Abstract: Improvements to debt collection services and debtor aid services are described. Embodiments of the present invention improve on current processes by integrating debtor aid services with the debt collection process. A debt collection letter process is augmented by including an insert, attachment, or other correspondence directing the debtor to a special website to assist them with their finances. If the debtor purchases one or more debt assistance products from the website, the collection agency is provided with a commission, thereby improving the collection agency's profits. As the debtor learns to better manage his or her finances, the debtor benefits from increased financial freedom and increased ability to pay outstanding debts, which returns to benefit the collection agency's efforts and the creditor's recovery.

Abstract: A control system for a partial oxidation process for continuously producing synthesis gas, fuel gas or reducing gas in which process one fuel is replaced by a different fuel without shutting down or depressurizing the gas generator. This multifuel process is not tied to one particular fuel and reacts slurries of solid carbonaceous fuel and/or liquid or gaseous hydrocarbonaceous fuels. Problems of fuel availability are reduced due to the wide selection of fuels that are suitable for the subject process. A two-section burner having a high turndown feature is employed that comprises a central conduit; a central bunch of tubes positioned in said central conduit; an outer conduit coaxial with said central conduit and forming an annular passage therewith; and an annular bunch of tubes positioned in said annular passage. The downstream ends of said central and/or annular bunches of tubes are respectively retracted upstream from the burner face a distance of about 0 to 12 i.e.

Abstract: A partial oxidation control system for continuously producing synthesis gas, fuel gas or reducing gas in which one process fuel is replaced by a different fuel without shutting down or depressurizing the gas generator. Suitable burners for introducing the feedstreams into the gas generator comprise a central conduit means radially spaced from a concentric coaxial outer conduit having a downstream exit nozzle, and providing a coaxial annular passage means therebetween. The central conduit means may be retracted upstream from the burner face a distance of about 0 to 12 and preferably 3 to 10 times the minimum diameter of the central exit orifice. A premix zone is preferably provided comprising one or more, say 2 to 5 coaxial chambers in series where substantial mixing of the reactant streams and optionally volatilization of the slurry medium takes place.

Abstract: A burner and partial oxidation process for producing synthesis gas, fuel gas or reducing gas from slurries of solid carbonaceous fuel and/or liquid or gaseous hydrocarbon fuel. The burner has a high turndown feature and comprises a central conduit; a central bunch of parallel tubes that extend longitudinally through said central conduit; an outer conduit coaxial with said central conduit and forming an annular passage therewith; and an annular bunch of parallel tubes that extend longitudinally through said annular passage; and wherein the downstream ends of said central and annular bunches of parallel tubes are respectively retracted upstream from the burner face a distance of about 0 to 12 i.e. 3 to 10 times the minimum diameter of the central exit orifice and the minimum width of the annular exit orifice. Three ranges of flow through the burner may be obtained by using one or both bunches of tubes and their surrounding conduits.

Abstract: A partial oxidation process and control system for continuously producing synthesis gas, fuel gas or reducing gas in which one process fuel is replaced by a different fuel without shutting down or depressurizing the gas generator. This multifuel process is not tied to one particular fuel and reacts slurries of solid carbonaceous fuel and/or liquid or gaseous hydrocarbonaceous fuels. Suitable burners for introducing the feedstreams into the gas generator comprise a central conduit means radially spaced from a concentric coaxial outer conduit having a downstream exit nozzle, and providing a coaxial annular passage means therebetween. The central conduit means may be retracted upstream from the burner face a distance of about 0 to 12 and preferably 3 to 10 times the minimum diameter of the central exit orifice.

