Abstract: The invention provides an improved method for producing synthesis gas from lower alkanes which utilizes molten baths as reactors. A molten metal oxide bath delivers oxygen to a feed stream containing lower alkanes and enhances oxidation of the lower alkanes to produce carbon dioxide and a molten elemental metal. In a molten metal bath, the metal is regenerated to metal oxide by contact with a regenerant such as air. Heat evolved in the molten baths is transferred to an endothermic reactor where a portion of the carbon dioxide is converted to a mixture of carbon oxides and hydrogen.

Abstract: The fuel gas reformer of a fuel cell power plant is provided with burner gas flow baffles which are annular in configuration, and which are concentric with the axis of the burner tube. The annular burner gas flow baffles form annular burner gas flow passages. The reformer has a plurality of annular arrays of catalyst filled tubes disposed in concentric rings about the burner tube. Each of the adjacent catalyst tube rings is separated from the next filled tube ring by one of the annular baffles. Burner gases are deflected downwardly and outwardly by the reformer housing top piece onto the catalyst filled tube rings. The baffles prevent inward flow of the burner gases and direct the burner gases uniformly downwardly along the catalyst filled tubes. Each ring of catalyst filled tubes is thus properly heated so as to enhance reforming of the fuel gas reactant.

Abstract: In the process for gasification of municipal waste plastic waste material pieces of about a 20 mm piece size are compressed and heated at a pressure of from 40 to 80 bar until at a temperature of from 230.degree. to 300.degree. C. to produce an HCl-containing gas and a plastic waste material containing less than 3000 mg of HCl per kg and the HCl-containing gas produced is washed with water to produce a hydrochloric acid solution. The plastic waste material is then heated further until at a temperature of from 400.degree. to 500.degree. C. to form a plastic melt having a viscosity of less than 300 cSt, advantageously less than 50 cSt. This plastic melt is gasified at a pressure of 4 bar with oxygen in a flame reaction to form a crude gas containing a preponderant proportion of CO in relation to CO.sub.2 in a gasification chamber having a central temperature of about 1600.degree. C. The crude gas is withdrawn from the gasification reactor at a temperature of 1300.degree. to 1600.degree. C.

Abstract: Apparatus for carrying out a method for the catalytic conversion of waste gases such as those which accumulate in the synthesis of vinyl chloride is presented in which the waste gases are successively treated at an elevated temperature with a catalyst for oxidative cracking and with a catalyst for oxidative afterburning.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for desulfurizing a gas and regenerating a sorbent is disclosed. The sulfur-containing feed gas which can be an effluent gas from a coal gasification reactor, for example, is desulfurized with a particulated metallic oxide sorbent in a transport riser. The sulfided sorbent is than separated from a desulfurized effluent gas and regenerated by contact with an oxygen-containing gas in a transport riser. The regenerated sorbent is separated from an SO.sub.2 containing offgas and recycled to the desulfurization step. The degree of sorbent conversion in the desulfurization step is held at a low level and the sorbent regeneration rate is increased to avoid excessive temperature rise in the regeneration step. In such manner, sorbent cooling can be substantially eliminated. The regeneration riser preferably comprises a once-through lift riser to minimize the riser transport gas requirements to just oxidant gas or oxidant gas mixed with a reduced amount of diluent gas.

Abstract: A process for converting scrap plastic material into a high quality transportation fuel. The plastic material is granulated and mixed with granulated solid carbonaceous fuel e.g. coal and liquid hydrocarbonaceous solvent e.g. waste motor oil to produce a plastic-containing sludge. The plastic-containing sludge is liquefied in a closed autoclave while in contact with hydrogen gas. A pumpable slurry from the autoclave is heated and fractionated in a fractionation zone to produce a hydrocarbonaceous distillate which may be used for transportation fuel. A bottoms stream from the fractionation zone comprising liquid hydrocarbonaceous material and inorganic material is reacted by partial oxidation to produce nontoxic slag and raw synthesis gas, fuel gas or reducing gas which may be purified in a gas purification zone.

