Apparatus for the low temperature carbonization of fine-grain fuels

Abstract

Fine-grain fuel is carbonized at a low temperature by feeding the fuel from a hopper downwardly into the gap formed between two vertically-arranged, plate-type conveyors. The plates of each conveyor move downwardly while their back face surfaces bear against the wall of a heating chamber. The position of the heating chambers is controlled to maintain a narrow gap, e.g., 10-30 millimeters between the plates of the conveyors. The conveyors and heating chambers are located within a container wherein a pressure of up to 100 bars is maintained and a clear gas is passed countercurrently to the downward advancement of the fuel in the gap between the conveyors. Breaker rollers below the conveyors subdivide the carbonized fuel issuing from the gap for passage into a gasification chamber. Part of the gas yield is used as fuel for the heating chambers.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.