Abstract: A partial oxidation process for continuously producing synthesis gas, fuel gas or reducing gas in which process one fuel is replaced by a differing fuel without shutting down or depressurizing the gas generator. This multifuel process is not tied to one particular fuel and reacts slurries of solid carbonaceous fuel and/or liquid or gaseous hydrocarbonaceous fuels. Problems of fuel availability are reduced due to the wide selection of fuels that are suitable for the subject process. A two-section burner having a high turndown feature is employed that comprises a central conduit; a central bunch of tubes positioned in said central conduit; an outer conduit coaxial with said central conduit and forming an annular passage therewith; and an annular bunch of tubes positioned in said annular passage. The downstream ends of said central and/or annular bunches of tubes are respectively retracted upstream from the burner face a distance of about 0 to 12 i.e.

Abstract: A burner and partial oxidation process for producing synthesis gas, fuel gas or reducing gas from slurries of solid carbonaceous fuel and/or liquid or gaseous hydrocarbon fuel. The burner has a high turndown feature and comprises a central conduit; a central bunch of parallel tubes that extend longitudinally through said central conduit; an outer conduit coaxial with said central conduit and forming an annular passage therewith; and an annular bunch of parallel tubes that extend longitudinally through said annular passage; and wherein the downstream ends of said central and annular bunches of parallel tubes are respectively retracted upstream from the burner face a distance of about 0 to 12 i.e. 3 to 10 times the minimum diameter of the central exit orifice and the minimum width of the annular exit orifice. Three ranges of flow through the burner may be obtained by using one or both bunches of tubes and their surrounding conduits.

Abstract: A process for the partial oxidation of pumpable slurries of solid carbonaceous fuels in which the pumpable slurry of solid carbonaceous fuel in a liquid carrier is passed in liquid phase through one passage of a burner comprising a retracted central coaxial conduit, an outer coaxial conduit with a converging orifice at the downstream tip of the burner and, optionally, an intermediate coaxial conduit. The downstream tips of the central conduit and the intermediate conduit, if any, are retracted upstream from the burner face a distance of respectively two or more say 3 to 10 for the central conduit, and about 0 to 12 say 1 to 5 for the intermediate conduit times the minimum diameter of the converging orifice of the outer conduit at the burner tip. A pre-mix zone is thereby provided comprising one or more, say 2 to 5 coaxial pre-mix chambers in series.

Abstract: A partial oxidation process using a swirl burner for producing synthesis gas, fuel gas or reducing gas from slurries of solid carbonaceous fuel and/or liquid or gaseous hydrocarbon fuel. The swirl burner may have pre-mix and/or high turndown features. By means of the burner a first reactant stream is split into a plurality of swirling streams by being passed down through a central bundle of helical tubes. Simultaneously a second reactant stream is split into a plurality of swirling streams by being passed down through a plurality of related passages formed in the cylindrical space that surrounds said central bundle of helical tubes and/or the interstices between the helical tubes. When the two swirling reactant feed streams impinge, either upstream from the face of the burner in a pre-mix zone or downstream from the face of the burner, in the gas generator, they are intimately mixed together. The combustion efficiency of the burner is thereby improved.

Abstract: A swirl burner and partial oxidation process for producing synthesis gas, fuel gas or reducing gas from slurries of solid carbonaceous fuel and/or liquid or gaseous hydrocarbon fuel. The swirl burner may have pre-mix and/or high turndown features. By means of the burner a first reactant stream is split into a plurality of swirling streams by being passed down through a central bundle of helical tubes. Simultaneously a second reactant stream is split into a plurality of swirling streams by being passed down through a plurality of related passages formed in the cylindrical space that surrounds said central bundle of helical tubes and/or the interstices between the helical tubes. When the two swirling reactant feed streams impinge, either upstream from the face of the burner in a pre-mix zone or downstream from the face of the burner, in the gas generator, they are intimately mixed together. The combustion efficiency of the burner is thereby improved.