Abstract: The gasification apparatus for gasification of finely divided combustible material under pressure includes a gasification reactor which produces a crude gas, a quenching pipe and a convection-heated boiler with a boiler housing, all mounted inside a pressurized vessel. A gas flow guiding device is provided above the quenching pipe for conducting a mixed gas flow containing the crude gas and a quenching gas from the quenching pipe into the convection-heated boiler which surrounds the quenching pipe concentrically. A gas outlet device is provided for the gas flow from the convection-heated boiler and from the pressurized vessel. The gasification reactor is supported at its bottom end in the pressurized vessel at anchoring points. The convection-heated surface elements of the convection-heated boiler are supported by the quenching pipe and the boiler housing but in a stress-free manner.

Abstract: The gasification process includes providing a gasification reactor for gasifying a finely divided combustible material under pressure to form a crude gas with cinder and ash components, a quenching pipe positioned concentrically above the gasification reactor, a convection-heated boiler concentrically surrounding the quenching pipe and a gas flow guide device above the quenching pipe, the gas flow guide device being rotationally symmetric with respect to a longitudinal axis of the quenching pipe; conducting the crude gas with the cinder and ash components from the gasification reactor into the quenching pipe; feeding a quenching gas into the quenching pipe during the gasifying to form a mixed flow including the crude gas, the cinder and ash components and the quenching gas; guiding the mixed flow about a 180.degree.

Abstract: Apparatus is disclosed for the allothermic gasification of coal with steam. The gasifier is horizontally arranged with heat exchange tubes in separate gasification and pyrolysis zones so that a heat exchange medium is used in both zones.

Abstract: An reaction vessel utilizes a sample carrier composed of a magnetic core and a surface coating effective to support sample of protein or peptide. The sample carrier is floated magnetically and positioned within a reaction chamber. Edman reagent is applied to the sample to effect amino acid sequence analysis of protein or peptide from amino-terminal. By such construction, reaction efficiency is increased to produce sequentially thiazolinon amino-acid derivatives to thereby increase number of identified remaining amino acids, thereby enabling microanalysis of sample.

Abstract: A catalytic exhaust treatment system for an outboard motor wherein a catalyst bed is supported within the exhaust pipe on a support plate that permits the catalyst bed to expand and contract relative to the surrounding exhaust pipe from which it is spaced. The exhaust gases can flow through the catalyst bed and, around the catalyst bed for complete treatment.

Abstract: The slag tap of a gasifier is offset from the geometrical axis. Coalescent, molten, residual ash from incomplete combustion is directed to a hearth where residence time provides further combustion and a reduction in the volume and temperature of the resulting slag. The reduced volume and temperature ash is then directed to a slag tap after which disposal is accomplished by conventional means.

Abstract: In an improved molten metal hydrogen generation bath, baffles form a draft tube or chimney-effect near the center of the bath. Flow through the chimney is aided by maintaining a temperature differential favoring convection and, optionally, a differential pressure between the portions of the bath on either side of the baffle-chimney arrangement. Feed is added to the feed zone and oxygen is added to the oxidation zone, emitting H.sub.2 from the feed zone and CO from the oxidation zone. Baffles may be made simply of brick work or high temperature metal and can fit into existing refractory-lined molten metal vessels. Products can be mixed as syngas feed for Fischer-Tropsch synthesis. Additionally, the Boudouard endothermic reaction (CO.sub.2 +C .fwdarw. 2CO) can be used to control temperatures by injecting CO in place of oxygen.

