Coal Patents (Class 48/77)
  • Patent number: 11905477
    Abstract: A method and process arrangement for producing hydrocarbons from polymer-based waste in which the polymer-based waste is gasified with steam at low temperature in a gasifier for forming a product mixture, and the temperature is 640-750° C., and the product mixture is supplied from the gasifier to a recovery unit of the hydrocarbons for separating at least one hydrocarbon fraction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: TEKNOLOGIAN TUTKIMUSKESKUS VTT OY
    Inventors: Matti Nieminen, Matti Reinikainen
  • Patent number: 11820719
    Abstract: A system and a method for treating biomass with a gas includes at least one conduit having at least one biomass inlet and at least one biomass outlet, at least one gas inlet and at least one gas outlet. The system further includes a transport unit configured to move the biomass through the conduit from the at least one biomass inlet to the at least one biomass outlet thereby defining a biomass transport direction. The system is configured such that gas flowing from the at least one gas inlet to the at least one gas outlet crosses the biomass transport direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Advanced Substrate Technologies A/S
    Inventor: Svend Hoff
  • Patent number: 11788021
    Abstract: A reactor enables gasification or melting of waste and additional feed materials. The reactor includes a co-current section with a plenum section and a feed section with a sluice. Feed materials are introduced into the reactor. The reactor further includes a buffer section and a pre-treatment section, which adjoins a bottom of the buffer section to create a cross-sectional enlargement. An intermediate section adjoins the pre-treatment section. An upper oxidation section adjoins a bottom of the intermediate section and includes tuyeres in at least one level. An upper reduction section adjoins a bottom of the upper oxidation section. The reactor further includes a gas outlet section. The reactor further includes a countercurrent section having a conical lower reduction section and a conical lower oxidation section adjoining the conical lower reduction section having at least one tuyere and at least one tapping.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: KBI INVEST & MANAGEMENT AG
    Inventor: André Wegner
  • Patent number: 11738307
    Abstract: This invention describes a method and apparatus for the capture, storage and release of carbon dioxide for use in the horticulture industry, the method including reduction of a transition metal oxide to form a transition metal and carbon dioxide; carburization or partial carburization of the transition metal to form metal carbide; carbonation of an alkaline metal oxide or alkaline earth metal oxide to form an alkaline metal carbonate or alkaline earth metal carbonate; contacting the metal carbide with air to produce a transition metal oxide and carbon dioxide; and calcining the alkaline metal carbonate or alkaline earth metal carbonate to form carbon dioxide and alkaline metal oxide or alkaline earth metal oxide. Also described is a sorbent material for use in the method and apparatus of the invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: HOT LIME LABS LIMITED
    Inventor: Vlatko Materie
  • Patent number: 11718802
    Abstract: Applying heat from a heat source to a first region to cause a first pyrolysis process, the first pyrolysis process resulting in a gaseous mixture, and applying heat from the heat source to a second region to cause a second pyrolysis process, the second pyrolysis process being applied to the gaseous mixture, wherein the second region is located closer to the heat source than the first region. Pyrolysis is used to destroy oils, tars and/or PAHs in carbonaceous material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: STANDARD GAS LIMITED
    Inventor: Daniel Michael Donegan
  • Patent number: 11661559
    Abstract: Exemplary apparatus or method implementations for a universal feeder system configured with a transfer screw feeder within a multi-section clamshell pipe permitting access to the feed screw and pipe interior for inspection, maintenance and/or cleaning during production, without disassembly or screw removal. The clamshell screw feeder pipe provides access to the screw by opening or removing the multi-section top portion of the clamshell pipe. The top pipe section is bolted and or hinges to the bottom portion of the clamshell pipe. The number of segmented multiple clamshell top sections depends on the length of the screw. One or more clamshell top sections may be configured with an inspection port. The universal feeder system configured with a transfer screw feeder within a multi-section clamshell pipe transfers feedstock feed from one or more feed vessels to one or more reactor vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: ARIES CLEAN TECHNOLOGIES LLC
