Sulfur removal by sorbent injection in secondary combustion zones

• US 4,873,930 A
• Filed: 03/07/1989
• Issued: 10/17/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Northrop Grumman Corporation
• Original Assignee: TRW Inc. (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Inventors: Egense, Andrea L. F., Kuenzly, John D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yuen, Henry C.
• Application Number:
  US07/319,803
• Time in Patent Office: 224 Days
• Field of Search: 110/345, 110/229, 110/264, 110/343, 110/347
• US Class Current: 110/345
• CPC Class Codes: F23C 3/008 for pulverulent fuel
• CPC Class Codes: F23C 6/04 in series connection consuming smoke or fumes in separate combustion apparatus F23G7/06
• CPC Class Codes: F23J 7/00 Arrangement of devices for supplying chemicals to fire

Abstract

The generation of acid rain precursors, i.e., SO_x and NO_x, and slag during the combustion of a carbonaceous fuel, e.g., coal, is counteracted in a slagging combustor apparatus and process. The fuel is combusted in a primary combustor under substoichiometric combustion conditions and at a temperature greater than the fuel'"'"'s ash fusion temperature. The substoichiometric combustion conditions suppress the formation of NO_x. Most of the noncombustibles are separated from the gaseous products of combustion, in the form of liquid slag, to form treated gaseous combustion products having a noncombustible content that is substantially reduced with respect to the noncombustible content of the fuel. The temperature of the treated gaseous combustion as it leaves the primary combustion is above the ash fusion tmeprature of the fuel. A sorbent is introduced into the treated gaseous combustion products and calcined. The calcined sorbent removes SO_x from the treated gaseous combustion products. The temperature of the treated gaseous combustion products is preferably reduced after the introduction of the sorbent to avoid deadburning the surbent. It is als preferred to add additional oxidant to the treated gaseous combustion products to raise the overall stoichiometry of the process to at least one to avoid emitting smoke into the atmosphere.

Claims

1. In an apparatus for combustion of sulfur-containing particulate carbonaceous fuel wherein oxidizer gas and particulate fuel are introduced into a substantially cylindrical primary combustion chamber and wherein the input velocities, mass-flow rates and combustion temperatures are regulated to minimize the concentration of volatilized and liquid slag in the output gaseous products of combustion, and wherein the walls of the combustion chamber are maintained within a temperature range such that a layer of solidified slag is retained on the inside surfaces of the walls, the improvement comprising, in combination:

(a) means for preheating said oxidizer gas and introducing the preheated oxidizer gas into said chamber in a manner to establish a high-velocity swirling flow of a mixture comprising oxidizer and combustion products within said chamber;

(b) means for injecting particulate fuel into said chamber near the center of one end thereof in a pattern such that substantially all of the fuel particles are intercepted by said swirling flow and most of the carbon contained in the particles is converted to oxides of carbon before the particles reach the walls of the chamber;

(c) means regulating the oxidizer and fuel input velocities and mass-flow rates for maintaining a relatively fuel-rich combustion regime within a longitudinally-extending central portion of the primary combustion zone within said chamber, providing a relatively oxygen-rich annular region adjacent the walls, driving substantially all the slag content of the fuel to the walls of the chamber and keeping the temperature of the gaseous combustion products substantially higher than the ash-fusion temperature of the non-combustible constituents of the fuel;

(d) slag recovery means comprising a slag-recovery chamber coupled to receive combustion products from said primary combustion chamber for collecting substantially all liquid slag entrained in said combustion products, separately disposing of all slag collected in the system, and conducting thermal energy-carrying gaseous products to an associated heat utilization equipment;

(e) sulfur-capture means for combining with said gaseous products, substantially as such products enter the heat utilization equipment,

(i) sufficient calcium-containing sorbent to provide a calcium-to-sulfur molar ratio in the range from about 2 to about 5 and

(ii) sufficient supplementary oxidizer to keep the temperature at which said sorbent initially contacts sulfur constituents of the gaseous products within the range from about 1600°

F. to about 2300°

F;

