System and method for recovering inert feedstock contaminants from municipal solid waste during gasification

A municipal solid waste (MSW) energy recovery system for converting MSW containing inert feedstock contaminants, into a product gas (122), the system comprising:

• (a) a first reactor (100) comprising:
• a first reactor interior (101) suitable for accommodating a bed material and endothermically reacting MSW in the presence of steam to produce product gas;
• a first reactor carbonaceous material input (104) for introducing MSW into the first reactor interior (101);
• a first reactor reactant input (108) for introducing steam into the first interior (101);
• a first reactor product gas output (124) through which product gas is removed;
• a classified recycled bed material input (A27, A27A) in fluid communication with an upper portion of the first reactor interior (101), the classified recycled bed material input (A27, A27A) and the first reactor carbonaceous material input (104) being separate inputs into the first reactor interior (101);
• a particulate output (A2A) connected to a lower portion of the first reactor interior, and through which a mixture of bed material and unreacted inert feedstock contaminants selectively exits the first reactor interior;
• and
• (b) a plurality of particulate classification vessels (A1A, A1B) in fluid communication with the first reactor interior, each vessel having a classifier interior (INA) and comprising:
• (i) a mixture input (A5A, A5AA) connected to the particulate output (A2A, A2AA), for receiving said mixture from the first reactor interior;
• (ii) a classifier gas input (A6A, A6AA) connected to a source of classifier gas (A16A, 16AA), for receiving classifier gas to promote separation of said bed material from said unreacted inert feedstock contaminants within said vessel;
• (iii) a bed material output (A7A, A7AA) connected to the classified recycled bed material input (A27, A27A) of the first reactor interior (101) via a classifier riser conduit (A17, A17A), for returning bed material separated from said mixture to the first reactor interior;
• (iv) a contaminant output (A9A, A9AA) for removing unreacted inert feedstock contaminants (A19A, 19AA) which have been separated from said mixture, within the vessel;
• and
• (v) a gas distributor valve (V91) configured to separate each vessel's classifier interior (INA) into a classifier zone (INA1) and a gas distribution zone (INA2);
• wherein:
• the gas distributor valve (V91) comprises a valve body (504) and a blade (502) slidable relative to the valve body (504);
• the blade (502) has perforations (514) at a first portion thereof;
• and
• an actuator (506) is connected to the blade (502) and configured to selectively slide the blade (502) between:
• a closed position in which the perforations (514) are located within the vessel, between the classifier zone (INA1) and a gas distribution zone (INA2);
• and
• an open position in which the perforations (514) are no longer located within the vessel, between the classifier zone (INA1) and a gas distribution zone (INA2).