Abstract: A burner and process for the partial oxidation of pumpable slurries of solid carbonaceous fuels in which the pumpable slurry of solid carbonaceous fuel in a liquid carrier is passed in liquid phase through one passage of a burner comprising a retracted central coaxial conduit, an outer coaxial conduit with a converging orifice at the downstream tip of the burner and, optionally, an intermediate coaxial conduit. The downstream tips of the central conduit and the intermediate conduit, if any, are retracted upstream from the burner face a distance of respectively two or more say 3 to 10 for the central conduit, and about 0 to 12 say 1 to 5 for the intermediate conduit times the minimum diameter of the converging orifice of the outer conduit at the burner tip. A pre-mix zone is thereby provided comprising one or more, say 2 to 5 coaxial pre-mix chambers in series.

Abstract: A method for starting up a partial oxidation gas generator without a separate preheat burner is described. The burner used includes central and annular bunches of parallel tubes that extend through central and annular passages formed by concentric conduits.

Abstract: A burner for producing synthesis gas, fuel gas or reducing gas from slurries of solid carbonaceous fuel and/or liquid or gaseous hydrocarbon fuel. The burner has a high turndown feature and comprises a central conduit; a central bunch of parallel tubes that extend longitudinally through said central conduit; an outer conduit coaxial with said central conduit and forming an annular passage therewith; and an annular bunch of parallel tubes that extend longitudinally through said annular passage; and wherein the downstream ends of said central and annular bunches of parallel tubes are respectively retracted upstream from the burner face a distance of about 0 to 12 i.e. 3 to 10 times the minimum diameter of the central exit orifice and the minimum width of the annular exit orifice. Three ranges of flow through the burner may be obtained by using one or both bunches of tubes and their surrounding conduits. Throughput levels may be rapidly changed--up and down--without sacrificing stable operation.

Abstract: Disclosed is a partial oxidation process for producing synthesis gas, fuel gas or reducing gas from slurries of solid carbonaceous fuel and/or liquid or gaseous hydrocarbon fuel. The burner has a high turndown feature and comprises a central conduit; a central bunch of parallel tubes that extend longitudinally through said central conduit; an outer conduit coaxial with said central conduit and forming an annular passage therewith; and an annular bunch of parallel tubes that extend longitudinally through said annular passage; and wherein the downstream ends of said central and annular bunches of parallel tubes are respectively retracted upstream from the burner face a distance of about 0 to 12 i.e. 3 to 10 times the minimum diameter of the central exit orifice and the minimum width of the annular exit orifice. Three ranges of flow through the burner may be obtained by using one or both bunches of tubes and their surrounding conduits.

Abstract: A process for the partial oxidation of pumpable slurries of solid carbonaceous fuels in which the pumpable slurry of solid carbonaceous fuel in a liquid carrier is passed in liquid phase through one passage of a burner comprising a retracted central coaxial conduit, an outer coaxial conduit with a converging orifice at the downstream tip of the burner and, optionally, an intermediate coaxial conduit. The downstream tips of the central conduit and the intermediate conduit, if any, are retracted upstream from the burner face a distance of respectively two or more say 3 to 10 for the central conduit, and about 0 to 12 say 1 to 5 for the intermediate conduit times the minimum diameter of the converging orifice of the outer conduit at the burner tip. A pre-mix zone is thereby provided comprising one or more, say 2 to 5 coaxial pre-mix chambers in series.

Abstract: A partial oxidation burner and process for the manufacture of synthesis gas, reducing gas and other gas mixtures substantially comprising H.sub.2 and CO. A hydrocarbon, oxygen-rich gas and, optionally, H.sub.2 O or some other temperature moderator are introduced into the reaction zone of a synthesis gas generator in which, by partial oxidation at an autogenous temperature in the range of about 1700.degree. to 3500.degree.F. and a pressure in the range of about 1 to 250 atmospheres, said synthesis, fuel, or reducing gas is produced. For example, a hydrocarbon is introduced into the reaction zone by way of the inner assembly of a novel multitube burner, and a mixture of oxygen-rich gas and steam is passed through a coaxial conduit disposed about the outside of said inner assembly. Said inner assembly comprises a central conduit of circular cross-section, having a plurality of parallel open-ended tubes extending downstream from the exit end of said central conduit and in communication therewith.