(f) with said sulfur-capture means comprising sorbent injection means for introducing calcium-containing sorbent into the gaseous products downstream from said primary combustion zone and before such products pass into the heat utilization equipment, and oxidant addition means for adding supplementary oxidant to said gaseous products after removal of substantially all non-combustible mineral constituents therefrom, and with said sorbent injection means and oxidant addition means being operative to maintain a time-temperature profile for the sorbent particles in transit to and through the heat utilization equipment such that the sulfur sorbent reacts with and captures a preponderance of the sulfur constituents at an effective capture temperature of less than about 2300°

F., while maintaining a stoichiometry in the heat utilization equipment of from about 1.1 to about 1.3.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the means regulating the oxidizer and fuel input velocities and mass-flow rates is adapted to drive at least about 80 percent of the slag content of the fuel to the walls of the chamber.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the sulfur-capture means is adapted to capture at least 60 percent of the sulfur constituents.

4. An apparatus for combusting a carbonaceous fuel comprising carbon, sulfur, and noncombustibles, the apparatus comprising:

(a) a primary combustion chamber having a head end and an exit end connected by a peripheral wall;

(b) oxidant introduction means for introducing a flow of oxidant into the primary combustion chamber intermediate the ends in a manner to establish a high velocity swirling flow field within the primary combustion chamber;

(c) fuel introduction means in communication with the primary combustion chamber for introducing the fuel into the primary combustion chamber in a pattern so that substantially all of the fuel is intercepted by the swirling flow field and most of the carbon contained in the fuel is converted to oxides of carbon before the fuel reaches the wall of the primary combustion chamber;

(d) input regulation means for independently regulating the input velocities and mass flow rates of the oxidant and the fuel so that the fuel is combusted in the presence of the oxidant in the primary combustion chamber under substoichiometric combustion conditions to form liquid slag and gaseous combustion products comprising sulfur and oxides of carbon, wherein substantially all of the carbon content of the fuel is converted to oxides of carbon before the gaseous combustion products leave the primary combustion chamber, the temperature within the primary combustion chamber is maintained above the ash fusion temperature of the fuel, and a majority of the noncombustibles are driven to the peripheral wall of the primary combustion chamber to form treated gaseous combustion products that leave the primary combustion chamber and have a temperature above the ash fusion temperature of the fuel and a noncombustible content that is substantially reduced with respect to the noncombustible content of the fuel for delivery to an associated heat-utilization equipment;

(e) slag removal means in fluid communication with the primary combustion chamber for removing a majority of the liquid slag from the primary combustion chamber; and

(f) sorbent introduction means in communication with the treated gaseous combustion products for introducing a sorbent having a first sulfur capture capacity into the treated gaseous combustion products downstream from the primary combustion zone substantially as the treated gaseous combustion products are delivered to the heat-utilization equipment, the sorbent introduction means being adapted so that the sorbent is rapidly mixed with the treated gaseous combustion products to calcine the sorbent, the calcined sorbent having a second sulfur capture capacity that is greater than the first sulfur capture capacity, so that the sulfur content of the treated gaseous combustion products is capable of being substantially reduced with respect to the sulfur content of the fuel.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 further comprising a transition conduit in fluid communication with the primary combustion zone, the transition conduit being adapted to receive the treated gaseous combustion products from the primary combustion chamber.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the sorbent introduction means is adapted to introduce the sorbent into the transition conduit.

7. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the sorbent introduction means is adapted (a) to introduce the sorbent into treated gaseous combustion products having a temperature above the ash fusion temperature of the fuel and (b) so that the treated gaseous combustion products and the calcined sorbent form a mixture and the apparatus further comprises temperature reduction means in communication with the primary combustion chamber for reducing the temperature of the mixture to prevent any significant deadburn of the sorbent.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the temperature reduction means is a heat utilization device that is capable of utilizing chemical potential energy in the fuel.

9. The apparatus of claim 4 further comprising additional oxidant introduction means in fluid communication with the treated gaseous combustion products for introducing additional oxidant into the treated gaseous combustion products downstream from where the treated gaseous combustion produces leave the primary combustion chamber, the additional oxidant introduction means being adapted so that the additional oxidant is sufficient to enable the oxides of carbon in the treated gaseous combustion products to be substantially completely oxidized.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the additional oxidant introduction means is adapted to introduce the additional oxidant into the transition zone.