    Inventors: Renus Kelfkens, Brandon Davis, Joseph Mikhail, Matthew Newman
  • Patent number: 11498833
    Abstract: A device includes a catalytic system and an electromagnetic system. The catalytic system defines a catalysis chamber and includes a catalyst of a reaction to generate a gas from a liquid. The catalyst is housed in the catalysis chamber. The electromagnetic system includes a coil and a rod mobile relative to the coil, the rod being fixed to the catalytic system and including a magnet and a core. The electromagnetic system is configured to move the rod relative to the coil when an electrical current is passed through the coil, so as to dispose the catalytic system in an open position in which the catalysis chamber is in fluidic communication with the outside. The catalytic system is disposed in a closed position in which the catalysis chamber is hermetically closed in the absence of an electrical current through the coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVES
    Inventors: Jerome Delmas, Olivier Blanchot, Philippe Capron, Vincent Faucheux, Isabelle Rougeaux, Olivier Tosoni
  • Patent number: 11130922
    Abstract: The invention provides a hydrogen boiler based on coal gasification and water decomposition, including a steam boiler which includes an upper furnace and a lower furnace; water and steam in the upper furnace are respectively communicated with water and steam in the lower furnace; and the steam boiler is provided with a casing which has a narrow gap for containing water and a wide wall for heating to generate gas. The steam boiler contains multistage reactors. A coal modification and gasification device is provided at an outer side of the steam boiler and is provided with two chambers. The steam and gasified gas of coal are mixed and enter the reactors for direct burning to promote respective reactions. After several stages of modification and decomposition, the steam and the gasified gas of coal are completely converted to hydrogen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: Fujian Jungie New Material Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Daji Zhang
  • Patent number: 10787609
    Abstract: The thermochemical conversion of biomass material to one or more reaction products includes generating thermal energy with at least one heat source, providing a volume of feedstock, providing a volume of supercritical fluid, transferring a portion of the generated thermal energy to the volume of supercritical fluid, transferring at least a portion of the generated thermal energy from the volume of supercritical fluid to the volume of feedstock, and performing a thermal decomposition process on the volume of feedstock with the thermal energy transferred from the volume of supercritical fluid to the volume of the feedstock in order to form at least one reaction product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignees: TerraPower, LLC, Washington State University
    Inventors: Manuel Garcia-Perez, Joshua C. Walter
  • Patent number: 10611975
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a constant liquid level gasification furnace with a waste boiler comprising: a housing; an upper portion of the housing is defined as a gasification section, a middle portion of the housing is defined as a radiant section, and a lower portion of the housing is defined as a quenching section. The gasification section internally includes a membrane type water-cooled wall, wherein the inner region defined by the membrane type water-cooled wall is a gasification chamber. The radiant section internally includes a built-in radiant waste boiler assembly, wherein the internal region defined by the built-in radiant waste boiler assembly is a radiant chamber. The region defined by the quenching section is a quenching chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: Beijing Qing Chuang Jin Hua Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hongbo Ma, Jun Yue, Shuai Wang
  • Patent number: 10184457
    Abstract: An offshore power generation structure comprising a submerged portion having a first deck portion comprising an integral multi-stage evaporator system, a second deck portion comprising an integral multi-stage condensing system, a third deck portion housing power generation equipment, cold water pipe; and a cold water pipe connection. The heat exchangers in the evaporator and condenser systems include a multi-stage cascading heat exchange system. Warm water conduits in the first deck portion and cold water conduits in the second deck portion are integral to the structure of the submerged portion of the offshore platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: The Abell Foundation, Inc.
