Abstract: An advanced method and facility for growing abundant crops for food together with a sustainable growth of biomass for energy within a farm setting measuring (by way of example) 600 acres and yielding some 180 bushels of corn per acre, amounting to a total farm yield of 108,000 bushels. By increasing the yield of 180 to 270 bushels per acre with drainage, irrigation, and a pond that accepts water in wet weather and dispenses water for irrigation in dry weather, and supplementing with fertilizer, the 108,000 bushels can be produced with only 400 acres, this freeing 200 acres for growing biomass to be harvested and delivered to a centralized processor (preferably in pellet form) and efficiently converts the biomass into a biofuel rich in H2 for transportation such as gasoline and a low-Btu biofuel to generate biopower while co-producing fertilizer to enhance growth of both crops and biomass.

Abstract: A metallizing apparatus which is carbonaceous-based wherein a metallic oxide is converted into a carbon-containing, metallized intermediate that is melted in an induction channel furnace to produce liquid metal from said metallic oxide. In the application of iron ore in the form of fines or concentrate, using low-cost coal will greatly reduce capital and operating costs by virtue of eliminating agglomeration of ore, cokemaking, and blast furnace operation. The liquid iron so produced is efficiently converted into steel in a steelmaking furnace such as a basic oxygen furnace (BOF), especially when it is physically integrated to the induction channel furnace wherein the liquid iron is directly poured into the integrated BOF by the induction channel furnace, producing low-cost steel, little heat loss, and minimum emissions.

Abstract: An advanced method and facility for growing abundant crops for food together with a sustainable growth of biomass for energy within a farm setting measuring (by way of example) 600 acres and yielding some 180 bushels of corn per acre, amounting to a total farm yield of 108,000 bushels. By increasing the yield of 180 to 270 bushels per acre with drainage, irrigation, and a pond that accepts water in wet weather and dispenses water for irrigation in dry weather, and supplementing with fertilizer, the 108,000 bushels can be produced with only 400 acres, this freeing 200 acres for growing biomass to be harvested and delivered to a centralized processor (preferably in pellet form) and efficiently converts the biomass into a biofuel rich in H2 for transportation such as gasoline and a low-Btu biofuel to generate biopower while co-producing fertilizer to enhance growth of both crops and biomass.

Abstract: A carbonaceous-based metallizing method and apparatus wherein a metallic oxide is converted into a carbon-containing, metallized intermediate that is melted in an induction channel furnace to produce liquid metal from said metallic oxide. In the application of iron ore in the form of fines or concentrate, using low-cost coal will greatly reduce capital and operating costs by virtue of eliminating agglomeration of ore, cokemaking, and blast furnace operation. The liquid iron so produced is efficiently converted into steel in a steelmaking furnace such as a basic oxygen furnace (BOF), especially when it is physically integrated to the induction channel furnace wherein the liquid iron is directly poured into the integrated BOF by the induction channel furnace, producing low-cost steel, little heat loss, and minimum emissions.

Abstract: The present invention deals with the serious pollution problems from electric power plants that burn coal which may be forced to shut down by virtue of their being uneconomical to be retrofitted with expensive pollution controls. The pollutants from coal-burning power stations comprise SO2, NOx, Hg, Particulate Matter, Ash, and CO2. This invention offers a unique and comprehensive solution that makes possible the prevention of the ill-effects currently caused to health and environment while at the same time would also prevent the closure of these badly needed power generation facilities that provide some 50% of the electricity generated in this country. The herein comprehensive solution converts the six mentioned pollutants into valuable products and thus avoids the discharge of such pollutants into the atmosphere.

Abstract: This invention relates to open-pit mining wherein crushed bitumen is fed into an enclosed pyrolyzer and heated under pressure in a reduced atmosphere where the cracking of asphalt results in a tar-free bitumen in the form of volatile matter containing a hydrogen rich, non-condensable syngas with vaporized light liquids and incandescent char. The syngas and vaporized light liquids are desulfurized and upgraded in a first hot gas cleanup, while part of the hot char is gasified with air into a fuel gas and into oil-free, tar-free, dry, solid tailings; the other part used as fuel for heating the pyrolyzer. The fuel gas passes through a second hot gas cleanup, producing clean, desulfurized lean gas ideal to generate clean, efficient electric power. Emitted CO2 is collected and converted to slow-release fertilizer. The tailings (clean sand and clay) reclaim the mine, while fertilizer enriched soil, topping the tailings, accelerates forest growth.