11. In a process for combustion of sulfur-containing particulate carbonaceous fuel wherein oxidizer gas and particulate fuel are introduced into a substantially cylindrical combustion zone and wherein the input velocities, relative mass-flow rates and temperatures are regulated to keep combustion temperatures in said zone above the ash-fusion temperature of non-combustible constituents of the fuel while minimizing the concentration of volatilized and liquid slag in the output gaseous products of combustion, the improvement comprising the steps of:

(a) preheating said oxidizer gas and introducing the preheated oxidizer gas into said zone in a manner to establish a high-velocity swirling flow of a mixture comprising oxidizer and combustion products within said zone;

(b) injecting particulate fuel into said zone near the center of one end thereof in a pattern such that substantially all of the fuel particles are intercepted by said swirling flow and most of the carbon contained in the particles is converted to oxides of carbon before the particles exit from said zone;

(c) regulating the oxidizer and fuel input temperatures, velocities and mass-flow rates to maintain a relatively fuel-rich combustion regime within a longitudinally-extending central portion of the combustion zone, provide a relatively oxygen-rich annular region adjacent the periphery of said zone, drive substantially all the slag content of the fuel to the periphery of said zone, and keep the temperature of the gaseous combustion products substantially higher than the ash-fusion temperature of the non-combustible constituents of the fuel;

(d) collecting substantially all liquid slag entrained in said combustion products, separately disposing of all slag, and conducting thermal energy-carrying gaseous products to an associated heat utilization equipment;

(e) combining with said gaseous products, substantially as such products enter the heat utilization equipment,

(i) sufficient calcium-containing sorbent to provide a calcium-to-sulfur molar ratio in the range from about 2 to about 5 and

(ii) sufficient supplementary oxidizer to keep the temperature at which said sorbent initially contacts sulfur constituents of the gaseous products within the range from about 1600°

F. to about 2300°

F.;

(f) with said calcium-containing sorbent being introduced into the gaseous products before such products pass into the heat utilization equipment, said supplementary oxidizer being mixed with the gaseous products after removal of substantially al non-combustible mineral constituents therefrom; and

(g) maintaining a time-temperature profile for the sorbent in transit to and through the heat utilization equipment which enables the sulfur sorbent to react with and capture a preponderance of the sulfur constituents at an effective capture temperature of less than about 2300°

F., while maintaining a stoichiometry in the heat utilization equipment of from about 1.1 to about 1.3.

12. The process of claim 11 wherein the step of regulating the oxidizer and fuel input temperatures, velocities and mass-flow rates includes the step of driving at least about 80 percent of the slag content of the fuel to the periphery of the combustion zone.

13. The process of claim 11 wherein the step of maintaining a time-temperature profile for the sorbent in transit to and through the heat utilization equipment includes the step of capturing at least 60 percent of the sulfur constituents.

14. A process for combusting a carbonaceous fuel comprising carbon, sulfur, and noncombustibles, the process comprising the steps of:

(a) introducing a flow of oxidant into a primary combustion zone having a head end and an exit end connected by a peripheral wall, the flow of oxidant being introduced intermediate the ends in a manner to establish a high velocity swirling flow field within the primary combustion zone;

(b) introducing the fuel into the primary combustion zone in a pattern so that substantially all of the fuel is intercepted by the swirling flow field and most of the carbon contained in the fuel is converted to oxides of carbon before the fuel reaches the wall of the primary combustion zone;

(c) independently regulating the velocities and mass flow rates of the oxidant and the fuel so that the fuel is combusted in the presence of the oxidant in the primary combustion zone under substoichiometric combustion conditions to form liquid slag and gaseous combustion products comprising sulfur and oxides of carbon, wherein substantially all of the carbon content of the fuel is converted to oxides of carbon before the gaseous combustion products leave the primary combustion zone, the temperature within the primary combustion zone is maintained above the ash fusion temperature of the fuel, and a majority of the noncombustibles are driven to the peripheral wall of the primary combustion zone to form treated gaseous combustion products that leave the primary combustion zone and have a temperature above the ash fusion temperature of the fuel and a noncombustible content that is substantially reduced with respect to the noncombustible content of the fuel for delivery to an associated heat-utilization equipment;

