for the purpose of increasing the basicity and maintaining the viscosity of the molten ash slag at a value no greater than about 10 poise. The carbonaceous fuel is gasified, and sulfur is chemically bound and captured in the molten ash slag. Since the first stage is operated in a gasification mode (reducing atmosphere), essentially all of the nitrogen in the fuel is converted to diatomic nitrogen, which results in low nitrogen oxide emissions upon final combustion.

Abstract: Sulfur is readily and efficiently removed from solid fuel in a boiler installation which comprises a hearth for burning and thereby gasifying the solid fuel, the hearth including a grid supporting a fluidized bed of the solid fuel spread thereover, and a tubular boiler body superimposed on, and integral with, the hearth, the boiler body including a lower portion receiving the gasified fuel from the hearth, an upper portion, a common transverse wall dividing the tubular boiler body into the lower and upper portions, and a burner extending into the upper boiler body portion near the dividing transverse wall and receiving a supply of secondary combustion air. A conduit connects the lower boiler body portion to the burner for feeding the gasified fuel therefrom to the burner, and dust removing and desulfurization cyclones in the conduit remove dust and sulfur from the gasified fuel.

Abstract: Coal devolatized and partially gasified in a travelling grate reactor is dropped into a shaft furnace to form a downwardly moving stack which moves then downwardly to and through a fixed bed gasifier, wherein it is burned to ash. A gas stream from the travelling grate reactor is down-drafted through the shaft furnace and a gas stream is up-drafted through the fixed bed gasifier, and the two streams combined are drawn through a heat exchanger and fed to a gas burner, combustion air for the gas burner being heated in the heat exchanger.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for combusting coal containing more than 1 wt. % sulfur which process comprises (a) providing a coal containing more than 1 wt. % sulfur and containing an organically bound calcium to sulfur ratio of at least about 0.8 to 1, (b) burning the coal to about 80% to 95% carbon conversion at temperatures greater than about 1,100.degree. C. in a first combustion zone in the presence of an oxidizing agent but under reducing conditions such that the equivalence ratio of coal to oxidizing agent is less than 1.5 but greater than or equal to 1.0, (c) separating the resulting solid effluent from the gaseous effluent from the first combustion zone, and (d) burning the gaseous effluent at a temperature from about 1,000.degree. C. to about 1,500.degree. C. in a second combustion zone under oxidizing conditions. A substantial amount of the sulfur of the coal is captured in the resulting solid effluent.

Abstract: Reduction of nitrogen oxide emissions from thermal incinerators is accomplished in installations for calcining solid carbonaceous materials such as petroleum coke and anthracite coal. A hot effluent gas stream containing hydrocarbon vapors and entrained carbonaceous solid particles is removed from the calciner, and means are provided to effect preliminary combustion of the hydrocarbon vapors but not the carbonaceous solid particles in the gas stream using substantially the stoichiometric amount of combustion air. The resultant gas that is substantially free of hydrocarbons and oxygen is introduced into the thermal incinerator, and combustion of the carbonaceous solid particles is effected with additional combustion air.

Abstract: A method for desulfurization and oxidation of carbonaceous fuels including a two stage oxidation technique. The carbonaceous fuel, along with an oxygen-containing gas is introduced into a first stage partial oxidation unit containing molten slag maintained at a temperature of about 2200.degree.-2600.degree. F. A flux may also be introduced into the first stage partial oxidation unit for the purpose of maintaining the viscosity of the molten slag at a value no greater than about 10 poise. The carbonaceous fuel is gasified, and sulfur is chemically bound and captured in the molten slag. The combustible gas derived from partial oxidation and gasification is directed along a substantially horizontal path to a second stage oxidation unit for final combustion. The sulfur-containing slag is removed to a water-sealed quench system for disposal.

Abstract: A husk burning furnace having a husk smoke-burning chamber formed by an inner peripheral perforated wall defining a pot-shaped primary gas burning chamber and an outer peripheral perforated wall surrounding the inner peripheral perforated wall. Means are provided to feed the husk particles into the smoke-burning chamber from the lower side of the latter in a floating manner where they are smoke-burnt to become smoke-carbonized husk particles, while generating unburnt gas. The smoke-carbonized husk particles are taken out of the furnace while the unburnt gas is introduced into the primary gas burning chamber so as to be burnt in the primary gas burning chamber. The gas together with flame is introduced further into a secondary gas burning chamber connected to the upper end of the inner peripheral perforated wall to generate colorless hot gas containing no substantial quantities of dust particles. Meanwhile, the smoke-carbonized husk particles are suitably discharged to the desired place.

