Slag bath generator

Abstract

A method and apparatus for gasifying fine-grained fuel, e.g., coal and a gasifying medium, e.g., oxygen in a slag bath generator. The fine-grained fuel and gasifying medium are injected at a downwardly-inclined angle to tangentially impinge with a turbulent rotary motion upon a slag bath in the lower end of a vertically-extending reactor shaft within a pressure vessel. A desired slag bath level is maintained in the bottom of the vessel by using an overflow to discharge slag from the bath through the bottom of the vessel. A first treatment zone for the high temperature gasification of the fuel is formed between the slag bath and a circular constriction to the reactor shaft. A second treatment zone for the final gasification of the fuel at a lower temperature as compared with the temperature in the first treatment zone extends above the circumferential constriction along the reactor shaft. Fuel and gases passing through the circumferential constriction are essentially free of a turbulent rotary motion. A third treatment zone for cooling the fuel and gases discharged from the top end of the reactor shaft is formed by a cupola. Solids are separated in a hot cyclone from the gases discharged from the cupola. The solids are injected together with additional fine-grained fuel into the first treatment zone. A cooling medium is injected into the cupola to facilitate the cooling process therein.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.