Abstract: A process for the wet carbonizing of peat, wherein the peat is diluted and screened to become a raw peat suspension in a suspension preparing apparatus, the peat suspension thus obtained is preheated in series-connected heat exchangers and in a preheating tower, the preheated suspension is wet carbonized in a reactor into which steam is introduced from a steam boiler, the wet carbonized peat suspension is cooled in the preheating tower, mechanically dewatered in a dewatering apparatus and dried in a drying apparatus with the aid of hot drying gas, the exhaust gases from the boiler being employed as drying gas in the drying apparatus and the dust and water vapor containing exhaust gas emerging from the drying apparatus being purified and cooled in a wet separator, wherein part of the water vapor in the exhaust gas condenses and wherein there is used as washing water, polluted water coming from the dewatering apparatus and being cooled by heat exchange with the raw peat suspension in the heat exchanger, and the

Abstract: A process for manufacturing metallurgical carbonaceous materials from coals, particularly coals of a low rank of coalification, in which coal fines and a hydrocarbon base solvent having a boiling point of 150.degree. to 500.degree. C. are mixed together into a slurry form, then the slurry is subjected to a first heat treatment wherein the slurry is treated in the presence of a mixture gas including carbon monoxide and steam under a pressure of 50 to 300 atms. and temperature of 300.degree. to 600.degree. C., and then the reaction product thus derived is subjected to a second heat treatment wherein the reaction product is treated in the presence of a hydrogen gas at a low partial pressure, at a pressure 10 mmHg to 250 atms, and temperature of 400.degree. to 600.degree. C.

Abstract: Process and apparatus for producing ethylene from lignite and subbituminous coal by chemical condition and temperature control using cellulosic material within the treated mass or added thereto whereby ethylene gas is evolved from such carbonacous feed and recovered with other products.

Abstract: A method of pyrolyzing sewage sludge to transform the same into activated carbon, with the combustible pyrogas and volatile liquids included therewith that arise from the pyrolysis operation being burned to sustain the transformation operation. A first portion of the hot activated carbon resulting from the operation is mixed with the wet sewage sludge to provide a dry sludge mixture that is subsequently subjected to the pyrolyzing operation. Water vapor that discharges as the hot activated carbon is mixed with the wet sewage sludge is heated by the burning of the pyrogas and transformed to steam. The resulting steam is in contact with the dry mixture during the pyrolyzing operation, and as a result the dry mixture is transformed to activated carbon. A second portion of the resulting activated carbon is separated from the first portion thereof, with this second portion being available for use apart from the method.

Abstract: Coke is produced with high yield and low sulfur by heating and drying ground coking coal at 200.degree. to 300.degree. C. for 15 to 120 minutes in air, and then heating in two semicoking stages in nitrogen in fluidized bed reactors. The first semicoking stage is 400.degree. to 600.degree. C. for 10 to 60 minutes while the second is 800.degree. to 1,100.degree. C. for 10 to 60 minutes. Tar is condensed from the offgases of the first semicoking stage and the residual gas is divided and 15 to 95% recycled to the first semicoking reactor. Similarly, 15 to 95% of the offgases from the second semicoking reactor is recycled. The condensed tar is fed to the final coke-forming operation.

Abstract: Raw tar sand is treated in a fluidized bed reactor means wherein the raw tar sands are fed into an area below the top of the bed. The bitumen is converted in the process in a reducing atmosphere including steam to produce hot coked sand and hot off-gases. Off-gases from the reactor means pass through a heat exchanger means to preheat fresh (raw) tar sand. The cooled off-gases are separated to recover raw oil, while at least a portion of the separated gases are recycled to the reactor means, to retrieve and retain heat in the system by passing upwardly through hot spent sand. Steam and oxygen are injected into the lower area of the fluid bed in an area above the spent sand zone to burn off coked sand so as to produce heat for the cracking zone.

Abstract: A low cost, high efficiency process for treating oil shale is provided which allows essentially complete recovery of the valuable hydrocarbon fraction of the shale, including light ends, without direct firing of the shale or use of other expensive processing steps heretofore proposed. In preferred forms, the oil shale is heated in a closed heating system using circulating, oxygen-free gases until the shale "break point," or temperature at which the hydrocarbons begin to vaporize from the shale, is reached; at this point the system is slowly depressurized and hydrocarbons are simultaneously released to a condensation stage for the recovery thereof and control of circulating fan horsepower. Steam may also be added to the circulating system to further purge hydrocarbons from the shale and provide additional control of fan horsepower.

