Patents Examined by Peter F. Kratz
  • Patent number: 4461629
    Abstract: An overall process of cooling, dust removal, tar removal and heat recovery of high temperature gas generated in coal gasification furnaces, and apparatuses employed therefor are provided. In this process, specific apparatuses such as fluidized bed-cooler, fluidized bed-combustion furnace for regenerating granules, granular bed filter, gas cooler, and tar scrubber are successively and effectively employed. During the process, high, medium and low pressure steam, for example, are recovered by heat exchange in these apparatuses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1982
    Date of Patent: July 24, 1984
    Assignee: Babcock-Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventor: Kenji Arisaki
  • Patent number: 4459137
    Abstract: The gasification of solid carbonaceous materials such as coal is achieved by directing a stream containing the carbonaceous materials onto a high temperature hot spot which has been formed on the surface of a bath of molten iron by oxygen jets blown thereagainst, the stream containing the carbonaceous materials emanating from a non-submerged, top-blowing lance, the oxygen jets emanating from the same lance or from different lances, and the bath of molten iron being contained in a reactor such that its total volume remains essentially constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 1982
    Date of Patent: July 10, 1984
    Assignee: Sumitomo Metal Industries Limited
    Inventors: Toyosuke Tanoue, Masanobu Sueyasu, Mitsuichiro Fukuda, Tohru Matsuo
  • Patent number: 4459138
    Abstract: In a coal gasification operation (32) or similar conversion process carried out in the presence of an alkali metal-containing catalyst wherein particles containing alkali metal residues are produced, alkali metal constituents are recovered from the particles by contacting them (46, 53, 61, 69) with water or an aqueous solution to remove water-soluble alkali metal constituents and produce an aqueous solution enriched in said constituents. The aqueous solution thus produced is then contacted with carbon dioxide (63) to precipitate silicon constituents, the pH of the resultant solution is increased (81), preferably to a value in the range between about 12.5 and about 15.0, and the solution of increased pH is evaporated (84) to increase the alkali metal concentration. The concentrated aqueous solution is then recycled to the conversion process (86, 18, 17) where the alkali metal constituents serve as at least a portion of the alkali metal constituents which comprise the alkali metal-containing catalyst.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 1982
    Date of Patent: July 10, 1984
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventor: Wen Y. Soung
  • Patent number: 4459134
    Abstract: Outlet structure of a powdered coal gasification generator. The bottom of the generator has an outlet throat with cylindrical walls that extend beyond the base. And, the walls terminate in an oblique manner with a face shaped to promote flow of slag from the generator to a single point in order to minimize reentrainment of slag into the gasification products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 1982
    Date of Patent: July 10, 1984
    Assignee: Texaco Inc.
    Inventors: Walter C. Gates, Jr., Roger J. Corbeels
  • Patent number: 4455152
    Abstract: A hydrogen generator decomposes water into hydrogen and oxygen, and includes an induction coil which is electrically heated to a temperature sufficient to decompose water passing therethrough. A generator coil is connected in communicating relation to the induction coil, and is positioned in a fire resistant crucible containing ferrous oxide pellets. Oxygen and hydrogen produced by decomposition of water pass through the ferrous oxide pellets where the oxygen reacts with the ferrous oxide and the hydrogen is burned to produce heat for heating a building, such as a conventional home.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 1983
    Date of Patent: June 19, 1984
    Inventor: Jens R. Hansen
  • Patent number: 4455153
    Abstract: Processes and apparatus for storing solar energy in synthetic fuels are disclosed. The disclosed processes include the steps of introducing steam and carbonaceous material such as coal, lignite, peat, solid organic wastes, or heavy oils into a molten gasification medium such as one or more molten salts and supplying sufficient solar heat to the gasification medium to maintain it in the molten state at a temperature at which the carbonaceous material and steam react to produce a synthesis gas product including a synthetic fuel gas or gases. Disclosed processes include the step of adding solar absorptivity enhancing dopant material to the gasification medium. Disclosed processes include the step of supplying solar heat to the gasification medium by directing concentrated solar radiation onto the gasification medium, rather than directing the solar radiation onto a separate body of material for indirectly heating the gasification medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 1979
    Date of Patent: June 19, 1984
    Inventor: Douglas Y. Jakahi
  • Patent number: 4453948
    Abstract: An improved air-flow regulator for a fixed-bed coal gasifier is provided which allows close air-flow regulation from a compressor source even though the pressure variations are too rapid for a single primary control loop to respond. The improved system includes a primary controller to control a valve in the main (large) air supply line to regulate large slow changes in flow. A secondary controller is used to control a smaller, faster acting valve in a secondary (small) air supply line parallel to the main line valve to regulate rapid cyclic deviations in air flow. A low-pass filter with a time constant of from 20 to 50 seconds couples the output of the secondary controller to the input of the primary controller so that the primary controller only responds to slow changes in the air-flow rate, the faster, cyclic deviations in flow rate sensed and corrected by the secondary controller loop do not reach the primary controller due to the high frequency rejection provided by the filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 1982
