JP2609533B2 - Method and apparatus for producing synthesis gas - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention is a process for producing synthesis gas by partially burning a finely divided solid carbon-containing fuel with an oxygen-containing gas in a reactor, comprising the steps of: A process for syngas production comprising removing slag from the outlet at the bottom of the reactor and passing by gravity through a slag discharge means into a water bath or slag quench tank where it is quenched and solidified.

Partially burning the finely divided solid carbon-containing fuel with substantially pure oxygen as the oxygen-containing gas results in a synthesis gas consisting primarily of carbon monoxide and hydrogen. If the oxygen-containing gas is air or oxygen-enriched air, the synthesis gas produced will, of course, also contain substantial amounts of nitrogen. Finely divided solid carbon-containing fuel generally refers to coal or other solid fuels such as lignite, peat, wood, coke, soot, but also mixtures of liquid or gas and particulate solid fuel.

Advantageously, a moderator is also introduced into the reactor. The purpose of the moderator is to have a moderating effect on the reactor temperature. This is ensured by an endothermic reaction between the moderator and the reactants and / or products of the synthesis gas production. Suitable moderators are steam and carbon dioxide.

The gasification is advantageously carried out at a temperature in the range from 1200 to 1700 ° C. and a pressure in the range from 1 to 200 bar.

The reactor in which the synthesis gas is produced may have any suitable shape.

The supply of the finely divided solid carbon-containing fuel and oxygen-containing gas to the reactor can be carried out by any method suitable for the purpose and will not be described in detail.

The liquid slag produced in the partial combustion reaction falls and flows out through an outlet located at the bottom of the reactor.

It is already known to provide a quench water bath or slag quench bath below the reactor and to connect it to the reactor in any suitable way for removing slag from the gasification process, said bath or slag quench bath being known. The slag descending by its gravity in the slag quench is captured, quenched and forms clinker grains or agglomerates. After such granulation, the clinker is periodically or continuously removed from the water bath or slag quench by conventional equipment.

This can be carried out, for example, by flushing the solidified slag out of the gasification system by means of a rock hopper.

During the pouring cycle, the rock hopper is isolated from the gasification system by closing one or more valves in the connection between the slag quench and the rock hopper.

However, slag that forms in the interim during the partial combustion process collects on these valves in the slag quench tank where it tends to bridge in the narrow space directly above the valves.

However, it is very difficult for the slag to fall into the rock hopper after the rock hopper is recombined into the gasification system.

It has been found that even water jet nozzles for stirring purposes are not successful. Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a very effective and efficient method for producing a synthesis gas by partial combustion of a finely divided solid carbon-containing fuel by using a liquid slag produced during the partial combustion process from a slag quench tank. It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for producing the synthesis gas which can be easily removed by the above method.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a rapid performance test between a slag quench and a rock hopper.

Accordingly, the present invention is a method for producing synthesis gas by partially burning a finely divided solid carbon-containing fuel with an oxygen-containing gas in a reactor, wherein the liquid slag generated during the partial combustion process is a water bath or It falls into the slag quench tank, where it solidifies, and from there falls into the rock hopper by gravity, from which the solidified slag flows out of the gasification system in a batch manner, and the rock hopper and the slag quench tank are one or more. In the above manufacturing method, which is coupled through more valves, a permanent bubble or gas cap is created and maintained in the rock hopper, the pressure of the bubble being lower than the pressure in the slag quench, and thus of the rock hopper and the slag quench. Providing a first downward flow of water and slag when the valve is open.

The present invention also relates to a slag quench tank, a rock hopper connected to the tank through one or more valves and having an outlet at the bottom containing one or more valves, and to create and maintain a permanent bubble or gas cap in the rock hopper. There is provided an apparatus for performing the above method, comprising:

In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the bubbles in the rock hopper can be created by inserting a length of tube downward into the top of the rock hopper.

In another advantageous embodiment, the gas bubbles consist of an inert gas such as nitrogen.

The invention will be described in more detail by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 and 2, a slag quench tank 1 with an outlet 2 is part of a lower gas system and is located below the reactor or lower gas zone in which the partial combustion process is carried out, and Attached to it in any suitable way.