    Inventors: Russ Krull, Laurence Jay Shapiro, Jonathan M. Ross
  • Patent number: 10001274
    Abstract: A method for conducting combustion in a fluidized bed furnace, in particular having a sand bed, according to which a flow of primary combustion air is blown through the bed, the fuel consisting in particular of organic waste, or of municipal waste, or of sludge from purifying stations, it being possible to inject secondary air (5a) into the space (5) in the furnace located above the bed; in order to limit the production of nitrogen oxides NOx and nitrous oxide N2O: the nitrous oxide N2O and nitrogen oxide NOx content of the fumes at the outlet of the furnace are measured (12, 20); the temperature of the fluidized bed is controlled to keep it at the highest admissible value at which the production of nitrous oxide N2O is substantially reduced, while the production of nitrogen oxides NOx is not substantially increased; and the excess air in the fluidized bed is controlled to keep it at the lowest admissible value at which the production of nitrogen oxides NOx is reduced without adversely affecting the combustio
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: DEGREMONT
    Inventors: Pierre-Emmanuel Pardo, Ludovic Morice
  • Patent number: 9765270
    Abstract: Methods of making fuel are described herein. A method may include providing a first working fluid, a second working fluid, and a third working fluid. The method may also include exposing the first working fluid to a first high voltage electric field to produce a first plasma, exposing the second working fluid to a second high voltage electric field to produce a second plasma, and exposing the third working fluid to a third high voltage electric field to produce a third plasma. The method may also include providing and contacting a carbon-based feedstock with the third plasma, the second plasma, and the first plasma within a processing chamber to form a mixture, cooling the mixture using a heat exchange device to form a cooled mixture, and contacting the cooled mixture with a catalyst to form a fuel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: POWERDYNE, INC.
    Inventors: Geoffrey Hirson, Gus F. Shouse
  • Patent number: 9433902
    Abstract: A low energy water treatment system and method is provided. The system has at least one electrodialysis device that produces partially treated water and a brine byproduct, a softener, and at least one electrodeionization device. The partially treated water stream can be softened by the softener to reduce the likelihood of scale formation and to reduce energy consumption in the electrodeionization device, which produces water having target properties. At least a portion of the energy used by the electrodeionization device can be generated by concentration differences between the brine and seawater streams introduced into compartments thereof. The brine stream can also be used to regenerate the softener.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: Evoqua Water Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Gary C. Ganzi, Li-Shiang Liang, Frederick C. Wilkins
  • Patent number: 9353314
    Abstract: An improved biomass feed system and processes for transporting biomass to downstream processing locations are disclosed. The system uses a pressurized gas to assist in the transporting of the biomass to the conversion reactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: Inaeris Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Edward J. Smith
  • Patent number: 9260301
    Abstract: An integrated drying gasification system comprises a gasifier for gasifying carbonaceous fuel to produce hot product gas and an entrained flow dryer which receives the hot product gas to dry the carbonaceous fuel prior to gasification. At least one inlet to the gasifier communicates one or more additional gases from the system, such as recycled syngas, steam and/or recycled carbon dioxide, to the gasifier to generate an increased hot product gas mass flow rate from the gasifier. The system may comprise a plurality of lock hopper systems coupled to the entrained flow dryer. At least one intermediate storage vessel may be provided in one or more feed legs to the gasifier maintain a constant supply of carbonaceous fuel to the gasifier for a temporary period independently of carbonaceous fuel supplied to the entrained flow dryer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: HRL TREASURY (IDGCC) PTY LTD
    Inventors: Bernard Anderson, Alex Blatchford, Tom Stephanou
  • Patent number: 9102882
    Abstract: A system includes a gasifier. The gasifier includes a chamber, a first nozzle, and a second nozzle. The first nozzle is configured to output a first fuel and a first oxidant to create a mixture that combusts in a combustion-reduction zone of the chamber. The second nozzle is configured to output a reduction promoter into the combustion-reduction zone to reduce combustion products in the combustion-reduction zone of the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Sethuraman Balasubramaniyan, Pravin Sadashiv Naphade, Richard Anthony DePuy, Atul Kumar Vij, Satish Sambhaji Jadhav
  • Patent number: 9074151
    Abstract: A plasma assisted gasification system with an indirect vacuum system for drawing syngas through a reactor vessel is disclosed. In particular, the plasma assisted gasification system is configured to draw syngas through the combustion reaction zone, the syngas collection chamber, the syngas heater and the syngas outlet in the reactor vessel. The plasma assisted gasification system may include a reactor vessel with distinct reaction zones that facilitate greater control and a more efficient system. The system may include a sealing system for a continuous feed system of a gasifier enabling an inlet opening of a feedstock system to remain open yet seal the reactor without a mechanical system. The system may include a syngas heater channeling syngas collected downstream of the carbon layer support and to the pyrolysis reaction zone. The system may further include an agitator drive assembly that prevents formation of burn channels with in the fuel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: adaptiveARC, Inc.
