Catalytic steam gasification process with recovery and recycle of alkali metal compounds
First Claim
1. A process for the gasification of carbonaceous solids, said process comprising:
- contacting carbonaceous solids in particulate form with steam in the presence of an alkali metal catalyst in a reactor wherein raw product gases are formed and char particles are produced, said char particles containing carbon, inorganic constituents, and alkali metal catalyst constituents,withdrawing a stream of said raw product gases from said reactor,recovering a product gas stream from said stream of said raw product gases,contacting a stream of char particles from said reactor with water in a fracturing unit whereby said char particles fracture and a portion of said alkali metal catalyst constituents dissolve into said water to form a fracturing unit solution and washed solids,withdrawing from said fracturing unit a stream of said washed solids and a stream of said fracturing unit solution, wherein said stream of water washed solids is withdrawn at a temperature in the range of about 50°
C. to about 300°
C.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A high efficiency gasification process for converting carbonaceous solids to methane and apparatus for its practice are described. The process includes reacting steam and carbonaceous solids comprising ash in the presence of alkali metal catalyst in a gasification reactor to produce combustible gases and char particles comprising ash and alkali metal catalyst constituents, treating a stream of such char particles in an alkali metal catalyst recovery system to recover the catalyst constituents as alkali metal compounds, and recycling such recovered compounds. Within the alkali metal catalyst recovery system the process includes quenching the stream of char particles with water whereby such particles are cooled and fractured, dissolving soluble alkali metal catalyst constituents from the fractured solids to form a first alkali metal catalyst solution and washed solids, optionally reacting the washed solids in alkaline solution to form a second alkali metal catalyst solution, upgrading said first and optional second alkali solution to recover the alkali metal catalyst constituents as said alkali metal compounds.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A process for the gasification of carbonaceous solids, said process comprising:
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contacting carbonaceous solids in particulate form with steam in the presence of an alkali metal catalyst in a reactor wherein raw product gases are formed and char particles are produced, said char particles containing carbon, inorganic constituents, and alkali metal catalyst constituents, withdrawing a stream of said raw product gases from said reactor, recovering a product gas stream from said stream of said raw product gases, contacting a stream of char particles from said reactor with water in a fracturing unit whereby said char particles fracture and a portion of said alkali metal catalyst constituents dissolve into said water to form a fracturing unit solution and washed solids, withdrawing from said fracturing unit a stream of said washed solids and a stream of said fracturing unit solution, wherein said stream of water washed solids is withdrawn at a temperature in the range of about 50°
C. to about 300°
C. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification