Abstract: A process for upgrading plastic material containing inorganic filler or reinforcement material for use as feedstock in a partial oxidation gas generator for the production of raw synthesis gas, fuel gas, or reducing gas. The plastic material is granulated and partially liquefied by heating in a closed autoclave at a temperature in the range of about 400.degree. F. to 495.degree. F. and a pressure in the range of about 150 psig to 750 psig while the plastic material is in contact with a pumpable hydrocarbonaceous liquid solvent. A pumpable slurry is thereby produced comprising solubilized plastic, unsolubilized plastic, hydrocarbonaceous liquid solvent, separated inorganic material and unseparated inorganic material. After removing the separated inorganic material, the remainder of the slurry is then reacted by partial oxidation to produce said raw synthesis gas, fuel gas or reducing gas.

Abstract: A process for upgrading plastic material containing inorganic filler or reinforcement material for use as feedstock in partial oxidation gas generator for the production of raw synthesis gas, fuel gas, or reducing gas. The plastic material is granulated and mixed with water to produce the plastic sludge. The plastic sludge is preheated at a temperature in the range of about 350.degree. F. to 475.degree. F. in the absence of air in a closed system. The preheated plastic sludge is then hydrothermally treated at a temperature in the range of about 450.degree. F. to 650.degree. F. at a pressure in the range of about 100 to 1200 psig and above the vapor pressure of water at that temperature. The hydrothermally treated plastic sludge is cooled, degassed, and mixed with ground solid carbonaceous fuel, e.g., coal and water, to produce a pumpable aqueous slurry having a solids content in the range of about 40 to 60 wt. %.

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: A pumpable aqueous slurry of sewage sludge as produced by the steps of (1) dewatering sewage sludge to produce an aqueous slurry having a solids content of about 10 to 25 wt. %; (2) pretreating said aqueous slurry of sewage sludge to improve its slurrying characteristics by one or a combination of (a) heating, (b) hydrothermal treatment, and (c) heating, mixing and shearing; and (3) mixing the following materials together at a temperature in the range of about ambient to 400.degree. F. to produce a pumpable aqueous slurry having a solids content in the range of about 30 to 65 wt. %: (a) pretreated aqueous slurry of sewage sludge; (b) a nonionic water soluble alkoxylated alkylphenol additive; and (c) sewage sludge-containing material and/or solid carbonaceous fuel-containing material to increase the solids loading.

Abstract: A process for disposing of sanitary sewage sludge by producing a pumpable slurry of sewage sludge with or without solid carbonaceous fuel and burning said slurry as fuel in a partial oxidation gas generator, furnace, or boiler. The aqueous slurry of sewage sludge is concentrated by removing water by means of a conventional belt filter press, centrifuge, or hydroclone. The dewatered slurry of sewage sludge is heated by direct contact with steam while air and organic vapors are simultaneously removed, to reduce the pressure in the system; hydrothermally treated in two steps with indirect and direct heat exchange with steam; dewatered by flash evaporation and centrifuging; and burned with or without admixture with solid carbonaceous fuel in a partial oxidation gasifier, furnace, boiler, or incinerator to produce synthesis gas or a hot raw effluent gas stream. In a preferred embodiment, the effluent gas stream is cleaned and purified and non-contaminating ash and slag are separated.

Abstract: A process for disposing of sewage sludge comprising the steps of, (1) dewatering the sewage sludge to produce an aqueous slurry of sewage sludge having a solids content of about 10 to 50 wt. %; (2) heating and mildly shearing said dewatered sewage sludge at about 150.degree. F. to 210.degree. F. in the absence of air for 3 seconds to 60 minutes by a rotor/mixer at a speed of about 15 to 1000 r.p.m., thereby producing a pumpable slurry having a viscosity of less than about 2500 centipoise; (3) mixing at a temperature in the range of about ambient to 200.degree. F. the slurry of sewage sludge from (2) with a supplemental fuel to produce a pumpable slurry of sewage sludge and supplemental fuel having a solids content in the range of about 50 to 65 wt. % and a higher heating value in the range of about 6,000 to 18,000 BTU/LB; and (4) burning said pumpable slurry from (3) in a partial oxidation gasifier, furnace, boiler, or incinerator to produce an effluent gas stream.

Abstract: A process for disposing of sanitary sewage sludge by producing a pumpable slurry of sewage sludge and solid carbonaceous fuel e.g. coal, petroleum coke, rubber. The slurry is burned as a fuel in a partial oxidation gas generator, furnace, or boiler. In the process, an aqueous slurry of sewage sludge is concentrated by removing water by means of a conventional belt filter press or presses. The dewatered slurry of sewage sludge is hydrothermally treated and cooled and depressurized. The viscosity of the slurry of sewage sludge is reduced to less than about 2000 centipoise by shearing. The sheared sewage sludge is then ground together with a solid carbonaceous fuel to produce a pumpable slurry which is burned with a free-oxygen containing gas in a partial oxidation gasifier, furnace, boiler, or incinerator to produce a hot raw effluent gas stream. In a preferred embodiment, the effluent gas stream is cleaned and purified and non-contaminating ash and slag are separated.