    Inventor: Christian H. A. Juvan
  • Patent number: 9045705
    Abstract: Gasification cooling systems provided herein may include a housing having a fluid passage extending in a flow direction lengthwise along the housing and an annular wall disposed about the fluid passage and having one or more annular steps. Such systems may also include a plurality of heat exchanger tubes downstream of the one or more annular steps and adapted to cool a syngas in the gas passage as the syngas flows in the flow direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ryan Blanchard, Gregory Michael Laskowski
  • Patent number: 9011561
    Abstract: A solids circulation system receives a gas stream containing char or other reacting solids from a first reactor. The solids circulation system includes a cyclone configured to receive the gas stream from the first reactor, a dipleg from the cyclone to a second reactor, and a riser from the second reactor which merges with the gas stream received by the cyclone. The second reactor has a dense fluid bed and converts the received materials to gaseous products. A conveying fluid transports a portion of the bed media from the second reactor through the riser to mix with the gas stream prior to cyclone entry. The bed media helps manipulate the solids that is received by the cyclone to facilitate flow of solids down the dipleg into the second reactor. The second reactor provides additional residence time, mixing and gas-solid contact for efficient conversion of char or reacting solids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Thermochem Recovery International, Inc.
    Inventors: Ravi Chandran, Jonathan A. Zenz, Dave G. Newport, Hamilton Sean Michael Whitney
  • Patent number: 8999019
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process and system for gasifying biomass or other carbonaceous feedstocks in an indirectly heated gasifier and provides a method for the elimination of condensable organic materials (tars) from the resulting product gas with an integrated tar removal step. More specifically, this tar removal step utilizes the circulating heat carrier to crack the organics and produce additional product gas. As a benefit of the above process, and because the heat carrier circulates through alternating steam and oxidizing zones in the process, deactivation of the cracking reactions is eliminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Taylor Biomass Energy, LLC
    Inventor: Mark A. Paisley
  • Patent number: 8999022
    Abstract: A method for producing synthetic gas from biomass by: a) grinding the biomass, feeding the biomass into a pyrolysis furnace while spraying a first superheated water vapor into the pyrolysis furnace, controlling the temperature of the pyrolysis furnace at 500-800° C., contacting the biomass with the first superheated water vapor for a pyrolysis reaction to yield crude synthetic gas and ash including coke; b) cooling the ash, and separating the coke from the ash; c) transporting the crude synthetic gas and the coke into a gasifier, spraying a second superheated water vapor into the gasifier, controlling the gasifier at an operating temperature of 1200-1600° C., contacting the biomass with the second superheated water vapor for a gasification reaction to yield primary synthetic gas; and d) cooling, removing dust, deacidifying, and desiccating the primary synthetic gas to obtain clean synthetic gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Sunshine Kaidi New Energy Group Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yilong Chen, Hongming Tang, Yanfeng Zhang
  • Patent number: 8985912
    Abstract: The present application provides a back mixing device for use with a pneumatically conveyed flow of solids having a varying flow rate. The back mixing device may include a nozzle, a chamber in communication with the nozzle, and an exit. The chamber may include an expanded area leading to a restriction such that the chamber creates a recirculation pattern in the flow of solids so as to smooth the varying flow rate though the back mixing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Thomas Frederick Leininger
  • Patent number: 8974557
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides tunable catalytic gasifier systems suitable for gasifying coal, biomass, and other fuel sources. The gasifier reactors of the disclosed systems may be heated by, e.g., a catalytic tube or other jacket that generates heat by catalytically combusting syngas, which syngas may be syngas produced by the gasifier system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Good Earth Power Corporation
    Inventor: John Dooher
  • Patent number: 8915980
