GASIFICATION SYSTEM WITH PROCESSED FEEDSTOCK/CHAR CONVERSION AND GAS REFORMULATION

• US 20140332724A1
• Filed: 02/06/2014
• Published: 11/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omni Conversion Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Plasco Energy Group Incorporated (RMB Advisory Services, Inc.)
• Inventors: TSANGARIS, Andreas, Bacon, Marc
• Granted Patent: US 9,321,640 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 252/373
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0266 containing a decomposition step
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0861 by plasma
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/16 Controlling the process
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/22 by decomposition of gaseous or liquid organic compounds C01B3/0005 takes precedence ; coking liquid carbonaceous materials C10B55/00
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2200/09 Mechanical details of gasifiers not otherwise provided for, e.g. sealing means
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/0916 Biomass
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/093 Coal
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/094 Char
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/0946 Waste, e.g. MSW, tires, glass, tar sand, peat, paper, lignite, oil shale
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/0956 Air or oxygen enriched air
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/0973 Water
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/1606 Combustion processes
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/1634 Ash vitrification
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/165 integrated with a gas turbine or gas motor
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/1675 making use of a steam turbine
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/1687 with steam generation
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/1869 with one stream being air, oxygen or ozone
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/1884 with one stream being synthesis gas
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 3/42 Rotary grates
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 3/48 Apparatus; Plants
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 3/64 : with decomposition of the distillation products
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 3/721 : Multistage gasification, e.g. plural parallel or serial gasification stages
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 3/723 : Controlling or regulating the gasification process
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 3/726 : Start-up
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 3/82 : Gas withdrawal means
• CPC Class Codes: C10K 1/002 : Removal of contaminants
• CPC Class Codes: C10K 3/001 : by thermal treatment
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/145 : the feedstock being materials of biological origin

Abstract

The invention provides a system designed for the complete conversion of carbonaceous feedstock into syngas and slag. The system comprises a primary chamber for the volatilization of feedstock generating a primary chamber gas (an offgas); a secondary chamber for the further conversion of processed feedstock to a secondary chamber gas (a syngas) and a residue; a gas-reformulating zone for processing gas generated within one or more of the chambers; and a melting chamber for vitrifying residue. The primary chamber comprises direct or indirect feedstock additive capabilities in order to adjust the carbon content of the feedstock.

The system also comprises a control system for use with the gasification system to monitor and regulate the different stages of the process to ensure the efficient and complete conversion of the carbonaceous feedstock into a syngas product.

Claims

1. A multi-chamber system for converting carbonaceous feedstock to syngas and slag, comprising:

one or more primary chambers for conversion of carbonaceous feedstock to a processed feedstock/char and a primary chamber gas, wherein each primary chamber comprises a feedstock inlet, a first air input means, an optional process additive input, a primary chamber gas outlet, and a processed feedstock/char outlet;

one or more secondary chambers for conversion of processed feedstock/char to a residue and a secondary chamber gas, wherein each secondary chamber comprises a processed feedstock/char inlet for receiving processed feedstock/char from at least one of said primary chambers, a second air input means, an optional process additive input, a secondary chamber gas outlet, and a residue outlet;

one or more gas reformulating chambers each comprising a gas reformulating zone, in fluid communication with at least one of said primary chamber and secondary chamber gas outlets for conversion of said primary chamber gas and/or said secondary chamber gas received therefrom to a processed syngas, comprising an optional process additive input, a syngas outlet, and one or more sources of reformulating heat;

one or more melting chambers for converting the residue from said secondary chambers to slag, wherein each said melting chamber comprises a residue inlet in communication with the residue outlet of said secondary chambers, one or more sources of melting heat, and a slag outlet; and

a control system to regulate the operation of the system.

2. The multi-chamber system of claim 1, wherein at least one of said sources of reformulating heat is a plasma system.

3. The multi-chamber system of claim 1, wherein at least one of said sources of reformulating heat is a hydrogen burner.

4. The multi-chamber system of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein said feedstock inlet comprises a primary and secondary feedstock inlet, wherein the secondary feedstock inlet is used for input of feedstock additives.

5. The system of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein at least one of said first input means and second air input means receive heated air from a syngas-to-air heat exchanger.