    Date of Patent: June 12, 1984
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventor: George E. Fasching
  • Patent number: 4453950
    Abstract: A modulated control system is provided for improving regulation of the bed level in a fixed-bed coal gasifier into which coal is fed from a rotary coal feeder. A nuclear bed level gauge using a cobalt source and an ion chamber detector is used to detect the coal bed level in the gasifier. The detector signal is compared to a bed level set point signal in a primary controller which operates in proportional/integral modes to produce an error signal. The error signal is modulated by the injection of a triangular wave signal of a frequency of about 0.0004 Hz and an amplitude of about 80% of the primary deadband. The modulated error signal is fed to a triple-deadband secondary controller which jogs the coal feeder speed up or down by on/off control of a feeder speed change driver such that the gasifier bed level is driven toward the set point while preventing excessive cycling (oscillation) common in on/off mode automatic controllers of this type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 1982
    Date of Patent: June 12, 1984
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventor: George E. Fasching
  • Patent number: 4453949
    Abstract: An ash level control system is provided which incorporates an ash level meter to automatically control the ash bed level of a coal gasifier at a selected level. The ash level signal from the ash level meter is updated during each cycle that a bed stirrer travels up and down through the extent of the ash bed level. The ash level signal is derived from temperature measurements made by thermocouples carried by the stirrer as it passes through the ash bed and into the fire zone immediately above the ash bed. The level signal is compared with selected threshold level signal to determine if the ash level is above or below the selected level once each stirrer cycle. A first counter is either incremented or decremented accordingly. The registered count of the first counter is preset in a down counter once each cycle and the preset count is counted down at a selected clock rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 1983
    Date of Patent: June 12, 1984
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventors: George E. Fasching, John R. Rotunda
  • Patent number: 4448589
    Abstract: Particulate carbonaceous solids are pyrolytically converted to fuel gas in a fluidized bed containing quartz sand as the primary inert heat-transfer medium. In addition to the quartz sand, the fluidized bed contains an anti-agglomerating composition consisting of a carbonate or oxide of calcium, magnesium, or barium, or mixtures thereof. The formation of sand agglomerates (viz. clinkers) interferring with fluidized bed operation is prevented. Coarsely ground limestone is the preferred additive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 1980
    Date of Patent: May 15, 1984
    Assignee: Kansas State University Research Foundation
    Inventors: Liang-tseng Fan, Walter P. Walawender
  • Patent number: 4448588
    Abstract: An integrated apparatus for the gasification of coal alone or with other carbon-containing materials such as solid municipal wastes, biomass and sewage sludges, wherein the endothermic heat required by the gasification reaction is supplied at least in a significant part by the exothermic reaction of CaO in the form of calcined lime or dolomite with carbon dioxide. The CO.sub.2 is recycled to provide a high CO.sub.2 vapor pressure for the exothermic reaction. The calcium carbonate formed in the reaction is decomposed in a combustor to produce the CaO which is recycled to the gasification stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 1982
    Date of Patent: May 15, 1984
    Inventor: Shang-I Cheng
  • Patent number: 4444568
    Abstract: In a process of simultaneously producing fuel gas and process heat from carbonaceous materials wherein the carbonaceous materials are gasified in a first fluidized bed stage and the combustible constituents left after the gasification are subsequently burnt in a second fluidized bed stage the throughput rate and the flexibility are increased in that the gasification is carried out at a pressure of up to 5 bars and a temperature of 800.degree. to 1100.degree. C. by a treatment with oxygen-containing gases in the presence of steam in a circulating fluidized bed and 40 to 80% of the carbon contained in the starting material are thus reacted. Sulfur compounds are removed from the resulting gas in a fluidized state at a temperature in the range from 800.degree. to 1000.degree. C. and the gas is then cooled and subjected to dust collection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 1982
    Date of Patent: April 24, 1984
    Assignee: Metallgesellschaft, Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Hans Beisswenger, Georg Daradimos, Martin Hirsch, Ludolf Plass, Harry Serbent
  • Patent number: 4444724
    Abstract: A fume incinerator (10) wherein the off gas (1) from an industrial process is incinerated to eliminate obnoxious fumes contained therein. The process gas stream (1) is first preheated and then passed over and through an array of burner assemblies (30) disposed within the preheated process gas stream (3). Fuel gas is supplied to the burners (30) and combusted therein to incinerate the process gas stream. The fuel gas is shielded from the preheated process gas (3) stream by passing a cooling gas over the surface of the fuel gas supply conduits (34) to each of the burners (30) in order to prevent overheating and consequent coking of the fuel gas in the supply conduit (34).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 1982
    Date of Patent: April 24, 1984
    Assignee: The Air Preheater Company, Inc.