    Abstract: A process for the discharge of slag and ash from a gasification reactor is disclosed. These solids are directed from the gasification reactor into a water bath housed with the gasification reactor in a pressure vessel. There are at least two lock hoppers underneath the water bath which are fed with a stream of water/solids via a pipe and a flow divider element, it being possible to supply the lock hoppers individually and in a controlled manner with a stream of water/solids via shut-off devices. The filling is performed in a manner that encourages the sett-ling process by withdrawing a stream of liquid from the lock hopper being filled, the filling time being controlled so as to prevent the solids settling above the valves and lock hoppers. Also disclosed is an apparatus with at least two lock hoppers underneath the water bath of a gasification reactor, there being, in an advantageous embodiment, a flow divider element and shut-off devices between the water bath and the lock hoppers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: UHDE GmbH
    Inventor: Christoph Hanrott
  • Patent number: 8845770
    Abstract: A gasification system including a gasifier, a feed injector, and a fuel feed system that includes a first feed line, a second feed line, and a controller that includes a processor. The processor is programmed to enable the first feed line to supply a fuel gas into the feed injector, enable the second feed line to supply oxygen into the feed injector, receive instructions to add a slurry to the gasifier, prevent the first feed line from supplying the fuel gas into the feed injector, enable the first feed line to supply the slurry into the feed injector, enable the second feed line to simultaneously supply the oxygen and the inert gas into the feed injector, and prevent the second feed line from supplying the inert gas into the feed injector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ronald Frederick Tyree, Huan Van Ho
  • Patent number: 8828109
    Abstract: A method of assembling a gasification reactor includes extending an injection device at least partially into the gasification reactor. The injection device includes a plurality of substantially concentric conduits coupled to a modular tip and at least one outer surface. The modular tip includes a plurality of cooling channels and a plurality of substantially annular nozzles defined therein. The method further includes forming at least one layer of insulation about at least a portion of the at least one outer surface to facilitate insulating at least a portion of the injection device from heat within the gasification reactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: John Saunders Stevenson, John Duckett Winter, Constantin Bugescu, Kenneth M. Sprouse, David R. Matthews
  • Publication number: 20140223820
    Abstract: Provided is a gasifier start-up method for a gasifier capable of preventing or inhibiting a temporary occurrence of black smoke when a gasifier is started-up. A gasifier start-up method for a gasifier, in which a gasifying agent and a solid carbonaceous fuel are supplied and gasified, includes a start-up burner igniting step of supplying a start-up fuel and oxygen-containing gas to a start-up burner and igniting the start-up fuel and oxygen-containing gas, under an inert atmosphere in which an inside of the gasifier around the start-up burner is filled with inert gas; and an oxygen-containing-gas supply adjusting step of adjusting the supply of the oxygen-containing gas such that combustion gas obtained after the combustion reaction of the start-up fuel and the oxygen-containing gas becomes the inert gas, which contains little oxygen.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2014
    Publication date: August 14, 2014
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Shogo YOSHIDA, Katsuhiko YOKOHAMA, Keisuke MATSUO
  • Patent number: 8764856
    Abstract: The invention relates to a solid fuel decoupled fluidized bed gasifying method and a gasifying apparatus. By physically separately performing drying and pyrolyzing of fuel, gasification of char, and tar/hydrocarbon reforming, the interactions between the separated chemical reactions and physical processes during fluidized bed gasification can be utilized. Specifically, in a fluidized bed reactor having two reaction chambers, drying and pyrolyzing of fuel, gasification of char, and tar/hydrocarbon reforming are performed, respectively, the reforming of tar/hydrocarbon is promoted through the catalytic effect of the char, and the evaporated fuel moisture is provided to the char gasification and tar/hydrocarbon reforming as an effective reaction agent. Accordingly, the tar content in product gas can be reduced, the use amount of external steam can be reduced, the overall efficiency of gasification can be improved, and this technique can also be applied to the processing of high water-containing fuel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: IHI Corporation
    Inventors: Guangwen Xu, Xinhua Liu, Toshiyuki Suda, Toshiro Fujimori
  • Patent number: 8764860
    Abstract: A system includes a gasification vessel configured to receive a fuel and an oxidizer. The system also includes a gasifier disposed in the gasification vessel. The gasifier is configured to partially oxidize the fuel and the oxidizer to generate a syngas. The system further includes a convective syngas cooler configured to cool the syngas via heat exchange with a coolant. The convective syngas cooler is disposed in an interior of the gasification vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Aaron John Avagliano, James Michael Storey