Abstract: In gas-solids contacting processes involving the transfer of granular solids from a high-temperature, non-oxidizing treating zone through an enclosed conduit to a combustion zone, the transfer of gases between the treating zone and the combustion zone is prevented by using a novel steam sealing technique which avoids the use of mechanical sealing means and differential pressure controllers. Steam is injected into the system between the two contacting zones, and by the use of flow rate controllers and a pressure controller, a portion of such steam is forced at all times to flow through the combustion zone, while another portion thereof is withdrawn from the transfer conduit in admixture with a portion of net off-gas from the treating zone. The control system is particularly adapted for use in oil shale retorting, wherein coke on the retorted shale is burned in a combustion zone.

Abstract: Apparatus and process for continuously pyrolyzing or gasifying a particulated carbonaceous feed material in which preheated heat-containing bodies or pebbles are admixed with the feed material in a stratified manner to form a downwardly moving columnar reaction mass, with a remaining portion of the pebbles substantially devoid of any feed material disposed in a surrounding layer relative to the reaction mass. Gas is continuously passed transversely through the reaction mass and surrounding layer in a manner to sweep the gaseous pyrolysis reaction products out of the reaction chamber, and wherein the layers of pebbles surrounding the reaction mass serve to effect a deposition of carbonaceous residue, preventing encrustation and fouling of the reactor system.

Abstract: Pulverulent coke and granular reactive coke are produced, respectively, from fines and grains of coal of grades which are not normally usable for coking, containing more than 15% of volatile matter and having a swelling index between 1 and 8, by carbonization between 600.degree. C and 1100.degree. C, wherein combustion air in excess of that which would be necessary to bring the coke to the desired coking temperature is introduced into a slightly inclined rotary tubular oven through which the coal passes during its conversion into coke, the air introduction being effected between the coke outlet and the zone in which the product reaches its maximum temperature and being controlled so that the temperature of the gases issuing from the oven is kept above 600.degree. C. At least 60% of the air is preferably introduced at the downstream end of the oven, and further air may be introduced at intermediate points along the oven length.

Abstract: The apparatus comprises an outermost, an intermediate, and an innermost compartment, the outermost compartment being provided with burners, activated carbon being supplied into, treated in, and removed from the intermediate compartment, and there being communication for gas between the three compartments. In revivification by the direct heating process, reactor gas is supplied into the outermost compartment, heated by the burners, passed into the intermediate compartment to contact the activated carbon being treated, and is then passed into the innermost compartment and exhausted therefrom. In revivification by the indirect heating process, reactor gas is supplied into the innermost compartment, passed into the intermediate compartment for treatment of activated carbon, and then passed into the outermost compartment and is exhausted therefrom, the innermost and intermediate compartments and elements therein being indirectly heated by the burners of the outermost compartment.

Abstract: Solid waste, including municipal, agricultural, industrial, vegetable and animal matter, garbage and waste paper, is progressively converted by means of partial oxidation and distillation into gas under controlled temperature and pressure conditions and the gas is made suitable for industrial and chemical uses by being purified and separated into its main components or ingredients.

Abstract: Fluidized bed technique for oxidizing normally agglomerative bituminous coal is disclosed. One high rank bituminous coal is prepared for activation by grinding, briquetting and crushing to the 3/4 inch to 4 mesh size. Thereafter, the coal particles are fluidized in an oxygen containing atmosphere at from about 400.degree.F. to 700.degree.F. Water is preferably added during oxidation, controlling the oxidation temperature. In this manner, coal particles are rendered non-agglomerative which, when thereafter subjected to carbonization and activation, yields superior activated carbon.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for removing oversized, unentrained char particles from a two-stage coal gasification process so as to prevent clogging or plugging of the communicating passage between the two gasification stages. In the first stage of the process, recycled process char passes upwardly while reacting with steam and oxygen to yield a first stage synthesis gas containing hydrogen and oxides of carbon. In the second stage, the synthesis gas passes upwardly with coal and steam which react to yield partially gasified char entrained in a second stage product gas containing methane, hydrogen, and oxides of carbon. Agglomerated char particles, which result from caking coal particles in the second stage and are too heavy to be entrained in the second stage product gas, are removed through an outlet in the bottom of the second stage, the particles being separated from smaller char particles by a counter-current of steam injected into the outlet.