6. The system of claim any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the first air input means and the second air input means are heated air inlets.

7. The system of any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein at least one of said primary and secondary chambers further comprises means for controlling the residence time thereof.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said means for controlling the residence time comprises a controllable solids removal means.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein said controllable solids removal means comprises a rotating arm, a pusher ram, or a set of screws.

11. The system of any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the carbonaceous feedstock is selected from the group consisting of coal, biomass and mixtures thereof.

14. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein at least one of said primary chambers is horizontally oriented and at least one of said secondary chambers is vertically oriented.

15. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein at least one of said primary chambers comprise one or more lateral transfer units for use as controllable solids removal means.

16. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein the control system comprises:

one or more sensing elements for monitoring of and obtaining data regarding operating parameters within the system; and

one or more response elements for adjusting operating conditions within the system;

wherein the sensing elements and the response elements are integrated within the system, and wherein the response elements adjust the operating conditions within the system according to the data obtained from the sensing elements.

49. A process for converting a carbonaceous feedstock to syngas using the system of any one of claims 1, 17 and 33, comprising the steps of:

inputting carbonaceous feedstock into the primary chambers;

inputting heated air and optionally a process additive into the primary chambers to convert the carbonaceous feedstock to processed feedstock/char and primary chamber gas;

transferring the processed feedstock/char to the secondary chambers;

inputting heated air and optionally a process additive into the secondary chambers to convert the processed feedstock/char to secondary chamber gas and residue;

transferring the primary chamber gas from the primary chambers and the secondary chamber gas from the secondary chambers into the gas reformulating zone;

applying heat from one or more sources of reformulating heat to convert the primary and/or secondary chamber(s) gas to a processed syngas.

10. The multi-chamber system of claim 10, wherein at least one of said sources of melting heat is a plasma system, a gas burner or a Joule heating element.

12. The system of claim 12, wherein said biomass is a cellulosic material.

13. The system of claim 13, wherein said cellulosic material is switchgrass.

17. A multi-chamber system for converting carbonaceous feedstock to syngas and residue, comprising:

one or more primary chambers for conversion of said carbonaceous feedstock to processed feedstock/char and a primary chamber gas, each comprising a feedstock inlet, a primary chamber gas outlet, a first air input means and a processed feedstock/char outlet;

one or more secondary chambers for conversion of said processed feedstock/char to a residue and a secondary chamber gas, each comprising a processed feedstock/char inlet for receiving processed feedstock/char from at least one of said primary chambers, a secondary chamber gas outlet, a second air input means and a residue outlet;

wherein at least one of said primary chambers comprise a gas reformulating zone in fluid communication with at least one of said primary chamber and secondary chamber gas outlets for conversion of said primary chamber gas and/or said secondary chamber gas received therefrom to a processed syngas, wherein said gas reformulating zone comprises a syngas outlet and one or more sources of reformulating heat,

one or more melting chambers for converting the residue from said secondary chambers to slag, wherein each said melting chamber comprises a residue inlet in communication with the residue outlet of said secondary chambers, one or more sources of melting heat, and a slag outlet; and

a control system to regulate the operation of the system.

18. The multi-chamber system of claim 17, wherein at least one of said sources of reformulating heat is a plasma system.

19. The multi-chamber system of claim 17, wherein at least one of said sources of reformulating heat is a hydrogen burner.

20. The multi-chamber system of any one of claims 17 to 19, wherein said feedstock inlet comprises a primary and secondary feedstock inlet, wherein the secondary feedstock inlet is used for input of feedstock additives.

21. The system of any one of claims 17 to 20, wherein at least one of said first input means and second air input means receive heated air from a syngas-to-air heat exchanger.

22. The system of any one of claims 17 to 21, wherein the first air input means and the second air input means are heated air inlets.

23. The system of any one of claims 17 to 22, wherein at least one of said primary and secondary chambers further comprises means for controlling the residence time thereof.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein said means for controlling the residence time comprises a controllable solids removal means.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein said controllable solids removal means comprises a rotating arm, a pusher ram, or a set of screws.

26. The multi-chamber system of claim 25, wherein at least one of said sources of melting heat is a plasma system, a gas burner or a Joule heating element.

