Abstract: The method serves for cleaning dust-laden synthesis gases (1) which are formed in reactors or shaft furnaces (2) by carbothermal and/or electrothermal processes and which after departing the reactor or the shaft furnace at elevated temperatures are freed from dusty solids (4) via physical separation techniques (3) and are cooled by means of a downstream heat exchanger (5). In order to achieve a combination of long filter service life with effective synthesis gas cleaning, the proposal is that the dust-laden synthesis gas (1) after departing the reactor (2) and before being freed from dusty solids be passed in the presence of steam via a residence section (6), with the difference between the final gas temperature (T3) of the synthesis gas after it has been freed from the dusty solids and cooled and the maximum gas temperature in the residence section (T2) being set to at least 400 K.

Abstract: The method is used to obtain metals, noble metals, and rare earth metals from scrap. The aim of the invention is to provide a method that allows an efficient recovery even from electronic scrap. This is achieved in that the scrap and carbon-containing materials (A) are oxidized with oxygen containing gases (11) in the presence of alkaline materials under overall reducing conditions with an overall lambda of <1 in an updraft gasifier (2) with a bulk material moving bed, said gasifier having a reduction zone (13) and an oxidation zone (7). The resulting syngas is drawn at the upper part (16) of the updraft gasifier, and the metals, noble metals, and rare earth metals are bound at least partly to the alkaline materials as oxides and/or in elementary form. Finally, said metals are obtained from the process as an enriched mixture (B) by means of physical separation methods.

Abstract: A method for thermal decomposition of carbon-rich substances. Pyrolysis is used to transform substances into a synthetic gas. Bulk material including carbon enriched substances flows vertically in succession through an upper column, a moving bed reactor having an upper hollow chamber in the top thereof, a lower hollow chamber and a lower column, wherein the bulk material from the moving bed reactor is removed through the lower column. Pyrolysis is performed in the moving bed reactor and the synthetic gas is collected in the upper hollow chamber. The width and height of the upper and lower columns and the nature of the bulk material have an internal pressure loss which seals off the movable bed reactor and enables a continuous or batch-wise flow of bulk material. The pressure difference between the lower hollow chamber and the upper hollow chamber is at least 50 mbar. The pressure difference is stabilized by the bulk material inside the moving bed reactor.

Abstract: The invention relates to an autothermal method that is used for the continues gasification of carbon-rich substances (A) in a vertical process chamber (2) having a reduction zone (12) and an oxidation zone (6), in which the carbon-rich substances calcined in the reduction zone oxidize with oxygen-containing gas (8), wherein the gaseous reaction products (15) are drawn off at the top face of the vertical process chamber, the vertical process chamber is constructed in the form of a vertical shaft furnace, through which bulk material (3), which itself is not oxidized, flows continuously from top to bottom, wherein the carbon-rich substances are added to the bulk material before entering into the vertical process chamber.

Abstract: A process serves for the carbothermic/electrothermic production of crude iron or other base products in furnaces (23) by using mixtures comprising iron ore, oxides and/or carbonates of calcium (A) and carbonaceous materials, with formation of carbon monoxide-containing gases.