  • Publication number: 20140173983
    Abstract: A coal gasification system includes a coal gasifier that allows, for example, coal, as carbonaceous solid fuel, to react in the furnace with a gasifying agent (for example, air or oxygen) to generate combustible gas from the coal, a pulverized coal supply device (solid fuel supply means) that pulverizes the coal into a fine powder form and charges the coal into the coal gasifier, and an ash supply device (ash supply means) that charges ash of the coal (pulverized coal) to an inside of the coal gasifier. The ash supply device is configured to recharge slag that is generated when the pulverized coal is gasified in the coal gasifier and is discharged, into the coal gasifier as the ash. The slag is melted in a combustor to be molten slag, and adheres to an inner wall of the combustor to function as a refractory material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2012
    Publication date: June 26, 2014
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Junichiro Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 8696774
    Abstract: A system is provided that comprises a gasifier with an enclosure disposed about a chamber, wherein the enclosure comprises a top wall, a bottom wall, and a side wall between the top and bottom walls. The gasifier also comprises an outlet disposed in the bottom wall, a first injector disposed in the top wall, and a second injector disposed in the side wall, wherein the first and second injectors are configured to inject fuel, oxygen, or a combination thereof, into the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Cliff Yi Guo
  • Publication number: 20130312328
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for recycling fine ash particles for a multiphase chemical reactor (MCR), wherein coal is partially oxidized in the MCR to produce an exit gas stream in which fine ash particles are entrained, and wherein the MCR comprises a high temperature region with a temperature at or above a fusion temperature of the fine ash particles, wherein substantially all of the fine ash particles from the exit gas stream are returned to the high temperature region, to achieve improved carbon conversion and reduction in fly ash quantity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2011
    Publication date: November 28, 2013
    Applicant: Synthesis Energy Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Chunfa Xu, Long Wu
  • Patent number: 8591608
    Abstract: A gasifier includes a combustion zone where a gas is introduced and fuel is combusted and at least one sensor for measuring a predetermined condition in the gasifier. A grate subsystem contains the fuel and includes at least one grinding mechanism. A controller is responsive to the at least one sensor and controls the grinding mechanism by activating the grinding mechanism if the predetermined condition exists to reduce the collection of non-fuel products on the grate subsystem.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: MSW Power Corporation
    Inventors: Matthew Young, Steven Anthony, Stephen Armstrong, Steven Chase
  • Patent number: 8506917
    Abstract: In a circulating fluidized-bed gasification system, an ammonia-off gas 30 from an ammonia remover 25 is fed to a catalytic denitrator 15 with a flow rate regulated such that a molar ratio of the ammonia in the ammonia off-gas 30 from the ammonia recover 25 to nitrogen oxides in an exhaust gas 6 from a combustion furnace 1 is kept within a setting range, and a reminder of the ammonia off-gas 30 is fed to the combustion furnace 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: IHI Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroaki Ohara, Koki Hamada
  • Patent number: 8500877
    Abstract: Systems are provided for gasification operations. The systems may use carbonous gas as part of plant operations. The systems may include a gasifier and a solid fuel feeder. The solid fuel feeder is capable of feeding solid fuel in a carbonous carrier gas to the gasifier during a startup period and also during a steady state period of the gasifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Anindra Mazumdar, Sunil Ramabhilakh Mishra, Rupinder Singh Benipal
  • Patent number: 8480766
    Abstract: Gasification equipment with a gasification furnace which maintains a. high cold gas efficiency, and suppresses a temperature rise of the gasification gas to minimize ash deposition is disclosed. A part of a CO2 gas separated from an exhaust of a power generation plant is compressed by a. recovered CO2 compressor 25. The compressed CO2 gas is used for transport of coal (pulverized coal). The CO2 gas is supplied, together with the pulverized coal, into a gasification furnace to accelerate the formation of CO by an endothermic reaction between C and CO2 and suppress a temperature raise within a coal gasification furnace 15, thereby producing a gasification gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry
    Inventors: Hiroaki Watanabe, Toshio Abe
  • Patent number: 8480769
    Abstract: Disclosed is a cyclonic gasifier and cyclonic gasification method. The cyclonic gasifier and cyclonic gasification method involve a chamber having a first portion proximal to a first end and a second portion proximal to a second end, introducing a first fuel to the first portion of the chamber, introducing a second fuel to the chamber; and introducing a first oxidant to accelerate the velocity of the first fuel and swirl the first fuel from the first portion toward the second portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark Daniel D'Agostini
  • Patent number: 8480768
    Abstract: A gasifier 10 includes a first chemical process loop 12 having an exothermic oxidizer reactor 14 and an endothermic reducer reactor 16. CaS is oxidized in air in the oxidizer reactor 14 to form hot CaSO4 which is discharged to the reducer reactor 16. Hot CaSO4 and carbonaceous fuel received in the reducer reactor 16 undergo an endothermic reaction utilizing the heat content of the CaSO4, the carbonaceous fuel stripping the oxygen from the CaSO4 to form CaS and a CO rich syngas. The CaS is discharged to the oxidizer reactor 14 and the syngas is discharged to a second chemical process loop 52. The second chemical process loop 52 has a water-gas shift reactor 54 and a calciner 42. The CO of the syngas reacts with gaseous H2O in the shift reactor 54 to produce H2 and CO2. The CO2 is captured by CaO to form hot CaCO3 in an exothermic reaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: ALSTOM Technology Ltd
    Inventors: Herbert E. Andrus, Jr., Michael S. McCartney
  • Patent number: 8475547
    Abstract: In a reactor for gasification of entrained solid and liquid fuels at temperatures between 1,200 and 1,900° C. and at pressures between ambient pressure and 10 MPa using an oxidizing agent containing free oxygen, the cooling screen is connected to the pressure shell in a gastight manner via a sliding seal in order to allow length changes. Continuous gas purging of the annular gap between pressure shell and cooling screen is unnecessary and gasification gas is prevented from flowing behind.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Volker Kirchhübel, Christian Reuther, Manfred Schingnitz, Heidrun Toth
  • Patent number: 8475548
    Abstract: In a reactor for the gasification of solid and liquid fuels in the entrained flow at temperatures between 1200 and 1900° C. and pressures between ambient pressure and 10 MPa with an oxidizing agent containing free oxygen, the cooling screen is connected in a gas-tight manner to the pressure shell via a bellows compensator to accommodate linear deformation. Continuous sweeping by gas of the annular gap between pressure shell and cooling screen is unnecessary and backflow by producer gas is prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Volker Kirchhübel, Manfred Schingnitz, Heidrun Toth
  • Patent number: 8444724
    Abstract: A generally upright reactor system for gasifying a feedstock. The reactor system generally includes a main body, at least two inlet projections extending outwardly from the main body, and at least one inlet positioned on each of the inlet projections. Each of the inlets is operable to discharge the feedstock into the reaction zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Phillips 66 Company
    Inventors: Steven L. Douglas, Ronald W. Herbanek, David L. Breton, Steven E. Chichester
  • Patent number: 8425636
    Abstract: In certain embodiments, a system includes a gasification system configured to output grey water. The system also includes a grey water zero liquid discharge (ZLD) system configured to receive the grey water and to generate a first stream of distillate. The grey water ZLD system comprises an ammonia stripping system. An amount of water into and out of the grey water ZLD system is approximately equal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Sampath K. Bommareddy, Dinh-Cuong Vuong, James Scott Kain, Anil Dhansukh Amlani, Robert Henry Weed
  • Patent number: 8425638
    Abstract: Upon cold startup of a gasification facility, a fluidized air 10 is supplied to a combustion furnace 9 to fluidize a combustion-furnace fluidized bed 11 while a preheating fuel 22 is supplied to the combustion furnace to preheat the fluidized bed 11 up to an autoignition temperature of coal. Then, a coal 23 is charged to the combustion furnace 9 to heat the fluidized bed 11 and bed material is circulated between the combustion and gasification furnaces 9 and 1 for heating. Upon startup and shutdown of the gasification facility, steam 2 from an exhaust heat recovery boiler 20 in heat exchange with an exhaust gas 15 from the combustion furnace 9 is supplied to the gasification furnace 1 to purge the gasification furnace 1 and a lead-out passage 6 with the steam 2 utilizing the exhaust heat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: IHI Corporation
    Inventors: Hisanori Nukumi, Tomoyuki Katagiri
  • Patent number: 8414668
