US1792632A

US1792632A - Gasification process

Info

Publication number: US1792632A
Application number: US21301A
Authority: US
Inventors: Edward A Dieterle
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1925-04-07
Filing date: 1925-04-07
Publication date: 1931-02-17
Anticipated expiration: 1948-02-17

Description

Feb, W, 1931. EA. DIETERLE GASIFICATION PROCESS 7 Filed April 7, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 L Iw'ufen'ra. 4, J

Eeh. A7, 3931 E. A. DL'ETERLE GASIFICATION- PROCESS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 7, 1925 Mi E s UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE A. DIETEBLE, OF GLEN ELL'YN, ILLINOIS GASIFICATION PROCESS Application filed 1 m 7,

The object of my invention is to present a process whereby complete gasification of powdered carbonaceous material, such as coal,

lignite, peat, wood and the like, may be obtamed; involving suitable apparatus for carrying out said process, which process may be either an intermittent or-a continuous operation; the intermittent process-resulting in the production of a mixture of coal gas and water gas; while the continuous operation or process results in the production of a mixture of coal gas and producer gas ,The object of my invention is to grovide'an efiicient method of complete gasi cation of the powdered material in a minimum period of time and whereby the volatile matter is removed from the powdered bituminous coal or material without exposing the volatile constituents to an excessively high temperature.

The invention also contemplates apparatus adapted for either method of operation and of such construction that the temperature in the apparatus, namely in the retort portion thereof, may be controlled by any suitable meansand such temperature determined in any suitable manner as through the use of pyrometers in order that the desired amount of crackin of the volatile products in the retort may e effected.

The apparatus involved permits the coke residue to be converted into blue water gas or into producer gas in the lower or generating portion or chamber of the apparatus; the apparatus involving a suitable shell, the lower end whereof constitutes the generator or producer, while the upper end constitutes the distillation portion and fixing chamber.

' The objects and advantages of my inven tion will be more fully comprehended from a detailed description of the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of the apparatus adapted to practice my improved process.

Fi re 2 is across sectional view taken substantlally on the line 2--2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view taken substantially on the line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a detail view, with portions broken away and in section, taken substantially 1925, Serial No. 21,301. a

on the irregular line4-4 of Figure 2 illustrating a sector portion of the distillation and fixing chamber of the apparatus.

Figure 5 is a detail view in perspective of one of the tubes or flues in the distillation and fixing chamber portion.

In the particular exemplification of the apparatus as shown in the drawings adapted for carrying out my improved process, it comprises a suitableouter shell 10, preferably cylindrical as shown; the interior whereof, at

a suitable point intermediate of the top and bottom, is provided with an arch 11 preferably of fire-brick arranged to provide a plurality of passages 12 therethrough and having an enlarged central opening to receive the retort 13 whlch preferably consists of a cylindrical conduit of suitable material and grad ually flares toward its'bottom as shown in Figure 1; the retort 13 extending through the top of the outer shell 10, where it is provided witha suitable head 14.

The arch 11 is also provided on its upper surface with suitabl arranged layers of brick or other fire resisting material 15 so as to provide a comparativelyv level surface; the brick or material 15 being formed with passages 16 therethrough adapted to register with the passages 12 of the arch roper. The upper side of the arch, namely tl fe portion 15 thereof, in turn is provided with a series of tubes or flues 17 arranged circumferentially within the shell and concentric with the retort 13; the tubes or flues 17 being disposed so as to have the lower ends thereof at least partially in register with the

passages

12 and 16 in the arch portion of the apparatus as shown in Figures 1 and 2, namely with the flues or tubes of each circular-row preferabl arranged in staggered relation with the tubes or flues of the adjacent circular rows. The tubes or flues do not extend to the top of the shell interior and thus provide a chamber 18 in the u per end of the shell which in turn is provi ed with an outlet or off take conduit 19 which is provided with a suitable connection at 20, to effect communication with the stack 21 and also with a conveying conn tion or conduit 22 whereby the gas may b conveyed to any desired pmt of use or further treatment; the connection 22 being provided with a suitable valve as at 23 to control flow through the conduit.

The head 12 is shown provided with a nozzle or sprayer element 24, which has connection with a suitable hopper or bin 25 and which receives the pulverized carbonaceous material, namely coal, lignite, peat and the like. The hopper or bin is provided with suitable means, such as shown at 26, which may be operated from any suitable source of power and at a suitable speed while the apparatus is in operation in order to induce a positive constant feed of the owdered coal on to the conveyor 27, which li ewise may be operated by any suitable motive power and in any convenient manner as by belt on the pulley shown at 28. The nozzle 24 is shown provided with a pipe 29, which may be connected either with an air supply, steam supply or with a suitable gas supply adapted to be discharged into the nozzle 24 and induce a proper spraying or injection of the powdered material; the pipe 29 being provided with a suitable valve as at 30. The head 14 is also shown provided with a conduit 31 adapted for the introduction of additional gas, preferably in a hot state, where the apparatus is,intended for the enriching of gas, namely the gas admitted by the pipe 31, or to aid in distillation. On the other hand, the ipe 31 may be employed for the admission 0 air to assist or aid in heating the retort portion of the apparatus and therefore to aid in the distillation of the material, by incomplete combustion.