Abstract: The invention relates to an autothermal method that is used for the continues gasification of carbon-rich substances (A) in a vertical process chamber (2) having a reduction zone (12) and an oxidation zone reduction zone oxidize with oxygen-containing gas (8), wherein the gaseous reaction products (15) are drawn off at the top face of the vertical process chamber, the vertical process chamber is constructed in the form of a vertical shaft furnace, through which bulk material (3), which itself is not oxidized, flows continuously from top to bottom, wherein the carbon-rich substances are added to the bulk material before entering into the vertical process chamber.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the production of binders by calcinating mineral raw material mixtures. In order to improve the process and the quality of the binders, it is proposed that oil shale and/or oil sand fills are converted by targeted agglomeration into particles of a certain size and consistency, wherein the water content for the mechanical stabilization of the agglomerate is adjusted to less than 25 percent and the agglomerates are calcinated to form binders at temperatures between 800 and 1500° C. under reductive conditions over the entire process with a Lambda value <1 in a vertical shaft furnace with updraft gasification. The binding properties are adjusted by the targeted addition of CaO-containing substances and/or existing sulfur fractions of the oil sands and/or oil shales are bound by means of the CaO that is present in the starting material and/or added.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the production of binders by calcinating mineral raw material mixtures. In order to improve the process and the quality of the binders, it is proposed that oil shale and/or oil sand fills are converted by targeted agglomeration into particles of a certain size and consistency, wherein the water content for the mechanical stabilization of the agglomerate is adjusted to less than 25 percent and the agglomerates are calcinated to form binders at temperatures between 800 and 1500° C. under reductive conditions over the entire process with a Lambda value <1 in a vertical shaft furnace with updraft gasification. The binding properties are adjusted by the targeted addition of CaO-containing substances and/or existing sulfur fractions of the oil sands and/or oil shales are bound by means of the CaO that is present in the starting material and/or added.

Abstract: The apparatus serves to thermally separate carbon-rich substances in a moving bed reactor (1) through which a bulk material (6) passes. A vertical bulk material column (5) for supplying the material is supplemented by a bulk material column for removing material, wherein the widths and heights of the bulk material columns (5, 13) and the composition of the bulk material (6) are selected in such a manner that sealing of the interior of the reactor is brought about by an internal pressure loss in the columns (5, 13). At the same time, a stream of bulk material is made possible, wherein a first cavity (11) is provided in the upper reactor region and a second cavity (9) is provided in the lower reactor region, between which cavities a differential pressure ?p of at least 50 mbar is provided, said differential pressure being stabilized by the pressure loss via the fill.

Abstract: The method is used to obtain metals, noble metals, and rare earth metals from scrap. The aim of the invention is to provide a method that allows an efficient recovery even from electronic scrap. This is achieved in that the scrap and carbon-containing materials (A) are oxidized with oxygen containing gases (11) in the presence of alkaline materials under overall reducing conditions with an overall lambda of <1 in an updraft gasifier (2) with a bulk material moving bed, said gasifier having a reduction zone (13) and an oxidation zone (7). The resulting syngas is drawn at the upper part (16) of the updraft gasifier, and the metals, noble metals, and rare earth metals are bound at least partly to the alkaline materials as oxides and/or in elementary form. Finally, said metals are obtained from the process as an enriched mixture (B) by means of physical separation methods.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the continuous obtention of synthesis gas by the direct gasification of carbon fractions contained in oil sands and/or oil shales in a vertical process chamber (2) having a calcination zone and an oxidation zone (6), in which the calcinated, fractions rich in carbon oxidize with oxygen-containing gas. The gaseous reaction products are withdrawn at the top of the vertical processing chamber (2) that has the shape of a vertical shaft furnace which is continuously flown through from the top to the bottom by a bulk material which itself is not oxidized. Oxygen-containing gas (10) is at least partially introduced beneath the oxidation zone, whereby the rising gas flow is facilitated. The bulk material is at least partially provided by the natural inert rock content in the oil sands and/or the oil shales. Added alkaline substances convert under reductive conditions the gaseous sulfur compounds, which were obtained at temperatures above 400° C.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for the energy-efficient and environmentally friendly obtention of light oil and/or fuels on the basis of crude bitumen from oil shales and/or oil sands (1) by thermal use of carbonaceous residues which are obtained during this process, whereby the carbonaceous residues are converted at temperatures below 1800° C. into sulfur-poor, gaseous cleavage products (31) by sub-stoichiometric oxidation with oxygen-containing gas in an updraft gasifier (19) which is operated with a bulk material moving bed while alkaline substances are added. The cleavage products are then converted into sensible heat by hyperstoichiometric oxidation and are used for the production of heated aqueous process media (2) for physically comminuting the oil sands and/or oil shales (1) and/or for separating of the crude bitumen (7) from the rock material and/or as process heat for the thermal fractioning (12) of the crude bitumen (7).