(d) removing a majority of the liquid slag from the primary combustion zone; and

(e) introducing a sorbent having a first sulfur capture capacity into the treated gaseous combustion products downstream from the primary combustion zone substantially as the treated gaseous combustion products are delivered to the heat-utilization equipment and rapidly mixing the sorbent with the treated gaseous combustion products to calcine the sorbent, the calcined sorbent having a second sulfur capacity that is greater than the first sulfur capture capacity, so that the sulfur content of the treated gaseous combustion products is capable of being substantially reduced with respect to the sulfur content of the fuel.

15. The process of claim 14 wherein the regulating step includes the step of independently regulating the input velocities and mass flow ratios of the oxidant and the fuel so that the treated gaseous combustion products have a temperature of about 2600°

to about 3200°

F.

16. The process of claim 14 further comprising the step of introducing additional oxidant into the treated gaseous combustion products and rapidly mixing the additional oxidant with the treated gaseous combustion products, the additional oxidant being sufficient to raise the stoichiometry of the process from substoichiometric to at least about 1.

17. The process of claim 16 wherein the step of introducing additional oxidant comprises introducing the additional oxidant into the treated gaseous combustion products downstream from where the treated combustion products leave the primary combustion zone substantially as the treated gaseous combustion products are delivered to the heat-utilization equipment.

18. The process of claim 14 wherein the step of introducing the sorbent includes the step of introducing the sorbent into treated gaseous combustion products having a temperature above the ash fusion temperature of the fuel, and forming a mixture comprising the treated gaseous combustion products and the calcined sorbent, and the process further comprises the step of reducing the temperature of the mixture to prevent any significant deadburn of the sorbent.

19. The process of claim 18 wherein the temperature reduction step includes the step of reducing the temperature of the mixture to below about 2300°

F.

20. The process of claim 18 wherein the temperature reduction step includes the step of reducing the temperature of the mixture to below about 2300°

F. within 2 to 20 milliseconds after the sorbent is introduced into the treated gaseous combustion products.

21. The process of claim 18 wherein the temperature reduction step includes the step of introducing the mixture into the heat utilization zone for (i) substantially completing the oxidation of the oxides of carbon in the treated gaseous combustion products with the additional oxidant;

(ii) use of chemical potential energy in the fuel in the heat utilization zone; and

(iii) reducing the sulfur content of the treated gaseous combustion products with the calcined sorbent.

56. The invention of claim 4, 14, 22, 31, 36, or 42 wherein the sorbent is calcium carbonate.

22. A process for combusting a carbonaceous fuel comprising carbon, sulfur, and noncombustibles, the process comprising the steps of:

(a) introducing oxidant into a primary combustion zone having a head end and an exit end connected by a peripheral wall, the oxidant being introduced intermediate the ends in a manner to establish a high velocity swirling flow field within the primary combustion zone;

(b) introducing the fuel into the primary combustion zone near the center of one end in a pattern so that substantially all of the fuel is intercepted by the swirling flow field and most of the carbon contained in the fuel is converted to oxides of carbon before the fuel reaches the wall of the primary combustion zone;

(c) independently regulating the velocities and mass flow rates of the oxidant and the fuel so that the fuel is combusted in the presence of the oxidant in the primary combustion zone under stoichiometric combustion conditions to form liquid slag and gaseous combustion products comprising sulfur and oxides of carbon, wherein substantially all of the carbon content of the fuel is converted to oxides of carbon before the gaseous combustion products leave the primary combustion zone, the temperature within the primary combustion zone is maintained above the ash fusion temperature of the fuel, and a majority of the noncombustibles are driven to the peripheral wall of the primary combustion zone to form treated gaseous combustion products that leave the primary combustion zone and have a temperature above the ash fusion temperature of the fuel and a noncombustible content that is substantially reduced with respect to the noncombustible content of the fuel for delivery to an associated heat-utilization zone;