27. The system of any one of claims 17 to 26, wherein the carbonaceous feedstock is selected from the group consisting of coal, biomass and mixtures thereof.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein said biomass is a cellulosic material.

30. The system according to any one of claims 17 to 29, wherein at least one of said primary chambers is horizontally oriented and at least one of said secondary chambers is vertically oriented.

31. The system according to any one of claims 17 to 30, wherein at least one of said primary chambers comprise one or more lateral transfer units for use as controllable solids removal means.

32. The system according to any one of claims 17 to 31, wherein the control system comprises:

one or more sensing elements for monitoring of and obtaining data regarding operating parameters within the system; and

one or more response elements for adjusting operating conditions within the system;

wherein the sensing elements and the response elements are integrated within the system, and wherein the response elements adjust the operating conditions within the system according to the data obtained from the sensing elements.

29. The system of claim 29, wherein said cellulosic material is switchgrass.

33. A multi-chamber system for converting carbonaceous feedstock to syngas and residue, comprising:

one or more primary chambers for conversion of said carbonaceous feedstock to processed feedstock/char and a primary chamber gas, each comprising a feedstock inlet, a primary chamber gas outlet, a first air input means and a processed feedstock/char outlet;

one or more secondary chambers for conversion of said processed feedstock/char to a residue and a secondary chamber gas, each comprising a processed feedstock/char inlet for receiving processed feedstock/char from at least one of said primary chambers via their processed feedstock/char outlets, a secondary chamber gas outlet, a second air input means and a residue outlet;

wherein at least one of said secondary chambers comprise a gas reformulating zone in fluid communication with at least one of said primary chamber and secondary chamber gas outlets for conversion of said primary chamber gas and/or said secondary chamber gas received therefrom to a processed syngas, wherein said gas reformulating zone comprises a syngas outlet and one or more sources of reformulating heat,

one or more melting chambers for converting the residue from said secondary chambers to slag, wherein each said melting chamber comprises a residue inlet in communication with the residue outlet of said secondary chambers, one or more sources of melting heat, and a slag outlet; and

a control system to regulate the operation of the system.

34. The multi-chamber system of claim 33, wherein at least one of said sources of heat is a plasma system.

35. The multi-chamber system of claim 34, wherein at least one of said sources of heat is a hydrogen burner.

36. The multi-chamber system of any one of claims 33 to 35, wherein said feedstock inlet comprises a primary and secondary feedstock inlet, wherein the secondary feedstock inlet is used for input of feedstock additives.

37. The system of any one of claims 33 to 36, wherein at least one of said first input means and second air input means receive heated air from a syngas-to-air heat exchanger.

38. The system of any one of claims 33 to 37, wherein the first air input means and the second air input means are heated air inlets.

39. The system of any one of claims 33 to 38, wherein at least one of said primary and secondary chambers further comprises means for controlling the residence time thereof.

40. The system of claim 39, wherein said means for controlling the residence time comprises a controllable solids removal means.

41. The system of claim 40, wherein said controllable solids removal means comprises a rotating arm, a pusher ram, or a set of screws.

42. The multi-chamber system of claim 41, wherein at least one of said sources of melting heat is a plasma system, a gas burner or a Joule heating element.

43. The system of any one of claims 33 to 42, wherein the carbonaceous feedstock is selected from the group consisting of coal, biomass and mixtures thereof.

44. The system of claim 43, wherein said biomass is a cellulosic material.

45. The system of claim 44, wherein said cellulosic material is switchgrass.

46. The system according to any one of claims 33 to 45, wherein at least one of said primary chambers is horizontally oriented and at least one of said secondary chambers is vertically oriented.

47. The system according to any one of claims 33 to 46, wherein the at least one of the primary chambers comprise one or more lateral transfer units for use as controllable solids removal means.

48. The system according to any one of claims 33 to 47, wherein the control system comprises:

one or more sensing elements for monitoring of and obtaining data regarding operating parameters within the system; and

one or more response elements for adjusting operating conditions within the system;

wherein the sensing elements and the response elements are integrated within the system, and wherein the response elements adjust the operating conditions within the system according to the data obtained from the sensing elements.