Abstract: In a procedure and an installation for the incinerating of sludge, predried sludge is dried to residual moisture by the addition of heat in a first processing step and then pyrolized by the continued addition of heat and the exclusion of air in a second processing step, with the pyrolysis gas obtained being used at least partially to generate the hot fumes required for heat input. To incinerate sludge in a way which is compatible with the environment, saves energy and is inexpensive, the predried sludge is carried co-current with the hot fumes in the first processing step and the so-dried sludge is then, in the second step, carried in countercurrent flow to those same fumes.

Abstract: The invention is an improved system for solid fuel gasification, such as coal. A coal type fuel is reduced to as near a one hundred percent molecularly dispersed condition as possible to achieve the maximum efficiency of combustion in a combustion type device. The system consists of a series of steps. The first step mechanically pulverizes the coal to pass through a 300 mesh screen. The second step thermally drives off the volatile gases and the char is burned to a carbon monoxide gas state. The resulting gasified coal combination is then fed to the burners of the combustion type device.

Abstract: A method for safely and continuously pyrolyzing organic material such as contained in municipal waste is presented for use in a two-bed pyrolysis system primarily comprising a pyrolysis reactor and combustion reactor in which several different physical factors influencing the state of fluidization such as amount of sand in the system, circulation rate of the sand, pressure difference between the free boards of the two reactors and superficial velocity in the pyrolysis reactor, are comprehensively controlled or regulated so as to maintain the operating point of the system at substantially the center of the stable operating range. The feed rate of material charged into the system may also be regulated as required.

Abstract: A vapor generating system in which a furnace section is provided that is formed by four upright walls, the lower portion of two opposed walls being slanted inwardly to form a hopper portion. A plurality of openings are formed in each of the opposed walls immediately above its slanted portion. Two gasifiers extend adjacent said opposed wall portions, respectively, and surround the respective slanted wall portions and openings, so that the respective interiors of the gasifiers communicate with the openings. A bed of adsorbent material is supported in each gasifier for adsorbing the sulfur generated as a result of the gasification of fuel introduced into the gasifier and air is passed through the bed of adsorbent material to fluidize said material so that, upon combustion of said fuel, a substantially sulfur-free product gas is produced which passes from the gasifier, through the openings and into the furnace section.

Abstract: An integral generator/gasifier system in which a vapor generator is provided that includes an upright furnace section and a plurality of nozzles, each having one end registering with the interior of the furnace section. A gasifier extends adjacent to the furnace section and supports a bed of adsorbent material for the sulfur generated as a result of the gasification of fuel introduced to the gasifier. Air is passed through the bed of adsorbent material to fluidize said material so that, upon gasification of the fuel, a substantially sulfur-free product gas is produced. The other ends of the nozzles communicate with the gasifier so that the product gas passes from the gasifier through the nozzles and into the furnace section for combustion.

Abstract: A process for the carbonization of oil shale and/or other carbonizable materials, including a process line serving for carbonization, with a closed cycle and without condensate recovery, wherein the materials flowing through the process line are heated to the carbonization temperature through heat exchange. Coming into consideration as further carbonizable materials are fuels which are high in inerts such as, for example, bituminous rock, oil-containing fuller's earth, high-ash coal, oil sands, refuse and the like.

Abstract: Apparatus for incinerating and gasifying biomass material by employing a flight conveyor having an upper run traversing a horizontal, perforated upper grate and a lower run traversing a perforated lower grate which is parallel to and beneath the upper grate, the material being continuously deposited on the upper grate and urged continuously across it by the upper run in a bed wherein the material is pyrolyzed into char and combustible gas and then being deposited on the lower grate in a bed continuously urged by the lower run over a source of air beneath the lower grate so that the char is continuously oxidized by air from the source producing hot products which pass upwardly from the lower grate through the bed on the upper grate, filtering particulates from the products and providing heat for the pyrolysis, and then sequentially over a source of steam beneath the lower grate so that the char continuously reacts with steam from the source to generate water gas which is collected substantially unmixed with ot

Abstract: Apparatus for the conversion of solid fuels and solid organic waste materials by high temperature gasification into gaseous fuel called "producer gas." The apparatus comprises a stacked two-section gasifier defining sequentially descending drying, distillation, oxidation and reduction reaction zones through which a column of the solid fuel descends during its conversion to the gaseous fuel. The lower reactor section is of double-shell construction and defines the lower oxidation and reduction reaction zones. Means are provided for drawing air into the oxidation zone for burning reaction with carbonized fuel passing therethrough and for thereafter drawing reaction gases downwardly through the lower reduction zone of the gasifier and then through the annular space defined by the double-shell structure of the lower section in indirect counter-current heat exchange relationship with the fuel column portion in the oxidation and reduction zones.