(d) removing a majority of the liquid slag from the primary combustion zone;

(e) passing the treated combustion products leaving the primary combustion zone through a transition zone;

(f) introducing a sulfur sorbent into the treated gaseous combustion products downstream from where the treated gaseous combustion products leaves the primary combustion zone substantially as the treated gaseous combustion products are delivered to the heat-utilization zone, the treated gaseous combustion products having a temperature above the ash fusion temperature of the fuel, and rapidly mixing the sorbent with the treated gaseous combustion products to calcine the sorbent and to form a mixture comprising the treated gaseous combustion products and calcined sorbent, then calcined sorbent having a greater sulfur capture capacity than the introduced sorbent; and

(g) after step (f), reducing the temperature of the mixture to prevent any significant deadburn of the calcined sorbent so that the calcined sorbent is capable of removing sulfur from the treated gaseous combustion products to substantially reduce the sulfur content of the treated gaseous combustion products with respect to the sulfur content of the fuel.

23. The process of claim 22 wherein the sorbent is introduced into the transition zone.

24. The process of claim 22 wherein the liquid slag removal step includes the step of removing at least about 80 percent of the noncombustible content of the carbonaceous fuel from the treated gaseous combustion products.

25. The process of claim 22 wherein the regulating step includes of the step of independently regulating the input velocities and mass flow rates of the oxidant and fuel so that most of the noncombustibles are driven to the peripheral wall of the primary combustion zone in the form of droplets of liquid slag.

26. The process of claim 22 further comprising the step of introducing additional oxidant into the treated gaseous combustion products downstream from where the treated combustion products leave the primary combustion zone substantially as the treated gaseous combustion products are delivered to the heat-utilization equipment and rapidly mixing the additional oxidant with the treated gaseous combustion products, the additional oxidant being sufficient to raise the stoichiometry of the process from substoichiometric to at least about 1.

27. The process of claim 26 wherein the additional oxidant is introduced into the transition zone.

28. The process of claim 23 wherein the temperature reduction step includes the step of introducing the mixture into the heat utilization zone for (i) substantially completing the oxidation of the oxides of carbon in the treated gaseous combustion products with the additional oxidant;

(ii) use of chemical potential energy in the fuel in the heat utilization zone; and

(iii) reducing the sulfur content of the treated gaseous combustion products with the calcined sorbent.

29. The process of claim 28 wherein at least 80 percent of the sulfur content of the carbonaceous fuel is removed before the treated gaseous combustion products exit the heat utilization zone.

30. The process of claim 28 wherein the temperature reduction step includes the step of introducing treated gaseous combustion products having at least about 85 percent of the chemical potential energy of the carbonaceous fuel into the heat utilization zone.

31. A process for combusting a carbonaceous fuel comprising carbon, sulfur, and noncombustibles, the process comprising the steps of:

(a) introducing a flow of oxidant into a primary combustion zone having a head end and an exit end connected by a peripheral wall, the flow of oxidant being introduced intermediate the ends in a manner to establish a high velocity swirling flow field within the primary combustion zone;

(b) introducing the fuel into the primary combustion zone in a pattern so that substantially all of the fuel is intercepted by the swirling flow field and most of the carbon contained in the fuel is converted to oxides of carbon before the fuel reaches the wall of the primary combustion zone;

(c) independently regulating the velocities and mass flow rates of the oxidant and the fuel so that (i) the fuel is combusted in the presence of the oxidant in the primary combustion zone under substoichiometric combustion conditions to form liquid slag and gaseous combustion products comprising sulfur and oxides of carbon, (ii) substantially all of the carbon content of the fuel is converted to oxides of carbon before the gaseous combustion products leave the primary combustion zone, (iii) the temperature within the primary combustion zone is maintained above the ash fusion temperature of the fuel, and (iv) a majority of the noncombustibles are driven to the peripheral wall of the primary combustion zone to form treated gaseous combustion products that leave the primary combustion zone and have a temperature above the ash fusion temperature of the fuel and a noncombustible content that is substantially reduced with respect to the noncombustible content of the fuel;