    Abstract: In a coal gasification furnace adapted to feed pulverized coal thereinto by the use of inert carrier gas and gasify the same, any startup burner can be unnecessitated thereby eliminating any startup combustion chamber. Further, even in the use of a startup burner, it is smaller and lighter in weight than conventional startup burners, allowing the startup combustion chamber to be compact and limiting the height of the entirety of the gasification furnace. As a characteristic feature, a pulverized coal fuel supply passageway (23) to a combustor burner (9) is provided at its midstream portion with a startup gas supply passageway (29) for supply of a startup combustible gas (NG1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsuhiko Yokohama, Hiromi Ishii, Yuichiro Kitagawa
  • Patent number: 8398729
    Abstract: Methods and systems for a gasifier having a partial moderator bypass are provided. The gasifier includes a partial oxidation reactor including an inlet and an outlet and a primary reaction zone extending therebetween, the partial oxidation reactor configured to direct a flow of products of partial oxidation including fuel gases, gaseous byproducts of partial oxidation, and unburned carbon, and a secondary reaction chamber coupled in flow communication with the partial oxidation reactor, the secondary reaction chamber is configured to mix a flow of moderator with the flow of gaseous byproducts of partial oxidation and unburned carbon such that a concentration of fuel gases is increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Paul Steven Wallace
  • Patent number: 8398730
    Abstract: A method of producing substitute natural gas (SNG) includes providing a gasification reactor having a cavity defined at least partially by a first wall. The reactor also includes a first passage defined at least partially by at least a portion of the first wall and a second wall, wherein the first passage is in heat transfer communication with the first wall. The reactor further includes a second passage defined at least partially by at least a portion of the second wall and a third wall. The method also includes coupling the cavity in flow communication with the first and second passages. The method further includes producing a first synthetic gas (syngas) stream within the cavity. The method also includes channeling at least a portion of the first syngas stream to the first and second passages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Paul Steven Wallace, Arnaldo Frydman
  • Patent number: 8388706
    Abstract: A system uses thermal solar energy coupled with microwaves and plasma for producing carbon monoxide (CO) and dihydrogen (H2) from carbonated compounds (biomass, domestic waste, sludge from waste water, fossil coal), wherein the obtained gaseous mixture yields, amongst others, hydrocarbon fuels (olefins, paraffin), esters, and alcohols via a Fischer-Tropsch synthesis. In a first step the carbonated compounds are roasted and pyrolized to produce char and dry coal, and a mixture of superheated gases containing CO2, steam, tars and non-condensable volatile materials. The method includes in a second step, and from the pyrolyis products (char or coal, gas mixture), generating a syngas substantially containing a mixture of carbon monoxide and dihydrogen, the mixture being used in Fischer-Tropsch synthesis units. After the Fischer-Tropsch step, the synthesis products are separated in a distillation column after heating in solar furnaces of mixed furnaces (solar/microwave).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Inventor: Nicolas Ugolin
  • Patent number: 8377387
    Abstract: A system includes a fluidization device including a flow passage configured to convey a flow of solid fuel particles in a downstream direction, and a body disposed within the flow passage. The body is configured to direct the flow of solid fuel particles between the body and an outer wall of the flow passage. The fluidization device also includes a carrier gas injection port positioned radially outward from the body. The carrier gas injection port is configured to provide a flow of carrier gas in the downstream direction to break up agglomerations within the flow of solid fuel particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Constantin Dinu, Steven Craig Russell, Yichuan Fang
  • Patent number: 8372167
    Abstract: A controlled zone gasification reactor with an agitator drive assembly for a plasma assisted gasification reaction system is disclosed for converting fuel, such as, but not limited to, biomass, to syngas to replace petroleum based fuels used in power generation. The agitator drive assembly that prevents formation of burn channels with in the fuel. The agitator drive assembly may include a syngas separation chamber configured to produce clean syngas, thereby requiring less filtering. The syngas separation chamber may feed syngas downstream to a syngas heater in a pyrolysis reaction zone in the reactor vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: AdaptiveARC, Inc.
    Inventor: Christian H. A. Juvan