Abstract: A system for substantially continuously providing a solid material, for example pulverized coal, to a pressurized container. The system provides the solid material to a first container of a first pressure elevated above an initial pressure of the solid material. Generally, a screw conveyor augmented with a jet port is used to move the material where the jet port provides a gas to provide a make-up volume of the solid material. The system also provides the material to a second high pressure container after the material has been formed into a slurry. Therefore, the solid material may be substantially continuously provided in a system to a high pressure container.

Abstract: A reformer (5) which generates hydrogen-rich reformate gas by causing a catalytic reaction of fuel and air comprises a premixing chamber (12) for premixing the fuel with the air. High temperature air is supplied to the premixing chamber (12) from an air intake tube (13) via an orifice (14). A fuel injector (16) injects the fuel into the flow of the high temperature air in the premixing chamber (12) to generate fuel-air mixture. A homogenizing filter (17) homogenizes the composition of the fuel-air mixture in the premixing chamber (12) and supplies a uniform fuel-air mixture to a reforming catalyst (11).

Abstract: According to the apparatus and method, combustible gas having a stable composition can be formed even if the load is charged. Burners are provided in the upper and the lower regions of an entrained bed coal gasification reactor. The temperature of the product gas is kept low in the upper region and high in the lower region. The volumes of the upper and lower regions are changed to meet the load so that the rate of heat loss becomes constant even if the load changes. Since the rate of heat loss can be kept constant and consequently variation of the composition of the product gas can be suppressed small, the efficiency of the coal gasification electric power generating system can be kept constant.