(d) removing a majority of the liquid slag from the primary combustion zone;

(e) introducing a sorbent having a first sulfur capture capacity into the treated gaseous combustion products downstream from the primary combustion zone substantially as the treated gaseous combustions products are introduced into an associated heat-utilization zone and rapidly mixing the sorbent with the treated gaseous combustion products to calcine the sorbent, thereby forming a mixture of the sorbent and the treated gaseous combustion products, the calcined sorbent having a second sulfur capture capacity that is greater than the first sulfur capture capacity so that the sulfur content of the treated gaseous combustion products is capable of being substantially reduced with respect to the sulfur content of the fuel;

(f) introducing the mixture into the heat utilization zone for recovering heat energy from the mixture and for reducing the temperature of the mixture to below about 2300°

F. to prevent any significant dead burn of the sorbent; and

(g) subsequent to step (f), removing sorbent from the mixture.

32. The process of claim 31 wherein the step of introducing the sorbent comprises introducing the sorbent into the treated gaseous combustion products at a temperature above the ash fusion temperature of the fuel.

33. The process of claim 31 wherein the temperature of the mixture is reduced in the heat utilization zone to below about 2300°

F. within 2-20 milliseconds after the sorbent is introduced into the treated gaseous combustion products.

34. The process of claim 31 further comprising the step of introducing additional oxidant into the treated gaseous combustion products and rapidly mixing the additional oxidant with the treated gaseous combustion products substantially as the treated gaseous combustion products are introduced into the heat-utilization zone, the additional oxidant being sufficient to raise the stoichiometry of the process from substiochiometric to at least about one.

35. The process of claim 31, wherein at least 80% of the sulfur content of the carbonaceous fuel is absorbed by the absorbent before the treated gaseous combustion products are introduced into the heat utilization zone.

36. In an apparatus for combustion of a carbonaceous fuel comprising carbon, sulfur, and non-combustibles in a combustion chamber wherein the fuel input rate relative to the oxidizer input rate is regulated to maintain combustion conditions such that most of the carbon is converted to oxides of carbon contained in gaseous combustion products, and most of the non-combustibles are deposited as liquid slag, the gaseous combustion products containing sulfur constituents, such apparatus being further characterized by:

(a) means for separating most of the non-combustibles from the gaseous combustion products thereby providing treated gaseous combustion products relatively free of ash for delivery to an associated heat-utilization equipment;

(b) means for delivering said treated gaseous combustion products to said heat utilization equipment; and

(c) sorbent introduction means in communication with said treated gaseous combustion products for introducing a sorbent having a first sulfur capture capacity into said treated gaseous combustion products so that the sulfur content of said gaseous combustion products is capable of being substantially reduced with respect to the sulfur content of the fuel, the sorbent introduction means being downstream from the combustion chamber and being located for introduction of sorbent into the treated gaseous products substantially as said treated gaseous combustion products are delivered to the heat-utilization equipment, the sorbent introduction means being adapted so that the sorbent is rapidly mixed with said gaseous combustion products to calcine the sorbent, the calcined sorbent having a second sulfur capture capacity that is greater than the first sulfur capture capacity.

37. The apparatus of claim 36 wherein the sorbent captures at least 60 percent of the sulfur constituents.

38. The apparatus of claim 36 further comprising a transition conduit in fluid communication with the combustion chamber, the transition conduit being adapted to receive the treated gaseous combustion products, wherein the sorbent introduction means is adapted to introduce the sorbent into the transition conduit.

39. The apparatus of claim 36 wherein the sorbent introduction means is adapted to introduce the sorbent into the treated gaseous combustion products while the treated gaseous combustion products have a temperature above the ash fusion temperature of the fuel, wherein the treated gaseous combustion products and the calcined sorbent form a mixture, and wherein said heat utilization equipment reduces the temperature of the mixture to prevent any significant deadburn of the sorbent.

40. The apparatus of claim 36 further comprising oxidant introduction means in fluid communication with the treated gaseous combustion products for introducing oxidant into the treated gaseous combustion products downstream from the combustion chamber substantially as the treated gaseous combustion products are delivered to the heat-utilization equipment, the oxidant introduction means being adapted so that the oxidant is sufficient to enable the oxides of carbon in the gaseous combustion products to be substantially completely oxidized.