The lower gas region is not shown for clarity of the invention. The outlet 2 of the slag quench tank 1 is connected to a rock hopper 4 located below the slag quench tank by any suitable connecting pipe 3. Tube 3 has one or more valves 3a
Is provided.

Permanent air bubbles or gas caps 5
Is maintained at a pressure lower than the pressure in the slag quench tank 1. The gas bubbles can consist of an inert gas such as, for example, nitrogen.

The rock hopper 4 has an outlet 7 at the bottom and one for discharging the solidified slag from the gasification system during the discharge cycle.
Or more valves 7a. The slag may be discharged by any means suitable for the purpose (not shown for clarity of the invention). The bubbles 5 in the rock hopper 4
At first, an inert gas (such as nitrogen) is introduced into the head hopper as shown in FIG.
2, or preferably, as shown in FIG. 2, a vertically arranged conduit between the slag quench tank 1 and the rock hopper 4 which is adapted to maintain air bubbles in the rock hopper at the top of the rock hopper. (A sufficient distance) and may be maintained by feeding through a tube 6a in fluid communication.

The operation of the system of the present invention is as follows: The liquid slag produced in the gasification system during the partial combustion process falls into a water bath or slag quench tank 1 where it solidifies.

It is a rock hopper 4 from the slag quench tank 1 by gravity.
The slag falls into the inside, and the solidified slag is flushed out of the gasification system from the rock hopper. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that 3a and 7a should be opened and closed, respectively, at the appropriate times.

During the flush cycle, the rock hopper 4 is isolated from the gasification system. This is because the valve 3a between the slag quench tank and the rock hopper is closed while the valve 7a at the outlet 7 of the rock hopper 4 is closed.
Is opened. Thus, the slag formed in the meantime collects on the valves 3a in the slag quench tank 1 and has a tendency to bridge in the narrow space directly above these valves (represented by the bridging zone A).

According to the present invention, after the rock hopper 4 is reconnected to the gasification system by closing the valve 7a and opening the valve 3a, the bubbles in the rock hopper having a pressure lower than the pressure in the slag quench tank are the first of the water and slag. A downward flow is created, causing a de-crosslinking action in zone A.

It will be appreciated that air bubbles also allow for quick performance testing of the valve. If the bubble volume changes over time, this indicates a valve leak.

It will also be appreciated that the pressure of the bubbles inside the rock hopper can be higher than the pressure of the discharge means outside the rock hopper. This facilitates removal from the lock hopper and reduces possible cross-linking at the outlet 7 of the lock hopper.

Various modifications of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing description and accompanying drawings. Such modifications fall within the scope of the appended claims.

[Brief description of the drawings]

1 and 2 are schematic sectional views showing advantageous embodiments of the device of the present invention. 1 ... slag quenching tank, 3 ... connecting pipe, 4 ... rock hopper, 5 ... bubble or gas cap.

Claims (6)

(57) [Claims] 1. A process for producing a synthesis gas by partially fueling a finely divided solid carbon-containing fuel with an oxygen-containing gas in a reactor, wherein the liquid slag produced during the partial combustion process is a water bath or a slag. It falls into the quench tank, where it solidifies, and from there falls by gravity into the rock hopper, from which the solidified slag flows out of the gasification system in a batch fashion, where the rock hopper and the slag quench tank are one or more. In the above manufacturing method, which is coupled through multiple valves, a permanent bubble or gas cap is created and maintained in the rock hopper, the pressure of the bubble being lower than the pressure of the slag quench, and thus the pressure between the rock hopper and the slag quench. The method as defined above, comprising the step of creating an initial downward flow of water and slag when the valve is open. 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the gas bubbles are maintained by supplying gas to the rock hopper by a conduit or tube extending into the head hopper interior space. 3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the gas bubbles comprise an inert gas. 4. The method according to claim 3, wherein said inert gas is nitrogen. 5. A slag quench tank, a rock hopper connected to the tank through one or more valves and having an outlet at the bottom containing one or more valves, and means for creating and maintaining permanent bubbles in the rock hopper. An apparatus for performing the method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, comprising: 6. Apparatus according to claim 5, including a conduit or tube extending into the headspace within the rock hopper.