Gas lock system charging particles into a pressurized gasification reactor

An apparatus for providing a continuous feed of particles of solid carbonaceous material from a source exposed to ambient oxygen containing atmosphere to a pressurized reactor which processes said material to a combustible product gas;

• comprising:
• a. first and second rotary gas locks;
• each of said rotary gas locks having a housing with an inlet operable to receive a flow of said solid material and an outlet operable to discharge a flow of said material;
• means within said housing cooperating with said housing to define a plurality of material transferring compartments;
• said means being movably mounted for movement of said compartments alternately from said inlet to said outlet and back to said inlet;
• b. said first and second rotary gas locks arranged in series relationship with said inlet of said first rotary gas lock arranged to receive a flow of said material from a source at ambient atmosphere;
• material conduit means for connecting said outlet of said first rotary gas lock with said inlet of said second rotary gas lock in gas-tight material flow communication;
• means for receiving material discharged from said outlet of said second rotary gas lock and introducing said material to said reactor;
• c. means for supplying a flow of buffer gas containing essentially no free oxygen to said outlet of said second rotary gas lock at a pressure greater than the pressure within said reactor;
• d. means connected to said first rotary gas lock housing adjacent said inlet for supplying a flow of nontoxic seal gas containing essentially no free oxygen to said inlet of said first rotary gas lock at a pressure greater than ambient atmospheric pressure;
• e. means for exhausting said buffer gas from said inlet of said second rotary gas lock and exhausting said seal gas from said outlet of said first rotary gas lock, said means for exhausting comprising an exhaust gas conduit connected to and in gas flow communication with said material conduit
• whereby said carbonaceous material is transferred from ambient oxygen containing atmosphere through said rotary gas locks by said compartments and into said pressurized reactor with said buffer gas flooding said second rotary gas lock and said seal gas maintaining a nontoxic and noncombustible atmosphere in said first rotary lock to maintain noncombustible mixtures of gases within both of said rotary gas locks and within said exhaust means.