Abstract: An improved method for pyrolyzing waste materials and recovering useful chemical and energy rich materials therefrom. The apparatus of the invention includes a specially designed, rotatable combustion chamber and embodies a highly novel means for withdrawing a portion of the combustion gases generated by the pyrolysis of the waste materials, mixing these gases with preheated air in carefully controlled proportions and then using the highly combustible gaseous mixture thus formed to sustain pyrolysis within the combustion chamber.

Abstract: A gas generator for operation on a fuel of fine-grained coal which includes a steam boiler, a combustion boiler and a stack leading from the combustion. chamber to the steam boiler. The steam boiler is provided with a slanting bottom portion for the discharge of fly ash and slag. The stack from the combustion chamber to the boiler is composed of a gas outlet pipe attached to the combustion chamber and a gas inlet pipe leading to the boiler. The gas outlet and gas inlet pipes are connected by attaching means. The gas inlet pipe has a double wall of which the inner wall with its top extends freely into the slanting bottom portion of the boiler and thus is adapted for axial heat expansion. The outer wall is provided with a heat expansion compensator and is connected with its top end to the said slanting bottom of the boiler and with its bottom end to the connecting means between the gas inlet and gas outlet pipes. The inner wall of the gas inlet pipe may be in the form of a jacket for holding a cooling water.

Abstract: The invention resides in an electrical power generation system comprising means for burning solid carbonaceous fuel, such as brown coal, to generate heat energy which is used to convert water to steam, turbine means driven by the said steam for producing electrical energy, and solid carbonaceous fuel drying means, wherein moist fuel is indirectly heated by steam in the drying means in the absence of introduced air or other gases, whereby water vapor substantially free from air or other gases is driven off from the fuel for further use and the dried fuel is passed to the burning means. Preferably, the solid carbonaceous fuel drying means is in the form of a fluidized bed in which the fluidizing medium is water vapor. Further, the fluidized bed may be indirectly heated by saturated steam which transfers heat to the solid carbonaceous fuel and becomes condensed.

Abstract: Process for solid refuse disposal in which a vertical shaft furnace is maintained at 30-250 psia, part of the recycle-condensate is filtered to form liquid waste a portion of which is incinerated with a minor part of the product gas to form hot exhaust gas used to heat feed water in steam boiler zone, and energy from the resulting steam is recovered as part of the process energy requirement.

Abstract: Apparatus for disposing of pelletized refuse by conversion into useful gaseous products and inert solid residue, comprising a vertical shaft and an enlarged hearth beneath the shaft, with a multiplicity of tuyeres for feeding oxygen-containing gas into the hearth.

Abstract: A process is provided for the efficient conversion of water-containing organic materials such as bark, peat and sludge as fuels into energy, including drying the materials to convert them into fuels and then combusting the fuels in order to recover as much energy as possible at the lowest possible cost; which comprises heating the material in a steam vessel while enveloping the material in steam at superatmospheric pressure, heating the steam by heat exchange with steam at a higher pressure and higher temperature than the steam in the vessel; mechanically dewatering the material; and then drying the material to convert the material into a fuel, converting water driven from the material into steam, and forming excess steam in the dryer, of which steam all or part is recycled and condensed directly on the material in the steam vessel; and then combusting the dry material in finely divided form in a steam boiler, utilizing the high pressure steam that is generated in a turbine, which in turn operates a generator

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for combusting coal wherein the emission of SO.sub.x or the emission of SO.sub.x and NO.sub.x are minimized. The process comprises (a) providing a coal containing at least twice as much organic calcium than sulfur; (b) burning the coal at a temperature greater than about 1200.degree. C. under reducing conditions; (c) separating the solid effluents from the gaseous effluents; and (d) burning the gaseous effluents at a temperature from about 1000.degree. C. to 1500.degree. C. under oxidizing conditions.

Abstract: PCT No. PCT/US79/00929 Sec. 371 Date Nov. 1, 1979 Sec. 102(e) date Nov. 1, 1979 PCT Filed Nov. 1, 1979 PCT Pub. No. WO81/01295 PCT Pub. Date May 14, 1981A rotating fluidized bed gasifier system especially useful in compound engines comprising an annular fluidization chamber containing a bed of carbon containing pulverulent solid materials. The chamber, which is defined by inner and outer spaced apart coaxial, cylindrical, perforated walls, rotates about the longitudinal axis of the cylinders. Steam enters the bed, which is maintained at about 1800.degree. F., through the outer perforated wall and fluidizes the particles. The steam reacts endothermically with the carbon to produce reaction product gas which exits the bed, together with unreacted steam, through the inner perforated wall. In a preferred form of the invention the bed is maintained at approximately 1800.degree. F. by combining a rotating fluidized bed combustor with the gasifier.

