Abstract: A process of producing a gas of high calorific value and low dust content comprising contacting coal with water vapor and free oxygen at a pressure of about 5 to 150 bars and a temperature sufficient to produce a gas containing hydrogen and carbon monoxide, containing at least about 10 grams of dust per standard cubic meter and having a temperature of about 350.degree. to 800.degree. C., subjecting the gas to a coarse purification to reduce the solids content thereof, then scrubbing the gas at about 200.degree. to 300.degree. C. with a liquid predominantly comprising hydrocarbons and including less than about 5% of water by weight, and withdrawing a purified gas substantially free of solids and having an enhanced calorific value. In accordance with preferred features, the coarse purification stage includes at least one cyclone separator, the gas leaves the coarse purification stage at a temperature above about 350.degree. C. and is cooled by spraying with water to below 350.degree. C.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for the continuous gasification of fuels, which are mainly in lump form. The fuels are subjected to a superatmospheric pressure in a fixed bed treatment with a gasifying agent consisting of gases which contain free oxygen and water vapor and/or carbon dioxide in a water-cooled reactor housing. The housing contains a substantially conical rotary grate, which is rotatably mounted in the lower portion of the reactor housing and serves to discharge the gasifying agent into the reactor shaft and permits the removal of gasification residue from the shaft. The gasifying agent is positively distributed in correspondence with the quantity of fuel, which increases in the radial direction of the shaft resulting in an approximately uniform time of contact between the gas and fuel across the entire shaft area.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for purifying raw gas produced by the gasification of solid fuels under superatmospheric pressure by treatment with gasifying agents containing water vapor and free oxygen. The raw gas contains dust and hydrocarbons and is at a temperature of 400.degree.-700.degree. C as it leaves the gas producer. The raw gas is purified by spraying in at least two scrubbing stages with virtually dustfree, highly dispersed scrubbing water at temperatures of 160.degree.-300.degree. C. In this manner, the gas is cooled to a temperature that is 0.degree.-20 C above the scrubbing water temperature and is saturated with water vapor in the scrubbing stages. Thereafter, the gas is subjected to centrifugal force to increase the relative velocity between gas and water droplets. The scrubbing water which contains dust and tar is withdrawn from each scrubbing stage.

Abstract: In the production of a gas having a high calorific value and containing more than about 50% methane by volume by a process comprising gasifying a solid fuel under a pressure of about 5 - 150 bars by a treatment with oxygen and water vapor to produce a water vapor-containing raw gas at a temperature of about 350.degree.- 700.degree. C, the improvement which comprises further reacting the water vapor-containing raw gas under a pressure of about 5 - 150 bars with oxygen in a succeeding reactor to produce an intermediate product gas which contains mainly hydrogen, carbon dioxides, and methane and which leaves the reactor at a temperature between about 600.degree. and 950.degree. C, cooling the intermediate product gas and freeing the intermediate product gas from sulfur compounds. A dust fuel and/or liquid hydrocarbon can be added to the raw gas as such or after prereaction with oxygen, the addition advantageously taking place in the succeeding reactor.

Abstract: In the production of a synthesis gas comprising carbon monoxide and hydrogen, by a process comprising gasifying a solid fuel under a pressure of about 5-150 bars by a treatment with oxygen and water vapor to produce a water vapor-containing raw gas at a temperature of about 350.degree.-700.degree. C, the improvement which comprises further reacting the water vapor-containing raw gas under a pressure of about 5-150 bars with oxygen in a succeeding reactor to produce an intermediate product gas which leaves the reactor at a temperature between about 800.degree. C and 1400.degree. C, cooling the intermediate product gas, and freeing the intermediate product gas from sulfur compounds. A dust fuel and/or liquid hydrocarbon can be added to the raw gas as such or after prereaction with oxygen, the addition advantageously taking place in the succeeding reactor.

Abstract: A process for the thermal decomposition and conversion of metal chlorides to metal oxides in a fluidized bed wherein the fluidizing gas contains oxygen and the reaction temperature is maintained above the thermal decomposition temperature of the metal chloride but below the sintering temperature of the metal oxide thus produced. The gas velocity is determined by the critical relationship 0.34.rho..sup.0.9 .ltoreq. W.sub.G .ltoreq. 0.56.rho..sup.0.9 where W.sub.G is the approximate gas velocity through the fluidized bed chamber in the absence of the bed and .rho. is the density of the pure fluidized-bedmaterial (metal oxide). The height of the bed is also critical and should be that at which a critical pressure drop of 1200 to 2400 mm (water column) is obtained but at least 350 mm, measuring with the static or settled bed (nonfluidized).

Abstract: A device for feeding granular and dust coal to a coal-gasifying reactor which operates under a pressure of 5 to 150 bars. A stationary housing is connected to the coal inlet of the reactor and a lock chamber member is rotatedly mounted therein. The lock chamber member is movable between coal-receiving position and a coal-discharging position. The lock chamber member has at least one chamber which is open only at one end and contains a displacing device which extends approximately to the entrance of the chamber. The displacing device substantially prevents an ingress of product gas into the chamber when in the discharge position.

Abstract: An apparatus for gasifying solid fuels such as coal, in a packed bed by a treatment with a gasifying agent such as free oxygen-containing gas and water vapor under pressure, comprising a water-cooled reactor housing provided in its lower portion with gasifying agent inlet openings, a fuel distributor mounted on a vertical axis, a stirrer on a shaft disposed in the fuel bed in the upper portion of the reactor, and independent first and second drive means for independently rotating the fuel distributor and stirrer. Advantageously the distributor includes a hollow bearing shaft coaxial with the shaft of the stirrer and the stirrer shaft also has a bearing, a common bearing support cooperating with both of the bearings.