# US 2014/0196368 A1 · Gasifier having at least one charge transfer electrode and methods of use thereof > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0196368 A1 - Document ID: US20140196368A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/153,665 - Filed: 2014-01-13 - Published: 2014-07-17 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-16 - Assignees: Clearsign Combustion Corporation - Applicants: ClearSign Combustion Corporation - Inventors: Christopher A. Wiklof - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140196368A1 ## CPC - C10J 3/18: using electricity - C10J 3/723: {Controlling or regulating the gasification process} - C10J 2200/12: Electrodes present in the gasifier - 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 ## Abstract Gasifiers that may be used for gasifying hydrocarbon-containing materials are disclosed. Methods for use of such gasifiers are also disclosed. In an embodiment, a gasifier includes a gasification reaction vessel having one or more electrodes positioned therein. The one or more electrodes may be used to alter a chemical and/or thermodynamic equilibrium of the gasification reaction. For example, the one or more electrodes may be used to make the oxidation zone more oxidizing and/or to make the reduction zone more reducing such that oxidation and/or reduction reactions are favored. Electrodes in such gasifiers may, for example, be used to alter the mix of products produced by the gasification reaction, to lower the gasification reaction temperature, to enable altering the dimensions of the gasifier (e.g., to make the gasifier smaller) without sacrificing efficiency, and/or to speed up startup and/or shutdown. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A gasifier, comprising a reaction vessel configured to gasify at least one hydrocarbon-containing feed material, wherein the reaction vessel includes at least one oxidation zone and at least one reduction zone; an electrical power source; and at least one electrode positioned in the reaction vessel and being operably coupled to the electrical power source; wherein the electrical power source and the at least one electrode are configured to alter a chemical and/or thermodynamic equilibrium in one or more of the at least one oxidation zone or the at least one reduction zone. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The gasifier of claim 1 wherein the electrical power source and the at least one electrode are configured to alter the chemical and/or thermodynamic equilibrium by making at least one of the at least one oxidation zone more oxidizing or more reducing or make the at least one reduction zone more reducing or more oxidizing. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The gasifier of claim 1 wherein altering the chemical and/or thermodynamic equilibrium in one or more of the at least one oxidation zone or the at least one reduction zone results in a substantial increase in a gasification reaction rate in the reaction vessel. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The gasifier of claim 1 wherein altering the chemical and/or thermodynamic equilibrium in one or more of the at least one oxidation zone or the at least one reduction zone alters one or more gasification reaction products produced by the gasifier. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The gasifier of claim 1 wherein the at least one electrode is positioned in the at least one oxidation zone, and the electrical power source and the at least one electrode are configured to make the at least one oxidation zone more oxidizing. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The gasifier of claim 5 wherein the at least one electrode positioned in the at least one oxidation zone is configured to remove electrons from the at least one oxidation zone. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The gasifier of claim 1 wherein the at least one electrode is positioned in the at least one reduction zone, and the electrical power source and the at least one electrode are configured to make the at least one reduction zone more reducing. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The gasifier of claim 7 wherein the at least one electrode positioned in the at least one reduction zone is configured to add electrons to the at least one reduction zone. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The gasifier of claim 1 wherein the electrical power source and at least one electrode re configured to cause electrical current flow between the at least one oxidation zone and the at least one reduction zone. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The gasifier of claim 1 wherein the at least one electrode includes at least one first electrode positioned in the at least one oxidation zone and at least one second electrode positioned in the reduction zone, wherein the electrical power source and the first and second electrodes are configured to add electrons to the at least one oxidation zone and remove electrons from the at least one reduction zone. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The gasifier of claim 1 wherein the at least one electrode includes a first electrode positioned in the at least one oxidation zone and a second electrode positioned in the reduction zone, wherein the first and second electrodes are operably coupled to the electrical power source and configured to establish an alternating electrical current between the at least one oxidation zone and the at least one reduction zone. ### Claim 12 A method of gasifying a hydrocarbon-containing material, comprising: providing a gasifier that includes a reaction vessel having at least one oxidation zone, at least one reduction zone, and at least one electrode positioned in the reaction vessel, the at least one electrode being operably coupled to an electrical power source; charging the reaction vessel with a hydrocarbon-containing material and initiating a gasification reaction in the reaction vessel; and altering a chemical and/or thermodynamic equilibrium within the reaction vessel between the at least one oxidation zone and the at least one reduction zone by establishing at least one of an electrical current or an electrical potential via the at least one electrode; wherein altering the chemical and/or thermodynamic equilibrium within the reaction vessel results in at least one of a substantially significant increase in a gasification reaction rate in the reaction vessel or a change in one or more gasification reaction products produced by the gasifier. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12 wherein the at least one electrode includes at least one electrode positioned in the at least one oxidation zone and at least one electrode positioned in the reduction zone, the method further comprising at least one of: removing electrons from the at least one oxidation zone; or adding electrons into the at least one reduction zone. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising: electrically connecting the at least one electrode positioned in the at least one oxidation zone and the at least one electrode positioned in the reduction zone to an electrical power source; and establishing an alternating current between the at least one oxidation zone and the at least one reduction zone. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising making the at least one oxidation zone more oxidizing by removing electrons therefrom. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising increasing the reduction potential of the at least one reduction zone by adding electrons thereto. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12 wherein the at least one electrode includes at least one first electrode positioned in the at least one oxidation zone and at least one second electrode positioned in the reduction zone, the method further comprising at least one of: adding electrons into the at least one oxidation zone; or removing electrons from the at least one reduction zone. ### Claim 18 A method for producing a gaseous product from a solid hydrocarbon-containing material, comprising: providing a gasifier having at least one oxidation zone, at least one reduction zone, at least one electrode positioned in the at least one oxidation zone, and at least one electrode positioned in the at least one reduction zone, the at least one electrode being operably coupled to an electrical power source; charging the reaction vessel with a hydrocarbon-containing material and initiating a gasification reaction in the reaction vessel; in at least a first stage of the gasification reaction, altering a chemical and/or thermodynamic equilibrium in one or more redox reactions within the gasifier reaction vessel by at least one of: making the at least one oxidation zone more oxidizing by removing electrons from the at least one oxidation zone via the at least one electrode positioned therein; or making the at least one reduction zone more reducing by adding electrons to the at least one reduction zone via the at least one electrode positioned therein; and generating a gaseous product that includes hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and methane. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein altering the chemical and/or thermodynamic equilibrium in one or more redox reactions within the gasifier reaction vessel results in at least one of: a substantially significant increase in a gasification reaction rate in the reaction vessel; a reduction in the temperature of the gasification reaction; an efficiency increase in the gasification reaction; or a change in the gaseous product production by the gasifier. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, in at least a second stage of the gasification reaction, the method further comprising at least one of: making the at least one oxidation zone less oxidizing by adding electrons to the at least one oxidation zone via the at least one electrode positioned therein; or making the at least one reduction zone less reducing by removing electrons from the at least one reduction zone via the at least one electrode positioned therein. ### Claim 21 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, in at least a second stage of the gasification reaction, the method further comprising: electrically connecting the at least one electrode positioned in the at least one oxidation zone and the at least one electrode positioned in the at least one reduction zone to a power supply; and establishing an alternating current between the at least one oxidation zone and the at least one reduction zone. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein the alternating current has a characteristic frequency selected to result in at least one of: a substantially significant increase in a gasification reaction rate in the reaction vessel; a reduction in the temperature of the gasification reaction; an efficiency increase in the gasification reaction; or a change in the gaseous product production by the gasifier.