# US 10,119,087 B2 · Process for and processor of natural gas and activated carbon together with blower > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,119,087 B2 - Document ID: US10119087B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/594,369 - Filed: 2017-05-12 - Published: 2018-01-04 - Granted: 2018-11-06 - Earliest claimed: 2007-11-23 - Assignees: Bixby Energy Systems, Inc. - Applicants: Bixby Energy Systems, Inc. - Inventors: Sherman Aaron - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10119087B2 ## CPC - C10L 5/44: on vegetable substances - C10J 3/503: {for gasifiers with stationary fluidised bed} - C10J 3/80: with arrangements for preheating the blast or the water vapour - C10L 3/08: Production of synthetic natural gas - C10L 5/46: on sewage, house, or town refuse {(C10L5/403, C10L5/406 take precedence)} - C10J 2200/156: Sluices, e.g. mechanical sluices for preventing escape of gas through the feed inlet - C10J 2300/0909: Drying - C10J 2300/092: Wood, cellulose - C10J 2300/0923: Sludge, e.g. from water treatment plant - C10J 2300/093: Coal - C10J 2300/0946: Waste, e.g. MSW, tires, glass, tar sand, peat, paper, lignite, oil shale - C10J 2300/0989: Hydrocarbons as additives to gasifying agents to improve caloric properties - Y02E 50/10: Biofuels, e.g. bio-diesel - Y02E 50/30: Fuel from waste, e.g. synthetic alcohol or diesel - C10L: FUELS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NATURAL GAS; SYNTHETIC NATURAL GAS OBTAINED BY PROCESSES NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C10G OR C10K; LIQUIFIED PETROLEUM GAS; USE OF ADDITIVES TO FUELS OR FIRES; FIRE-LIGHTERS - C10J: PRODUCTION OF PRODUCER GAS, WATER-GAS, SYNTHESIS GAS FROM SOLID CARBONACEOUS MATERIAL, OR MIXTURES CONTAINING THESE GASES (synthesis gas from liquid or gaseous hydrocarbons C01B; underground gasification of minerals E21B43/295); CARBURETTING AIR OR OTHER GASES - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract A method of and device for processing carbonacious material into gas and activated carbon together with blower. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of processing carbon-based feedstock into natural gas, the method comprising: introducing the carbon-based feedstock to a fluidized bed; flowing superheated non-oxygenated gas through the fluidized bed to the carbon-based feedstock at a velocity sufficient to separate natural gas and activated carbon from the feedstock; converting the carbon-based feedstock into natural gas and activated carbon; separating the natural gas from the activated carbon; and recycling a portion of the separated natural gas into the flow of superheated non-oxygenated gas, the recycled portion at least partially converting the carbon-based feedstock into the natural gas and the activated carbon. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the superheated non-oxygenated gas is heated to a temperature between 1000 degrees F. and 1500 degrees F. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2 wherein the superheated non-oxygenated gas is heated to a temperature between 1000 degrees F. and 1200 degrees F. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the superheated non-oxygenated gas is natural gas. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the natural gas is medium BTU natural gas. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, comprising cooling a non-recycled portion of the natural gas. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, comprising compressing the cooled natural gas. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the flowing the superheated non-oxygenated gas through the fluidized bed comprises the converting the carbon-based feedstock into natural gas and activated carbon. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of: allowing cleaning of the natural gas using the activated carbon to form clean natural gas, the cleaning starting at least as early as when the natural gas and activated carbon are leaving the fluidized bed and continuing through completion. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the recycled portion of the natural gas is a first portion, the method comprising: recycling a second portion of the natural gas into a burner, the burner using the second portion to superheat non-oxygenated gas for flowing through the fluidized bed. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the activated carbon is not charred though the process. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the method does not form ash. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, comprising: adjusting a velocity of the superheated non-oxygenated gas such that a flow of superheated non-oxygenated gas is slow enough to leave the feedstock on the fluidized bed and fast enough to separate the activated carbon and natural gas. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 comprising allowing cleaning of the natural gas using the activated carbon, the cleaning comprising the activated carbon removing harmful compounds from the natural gas to form clean natural gas. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein allowing cleaning of the natural gas using the activated carbon comprises co-mingling the activated carbon and natural gas. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein, removing harmful compounds from the natural gas includes removing at one least of mercury, chlorine, and sulfur compounds from the natural gas. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein recycling a portion of the natural gas into the flow of superheated non-oxygenated gas comprises recycling a first portion of the cleaned natural gas, and the method comprising: recycling a second portion of the cleaned natural gas into a burner, the burner using the second portion to superheat non-oxygenated gas for flowing through the fluidized bed. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein flowing superheated non-oxygenated gas through the fluidized bed comprises: vaporizing the natural gas from the carbon-based feedstock, the vaporizing converting a portion of the carbon-based feedstock into the activated carbon. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the velocity is sufficient to separate the natural gas and activated carbon from the feedstock based on the densities of the natural gas and activated carbon. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, where the velocity is sufficient to maintain the carbon-based feedstock on the fluidized bed.