Abstract: A coal gasifying burner characterized by a rotating grill which is composed of grill disks arranged on two pipes with a narrow gap between the grills and which rotates very slowly inwards when viewed from the top sloped side walls made of metal sheet having a sloper compatible with coal flow, a cylindrical jacket placed around the periphery of the nozzle which delivers combustion air to the burner, gasification of a quantity of coal located on the sloping side walls around a narrow area where coal combustion takes place, and combustion of the generated coal gas outside of the burner by secondary air which cools the system and gets heated itself by the coal cooking process.

Abstract: Apparatus for progressively burning biomass material comprising a retort defining a chamber, a linearly moving grate bed enclosed within the chamber with a space below and a space above for respectively supplying primary air to the lower side of the grate and for collecting gases generated by progressive distillation of the biomass material at the upper side of the grate. Primary air is supplied to the underside of the grate bed at different pressures lengthwise of the grate by a distribution chamber extending lengthwise of the grate of V-shaped cross section containing at its bottom a Venturi opening through which air is delivered to the distribution chamber from successive longitudinally-arranged plenum chambers which, in turn, are supplied with air through conductors connected to a primary air source, each of which contains a damper. The grate may be horizontal or inclined.

Abstract: A method of and installation for incineration of solid and, if desired, liquid waste. The installation comprises a pyrolysis chamber and connected directly therebelow a combustion chamber. Exhaust gas ducts which cover the outer walls of the pyrolysis chamber either partly or completely in such a way that the covered wall surfaces of the pyrolysis chamber serve as the inner walls of the exhaust gas ducts. One or more swivelling gate elements which when moved create passages of different cross-sections through which solid and gaseous products from the pyrolysis process are discharged from the pyrolysis chamber into the combustion chamber. Combustion air supply inlets are arranged in flow direction behind the gate elements.

Abstract: Pyrolyzing pulverized coal to form char and volatiles, separating the char from the volatiles, burning the char in heat-transfer relationship with a stoichiometric excess of air, forming thereby ash and a mixture of gases, the excess of air being chosen to produce in the ash a temperature below the fusion temperature thereof, separating the mixture of gases from the ash, and thereafter burning the volatiles in the mixture of gases.

Abstract: A heating assembly and a method for burning fuel of organic origin, includes a substantially enclosed hollow assembly including a predetermined region within the assembly for receiving the fuel for ignition purposes, a first oxygen supply device for supplying the predetermined region with oxygen at least at a rate adequate for producing a gas flow of distilled-off gases, air gases and combustion gases from the ignited fuel, an elongated outer shell disposed within the predetermined region and having a plurality of passages for dividing the gas flow into a plurality of streamlets, an elongated inner shell, having an inlet and an outlet, disposed within the outer shell and defining a space between the inner and outer shells, the space communicating with the inlet, the streamlets being recombined into a gas stream in the space, a second oxygen supply device for supplying the inner shell with oxygen near its inlet for burning the stream of gas; and an exhaust conduit communicating with the outlet for exhausting t

Abstract: A new furnace is provided which employs a forced draft to efficiently and cleanly burn a wide variety of fuels such as wood and refuse. The furnace is designed to internally and continuously pyrolyze (gasify) fuel prior to the burning phase which is conducted in a lower chamber of the furnace where air is admitted at a controlled rate. Combustion temperature is maintained at 1800.degree. F. or higher to completely burn gasified fuel by enclosing the burning zone with refractory material and by not extracting sensible heat from the combustion region until after exhaust gases exit the lower chamber. Ash is produced in a fine powder as a consequence of its being removed from the combustion effluent by gravity and cyclonic (i.e. turbulent) separation.

Abstract: A coal pump is provided in which solid coal is heated in the barrel of an extruder under pressure to a temperature at which the coal assumes plastic properties. The coal is continuously extruded, without static zones, using, for example, screw extrusion preferably without venting through a reduced diameter die to form a dispersed spray. As a result, the dispersed coal may be continuously injected into vessels or combustors at any pressure up to the maximum pressure developed in the extrusion device. The coal may be premixed with other materials such as desulfurization aids or reducible metal ores so that reactions occur, during or after conversion to its plastic state. Alternatively, the coal may be processed and caused to react after extrusion, through the die, with, for example, liquid oxidizers, whereby a coal reactor is provided. Alternative utilization of the device may be to secure continuous pyrolysis of the coal or to feed the extruded coal into furnaces operating at pressures near ambient.

