Method for Producing a Product Gas from Municipal Solid Waste with Particulate Classification

A method of producing a product gas from municipal solid waste feedstock, the method comprising:

• (a) providing a fluidized bed reactor having particulate heat transfer materials therein;
• (b) providing a plurality of particulate classification vessels configured to selectively receive material from the fluidized bed reactor, and separate the material by size and/or density classification;
• (c) providing a source of municipal solid waste feedstock, said municipal solid waste feedstock comprising carbonaceous material and inert feedstock contaminants;
• (d) introducing said municipal solid waste feedstock, including the inert feedstock contaminants, into the fluidized bed reactor;
• (e) in the fluidized bed reactor, converting the carbonaceous material within the municipal solid waste feedstock into product gas in the presence of the particulate heat transfer material, while the inert feedstock contaminants remain unreacted;
• (f) discharging a mixture of the particulate heat transfer material and the unreacted inert feedstock contaminants from the fluidized bed reactor, into at least one of said plurality of particulate classification vessels;
• (g) introducing a classifier gas into said at least one particulate classification vessel and separating at least some of the particulate heat transfer material from at least some of the unreacted inert feedstock contaminants;
• and
• (h) removing, from said at least one of said plurality of particulate classification vessels, said at least some of the unreacted inert feedstock contaminants.