Feed processing employing dispersed molten droplets

• US 5,744,117 A
• Filed: 03/07/1995
• Issued: 04/28/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Quantum Catalytics LLC
• Original Assignee: Molten Metal Technology Incorporated
• Inventors: Wilkinson, Mark A., Nagel, Christopher J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lewis, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hendrickson, Stuart L.
• Application Number:
  US08/399,825
• Time in Patent Office: 1,148 Days
• Field of Search: 423/437 R, 423/DIG. 12, 423/563, 588/201, 588/205, 588/216, 75/414, 75/501
• US Class Current: 423/563
• CPC Class Codes: A62D 2101/20 Organic substances
• CPC Class Codes: A62D 2203/10 Apparatus specially adapted for treating harmful chemical agents; Details thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A62D 3/32 by treatment in molten chemical reagent, e.g. salts or metals
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 10/005 carried out at high temperatures in the presence of a molten material
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0004 Processes in series
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0009 Coils
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00155 using insulating materials or refractories
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 4/002 Nozzle-type elements nozzle-type reactors B01J19/26
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 1/00 Preparation of hydrocarbons from one or more compounds, none of them being a hydrocarbon
• CPC Class Codes: C10B 49/14 with hot liquids, e.g. molten metals
• CPC Class Codes: C10B 53/00 Destructive distillation, specially adapted for particular solid raw materials or solid raw materials in special form wet carbonising of peat C10F
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2200/152 Nozzles or lances for introducing gas, liquids or suspensions
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/1238 by plasma
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 3/57 Gasification using molten salts or metals C10J3/02, C10J3/46 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C10K 1/002 Removal of contaminants
• CPC Class Codes: C10K 1/007 of metal compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C10K 1/02 Dust removal
• CPC Class Codes: C10K 1/024 by filtration
• CPC Class Codes: C10K 1/026 by centrifugal forces cyclones B04C
• CPC Class Codes: C10K 1/08 by washing with liquids; Reviving the used wash liquors gas washers B01D
• CPC Class Codes: C10K 1/20 : by treating with solids; Regenerating spent purifying masses separation by adsorption B01D53/02; separation by chemical reaction B01D53/34; refining of hydrocarbon oils with acids C10G17/02, C10G27/02, C10G29/12
• CPC Class Codes: F27B 3/04 : of multiple-hearth type; of multiple-chamber type; Combinations of hearth-type furnaces
• CPC Class Codes: F27B 3/08 : heated electrically, with or without any other source of heat
• CPC Class Codes: F27D 2003/162 : the fluid being an oxidant or a fuel
• CPC Class Codes: F27D 2003/164 : Oxygen
• CPC Class Codes: F27D 3/1518 : Tapholes
• CPC Class Codes: F27D 3/16 : Introducing a fluid jet or current into the charge porous elements for gas flushing of molten metals B22D1/005
• CPC Class Codes: F27D 3/18 : Charging particulate material using a fluid carrier
• CPC Class Codes: F27M 2001/05 : Waste materials, refuse
• CPC Class Codes: F27M 2003/11 : Incineration
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 423/12 : Molten media

Abstract

A method and an apparatus produce a product in at least one phase from an organic component in a feed gas stream. The method includes forming a process zone including a process molten bath and a process gas space disposed over the process molten bath. Molten droplets of said molten bath are then dispersed across the process gas space. The feed gas stream is then directed into the process gas zone, wherein the organic component is exposed to said molten droplets, thereby converting at least a portion of the organic component to a product in at least one phase.

The apparatus of the invention comprises a reactor which includes a gas formation section, having a feed inlet, and means for retaining a solid feed component within the gas formation section. The apparatus also includes a process section, disposed in the reactor, having a process gas space, a gas outlet and a process molten bath disposed therein. Further, means are provided for dispersing molten droplets of said molten bath across the process gas space to expose an organic component in the feed gas stream to molten droplets.

Claims

1. A method for converting a gaseous organic component of an organic feed gas stream, wherein said organic component is essentially gaseous, to form a product in at least one phase, comprising the steps of:

a) forming a process zone, wherein the process zone includes a process molten bath and a process gas space disposed over the process molten bath;

b) dispersing molten droplets of said molten bath across the process gas space;

c) directing the feed gas stream directly into the process gas space of the process zone, wherein the gaseous organic component is exposed to said molten droplets; and

d) directing a co-reactant into the process molten bath, whereby the gaseous organic component reacts with the co-reactant to form a product in at least one phase.

2. A method of claim 1 wherein said molten droplets are dispersed by directing at least one gas stream through the process molten bath into the process gas space.

3. A method of claim 1 wherein said molten droplets are dispersed by directing at least one gas stream through the process gas space onto the surface of the process molten bath.

4. A method of claim 1 wherein the molten droplets are dispersed substantially uniformly within said process gas space.

5. A method of claim 1 wherein the organic-containing feed further includes at least one inorganic chemical.

6. A method of claim 1 wherein the product includes a gasified product in a gas phase, and further comprising the step of directing the gas phase product through a means for purifying said product.

