Low temperature solids removal system for gasification

• US 7,896,955 B2
• Filed: 11/12/2007
• Issued: 03/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals Incorporated (Linde Plc)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Kim, Jyung-Hoon, Wallace, Paul Steven
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith; Duane
• Assistant Examiner(s): McKenzie; Thomas Bennett
• Application Number:
  US11/938,564
• Publication Number:
  US 20090120290A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,205 Days
• Field of Search: 210/767, 951/49, 951/97, 951/95, 951/96, 952/00, 952/02, 952/05, 962/34, 962/43, 554/21, 481/97.R, 481/983
• US Class Current: 95/197
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 45/12 by centrifugal forces centrifuges B04B; cyclones B04C
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/169 with water treatments
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 3/00 Production of combustible gases containing carbon monoxide from solid carbonaceous fuels destructive distillation processes C10B
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 3/84 with means for removing dust or tar from the gas
• CPC Class Codes: C10K 1/02 Dust removal
• CPC Class Codes: C10K 1/101 with water only

Abstract

Disclosed is a process for removing coarse solids and fine solids from a gas, which includes wetting the coarse solids and fine solids in a first chamber thereby separating the coarse solids and fine solids from the gas. The first chamber also contains liquid to cool the coarse solids and the fine solids. The coarse solids and fine solids are routed to a liquid-filled second chamber where the coarse solids settle to the bottom. The liquid in the second chamber, still containing the fine solids is flushed into a third chamber where the fine solids are separated from the liquid. The separated fine solids and coarse solids are then routed to a fourth chamber.

Claims

1. A process for removing coarse solids and fine solids from a syngas comprising:

wetting the coarse solids and fine solids in a first chamber thereby separating the coarse solids and a portion of the fine solids from the syngas;

cooling the coarse solids and fine solids in a liquid in the first chamber;

urging the coarse solids and fine solids into a liquid-filled second chamber;

allowing the coarse solids to settle to the bottom of the second chamber;

flushing the liquid containing the fine solids from the second chamber into a third chamber;

separating the fine solids from the liquid in the third chamber;

urging the coarse solids from the second chamber into a collection chamber for separation of the coarse solids, the fine solids and the liquid; and

urging the fine solids from the third chamber into the collection chamber.

2. The process of claim 1 further comprising:

rinsing the coarse solids in the collection chamber with water;

urging the water and the fine solids from the collection chamber to a fifth chamber;

settling the fine solids to the bottom of the fifth chamber.

3. The process of claim 2 further comprising:

removing the fine solids from the fifth chamber;

reprocessing the fine solids into fuel.

4. The process of claim 1 further comprising:

removing the syngas from the first chamber to a scrubber;

removing fine solids from the syngas in the scrubber; and

outputting solids-free syngas from the syngas scrubber.

5. The process of claim 1 wherein the coarse solids and fine solids are cooled to under 200 degrees F. in the first chamber.

6. The process of claim 1 wherein the liquid-filled second chamber is a lockhopper.

7. The process of claim 1 wherein the fine solids are separated from the liquid in the third chamber by a centrifugal force.

8. The process of claim 7 wherein a hydrocyclone creates the centrifugal force.

9. The process of claim 7 wherein the hydrocyclone is multi-staged to improve removal of the fine solids.

10. The process of claim 7 wherein the hydrocyclone includes an erosion-resistant liner of a ceramic material or hard surfacing of metal carbides or nitrides.

11. The process of claim 1 further comprising:

collecting vapor from the collection chamber and the fifth chamber; and

condensing the vapor into a liquid that is reusable in the process.

12. The process of claim 1 wherein the fine solids are urged from the third chamber to a deaeration section of the collection chamber.