Abstract: A carbonaceous-based metallizing method and apparatus wherein a metallic oxide is converted into a carbon-containing, metallized intermediate that is melted in an induction channel furnace to produce liquid metal from said metallic oxide. In the application of iron ore in the form of fines or concentrate, using low-cost coal will greatly reduce capital and operating costs by virtue of eliminating agglomeration of ore, cokemaking, and blast furnace operation. The liquid iron so produced is efficiently converted into steel in a steelmaking furnace such as a basic oxygen furnace (BOF), especially when it is physically integrated to the induction channel furnace wherein the liquid iron is directly poured into the integrated BOF by the induction channel furnace, producing low-cost steel, little heat loss, and minimum emissions.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for continuously carbonizing materials while co-producing gases in a coking chamber closed to the atmosphere, having a charger at one end comprising a pushing ram surrounding a mandrel that surrounds an air or oxygen injection lance. The other end of the coking chamber collects and separates coke from gases, with coke directed to a closed quenching chamber and gases directed to a cleanup. Thermal energy for converting coal into coke derives from combusting some metallurgical coal by said lance.

Abstract: This method deals in recovering energy in-situ from an underground resource and upgrading such resource above ground. It consists of injecting a hot gas to pyrolyze it to produce gases and liquids with high hydrogen content and a residual hot char. The gases and liquids together with the injected hot gas form a mixture of gases and liquids that is brought above ground and treated into a clean mixture of gases and liquids rich in hydrogen and then used as a chemical feedstock and/or transportation fuel. Following the pyrolyzation of the resource, carbon dioxide and air are injected into the residual hot char to convert the CO2 into 2CO+N2, which is brought above ground and treated into a clean lean gas. This lean gas is used to generate efficient electric power, heat the injected gas for pyrolysis, and convert the 2CO+N2 as a feedstock into fertilizer.

Abstract: An advanced method for processing a solid feedstock such as coal and a liquid feedstock such as bitumen wherein gases produced from such fossil fuel feedstocks are divided in a way as to polygenerate various by-products which includes the conversion of a waste gas (flue gas) containing nitrogen (N2) and carbon dioxide (CO2) generated from the combustion of said gases to produce an intermediate made of carbon (C) and nitrogen (N2) in the form of cyanogen which in turn is converted to a fertilizer such as oxamide. This approach obviates the necessity of CO2 capture and storage in a geologic formation. Besides the making of a fertilizer from a waste gas containing N2 and CO2, the other by-products can be power in the form of electricity and/or steam from a lean gas and liquid transportation fuel like methanol/gasoline, or chemicals from a hydrogen rich gas. The method is applicable to utility as well as to industry.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for gasifying a solid fuel within a pressurized gasifier without a lockhopper, a slurry or pulverization comprising the feeding of said fuel into a charging chamber having a first section equipped with a ram through which a mandrel is disposed, and a second section within which an impervious seal is formed from the solid fuel by the compressive forces generated by said ram and a third section into which the seal is advanced while said ram forms a successive seal in said second section. The seal from said third section is reduced in size and charged into the pressurized gasifier where it is gasified without loss of pressure. The gases produced are utilized to polygenerate products such as transport fuels and electric power, and a fertilizer from waste gas resulting from the combustion of one of the produced gases.

Abstract: This invention provides a comprehensive solution which comprises the production of a bed of ash-containing hot char via the pyrolysis of coal which generates a hydrogen rich gas that, subsequent to its cleanup, can be synthesized into chemicals and/or transportation fuels, while the hot char is used to: (i) reduce SO2 and NOX to elemental sulfur and to elemental nitrogen, respectively; (ii) react hot char with CO2 to reduce it to CO, a valuable chemical that can be converted into fertilizer or into a fuel gas that can be used for electric or thermal power generation; (iii) trap particulate matter in the bed of char to join the ash in the char to form a combined ash which is eventually converted to inert slag; and (iv) filter the mercury through a portion of the char to prevent it from being emitted into the atmosphere.

Abstract: A method for recovering energy in-situ from underground resources such as coal and upgrading such energy above ground, comprising a first step consisting of injecting a hot recycling gas through said resource to devolatilize it to produce a raw hydrogen rich gas and an in-situ residual hot char wherein said hydrogen rich gas is brought above ground and is treated to become a cleaned, upgraded hydrogen rich gas serving as a feedstock to make a chemical and/or transportation fuel, and a second step consisting of injecting a waste greenhouse gas like carbon dioxide (CO2) plus an oxidant such as air into said hot char to convert said CO2 into CO+N2 which is brought above ground and treated to form a clean lean gas which can be beneficially used to: (i) generate efficient electric power, (ii) heat the hydrogen rich recycle gas, and (iii) make a needed by-product such as fertilizer.