41. The apparatus of claim 40 wherein the oxidant introduction means is adapted to introduce the oxidant into a transition conduit that is in fluid communication with the combustion chamber.

42. In a process for combusting a carbonaceous fuel comprising carbon, sulfur, and non-combustibles in a combustion zone wherein the fuel input mass-flow rate relative to an oxidizer input mass-flow rate is regulated to maintain combustion conditions such that most of the carbon is converted to oxides of carbon contained in gaseous combustion products and most of the non-combustibles are deposited as liquid slag, the improvement characterized by:

(a) separating liquid slag from the gaseous combustion products, thereby providing gaseous combustion products relatively free of ash for delivery to an associated heat-utilization zone, the gaseous combustion products containing sulfur constituents;

(b) delivering the gaseous combustion products to the heat-utilization zone; and

(c) introducing a sorbent having a first sulfur capture capacity into the gaseous combustion products downstream from the combustion zone substantially as the gaseous combustion products are delivered to the heat-utilization zone and rapidly mixing the sorbent with the gaseous combustion products to calcine the sorbent, the calcined sorbent having a second sulfur capture capacity that is greater than the first sulfur capture capacity so that the sulfur content of the gaseous combustion products is capable of being substantially reduced with respect to the sulfur content of the fuel.

43. The process of claim 42 wherein the gaseous combustion products have a temperature of about 2600°

F. to about 3200°

F.

44. The process of claim 42 wherein the step of introducing the sorbent includes the step of introducing the sorbent into the gaseous combustion products having a temperature above the ash fusion temperature of the fuel, and forming a mixture comprising the gaseous combustion products and the calcined sorbent, and the process further comprises the step of reducing the temperature of the mixture to prevent any significant deadburn of the sorbent.

45. The process of claim 44 wherein the step of reducing the temperature of the mixture comprises reducing the temperature of the mixture to below about 2300°

F.

46. The process of claim 45 wherein the step of reducing the temperature of the mixture comprises reducing the temperature of the mixture to below about 2300°

F. within 2 to 20 milliseconds.

47. The process of claim 44 wherein the step of reducing the temperature of the mixture comprises introducing the mixture into the heat utilization zone for (i) substantially completing the oxidation of the oxides of carbon in the gaseous combustion products with additional oxidant;

(ii) use of chemical potential energy in the fuel in the heat utilization zone; and

(iii) reducing the sulfur content of the gaseous combustion products with the calcined sorbent.

48. The process of claim 42 further comprising the step of introducing oxidant into the gaseous combustion products and rapidly mixing the additional oxidant with the gaseous combustion products, the introduced oxidant being sufficient to raise the stoichiometry of the process from substoichiometric to at least about 1.

49. The process of claim 48 wherein the step of introducing additional oxidant comprises introducing the oxidant into the gaseous combustion products downstream from the combustion zone substantially as the gaseous combustion products are delivered to the heat-utilization zone.

50. The process of claim 47 wherein at least 80 percent of the sulfur content of the carbonaceous fuel is removed before the gaseous combustion products exit the heat utilization zone.

51. The process of claim 47 wherein the step of reducing the temperature of the mixture comprises introducing gaseous combustion products having at least about 85 percent of the chemical potential energy of the carbonaceous fuel into the heat utilization zone.

52. The process of claim 42 wherein the step of separating liquid slag comprises removing at least about 80 percent of the noncombustible content of the carbonaceous fuel from the gaseous combustion products.

53. The process of claim 42 wherein the step of introducing the sorbent comprises introducing the sorbent into the gaseous combustion products at a temperature above the ash fusion temperature of the fuel.

54. The process of claim 43 wherein at least 80 percent of the sulfur content of the carbonaceous fuel is absorbed by the sorbent before the gaseous combustion products are introduced into the heat utilization zone.

55. The process of claim 42 wherein the step of separating the liquid slag comprises driving at least about 80 percent of the slag content of the fuel to the periphery of the combustion zone.