Abstract: An improved method and apparatus for pyrolyzing waste materials and recovering useful chemical and energy rich materials therefrom. The apparatus of the invention includes a specially designed, rotatable combustion chamber and embodies a highly novel means for withdrawing a portion of the combustion gases generated by the pyrolysis of the waste materials, mixing these gases with preheated air in carefully controlled proportions and then using the highly combustible gaseous mixture thus formed to sustain pyrolysis within the combustion chamber.

Abstract: This process is for devolatilizing coal to produce a volatile hydrocarbon gas leaving a residue of unburned coal. The volatile hydrocarbon gas and other coal or said residual coal are thereafter burned together in a common furnace. The volatilization of the coal may be carried out substantially endothermically, and preferably on the plant site where the burning of the volatilized hydrocarbon takes place together with other coal or the residue coal. The volatile matter is removed from the coal in a volatile state before the residue coal exits from the burner nozzle and then enters the combustion chamber where the volatilized hydrocarbon gas and residue coal are burned together. The removed volatilized hydrocarbon gas can be placed within the same coal burning plant to join with the unburned residual coal, passing to the burner to burn therewith.

Abstract: An industrial boiler comprising a combustion chamber having a furnace therein, means for feeding products of combustion from the combustion chamber to a heat exchanger to heat water/stream therein, a pyrolytic retort, means to feed said products of combustion into heat transfer relationship with the retort to pyrolize material therein and means to feed products of pyrolysis from the retort.

Abstract: An improvement in a known process and apparatus for gasifying coal with water vapor and oxygen under pressure and at elevated temperature wherein coal is dropped onto a grate within a reactor supplied with gasifying agent from below, product gas being withdrawn above. In accordance with the invention an annular wall depends from the reactor top to form an annular gas space through which product gas is withdrawn. The annular space surrounds the top of the coal bed so the coal is preheated thereby. The wall is provided with apertures so that at least 20% of the product gas enters the annular space by traversing that part of the coal bed surrounded by the wall. This results in reduced product gas velocity and entrainment of coal dust.

Abstract: A heat producing device utilizing solid carbonaceous material, especially material of cellulosic composition such as corn cobs, as fuel. The heat producing device includes a gasifier for the carbonaceous material. The gas outlet of the gasifier leads to a burner. A cyclonic burning chamber and particle separator are connected to the discharge of the burner. The cyclonic burning chamber and particle separator has a heat outlet and a particle discharge outlet. An adjustable air inlet and mixing chamber are installed in the heat outlet for adding ambient air to reduce the temperature of the heat discharged from the heat outlet. A discharge fan has an inlet connected to the mixing chamber and an outlet for discharging the heat received therefrom to a drying chamber or other heat utilizing source.

Abstract: A stream of hot primary gas rising from the gasification region in a slag bath generator passes through an after-gasification region and thence into a cooling region. The stream of hot gas is cooled in the cooling region by injecting purified and cooled primary gas through tangentially-arranged nozzles at an outlet velocity of between 1 and 8 meters per second. Below the tangentially-arranged nozzles, other gas-cooling nozzles inject cooled and purified primary gas into the hot gas stream upwardly at an angle within 10.degree.-60.degree. , preferably at 45.degree. and at an outlet velocity of between 10 and 160 meters per second. The upwardly-inclined gas injection nozzles are carried by the inner wall of an annular duct. The inner wall extends between a lining of cooling tubes surrounding the vertical gas flow space.

Abstract: The air entering the reactor in a pyrolysis system is preheated by burning a part of the process gas from the reactor in the entering air, thereby maintaining an inlet temperature to prevent solidifying of the slag in the furnace, to maintain the pyrolytic reaction and to reduce the quantity of free oxygen in the entering air.

Abstract: A reactor wherein a biomass is moved progressively downwardly along the upwardly facing side of an inclined grate supported with an enclosure comprising a retort, the rear and front walls of which provide, in conjunction with the grate, a plenum chamber at the downwardly facing side of the grate and a mixing chamber at the upwardly facing side of the grate, the said structure providing for converting the biomass by a process of destructive distillation to CO and ash characterized in that the grate is maintained at a temperature below the fusion temperature of the ash to prevent slagging of the ash by the expedient of supplying an excess of primary air to the plenum chamber at the lower end of the grate so that it flows upwardly along the downwardly facing side thereof, the surplus discharged at the top, providing the grate with a plurality of relatively small openings distributed throughout its length and breadth and providing fins at the downwardly facing side of the grate perpendicular to the plane of the u