Abstract: An advanced method for processing a solid feedstock such as coal and a liquid feedstock such as bitumen wherein gases produced from such fossil fuel feedstocks are divided in a way as to polygenerate various by-products which includes the conversion of a waste gas (flue gas) containing nitrogen (N2) and carbon dioxide (CO2) generated from the combustion of said gases to produce an intermediate made of carbon (C) and nitrogen (N2) in the form of cyanogen which in turn is converted to a fertilizer such as oxamide. This approach obviates the necessity of CO2 capture and storage in a geologic formation. Besides the making of a fertilizer from a waste gas containing N2 and CO2, the other by-products can be power in the form of electricity and/or steam from a lean gas and liquid transportation fuel like methanol/gasoline, or chemicals from a hydrogen rich gas. The method is applicable to utility as well as to industry.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for gasifying a solid fuel within a pressurized gasifier without a lockhopper, a slurry or pulverization comprising the feeding of said fuel into a charging chamber having a first section equipped with a ram through which a mandrel is disposed, and a second section within which an impervious seal is formed from the solid fuel by the compressive forces generated by said ram and a third section into which the seal is advanced while said ram forms a successive seal in said second section. The seal from said third section is reduced in size and charged into the pressurized gasifier where it is gasified without loss of pressure. The gases produced are utilized to polygenerate products such as transport fuels and electric power, and a fertilizer from waste gas resulting from the combustion of one of the produced gases.

Abstract: The present invention consists of an improved method and apparatus to upgrade bitumen in various forms which comprises four main components; namely, a fractionator equipped with a condenser, a heavy gas oil catalytic treater, a catalyst regenerator/gasifier and a gas cleanup assembly. In operation, the bitumen in liquid form is fed to the fractionator for initial separation of fractions with the bulk of the bitumen leaving the bottom of the fractionator in the form of a heavy gas oil which is pumped to the catalytic treater and sprayed on a hot catalyst to crack the heavy gas oil (an endothermic reaction) to release lighter hydrocarbons in the form of H2 rich volatile matter while depositing carbon on the catalyst. The volatile matter from the treater is directed to the fractionator where the condensable fractions are separated from the non-condensable H2 rich gas, a valuable primary gas.

Abstract: A method for producing clean energy from coal by feeding the coal in a reactor which is sealed to the atmosphere and moving the coal in the reactor while injecting oxygen to combust a portion of the coal in a substoichiometric mode to devolatilize the coal and yield a pressurized hydrogen rich raw gas which contains coal-derived cancer causing distillates and hydrocarbons together with a hot char. The distillates and the hydrocarbons are cracked to result in a cracked gas of essentially 2H2 and 1CO which after desulfurization becomes an ideal synthesis gas that can be synthesized to a liquid fuel for heating and transportation as an alternate to petroleum. The hot char is gasified in an air blown gasifier to produce a fuel gas and a molten slag which are jointly directed out of the gasifier through a common port which is maintained open for the free flow of both.

Abstract: A method for producing clean energy from coal by feeding the coal in a reactor which is sealed to the atmosphere and moving the coal in the reactor while injecting oxygen to combust a portion of the coal in a substoichiometric mode to devolatilize the coal and yield a pressurized hydrogen rich raw gas which contains coal-derived cancer causing distillates and hydrocarbons together with a hot char. The distillates and the hydrocarbons are cracked to result in a cracked gas of essentially 2H2 and 1CO which after desulfurization becomes an ideal synthesis gas that can be synthesized to a liquid fuel for heating and transportation as an alternate to petroleum.

Abstract: An energy efficient, coal-based method and apparatus that are environmentally friendly which produce under pressure metallized/carbon product and molten metal directly from abundant coal or other carbonaceous material, and low cost fines (or ore concentrate) wherein the metal is devoid of gangue material and possesses the inherent advantage of retaining the heat for subsequent processing. This method and apparatus which are modular and highly integrated significantly reduce capital and operating costs; they also provide the capability selective placement of the reductant for the delivery of high levels of thermal energy input which leads to ease of desulflurization and high productivity. The technology herein disclosed is entirely closed and is applicable to various ores including ferrous and non-ferrous.

Abstract: This invention relates to making steel directly from ore concentrate and non-coking coal to which flux material is added. The method eliminates numerous steps by reducing the ore with the coal in a sealed chamber and under pressure termed “carbotreating” to make a fluxed iron/carbon product which after crushing, is injected while hot into a melting furnace. The hot product is melted with oxygen under reducing conditions using excess carbon from the coal to make a carburized molten iron and a slag low in FeO termed “oxymelting”. After the tapping of the slag, the carburized molten iron to which flux material is added, is blown with oxygen to make steel, CO, and a slag high in FeO termed “decarburizing”. The steel is tapped while the slag is retained in the furnace. All of the above steps are carried out in an efficient and environmentally sound manner which render the art of steelmaking significantly more economical than conventionally practiced.