Method and apparatus for co-injecting carbon-based particulate and oxygen-based gas streams into a liquid bath

An injector apparatus adapted to produce a supersonic jet of a fluidized carbon-based particulate stream in a motive gas stream delivered as a combined coherent supersonic stream into a liquid pool, comprising:

• a first inner channel of an injector, said first inner channel extending substantially along a central axis of the injector, said first channel configured to receive a carbon-based particulate stream flowing therethrough;
• a second inner channel of said injector, wherein said second inner channel is outwardly spaced apart from the first inner channel, and further wherein said second inner channel comprises a converging/diverging geometry, said second inner channel configured to receive the motive gas stream at subsonic velocity and accelerate said motive gas stream into a supersonic velocity stream flowing through the second inner channel;
• a first outer passageway spaced apart from the central axis of the injector, said first outer passageway spaced apart from the central axis a distance greater than that of the second inner channel, said first outer passageway configured to receive a fuel;
• and
• a second outer passageway spaced apart from the central axis of the injector, said second outer passageway spaced apart from the central axis a distance greater than or equal to that of the second inner channel, said second outer passageway configured to receive an oxygen gas stream;
• wherein each of said first outer passageway and second outer passageway remain separate and distinct from an inlet of the injector apparatus to an outlet of the injector apparatus, thereby preventing intermixing of the fuel and the oxygen gas stream, respectively.

A method of co-injecting a motive gas stream and a particulate or gas stream into a liquid pool, comprising:

• introducing the motive gas stream through a first inner channel of an injector at a first supply pressure
• introducing the particulate or gas stream through a second inner channel of said injector at a second supply pressure less than the first supply pressure of the motive gas stream;
• accelerating the motive gas stream through a converging/diverging geometry to create a partially expanded, supersonic flow of the motive gas stream;
• directing the partially expanded, supersonic flow of the motive gas stream into a mixing section located at a predefined axial location of the injector;
• directing the particulate or gas stream into the mixing section;
• mixing the partially expanded, supersonic flow of the motive gas stream with the particulate or gas stream under conditions where the partially expanded, supersonic flow of the motive gas stream is at a pressure substantially equal to the first pressure of the particulate or gas stream, and lower than a critical pressure corresponding to the motive gas but greater than a downstream exit pressure at the outlet of the injector;
• producing a supersonic fluidized jet stream;
• withdrawing the supersonic fluidized jet stream from an outlet of the injector;
• forming an oxy-fuel shroud at an outlet of the injector apparatus;
• surrounding the supersonic velocity fluidized jet stream with the oxy-fuel shroud to form a combined coherent supersonic velocity jet stream;
• and
• directing the combined coherent supersonic velocity jet stream from the outlet of the injector to a surface of the liquid pool.

An injector apparatus adapted to produce a combined coherent supersonic jet stream, comprising:

• a first inner channel of an injector, said first inner channel extending substantially along a central axis of the injector, said first channel configured to receive a reducing solids stream at a supply pressure;
• a second inner channel of said injector, wherein said second inner channel is radially and outwardly spaced apart from the first inner channel, and further wherein said second inner channel comprises a converging/diverging geometry, said second inner channel configured to receive an oxidizing gas stream at a higher supply pressure than the supply pressure of the reducing solids stream and accelerate said oxidizing gas stream into a supersonic velocity stream by restricting the flow of the gas stream to a choking point and then expanding the oxidizing gas stream through a diverging section of the converging/diverging geometry in the second inner channel;
• a first outer passageway spaced apart from the central axis of the injector, said first outer passageway spaced apart from the central axis a distance greater than that of the second inner channel spaced apart from the central axis, said first outer passageway configured to receive a fuel;
• and
• a second outer passageway spaced apart from the central axis of the injector, said second outer passageway spaced apart from the central axis a distance greater than that of the second inner channel spaced apart from the central axis, said second outer passageway configured to receive an oxygen gas stream;
• wherein each of said first outer passageway and second outer passageway remain separate and distinct from an inlet of the injector apparatus to an outlet of the injector apparatus, thereby preventing intermixing of the fuel and the oxygen gas stream configured to flow therewithin, respectively.

A method of generating a supersonic jet of a fluidized carbon-based particulate stream in an oxygen-containing gas stream delivered as a combined coherent supersonic jet stream into a liquid pool contained in a furnace, comprising:

• accelerating an oxygen-containing gas stream through a diverging section of the converging/diverging geometry of an injector to create a flow of supersonic velocity of the oxygen-containing gas stream;
• entraining the flow of the oxygen-containing gas with a stream of fluidized carbon-based particulates to produce a combined jet stream having a supersonic velocity designated as a supersonic fluidized carbon jet;
• expanding the supersonic fluidized carbon jet to atmospheric pressure and ejecting the supersonic fluidized carbon jet from an outlet of the injector;
• surrounding the supersonic fluidized carbon jet with an oxy-fuel shroud created at the outlet of the injector to produce the combined coherent supersonic jet stream;
• and
• flowing the combined coherent supersonic jet stream from the outlet of the injector to the liquid pool.