7. A method of claim 1 wherein the product of processing the feed gas stream is a first product gas, and further comprising the steps of:

a) forming a second process zone, wherein the second process zone includes a second process molten bath and a second process gas space disposed over the second process molten bath;

b) dispersing molten droplets of the second molten bath across the second process gas space; and

c) directing the first product gas through the second process gas space of the second process zone, whereby the first product gas is exposed to said molten droplets, thereby converting at least a portion of the first product gas to a second product gas.

8. A method of claim 7 wherein the molten metal droplets of the second molten bath remove at least a portion of an impurity from the first product gas, thereby converting the first product gas into the second product gas.

9. A method of claim 8 wherein the impurity includes a gaseous impurity.

10. A method of claim 8 wherein the impurity comprises a suspended impurity.

11. A method of claim 1, further comprising the step of exposing the organic-containing feed to gas forming means, whereby the organic-containing feed is converted to form the feed gas stream.

12. A method of claim 11 wherein the feed gas stream is formed by heating the organic-containing feed.

13. A method of claim 11 wherein the feed gas stream is formed by including particles of the organic component of the organic feed within a feed gas stream.

14. A method of claim 1 wherein the co-reactant includes a reducing agent.

15. A method of claim 14 wherein the organic component includes sulfur, wherein at least a portion of the sulfur is reduced to form hydrogen sulfide gas.

16. A method of claim 1 wherein the process zone contains a molten bath that includes a metal which has a free energy of oxidation that is greater than the free energy of oxidation of carbon to form carbon monoxide.

17. A method of claim 1 wherein the process zone contains a molten bath that includes a metal which has a free energy of chlorination which is greater than the free energy of chlorination of hydrogen to form hydrochloric acid.

18. A method of claim 1 wherein the process zone contains a molten bath having a carbon solubility of greater than about 0.5% by weight.

19. A method of claim 1 wherein the process zone contains a molten bath having a sulfur solubility of greater than about 0.5% by weight.

20. A method of claim 1 wherein the process zone contains a molten bath having a chlorine solubility of greater than about 0.5% by weight.

21. A method of claim 1 wherein the process zone contains a molten bath having an oxygen solubility of greater than about 0.5% by weight.

22. A method of claim 1 wherein the co-reactant is directed into the process gas space.

23. A method of claim 1 wherein the co-reactant includes an oxidant, whereby at least a portion of the organic feed component is oxidized to form an oxide.

24. A method of claim 11, further comprising the step of forming a gas formation zone, for forming the feed gas stream which is then directed into the process gas space to form the product.

25. A method of claim 23 wherein the oxidant is selected from the group consisting of oxygen, air, a metal oxide, carbon dioxide, and mixtures thereof.

26. A method of claim 24, further comprising the step of directing the organic-containing feed into the gas formation zone, wherein at least a portion of said organic-containing feed is treated to form the feed gas stream, which is then directed into the process gas space.

27. A method of claim 1 wherein at least two opposing gas streams are directed through the process gas space onto the surface of the process molten bath.

28. A method of claim 26 further including the step of directing a co-reactant into the gas formation zone, whereby at least a portion of the feed reacts with the co-reactant to form a feed gas stream.

29. A method of claim 28 wherein the co-reactant includes an oxidant, whereby at least a portion of the organic-containing feed is oxidized.

30. A method for converting a gaseous organic component of an organic feed gas stream, wherein said organic component is essentially gaseous, to form a product in at least one phase, comprising the steps of:

a) forming a first process zone, wherein the first process zone includes a first process molten bath and a first process gas space disposed over the first process molten bath;

b) dispersing molten droplets of said first molten bath across the first process gas space;

c) directing the feed gas stream into the first process gas space of the first process zone, wherein the organic component is exposed to said molten droplets, thereby converting at least a portion of the organic component to a product in at least one phase;

d) forming a second process zone, wherein the second process zone includes a second process molten bath and a second process gas space disposed over the second process molten bath;

e) dispersing molten droplets of the second molten bath across the second process gas space; and

f) directing a condensed phase component through a filtration means, said filtration means being located between the first process zone and the second process, and into said second process zone, thereby retaining a substantial portion of solid feed particles in the first process zone.

31. A method for converting a gaseous organic component of an organic feed gas stream, wherein said organic component is essentially gaseous, to form a product in at least one phase, comprising the steps of:

a) forming a process zone, wherein the process zone includes a process molten bath and a process gas space disposed over the process molten bath;

b) dispersing molten droplets of said molten bath across the process gas space;

c) directing the feed gas stream directly into the process gas space of the process zone, wherein the gaseous organic component is exposed to said molten droplets, thereby converting at least a portion of the organic component to a product in at least one phase; and

d) directing a reducing agent into the process zone, whereby the gaseous organic component reacts with the reducing agent to form a product in at least one phase.

32. A method of claim 31 wherein the organic component includes sulfur, wherein at least a portion of the sulfur is reduced to form hydrogen sulfide gas.