    Inventor: George W. Goetschius
  • Patent number: 4444569
    Abstract: A carbonaceous material, such as coal, is gasified in a vertically elongated reaction vessel having a lower portion, an upper portion, and a re-entrainment zone which is located above the upper portion. The effective diameter of the upper portion of the vessel is larger than that of the lower portion of the vessel and the re-entrainment zone. A gasification agent is passed upwardly through the vessel at a rate sufficient to entrain the coal and fluidize a heat-transfer material in the lower portion of the vessel. The gasification agent reacts with the coal to form a hot char and a gaseous product, with the necessary heat being supplied by the heat-transfer material. In this process, the heat-transfer material substantially flows downwardly in the reaction vessel, in a fluidized state or an unfluidized state through the upper portion of the vessel and in a fluidized state through the lower portion of the vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 1983
    Date of Patent: April 24, 1984
    Assignee: Chevron Research Company
    Inventor: John C. Haas
  • Patent number: 4443230
    Abstract: A partial oxidation process including a burner is provided for introducing four separate feedstreams including a stream of gaseous material from the group free-oxygen containing gas, steam, recycle product gas, and hydrocarbon gas; a pumpable slurry of solid carbonaceous fuel in liquid phase e.g. coal-water; and two high velocity streams of free-oxygen containing gas into a free-flow partial oxidation gas generator for the production of synthesis gas, fuel gas, or reducing gas. The burner has a central conduit and three concentric annular passages. A central core of a gas selected from the group consisting of free-oxygen containing gas, steam, recycle product gas, and hydrocarbon gas surrounded by the slurry of solid carbonaceous fuel is discharged from the central conduit and first annular passage respectively and is impacted by two separate streams of free-oxygen containing gas passing through the second and outer annular passages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 1983
    Date of Patent: April 17, 1984
    Assignee: Texaco Inc.
    Inventor: Robert J. Stellaccio
  • Patent number: 4443228
    Abstract: A high turndown de-slagging burner is provided for simultaneously introducing one or two mixed pairs of reactant feedstreams into a free-flow noncatalytic partial oxidation gas generator for the production of synthesis gas, fuel gas, or reducing gas by way of the central and/or annular sections of the burner, respectively. Each pair of feedstreams comprises a stream of free-oxygen containing gas with or without a temperature moderator and a pumpable liquid slurry stream of solid carbonaceous fuel, such as a coal-water slurry. Other hydrocarbonaceous fuels may be employed. The burner comprises four coaxial concentric conduits that are radially spaced to provide coaxial concentric annular passages. All of the conduits and annular passages are closed at the upstream ends and open at the downstream ends. Each pair of feedstreams is separately mixed together in a central or annular pre-mix chamber located upstream from the face of the burner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 1982
    Date of Patent: April 17, 1984
    Assignee: Texaco Inc.
    Inventor: Warren G. Schlinger
  • Patent number: 4443229
    Abstract: A coal gasification process is disclosed wherein two portions of heat transfer material are introduced into the reaction vessel at different locations and different temperatures. Steam is passed upwardly through the vessel to react with the carbonaceous material to form a hot char and a gaseous product, wherein the heat necessary for the coal gasification reaction is supplied by both the first portion of heat transfer material and the second portion of heat transfer material. Then the hot char and gaseous product are cooled by contact with the first portion of heat transfer material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 1983
    Date of Patent: April 17, 1984
    Assignee: Chevron Research Company
    Inventors: David Sageman, David S. Mitchell
  • Patent number: 4441892
    Abstract: Disclosed is a process for gasifying carboanceous material with the use of two fluidized beds superimposed on a fixed bed, and a flue dust gasification chamber arranged inside the reactor between the fluidized beds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 1982
    Date of Patent: April 10, 1984
    Assignee: Carbon Gas Technologie GmbH
    Inventor: Ernst Schuster
  • Patent number: 4441959
    Abstract: An integrated process for recovery of heat and chemical values from spent pulping liquors are disclosed. Novel means for recovering heat values and residual entrained solids from the combustion gases are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 1982
    Date of Patent: April 10, 1984
    Assignee: International Paper Company
    Inventor: Howard L. Empie, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4440546
    Abstract: A process of tar destruction in gasification of carbonaceous material comprising providing a mixture of finely divided calcium compound of a particle size smaller than 65 mesh and finely divided carbonaceous material of a particle size smaller than 65 mesh, the calcium compound to carbonaceous material ratio being from about 0.5 to 1.0 and contacting the mixture with CO.sub.2 and tar exothermally whereby the tar is destroyed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 1983
    Date of Patent: April 3, 1984
    Assignee: Conoco Inc.
    Inventors: Michael S. Lancet, Everett Gorin