Abstract: The invention is a process for quenching a first synthesis gas mixture containing synthesis gas, molten flyash, water, and carbon dioxide and producing additional synthesis gas consisting of (a) passing the first synthesis gas mixture into a first quench zone; (b) introducing into the quench zone a mixture of a liquid carbonaceous quenching medium in a nitrogen or carbon dioxide carrier gas; (c) endothermically reacting the liquid carbonaceous quenching medium with the water and the carbon dioxide in the synthesis gas mixture, thus producing additional synthesis gas consisting of hydrogen and carbon dioxide, and wherein the additional synthesis gas is admixed with the first synthesis gas mixture to form a second synthesis gas mixture; (d) passing the second synthesis gas mixture to a second quench zone; (e) introducing into the second quench zone a cooling gas for admixture with the second synthesis gas mixture, thus cooling the second synthesis gas mixture, where the molten flyash is solidified, and thus for

Abstract: The invention is a process for quenching a first synthesis gas mixture containing synthesis gas, molten flyash, water, and carbon dioxide and producing additional synthesis gas consisting of (a) passing the first synthesis gas mixture into a first quench zone; (b) introducing into the quench zone a mixture of pulverized coal in a nitrogen or carbon dioxide carrier gas; (c) endothermically reacting the pulverized coal with the water and the carbon dioxide in the synthesis gas mixture thus producing additional synthesis gas consisting of hydrogen and carbon dioxide and wherein the additional synthesis gas is admixed with the first synthesis gas mixture to form a second synthesis gas mixture; (d) passing the second synthesis gas mixture to a second quench zone; (e) introducing into the second quench zone a cooling gas for admixture with the second synthesis gas mixture, thus cooling the second synthesis gas mixture, where the molten flyash is solidified, and thus forms a third synthesis gas mixture; and (f) pass

Abstract: An improved process and apparatus are disclosed for fluidized catalytic cracking of hydrocarbons using a cross-flow or swirl type catalyst regenerator. Instead of a single catalyst withdrawal outlet for regenerated catalyst, multiple catalyst withdrawal points are provided. Use of multiple catalyst outlets, or a continuous radial catalyst outlet, greatly reduces stagnant regions in the bed.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for gasification of organic materials (typically incorporated in domestic and industrial wastes, including auto shredder residues) to produce useful synthesis gas (primarily CO & H.sub.2) with effectively non-toxic ash residue by means of a preferably stoichiometric burner directed into a single stage reactor containing a tumbling charge thus heated to 650.degree. to 800.degree. C. (below the incipient fusion temperature of the charge) resulting in thermally cracking and gasifying the organic materials in the charge and reacting the complex hydrocarbons and gas evolved with the CO.sub.2 and H.sub.2 O generated by the burner by combustion of a fuel and oxygen-containing gas at a high flame temperature, typically 2500.degree. to 3000.degree. C.

Abstract: A slag tap system for a pressurized gasifier system that includes a reaction vessel and a pressure vessel in surrounding relation to the reaction vessel.

Abstract: Pumpable aqueous slurries of low rank coal e.g. subbituminous coal and lignite having a comparatively high solids content are made by keeping the particles of coal in contact with a non-oxidizing gas e.g. nitrogen and/or CO.sub.2 thereby maintaining a hydrophobic surface on the particles of coal while they are ground and dried, contacted with an aqueous slurry of liquid hydrocarbonaceous fuel which is absorbed and which coats the particles of coal, and then dried. The dried coated particles of low rank coal are mixed with water to produce a pumpable slurry having a solids content in the range of about 50 to 60 wt. %. In one embodiment, at least a portion of the water needed to produce said pumpable slurry is derived by cooling and condensing out water from the non-oxidizing gas that was used to dry the low rank coal. In still another embodiment, the dewatered non-oxidizing gas is introduced into the combustor of a gas turbine to moderate the temperature and thereby reduce the formation of NO.sub.x gases.

Abstract: Direct gasification of a high BTU content fuel gas from a hydrocarbon content solid waste material W which may include some glass content is effected by preheating heat carrier solids HCS in a flash calciner to a temperature capable of thermally cracking the hydrocarbon content of the solid waste material W directly into the high BTU content fuel gas. The HCS are separated from the products of combustion and fed into a gas sealed refractory lined horizontal axis rotary kiln retort concurrently with the solid waste W. Momentary contact and mixing of the solid waste W with the HCS in the rotary kiln in the absence of oxygen is sufficient to directly thermally crack the solid waste material into the high BTU gas product. Separated HCS are returned to the flash calciner for reheating.