c The shell 10, at points just beneath the arch 11, is shown provided with

conduits

32 and 33 intended more especially for the admission of secondary air; and the apparatus ad]acent to the arch, namely in the upper end of the generator portion thereof, is also shown provided with an inlet pipe 34 which s preferably intended for the introduction of steam. I

The lower or water gas generating portion of the apparatus is shown provided with a grate 35 supported in any suitable manner and the side wall of the shell is provided with a clinker door 36, provided for the removal of ash and clinker at the bottom of the lower chamber or generator portion of the apparatus. The lower portion is provided with an inner bottom or partition 37 suitably supported and preferably provided with a layer of refractory material or brick as shown; the innerbottom being formed with an opening 38 at the center, preferably surrounded by an annular upstanding flange 39. This inner bottom 37 is provided for the purpose of catching the ash; while the opening 38 is provided for the passage of the air forced into the chamber beneath the inner bottom and also for the purpose of enabling down-run water gas to make its exit when the apparatus is so employed.

The water gas generating chamber be neath the gratebar and above the inner bottom 37 is shown provided with a steam inlet 40; while the chamber beneath the inner bottom 37 is shown provided with an inlet 41 for the admission of air for blasting the fire until the fuel in the generatorhas been brought upto incandescence or up to any desired temperature. This lower portion or chamber beneath the inner bottom 37 is provided with a door 42 and this lower chamber is also provided with an off take conduit 43 having a suitable valve at 44.

The connection 20, at the upper end of the apparatus, namely the opening which communicates with the stack 21, is provided with a suitable stack-valve 45.

When the apparatus is employed for the practice of an intermittent process, namely for the production of the mixture of coal gas and water gas, the fire in the water gas generating chamber is usually started with wood or any other suitable material and coke gradually added until the coke level is reached as indicated by the dotted line in Figure 1 at a, namely at a point just beneath the upper clean-out door indicated at 46' the natural draft through the apparatus being used during this initial or preliminary heating of the apparatus. The cycle of running or operation in the intermittent process consists of an air blast period and a steam run period; and after the coke level, as previously stated,'has been reached, the fire is then blasted with air through the blast pipe 41 until the fuel reaches incandescence or the desired temperature. After the fuel reaches the desired temperature, it will be understood that the pulverized material or coal from hopper or bin 25 is then fed into the retort 13; being sprayed into the retort through the nozzle 24 by the admission of a suitable medium through pipe 29. With the retort and upper portion of the apparatus heated to a proper temperature, the pulverized material discharged into the retort 13 by means of the nozzle will be sprayed into contact with the heated walls of the retort and induce distillation of the pulverized carbonaceous ma terial or coal and a conversion into coke. The liberated coal gas, as well as the small particles of coke, pass out through the lower end of the retort 13 and into the water gas generating chamber; the coke articles falling on to the heated mass in t e generator, while the gas 2 ses up through the various fines or tubes 1 During the practice of this method, the producer gas made during the air blow period may be burned under the arch 11 by admitting secondary air through the conduits or

pipes

32, 33; the hot products of combustion assing upward throu h the tubes or flues l as well as around t e tubes or flues and around the retort 13, transferring' heat to the flues, and thence out to the connection 19 and into the stack 21, if stackvalve 45 is open and'valve 23 in connection 22 closed. The gas, produced during the blow period, may be conducted to additional heating apparatus or surfaces if desired, b

closing valve 45 and opening valve 23. It is evident from the construction and method of operation that the various tubes or flues l7 and the retort 13 (or a number of retorts if desired) will all be heated to any desired temperature by means of the sensible heat and thecombustion of the producer gas formed in the water gas generating chamber durin 'what may be termed the air blow perio a a On the other hand, with the apparatus in gas producing condition, the stack-valve 45 is closed and valve 23 opened, so that the water gas generated may flow through conduit 22 either to additional heating surfaces if desired, such as a carburetor in acarburetted water gas set, or to any desired point. The air blast through inlet 41 being now shut ofl, the run proceeds; steam being admitted under the grate bars 3,5 by-means of inlet 40 assist in distillation of the pulverized mateand decomposed in passing upward through the incandescent coke on the grate-bars, thereby forming blue water gas, while at the same time helping to drive 011' any volatile matter which still remains in the coke. At the same time, the pulverized fuel or coal is fed from the hopper 25 by the conveyor into the nozzle 24, which, as previously stated, injects or sprays the pulverized material into the retort. This spraying action may be accomplished by admitting gas (such as blue water gas or air or steam, through the small ipe 29, if desired. Additional gas, such as oil gas and natural gas preferably hot, may also be admitted through the larger pipe 31 into the nozzle for g enriching the gas admitted through pipe 31 or to aid in distillation. If air is introduced it would aid in'heating the retort as well as rial. The rich gases, resulting from this op eration, escape from the bottom of the retort 13 and mix with the lean gases arising from the water gasgeneratingchamber of the apparatus; the mixture of the rich and lean gases then pass upward through and. around the heated tubes or flues 17 thereby subjecting the volatile constituents to further cracking action by reason of their travel over and in contact with the hot surfaces of the flues, causing a fixing of the gas. This mixture or fixed gas is then taken from the apparatus through the outlet 19 and conveyed by conduit 22 (stack-valve 45 being closed and valve 23 being opened) to any suitable-point of storage or use, or if desired to a second heating unit employing heating flues somewhat sim- 1 so as to bring it into contact with additional heated surfaces or flues as shown, the gas' withdrawn through the outlet 19 will be in a finished condition and may therefore be immediately conveyed to the necessary scrubbers and purifiers to remove the impurities from the crude gas. In this intermittent process, when it is desired to produce blue water gas (steam being admitted instead of air), the air blast 41 at the bottom of the apparatus is shut ofi ;-while in the production of the blow gas, the air blast 41 is opened and the valve 44 in the conduit or outlet 43 is closed as, of course, is also the case with the stack-valve 45. v

In case it is desired to make a down-run, namely with steam introduced and passing down into the hot coke bed, steam is admitted through the inlet 34 and the steam,

with the coal gas coming from the retort 13,

composed and blue water gas to be formed.

During this operation, the combined mixture leaves the apparatus by passing through the grate-bars into the lowermost chamber and is taken oil? through conduit 43. It will be understood, of course, thatduring this operation, valve 23 in outlet 22 as well asthe stack-valve 45 are closed.

During what may be termed'a steam uprun, at which time steam is admitted through steam inet 40, the vave 44 in outlet 43 is closed and valve 23 in outlet 22 is open and stack valve 45 is closed. It will be understood, of course, that during the air blast period the stack-valve 45 is opened while valves 23 and 44 are closed. Valve 44 and stack-valve 45 are closed while valve 23' is open when the apparatus is employed for making producer as. r

The fine particles of coked material, from which the rich volatile matter has been withmass of coke. The coke level and condition may be observed and the coke broken up and leveled from time to time by opening the door 46; this door being also provided to permit the (preliminary charging of the apparatus an also to enable the removal of any side clinker from the generator wall lining when same occurs. It will be understood that the rate of feed from the hopper is regulated or adjusted to supply the proper amount of coked material to the enerator to maintain a level of coke or car naceous material under a given set of conditions for operation.

When employing the apparatus for the operation of a continuous process for the production of producer gas, a fire is built on the grate-bars as previously mentioned while the coke level may be at a lower stage if desired; and after the apparatus is thoroughly heated the fineparticles of coke coming from the retort 13 may be gasified by means of the air blast before they reach the gratebars. This producer gas formed in the lower chamber or generator portion then mixes with the gas formed by the distillation of the fine particles in the retort, as it leaves the bottom of the retort 13 and the mixture passes up through and about the hot flues or tubes 17 as described in the former operation. In the event that the sensible heat from the producer gas coming from the lower chamber or generator portion is insufiicient to maintain the proper temperature for distillation of the fine particles of carbonaceous material in the retort and a further cracking of the hydrocarbons in the upper chamber, a portion of the gas may be burned beneath the arch by admitting secondary air through the

conduits

32 and 33. With my improved apparatus and process when coal is used a rich producer gas is obtained consisting of a mixture of coal gas and producer gas.

I have shown and described apparatus em-- bodying my invention and whereby my improved process may be carried out, having described the exemplification and process in terms employed merely as terms of description and not as terms of limitation, as modifications are possible and may be made without, however, departing from the, spirit of my invention.

lVhat I claim is:

A process of making mixed water gas and coal gas, which consists in providing a hot bed of solid carbonaceous fuel by intermittentlv .blasting with air, causing steam to intermittently pass upwardly through said hot carbonaceous fuel, intermittently introducing powdered carbonaceous material above said hot fuel by causing the powdered material to pass downwardly through a vertically disposed retort located above the hot carbonaceous fuel and heated externally by the rising hot generated gases to effect distillation of the powdered material before it encounters saidhot'fuel and the generated blue water gas, subjecting the resultant gases and entrained vapors to further fixing by passing the same through vertically arranged felongated heated passages dis osed above the carbonaceous fuel bed and a out said retort.

EDWARD A. DIETERLE.